Do People Often Lose Ferrets?

[comanche 2,944]

When you start working your ferret be sensible about choice of burrows. Start with either little ones or easily observed burrows. That way ,even if your ferret makes a kill or is otherwise slow to emerge you can be pretty sure the little blighter is in there somewhere and the worse scenario is a dig or long wait. Once you have feel for things and the ferret is working well you can be more ambitious with confidence.

The more elderly amongst us ,who ferreted for years without locators will no doubt have experienced very long waits , nerve-wracking circuits of the burrow and furtive glimpses down ditch-lines and over hedges.Usually at dusk,when the fear that the ferret has slipped out unnoticed or is trapped in a pocket of bad air is at its peak a little blood smeared face would appear and a massive sigh of relief would be released.

Accidents do occur but I would hazard that ,in these days of "instant everything" a lot of losses are down to simply not waiting long enough. Locators score in that even if your ferret is in an impossible place to dig ,at least you know its still about .

As for your mum making a pet of the ferret;that's a result! Mind you I received my first bad ferret bite thanks to mum. My first ferret ,Sydney was a great family favourite and dear mummy decided to hand feed him a lump of liver. She realised her error when he assumed a rather predatory look of glee and rather quickly withdrew her hand. Little b*gger latched onto me instead !

[muttley94 74]

Thanks for all the info and advice! really is appreciated Im much happier about the situation now and can really see it working out!

[muttley94 74]

I lost one last season and it had a mk3m collar on it and my box could not pick it up and he is my faveroute ferret (blade) I honestly waited 2 days for it searching everywhere with locator and looking. I thaught he was a lost cause until 1 week later I got a phone call from the farmer telling me he found him and fed him and watered him and he will tell me the story when I go pick him up.

 

Honestly - he caught him in a cage trap baited with wheat a few hundred yards from where I lost him 9 days earlier! Very strange and the odds are millions to one lol but it's true.

 

Get a deben mk3m and use it mine must have gone deep into the embankment but usually these locators are excellent. I never lost one apart from that once - just dig carefully and enjoy your ferreting!

 

Thanks, glad to hear you found him!

What depth do they usually work to?

[krawnden 1,036]

When you start working your ferret be sensible about choice of burrows. Start with either little ones or easily observed burrows. That way ,even if your ferret makes a kill or is otherwise slow to emerge you can be pretty sure the little blighter is in there somewhere and the worse scenario is a dig or long wait. Once you have feel for things and the ferret is working well you can be more ambitious with confidence.

The more elderly amongst us ,who ferreted for years without locators will no doubt have experienced very long waits , nerve-wracking circuits of the burrow and furtive glimpses down ditch-lines and over hedges.Usually at dusk,when the fear that the ferret has slipped out unnoticed or is trapped in a pocket of bad air is at its peak a little blood smeared face would appear and a massive sigh of relief would be released.

Accidents do occur but I would hazard that ,in these days of "instant everything" a lot of losses are down to simply not waiting long enough. Locators score in that even if your ferret is in an impossible place to dig ,at least you know its still about .

As for your mum making a pet of the ferret;that's a result! Mind you I received my first bad ferret bite thanks to mum. My first ferret ,Sydney was a great family favourite and dear mummy decided to hand feed him a lump of liver. She realised her error when he assumed a rather predatory look of glee and rather quickly withdrew her hand. Little b*gger latched onto me instead !

 

Dead right about long waits and nerve-wracking circuits of the burrows I've had quite a few 2hr plus waits over the years and one 5hr wait - never want one of them again than you.

[pie-eater 377]

If Im doing warrens in brambles etc where its not easy to see ferrets emerging I use a cat bell on an elastic band which goes around the ferrets neck, using an elastic band ensures that if the bell snags on something underground the ferret can pull free, also the band makes it easier to change the bell a couple of times through the day when it gets mud inside and doesn't work so well. I use a locator and collar as well of course.

 

I believe most of the strays that are found have been dumped rather than lost, Ive met a few ferreters who would leave a ferret in a warren if it was taking to long and buy another for the next session.

[tomburras 2,729]

 

 

I lost one last season and it had a mk3m collar on it and my box could not pick it up and he is my faveroute ferret (blade) I honestly waited 2 days for it searching everywhere with locator and looking. I thaught he was a lost cause until 1 week later I got a phone call from the farmer telling me he found him and fed him and watered him and he will tell me the story when I go pick him up.

 

Honestly - he caught him in a cage trap baited with wheat a few hundred yards from where I lost him 9 days earlier! Very strange and the odds are millions to one lol but it's true.

 

Get a deben mk3m and use it mine must have gone deep into the embankment but usually these locators are excellent. I never lost one apart from that once - just dig carefully and enjoy your ferreting!

Thanks, glad to hear you found him!

What depth do they usually work to?

16 foot. They are an essential in my opinion ?

[The one 8,468]

Thing about this game is you cant say never , been at it a good few years now and ive never lost a ferret one died a few days after coming out a burrow in a bad way dug it out and it was a vixen with cubs in a wee small three holer . Lost a good jill for a week in a big deep burrow but got her back in the end . If anybodys asking to loose a ferret i reckon it could be me ive adverts every where and reply to every call i get go for a look and usually end up ferreting them , once a farmer showed me big deep sandy warrens on a steep slope on the side of a hill and says you wont ferret them you will loose your ferret , the next weekend we where back with 6 jills with fifteen foot collars on them within two minutes they where all off the box but they all came home . Its risky every time you put a dog or ferret to ground that they wont come home its a lot easier now locators are on the scene but its still risky but good field craft and common sense will help

[micky 3,325]

i usually catch 2/3 ferrets a season in traps that have been set for rabbits and also see the same amount dead on the road, my mate is a keeper in Norfolk and he catches a couple every year so someone is losing a few.

[tb25 4,627]

I think if you work eny animal.be it dog .ferrite or bop..you have the chance of losing it..that's the risk we take working our animals ..atb

[muttley94 74]

 

 

I lost one last season and it had a mk3m collar on it and my box could not pick it up and he is my faveroute ferret (blade) I honestly waited 2 days for it searching everywhere with locator and looking. I thaught he was a lost cause until 1 week later I got a phone call from the farmer telling me he found him and fed him and watered him and he will tell me the story when I go pick him up.

 

Honestly - he caught him in a cage trap baited with wheat a few hundred yards from where I lost him 9 days earlier! Very strange and the odds are millions to one lol but it's true.

 

Get a deben mk3m and use it mine must have gone deep into the embankment but usually these locators are excellent. I never lost one apart from that once - just dig carefully and enjoy your ferreting!

Thanks, glad to hear you found him!

What depth do they usually work to?

16 foot. They are an essential in my opinion

 

okay great thanks, yes I think it would be silly to go without one considering they are readily available!

[muttley94 74]

If Im doing warrens in brambles etc where its not easy to see ferrets emerging I use a cat bell on an elastic band which goes around the ferrets neck, using an elastic band ensures that if the bell snags on something underground the ferret can pull free, also the band makes it easier to change the bell a couple of times through the day when it gets mud inside and doesn't work so well. I use a locator and collar as well of course.

 

I believe most of the strays that are found have been dumped rather than lost, Ive met a few ferreters who would leave a ferret in a warren if it was taking to long and buy another for the next session.

yes i thought about a bell but the band is a good idea!

 

do people ferret at night at all? im sure you could use the bell system but also have a small light? or is there no benefit to doing it at night? more hassle than its worth sort of thing?

[muttley94 74]

As you guys say im sure some do get lost but seems like it isnt that common if youre willing to put the effort in to get them back and arent too lazy or too unlucky!

[The one 8,468]

i usually catch 2/3 ferrets a season in traps that have been set for rabbits and also see the same amount dead on the road, my mate is a keeper in Norfolk and he catches a couple every year so someone is losing a few.

Same here pick up the odd one in a trap and see a few dead on the roads but none of them are ever wearing a collar . ?.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

If you ferret rabbits on a regular. (daily) basis,...and over different terrain/areas,...sooner or later,.. the odds are,.. that you will lose a ferret... It is a rotten feeling,..travelling homewards from a location (often hundreds of miles away) knowing that you have left a man behind...

Unfortunately,.it is part and parcel of the rabbiting business....sometimes, there is nothing that can be done.. No type of hunting,... is without some risk,...

Edited May 15, 2015 by Phil Lloyd

[Jamie m 668]

Rats are a problem they tuck up in tight places : (

And if you've a ferret that actively works rats not all do , this can be a pain . Often through roots etc ,