Brambles

[riverliver123 30]

Will be getting ferrets for the first time soon. Question - what happens if they stay down below and u can't dig them out because the warrens are covered over by thick brambles? Almost all the warrens round here are impossible to get to. Also the ferret would have to find its own way through the bramble before getting to the hole....

Edited December 24, 2021 by riverliver123
Misspell

[ferretingnewbie 66]

Ferret won't have a problem finding where to go. 

can't you just cut the brambles back? I used a battery chainsaw thing before off ebay was about £20. Light and uses makita battery's 

[Arry 22,081]

I do smallish patches of brambles with the long net often by myself. Larger patches care would have to be taken that the ferret can't wonder off. If you get laid up its a matter of cutting in and digging. I carry a hedging hook most of the time anyway, a fifteen foot ferret finder would be an advantage over an eight foot on for thick brambles.

Cheers Arry

[riverliver123 30]

On 24/12/2021 at 14:15, Arry said:

I do smallish patches of brambles with the long net often by myself. Larger patches care would have to be taken that the ferret can't wonder off. If you get laid up its a matter of cutting in and digging. I carry a hedging hook most of the time anyway, a fifteen foot ferret finder would be an advantage over an eight foot on for thick brambles.

Cheers Arry

There are some very large patches of thick bramble round where I am. Lots of warrens in them. Lots of hedges of bramble, hawthorn, blackthorn. Very popular rabbit dwelling places. I want to get ferrets for the first time soon. Bit worried about the digging which will be impossible in a lot of cases. Also, like u say ferrets might wander off in large patches. But still...gotta bite the bullet some time

[Daniel cain 45,672]

If your working patches of cover then a  bell would come in handy as well using a locator collar

[Arry 22,081]

1 hour ago, riverliver123 said:

There are some very large patches of thick bramble round where I am. Lots of warrens in them. Lots of hedges of bramble, hawthorn, blackthorn. Very popular rabbit dwelling places. I want to get ferrets for the first time soon. Bit worried about the digging which will be impossible in a lot of cases. Also, like u say ferrets might wander off in large patches. But still...gotta bite the bullet some time

If its large patches especially near hedges then you need a few people to give you a hand mate. You need a few sets of ears eyes imo. I would say don't bite off more than you can chew mate or you will just end up losing your ferret mate. Some of those burrows in the brambles are quite likely to be connected to the burrows in the hedge. You could start cutting some tracks through the brambles so you can set some stop nets, if you don't the bugger will just running back and forth. 

Just my opinion mate.

Maybe invest in a strimmer cut the brambles into smaller blocks you can handle mate.

Atb.

Cheers Arry

[riverliver123 30]

24 minutes ago, Arry said:

If its large patches especially near hedges then you need a few people to give you a hand mate. You need a few sets of ears eyes imo. I would say don't bite off more than you can chew mate or you will just end up losing your ferret mate. Some of those burrows in the brambles are quite likely to be connected to the burrows in the hedge. You could start cutting some tracks through the brambles so you can set some stop nets, if you don't the bugger will just running back and forth. 

Just my opinion mate.

Maybe invest in a strimmer cut the brambles into smaller blocks you can handle mate.

Atb.

Cheers Arry

Ok thanks. Think loosing ferrets could be a problem. Will take my time with it. I know of one bloke who tempts his ferrets back with bits of tripe when they've wandered...

[Arry 22,081]

14 hours ago, riverliver123 said:

Ok thanks. Think loosing ferrets could be a problem. Will take my time with it. I know of one bloke who tempts his ferrets back with bits of tripe when they've wandered...

Don't even think about thinking you will temp them back with tip bits mate. They will come out and come back if the patches are not too big. But you cant just let them go into masses of bramble an hope to see them again. Not saying if you have one loose then a baited live trap might help. If a ferret bolts a rabbit in the bramble if its a good ferret it will follow that rabbit and if its like one of mine it will stay on that line. So could end up anywhere. 

Mate you need to separate and divide the brambles into a size you can handle.

Cheers Arry

Edited December 27, 2021 by Arry

[dytkos 17,804]

Nothing worse than digging under a blackthorn hedge, brambles, meh, throw yourself in backwards whilst wearing a Barbour jacket

Cheers, D.

[riverliver123 30]

3 hours ago, Arry said:

Don't even think about thinking you will temp them back with tip bits mate. They will come out and come back if the patches are not too big. But you cant just let them go into masses of bramble an hope to see them again. Not saying if you have one loose then a baited live trap might help. If a ferret bolts a rabbit in the bramble if its a good ferret it will follow that rabbit and if its like one of mine it will say one that line. So could end up anywhere. 

Mate you need to separate and divide the brambles into a size you can handle.

Cheers Arry

Ok thankyou.

[Moocher71 4,050]

Try ferreting small places at first and stay away from large bramble patches until you got bit of experience with working ferrets ,once you get hang of ferret finder and ferrets bolted a few then go on to bigger places,

Do you have a dog ? As they can be great help and I wouldn't go without one but that's me   

Take your time ,look after your team and you be OK  

[ZacB 114]

A suggestion, others may correct but how  about a rabbit trap in cases of despair. If laid up and past bedtime leave a trap out with a rabbit carcass in and return the following day?

[fred90 3,246]

if like most of us your not a paid pest controller, then some places you just don't enter ferrets 

[wildman 498]

Them big thick bramble , hedges are no place, for a novice pal as said start on easy terrain , work up to it, or get some keen helpers

[tatsblisters 9,976]

14 hours ago, dytkos said:

Nothing worse than digging under a blackthorn hedge, brambles, meh, throw yourself in backwards whilst wearing a Barbour jacket

Cheers, D.

That's true mate them Dale's ferreters' don't know their born.