Refusing to go down

[JordKil 0]

I was out the other day on some land that is absolutely swarming with rabbits most of the time. There was plenty of fresh droppings and some nice wee warrens perfect for my jill that Iv been trying to get working. I netted up the warren and stuck down one jill and she disappeared for about 5 seconds then reapeared again I found that odd as it was a deep enough warren and she is usually the one I struggle getting back out of the warren. I then put down the rookie one and she shot down it like a pro and again was back up the same one with in seconds I then thought maybe its blocked? SoI put down my big bully hob who would shift any bunny regardless of size. And he just blatantly refused to go near it

After that I tryed to coax them under again and again but they just got stuck in the nets...argh!

Anyone had this before? what does it mean?

 

Cheers

Jordan

[Brimmer 220]

Are they overfed? Were there definately rabbits at home?

[stealthy1 3,964]

Maybe there are dead rabbits in the warren, thats the only time any of mine have turned tail, give it the nose, if there are dead in there, you will know, its like bad food to them I suppose.

[The one 8,513]

Somebodies worked it before you or they know theres nothing in there

[ferret110 27]

There might have been a fox in there or it was just empty

[Guest ferret feller]

i would have dug down a bit mabey 2 foot follow the tunnel see what you can find?

[Clipper 207]

cat maybe ,,, fox maybe ... i had a solid mark in some wooldland the other year but the jills didnt want to know , got the hob in ,,, an a cat flew out ,,,, bolted mink near rivers , stoats weasels rats they normally just bolt added to say if u havnt a marking dog ,,, a the ferrets u have tried were refusing to go , but with there tails up like a bog brush ,,, it somert they dont like ,,, or like some have said nowt home

Edited December 8, 2008 by Clipper

[grdavison 0]

there might of been nothing at home mate

[JordKil 0]

Even when there is nothing the usually go right deep down in search and rise after a few minutes not seconds. The holes were far too small for anything bigger than a rabbit. There is foxers in the area though as there is a few dens on route which have at least 4 foxes about seen at the one time and chased off by my colliex and my neighbours JRT lol. Also I know for a fact that there is no other ferreters in the area and that the closest ones are in the town and where I was aint really much of a hotspot. They're not overfed either they didnt actually eat much the night before or that day. Possibly dead rabbits from whats said as there is loads of mixy about and they just seem to dropping like flies around my house (where I usually hunt)

 

Cheers

Jordan

[Brimmer 220]

Only let them eat untill they leave the food on the day before, (Ie don't leave food in there cage, just let them eat outside the cage till full.) and don't feed them on the day. It may help.

But it does sound like something else was up to be honest.

[paddy.t 5]

Could be stoats mate, mine take some time going down some days and i know theres plenty of stoat and fox about

[JordKil 0]

Aye must of been the foxes at the warren the scent would of spooked them. The big hob I had at the time has killed a couple of stoats (above ground) recently when he's came out I'll hear a comotion and then one dead stoat in his jaws and a few scars on his face at worst.

 

Cheers

Jordan

[paddy.t 5]

  JordKil said:

Aye must of been the foxes at the warren the scent would of spooked them. The big hob I had at the time has killed a couple of stoats (above ground) recently when he's came out I'll hear a comotion and then one dead stoat in his jaws and a few scars on his face at worst.

 

Cheers

Jordan

 

 

They can be quite tough little f**kers, let my two loose on some rats under the shed. too a little hammer but no chance rats were leaveing alive.

 

I get foxes scent on warrens sometimes if hes passed by.

[victor 10]

my hob did tht. but then later on like 3 mounths he did bolt a fox. was down for ages tho..

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

After all the heavy rain we have had,could the warren have been waterlogged or flooded?

Did you try them at another hole,mine was like that last week she would just turn round and come out,i put her down another hole and she went in.I had a look down the first hole and there was a puddle of water in there.