advantages/disadvantages

[whippet08 8]

hi everyone,

just like to hear your thoughts on what you prefer to use,or both, and reasons,and any advantages /disadvantages,i have only used hobs so far,as my jills are too young,and the hobs have been good so far.

cheers rich

[dh90 6]

i think both have their advantages and disadvantages. On a day when rabbits arent bolting i prefer a bog hob, keeps the rabbit in the same place to be dug out. i find with smaller gills the rabbit pulls them about a bit and can have moved by the time you've dug to them. But on other days the big hob gets a hold too quick and you need to dig when a smaller gill would have got them to bolt...

[will.f11 24]

I suppose the advantage of a jill is that it doesnt kill as often and can fit down smaller burries. But Hobs kill very often and get tired easier..

[Hob&Jill 258]

I think its a myth hobs kill more. They just do the job easier and can actually do it without fecking about. I do like jills but mine can be a pain when digging to them as they will often get moved about by rabbits if they dont have them in a stopend. Give me a nice big ole Hob anyday . I also think hobs will empty warrens better than jills.

 

Although bigger hobs can be a pain with purse nets.

 

Happy christmas,

HJ

[ferret boy charlie 0]

I think its a myth hobs kill more. They just do the job easier and can actually do it without fecking about. I do like jills but mine can be a pain when digging to them as they will often get moved about by rabbits if they dont have them in a stopend. Give me a nice big ole Hob anyday . I also think hobs will empty warrens better than jills.

 

Although bigger hobs can be a pain with purse nets.

 

Happy christmas,

HJ

i agree mate

[undisputed 1,664]

Prefer small jills myself less likely to get a lie up

[Brimmer 220]

i think both have their advantages and disadvantages. On a day when rabbits arent bolting i prefer a bog hob, keeps the rabbit in the same place to be dug out. i find with smaller gills the rabbit pulls them about a bit and can have moved by the time you've dug to them. But on other days the big hob gets a hold too quick and you need to dig when a smaller gill would have got them to bolt...

Same thinking as me exactly.

[Brimmer 220]

I think its a myth hobs kill more. They just do the job easier and can actually do it without fecking about. I do like jills but mine can be a pain when digging to them as they will often get moved about by rabbits if they dont have them in a stopend. Give me a nice big ole Hob anyday . I also think hobs will empty warrens better than jills.

 

Although bigger hobs can be a pain with purse nets.

 

Happy christmas,

HJ

Just the same as me, still like the hobs, but wish i could have a better turnout of jills to be honest! One or two times they can come in handy!

[Netter 0]

I've had good and bad in both, But it's Jills for me, as I think they get the job done quicker.

[stealthy1 3,964]

Just lately I've got into sticking two down, hob and a jill, don't think there's a lot of difference, a big old hob will staywith a stubborn buck where a jill will move on, and that's one you've missed off your count, I've also seen some very good small hobs worked in pairs, think most people just stick to jills because thats what they are taught.

[Guest ferret feller]

i like jills i use jills first they clear the easy rabbits... then use the hob he will kill any that are keft so i can dig them out...

[mackay 3,411]

I suppose the advantage of a jill is that it doesnt kill as often and can fit down smaller burries. But Hobs kill very often and get tired easier..

 

 

From my experience mate jills tire quicker than hobs.

[redeye jedi 39]

i use both, ive got a big fat hob and he sticks with them stubbon sods like glue! the jill goes in at the same time and 90% of the time she's the one bolting them, she wont stay on the ass uped ones, leaves them to him untill theres nothing left in the warren then shes back with him if ive not got to depth by then. sunday morning they both had a doe and dragged it to the net. nice work saves a dig!

[Tiercel 6,986]

It makes no matter if you use a Hob or a Jill, unless you are rabbiting for a living you are doing it for pleasure / sport. It may be dressed up as pest control but unless you are willing and able to gas the rabbits that you cannot ferret then it will always be sport.

 

One thing puzzles me. Why the obsession with clearing a warren? All the posters that have answered to this thread so far are, as far as I know, sport ferreters.

 

What is the big fascination with numbers? Why does the count mean so much? When I go ferreting I go for sport. Nothing else, I do it purely for my pleasure. Good days, bad days we all have them, and that is an undisputable fact. When someone who is clearly a pleasure / sport ferreter says that if I have to dig out a rabbit, as it will add to the tally at the end of the day. I have to question his motives for ferreting.

 

Unless there is a serious rabbit problem on a farm then all we do is ferret under the guise of pest control. It is not pest control in the truest sense, where a pest control operative will blitz a farm with every option available to him. From snaring through to gassing, his object is to kill as many of the rabbit that he can in the shortest time possible. Moley, Tomo, Snareman to name a few are all full time operatives and as such use every method available to clear the rabbits.

 

On the other hand sport ferreters are IMHO shooting themselves in the foot by trying to clear every rabbit off of their land. If you are ferreting for no payment then the owner cannot reasonably expect every rabbit to be taken. To try and take every rabbit is really quite a foolish action on behalf the ferreters that ferret for no payment.

 

Just think about this scenario. You acquire a bit of land there are quite a few rabbits on it in open warrens. Do you blitz it at the beginning of the season or do you spread it out over the season? Personally I would spread it out over the season, as I ferret for sport not gain. My pleasure comes from being out in the field ferreting not the numbers of rabbits caught. I would suggest that most sport ferreters would be a lot happier if they employed this approach, and not worry about the tally at the end of the day.

 

Tiercel

[Hob&Jill 258]

I suppose the advantage of a jill is that it doesnt kill as often and can fit down smaller burries. But Hobs kill very often and get tired easier..

 

 

From my experience mate jills tire quicker than hobs.

 

 

Agree. When I am out half way though the day and I open the box its the 2 jills that stay curled up and the hobs jumping out.