went ferreting today

[jas88 0]

Planned it last night, fed the ferrets, walked around the fields to see signs of active burrows got my mate to set his alarm to come with me. Woke up to a heavy frosty and it stayed all day. We tried a hedge row that i had seen free dirt out side the night before but nothing bolted and the ferretsd didnt seem to intrested (1 even when to sleep in the hole!) so tried another hedge, same again, dis heartend not old that there wasn't any there but also that the ferrets didn't what to work (and the frost bite!!) we decided to take the ferrets in to warm up (and us!) and have a cup of tea. round 2!! we decided to take the dog (harvey the border collie) be isnt trained as he is my mums dog but he will case the rabbits. While walkin back up the field we could see fresh dirt from some of the hole, as this wasn't frozen it could of only be a hour or less old. Netted 3 burrows like this, netting 2 rabbits and harvey catching 1. I am pleased with this as i have only just started ferreting and only using information iv picked up on here really and now from the book grooter kindly sent me free of charge top man!!! but what am i doing wrong, why and i not catching more, i know there is enough rabbits about just cant seam to catch them?

[whippeter69 88]

Went ferreting yesterday and i didnt bother with the nets on the first warren as i wanted to bolt the rabbits to my whippet as it is her first season, so i put the ferret in and he kept surfacing so i kept putting him down, i knew there was something in there as the terrier was marking, so after 3 times finally to rabbits bolted, so my guess is to keep working the ferret in the warren until you are completely sure that there is nothing at home, even try putting the ferret in every hole on the warren. Works for me

[Brimmer 220]

Lots of variables there!

Is there deffo rabbits at home?

Are the ferrets young uns, and are they proven workers?

Are they collared up?

Did you make a large disturbance above ground before netting up?

 

I'd be using the dogs senses a bit, see if you can read the dog a little, most dogs with a bit of sense will show you some sign of marking up, any change in behaviour stands out like a sore thumb if you know your dog well, whilst he sniff's around the holes.

 

Secondly, make sure your ferrets are not fat, i.e shaped like light bulbs when you hold them up, a fat ferret is like a fat football player, limited!

 

Maybee your ferrets have come up against rabbits with they're arse up! They take some shifting in this position, some ferrets will come away from this, it's too much of a job for them.

 

[The one 8,486]

Lots of variables there!

Is there deffo rabbits at home?

Are the ferrets young uns, and are they proven workers?

Are they collared up?

Did you make a large disturbance above ground before netting up?

 

I'd be using the dogs senses a bit, see if you can read the dog a little, most dogs with a bit of sense will show you some sign of marking up, any change in behaviour stands out like a sore thumb if you know your dog well, whilst he sniff's around the holes.

 

Secondly, make sure your ferrets are not fat, i.e shaped like light bulbs when you hold them up, a fat ferret is like a fat football player, limited!

 

Maybee your ferrets have come up against rabbits with they're arse up! They take some shifting in this position, some ferrets will come away from this, it's too much of a job for them.

 

As above mate try taking somebody out with you with a experianced working ferret to narrow it down

[jas88 0]

Lots of variables there!

Is there deffo rabbits at home? i cant be sure of that but i would of thought so, it looked like it was active

Are the ferrets young uns, and are they proven workers? umm they have been out about 8 times (half days) but only hot 2 rabbits before

Are they collared up? no, i have a mk 3 and 2 collars but need new collars cut they have been cut too short so wont fit on the ferrets now

Did you make a large disturbance above ground before netting up? i didn,'t set any fireworks off but i think i could of been quiter

 

I'd be using the dogs senses a bit, see if you can read the dog a little, most dogs with a bit of sense will show you some sign of marking up, any change in behaviour stands out like a sore thumb if you know your dog well, whilst he sniff's around the holes. harvey just goes mad when he comes out but yes i we does pay particial attention to a burrow i do net it

 

Secondly, make sure your ferrets are not fat, i.e shaped like light bulbs when you hold them up, a fat ferret is like a fat football player, limited! nope they are all fit

[jas88 0]

Went ferreting yesterday and i didnt bother with the nets on the first warren as i wanted to bolt the rabbits to my whippet as it is her first season, so i put the ferret in and he kept surfacing so i kept putting him down, i knew there was something in there as the terrier was marking, so after 3 times finally to rabbits bolted, so my guess is to keep working the ferret in the warren until you are completely sure that there is nothing at home, even try putting the ferret in every hole on the warren. Works for me

 

thanks i think it would help if harvey was more focused and not running around like a headless chicken on speed!!! lol

[stubby 175]

too much noise above ground could account for rabbits not wanting to bolt, try leaving the dog at home next time,

[will.f11 24]

sometimes with people starting out. They dont know the sport well enough yet. So they ferret the burrie and if nothing appears in the next 10 mins or so. They move on. But it pays to wait. We were doing one a few weeks back. And the new person kept saying 'come on there is nothing in here' and I said to wait a little bit, and as it turned out that burrie produced about 8 rabbits. So just perhaps keep quiet and wait longer

[jas88 0]

ok thanks i will try being quiter and give the ferrets more time down before i move on. thanks everyone!

[digger1 0]

Planned it last night, fed the ferrets, walked around the fields to see signs of active burrows got my mate to set his alarm to come with me. Woke up to a heavy frosty and it stayed all day. We tried a hedge row that i had seen free dirt out side the night before but nothing bolted and the ferretsd didnt seem to intrested (1 even when to sleep in the hole!) so tried another hedge, same again, dis heartend not old that there wasn't any there but also that the ferrets didn't what to work (and the frost bite!!) we decided to take the ferrets in to warm up (and us!) and have a cup of tea. round 2!! we decided to take the dog (harvey the border collie) be isnt trained as he is my mums dog but he will case the rabbits. While walkin back up the field we could see fresh dirt from some of the hole, as this wasn't frozen it could of only be a hour or less old. Netted 3 burrows like this, netting 2 rabbits and harvey catching 1. I am pleased with this as i have only just started ferreting and only using information iv picked up on here really and now from the book grooter kindly sent me free of charge top man!!! but what am i doing wrong, why and i not catching more, i know there is enough rabbits about just cant seam to catch them?

 

keep trying mate

[summat decent 0]

Planned it last night, fed the ferrets, walked around the fields to see signs of active burrows got my mate to set his alarm to come with me. Woke up to a heavy frosty and it stayed all day. We tried a hedge row that i had seen free dirt out side the night before but nothing bolted and the ferretsd didnt seem to intrested (1 even when to sleep in the hole!) so tried another hedge, same again, dis heartend not old that there wasn't any there but also that the ferrets didn't what to work (and the frost bite!!) we decided to take the ferrets in to warm up (and us!) and have a cup of tea. round 2!! we decided to take the dog (harvey the border collie) be isnt trained as he is my mums dog but he will case the rabbits. While walkin back up the field we could see fresh dirt from some of the hole, as this wasn't frozen it could of only be a hour or less old. Netted 3 burrows like this, netting 2 rabbits and harvey catching 1. I am pleased with this as i have only just started ferreting and only using information iv picked up on here really and now from the book grooter kindly sent me free of charge top man!!! but what am i doing wrong, why and i not catching more, i know there is enough rabbits about just cant seam to catch them?

You dont mention how big the warren was,also how many ferrets you had!

Sometimes the warren might be too big for a couple of ferrets,so the rabbits below just run your ferrets ragged and dont bolt.

Where we ferret the holes are very many and on occasion it has took 5 ferrets to shift them.

like one of the other guys said there could be many reasons why they are not bolting,noise you may not have covered all bolt holes.Go through what everybody is telling you and discount everything honestly.

There is always a reason usually our errors,we can only learn by our mistakes and everybody makes mistakes.

[jas88 0]

thanks everyone!!! did a small burrow at the bottom of my grandads garden and bolted 3. i used the dog to make sure there was rabbits at home, netted up makin as little noise as possible, let it settle for a bit the sent the ferrets down.

[stealthy1 3,964]

Well done!

[j davies 8]

Planned it last night, fed the ferrets, walked around the fields to see signs of active burrows got my mate to set his alarm to come with me. Woke up to a heavy frosty and it stayed all day. We tried a hedge row that i had seen free dirt out side the night before but nothing bolted and the ferretsd didnt seem to intrested (1 even when to sleep in the hole!) so tried another hedge, same again, dis heartend not old that there wasn't any there but also that the ferrets didn't what to work (and the frost bite!!) we decided to take the ferrets in to warm up (and us!) and have a cup of tea. round 2!! we decided to take the dog (harvey the border collie) be isnt trained as he is my mums dog but he will case the rabbits. While walkin back up the field we could see fresh dirt from some of the hole, as this wasn't frozen it could of only be a hour or less old. Netted 3 burrows like this, netting 2 rabbits and harvey catching 1. I am pleased with this as i have only just started ferreting and only using information iv picked up on here really and now from the book grooter kindly sent me free of charge top man!!! but what am i doing wrong, why and i not catching more, i know there is enough rabbits about just cant seam to catch them?

 

hi i go ferreting all the time take my dog and he marks holes quite good if there is rabbits in there he want come from the holes he looks at me as if to say come on get the ferret out we are in here.

 

i nt them quietly as i can put ferret in after about 10 min and you can tell by the ferret if she is not out in less than 5 min there is rabbits in there

what im trying to say is that you need to no your ferret and dog when you no that your in makes life easy for you

[whin 463]

if you see any miostnes round the hole or fur its usaly fresh but if old and dry leave it for another time cant beat fresh holes and a willing worker lol