Ferrets

[Stephen]

Anyone work with them?

Is really just a case of letting on down a hole and letting dog or net catch the bolting rabbit?

[Dave-H]

More or less.
Is a bit more to preparing than that, but that just about sums it up :rolleyes:
Used to work a team [4] for many years, stopped about 12 years ago as not really needed anymore.

[Alane]

Be prepared to dig them out, on occasion you'll find that the ferret has killed under ground sealing himself in.
Tracking collars are a good idea, they can pinpoint exactly where they're trapped.
I dug some pretty big holes before, lol

[Stephen]

Just thinking would like to try out my lurcher like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh4LeZnb2L4

would love to get more rabbit into his diet.

[Alane]

I've never worked dogs.
I'd be inclined to keep a dog away from a bolt hole in case the ferret comes out first.
Once they've clamped on to something (including your dog) they can be a hell of a job to get off.

Couldn't open the video BTW, my PC at work is basic, lol

[timberdog]

I have four all earn thier keep

and i work em all with dogs..the key is bringing ya pup up with them and letting them have a play..never lost a Ferrit yet to a Dog of mine..

Also the Dog learns that the Ferrit goes in and a Rabbit comes out ;)

I also fly my Hawks over Ferrits as well

[conkers]

Beth needs to get a rabbit she's had a rat in the garden and loves to chase the cotton tails but not made a kill wassup with that come on Dave tell me what I need to tell my dog

[Dave-H]

Beth needs to get a rabbit she's had a rat in the garden and loves to chase the cotton tails but not made a kill wassup with that come on Dave tell me what I need to tell my dog

Oh, couldnt say on a public forum. :eek:
I'll pm you.

[conkers]

Oh, couldnt say on a public forum. :eek:
I'll pm you.

Cheers Dave what you said made sense so hopefully Beth will get me dinner ;)

[Stephen]

Cheers Dave what you said made sense so hopefully Beth will get me dinner ;)

:camo: Did it involve buying a rabbit from a pet shop? :camo:

[conkers]

:camo: Did it involve buying a rabbit from a pet shop? :camo:

Why buy something you can get for free:D

[Stephen]

Why buy something you can get for free:D

Okay then, does it involve stealing a rabbit from a pet shop ?

[Dave-H]

PM to you Steve :rolleyes:

[Stephen]

PM to you Steve :rolleyes:

:goofylook

[Olan Giech]

Be prepared to dig them out, on occasion you'll find that the ferret has killed under ground sealing himself in.
Tracking collars are a good idea, they can pinpoint exactly where they're trapped.
I dug some pretty big holes before, lol

sound advice.

I used to work ferrets with nets, and for falconers (care to be taken when launching the hawk, not much worse on a hunt than someone losing a ferret to an over zealous falconer).
Found it was a fine balance in how the ferret was fed before hand in its keeness to hunt. If kept too hungry it would likely kill underground, if too fat it was likely to go to sleep underground or not chase the bunny.

It is wise to handle a young ferret with TLC from when it is young, my ferret never bit me, but would curl up under my arm. If the ferret is grabbed or handled roughly it will respond roughly, treated with care it's like a rather smelly kitten.

[Sanky]

Hi
Been working ferrets since i was 14.In my experience allways feed the ferrets on meat. I find that when they kill, its no big deal and come of the kill quickly.Working with Lurchers and Spanials are some of the best days out.The Lurchers would dance around to the sound of the rumble and allways seemed to be in the right place to catch.Spanial had a knack to know where a kill undergroung was. They would stand there and do that head tilting thing when there listening. Nets and dogs are best. Guns are much quicker.
Tel

[biggmark]

corrrrrrrr not done ferreting for a long time,used ferrets during the day and lamping at night with lurcher and a whippet,spent many a hour sitting waiting for ferret to come out or rabbit to bolt out a hole that we missed lol

[mad4mud]

:rolleyes: corrrrrrrr not done ferreting for a long time,used ferrets during the day and lamping at night with lurcher and a whippet,spent many a hour sitting waiting for ferret to come out or rabbit to bolt out a hole that we missed lol
hi,why not ferreting at night?i used to do this on moonlight nights,on the open hills in well known shropshire estates with good results never really bothered with a ferret finder just fed the ferrets on rabbits and the odd pigeon or two and when i went out at night i used bells on both ferrets and nets .

[Backs4more]

Unfortuantely the do gooders up here have banned the use of dogs for hunting and Grampian Police are cracking down on it in my area.

This is why my garden and field are awash with rabbits. I have shot just over 300 since i moved in 6 weeks ago and every morning the place is crawling with them :(

We are getting the ferrets out when the frosts arrive! :D

[Deliverer]

Unfortuantely the do gooders up here have banned the use of dogs for hunting and Grampian Police are cracking down on it in my area.

This is why my garden and field are awash with rabbits. I have shot just over 300 since i moved in 6 weeks ago and every morning the place is crawling with them :(

We are getting the ferrets out when the frosts arrive! :D

They banned all form of dog hunting up there? not just hare coursing and fox?

[Backs4more]

I have been informed by keeper friends that Grampian Police are treating all incidents with dogs the same. They have been advised not to use terriers etc for ratting and rabbiting as they may face arrest.

Its not gone down too well.

We used to run Lurchers for rabbits and thats a big no no now. The dog would kill the rabbit in an instance, whilst I have hit rabbits with an air rifle that have ******ed off down the warren to die a slow death..just dont make sense!

[bushytale]

used to work two small polecat gills, always found the smaller ferrets work better. also only used gills not hobs for working. Oh by the way a brace used to be worth a pint of the black stuff, what better way to finnish a sunday morning ferreting than free guinness in the afternoon. and a delicious casserole for supper ahh.

[blackwhippet]

I work ferrets alongside my whippets. I wouldn`t go out ferreting without a dog . The ferrets know the whips and the whips know the ferrets, they are a team. Without a dog you can end up netting lots of unoccupied sets , the dog will mark and let you know something is at home. Rabbiting with dogs is still legal btw, the rabbit and rat are exempted from the hunting act 2004 . The CA are now preparing for the forthcoming Conservative government to hold a free vote on the repeal of the act. All foxhunters coursers,and rabbiters should be in the CA , it is the only organisation pressing for the repeal of the bigoted and unworkable law that the hunting act is

[PinkSeriesIII]

I work ferrets alongside my whippets. I wouldn`t go out ferreting without a dog . The ferrets know the whips and the whips know the ferrets, they are a team. Without a dog you can end up netting lots of unoccupied sets , the dog will mark and let you know something is at home. Rabbiting with dogs is still legal btw, the rabbit and rat are exempted from the hunting act 2004 . The CA are now preparing for the forthcoming Conservative government to hold a free vote on the repeal of the act. All foxhunters coursers,and rabbiters should be in the CA , it is the only organisation pressing for the repeal of the bigoted and unworkable law that the hunting act is/
nice website, love the whippet lurchers, where about in the UK are you?

[blackwhippet]

/
nice website, love the whippet lurchers, where about in the UK are you?

They`re ped whippets mate KC reg. I`m on the border of Lancs and North Yorks