Ferreting hows it so far

dodderangler

So how's the ferreting going lads
I know the ditches are still heavy but seems a lot of rabbits around where I am
A lot of mixxy so diggin will be happening

EPointer=Birdss

dodderangler wrote: »

So how's the ferreting going lads
I know the ditches are still heavy but seems a lot of rabbits around where I am
A lot of mixxy so diggin will be happening

Spent an hour waiting for the ferret I like last time i was out
She's not the best I've seen by any stretch but friendly & honest enough. After that I decided I'm not going again til I get a finder.
Any suggestions?

Mixi is back with a bang.

dodderangler

Mixxy is back with vengeance at the moment
I defo wouldn't go out without me finder
Did it once and never again learn from the mistakes as they say
I have 3 at the moment so I use the one in a hole at a time they are inexperienced but gettin there
Tiny Doe I have is a killer
Where u livin
Could always meet up for a days ferretin il bring the bird

EPointer=Birdss

dodderangler wrote: »

Mixxy is back with vengeance at the moment
I defo wouldn't go out without me finder
Did it once and never again learn from the mistakes as they say
I have 3 at the moment so I use the one in a hole at a time they are inexperienced but gettin there
Tiny Doe I have is a killer
Where u livin
Could always meet up for a days ferretin il bring the bird

I have one nipper who I don't trust but am handling plenty to make her friendly. I'd say now with short evenings & 1st Nov around the corner ferreting will take a back seat til Xmas.
I'd love to see the hawk in action so if can find a day then I'd be up for that.

JD Green

Went out this morning for the first run since April. The aul fella wanted to go out as he was getting a loan of a hedge utter from my boss for the night so he reckoned the rabbits would bolt mad as they wouldn't be out much because of the nise. Of course I ended up going out drinking and only had 2 hours sleep, was out drinking all night but was still up at 7 with the aul fella :cool:

Saw plenty in the first half an hour but the feckers wouldn't bolt, the new bitch still got one as it poked it's head out of the burrow. After that they started bolting big time and the pup nailed it's first rabbit, she was fighting with all her strength to hold it but I got to her on time. The pup then caught her second rat in the ditch and killed it in a couple of shakes, she's turning out very nicely. Over the next couple of hours we got 12 more to bring the total bag up to 14. It then started raining so we decided to call it a day. The new bitch was well worth the €100, she caught and retrieved well, didn't try and tear the nets much when a rabbit hit em and stayed out of the holes, she's some dog lad.

This evening then we went off to my aunts pub to give her the rabbits and she said we could have €50 worth of a tab for them. Hopefully every outing will be this good over the season.

J G

Ape Owners

got 10 the week before ,7 for the birds and 3 for the ferrets... 2 for the birds and 1 for the ferrets this week.mixi caught midweek by bird,looks like it gonna get spread everywhere with this brutal weather we having at moment.

dodderangler

Ape Owners wrote: »

got 10 the week before ,7 for the birds and 3 for the ferrets... 2 for the birds and 1 for the ferrets this week.mixi caught midweek by bird,looks like it gonna get spread everywhere with this brutal weather we having at moment.

The place I got destroyed by travellers last year I went there today to see how bad it was an was nearly trippin up over rabbits
Population exploded in it
There's rabbits everywhere bird didn't catch any and me without the ferrets
So I will be up early in morning for a good hours ferretin and il bring the bird
My mate is comin with me before work as its too hard to ferret and fly the hawk at same time
Il give ya a text durin the week sean if you want to come out to this land on Saturday

JD Green

dodderangler wrote: »

The place I got destroyed by travellers last year I went there today to see how bad it was an was nearly trippin up over rabbits
Population exploded in it
There's rabbits everywhere bird didn't catch any and me without the ferrets
So I will be up early in morning for a good hours ferretin and il bring the bird
My mate is comin with me before work as its too hard to ferret and fly the hawk at same time
Il give ya a text durin the week sean if you want to come out to this land on Saturday

How do you mean destroyed by travellers?

How did you get onn this morning?

Any video of your hawk working?

dodderangler

Couldn't get out of bed this morning ha
They had lamped the place at night and been on it with the dogs
Then when I was ferretin seen the holes dug with the shovels from them ferretin and a head off a rabbit on a fence
And also I seen 3 of them on it one morning with six rabbits and told em where to go
Been months since I was on it and other day crawling with rabbits so delighted they are back

coryg

went out during the week caught a few im only learning so i didnt get alot just wondering if any1 knew anything about ferrets breeding my jill is having kits and i havent a clue what to do

brianfrancis45

dodderangler wrote: »

So how's the ferreting going lads
I know the ditches are still heavy but seems a lot of rabbits around where I am
A lot of mixxy so diggin will be happening

Had a good days sport yesterday with the springers bolting rabbits . Bagged 6 but 3 of them had the beginnings of mixy. Quite surprised as never seen mixy on that ground before . It's wild / non agricultural land and the landowner has def. not introduced the mixy . I wonder how it got there ? Can it spread from other areas ? Quite worrying as this permission has been fantastic shooting ground for many years and great for bringing on springers. Be a huge loss if the mixy was to wipe out the bunnies.

Also bumped into a couple of lads while I was out and they had the ferret and a couple of falcons ( big silver/grey birds - peregrines I think but could be wrong) . I would've loved to tag along with them for a short while to see them bolt a few rabbits for their birds but at the same time didn't really want to get in their way....

dodderangler

brianfrancis45 wrote: »

Had a good days sport yesterday with the springers bolting rabbits . Bagged 6 but 3 of them had the beginnings of mixy. Quite surprised as never seen mixy on that ground before . It's wild / non agricultural land and the landowner has def. not introduced the mixy . I wonder how it got there ? Can it spread from other areas ? Quite worrying as this permission has been fantastic shooting ground for many years and great for bringing on springers. Be a huge loss if the mixy was to wipe out the bunnies.

Also bumped into a couple of lads while I was out and they had the ferret and a couple of falcons ( big silver/grey birds - peregrines I think but could be wrong) . I would've loved to tag along with them for a short while to see them bolt a few rabbits for their birds but at the same time didn't really want to get in their way....

Yeah it can spread quite fast
When a rabbit has mixxy it could move about a lot and spread it to neighbouring rabbits
Wouldn't say falcon
If say more so a goshawk as they had ferret with them
You should've asked them if you could watch be a good experience to see it
Atb

JD Green

I went out this morning before college with the old man, I put the ferret in and straight away we heard a banging, it continued for a couple of minuteswhen it stopped the ferret came out and he was in shit, eye destroyed and an ear missing. Had to put him down there and then. I reckon it was a mink that did it as he's a big strong ferret that never had any trouble with rats. Anyone else ever have a ferret killed in action?

brianfrancis45 wrote: »

Had a good days sport yesterday with the springers bolting rabbits.

What sort of cover was it and what were the rabbits being driven to.

brianfrancis45

dodderangler wrote: »

Wouldn't say falcon
If say more so a goshawk as they had ferret with them

Just had a look at a photo of a Goshawk on the net and I think you are right

brianfrancis45

JD Green wrote: »

What sort of cover was it and what were the rabbits being driven to.

A mixture of bog and hilly ground with furze . Don't quite understand the question '' what were the rabbits being driven to '' ? Basically the dogs would just flush/bolt the rabbits from cover out ahead or across in front of me .

JD Green

brianfrancis45 wrote: »

A mixture of bog and hilly ground with furze . Don't quite understand the question '' what were the rabbits being driven to '' ? Basically the dogs would just flush/bolt the rabbits from cover out ahead or across in front of me .

Did you have a gun, lurcher etc. to kill them?

dodderangler

Jdgreen
Sorry to hear of your ferret
What was the hole like
Could've been a big buck rabbit as they will stand their ground against a ferret with some ferrets losing eyes and ears
A mink will do damage but then again I'd have to see the wounds to know
If it was near a river quite possibly been a mink Or possible a fox but I'd say a big buck rabbit as the claws would easily tear a eye out of the ferret and in my opinion you done the right thing puttin it down

brianfrancis45

JD Green wrote: »

I went out this morning before college with the old man, I put the ferret in and straight away we heard a banging, it continued for a couple of minuteswhen it stopped the ferret came out and he was in shit, eye destroyed and an ear missing. Had to put him down there and then. I reckon it was a mink that did it as he's a big strong ferret that never had any trouble with rats. Anyone else ever have a ferret killed in action?

Never had a ferret killed in action but many moons ago when when I was a young lad I had a big polecat who was a fairly mental killing machine (he rarely bolted rabbits and we nearly always had to dig as you'd find him clung to a rabbit) . One day I left him out of the bag at the mouth of a burrow , in he went and then he started to retreat back out again. As he came out arse first to the mouth of the burrow again he had raised himself up on the back legs until he was almost standing upright . Myself and my buddy couldn't believe our eyes as we then saw a stoat backing the ferret out. Suddenly the ferret gave an almighty swipe with one of his claws and the stoat hit the deck and then bolted out past us with blood pouring from his head. It all happened in split seconds but as we were on our knees at the entrance to the burrow we got a very clear view. When I went to pick up the ferret who was not injured at all , there on the ground was most of the stoat's little nose lying in a bloody mess . First and last time I'd say that I'll see a ferret giving a stoat a right hander !

brianfrancis45

JD Green wrote: »

Did you have a gun, lurcher etc. to kill them?

Springers pushing the rabbits out in front of me and the shot gun !

JD Green

dodderangler wrote: »

Jdgreen
Sorry to hear of your ferret
What was the hole like
Could've been a big buck rabbit as they will stand their ground against a ferret with some ferrets losing eyes and ears
A mink will do damage but then again I'd have to see the wounds to know
If it was near a river quite possibly been a mink Or possible a fox but I'd say a big buck rabbit as the claws would easily tear a eye out of the ferret and in my opinion you done the right thing puttin it down

It was a low ditch about 2 foot high with lots of very small holes at the base on either side, I doubt that a fox would fit. It definitely wasn't a rabbit as it was a kind of a tearing mark on what was left of his ear. There's a small river about half a mile away, would a mink travel this far? He was in serious pain so I had to do it.

brianfrancis45 wrote: »

Never had a ferret killed in action but many moons ago when when I was a young lad I had a big polecat who was a fairly mental killing machine (he rarely bolted rabbits and we nearly always had to dig as you'd find him clung to a rabbit) . One day I left him out of the bag at the mouth of a burrow , in he went and then he started to retreat back out again. As he came out arse first to the mouth of the burrow again he had raised himself up on the back legs until he was almost standing upright . Myself and my buddy couldn't believe our eyes as we then saw a stoat backing the ferret out. Suddenly the ferret gave an almighty swipe with one of his claws and the stoat hit the deck and then bolted out past us with blood pouring from his head. It all happened in split seconds but as we were on our knees at the entrance to the burrow we got a very clear view. When I went to pick up the ferret who was not injured at all , there on the ground was most of the stoat's little nose lying in a bloody mess . First and last time I'd say that I'll see a ferret giving a stoat a right hander !

Enjoyed reading that, a stoat is far smaller than a ferret isn't it?

brianfrancis45

JD Green wrote: »

Enjoyed reading that, a stoat is far smaller than a ferret isn't it?

Depends on the type of ferret... some small bolting ferrets wouldn't be much bigger than a stoat. However, the one and only ferret I ever had was a big buck polecat - I'd say 3 times the size of a stoat. I'm sure he was a bit mental as he was an absolute kiilling machine . He had a very inconsistent temperament and although most times you could handle him with no bother , every now and then when I'd be getting him out of the bag and he'd suddenly lock on to the finger . There I'd be in excruciating pain , on the one hand trying to keep calm so as not to excite him further as he'd bite deeper and on the other blowing into his face like a fcuking maniac trying to get him to let go:D. Even with a leather glove on he'd still manage to do some damage.No wonder I gave up the ferreting but then again I've some great memories of long days out in the fields as a 12 year old with ''mental micky '' and proud as punch to be bringing a few rabbits home to the mammy for the pot.

EPointer=Birdss

brianfrancis45 wrote: »

Depends on the type of ferret... some small bolting ferrets wouldn't be much bigger than a stoat. However, the one and only ferret I ever had was a big buck polecat - I'd say 3 times the size of a stoat. I'm sure he was a bit mental as he was an absolute kiilling machine . He had a very inconsistent temperament and although most times you could handle him with no bother , every now and then when I'd be getting him out of the bag and he'd suddenly lock on to the finger . There I'd be in excruciating pain , on the one hand trying to keep calm so as not to excite him further as he'd bite deeper and on the other blowing into his face like a fcuking maniac trying to get him to let go:D. Even with a leather glove on he'd still manage to do some damage.No wonder I gave up the ferreting but then again I've some great memories of long days out in the fields as a 12 year old with ''mental micky '' and proud as punch to be bringing a few rabbits home to the mammy for the pot.

Think we all had one of them at 12!
Some still do!

dodderangler

Could be a rat then wouldn't think a mink would travel that far away from a river to best
I've heard of big female rats especially protectin young scaring off predators and a ferret is no exception
So could be a big hefty rat as I just don't think it'd be a mink that far from a river so either a big rat and I still think a big buck

JD Green

dodderangler wrote: »

Could be a rat then wouldn't think a mink would travel that far away from a river to best
I've heard of big female rats especially protectin young scaring off predators and a ferret is no exception
So could be a big hefty rat as I just don't think it'd be a mink that far from a river so either a big rat and I still think a big buck

I put a couple of big enough rats into the cage with him before and he made pure shit of them. I actually remember seeing a rabbit bolt out of that same ditch a couple of months back and the dogs barking mad at the hole. Around the same time a neighbour had all of his hens killed and the blood sucked out of them, a few people said it was most likely a mink.

.17hmr

JD Green wrote: »

I went out this morning before college with the old man, I put the ferret in and straight away we heard a banging, it continued for a couple of minuteswhen it stopped the ferret came out and he was in shit, eye destroyed and an ear missing. Had to put him down there and then. I reckon it was a mink that did it as he's a big strong ferret that never had any trouble with rats. Anyone else ever have a ferret killed in action?



What sort of cover was it and what were the rabbits being driven to.

What about a cat !? often seen a cat going in and the rabbits bolting .

JD Green

.17hmr wrote: »

What about a cat !? often seen a cat going in and the rabbits bolting .

Fcuk it I never thought of that, there's an old tom cat here that I've seen going to ground, I'll keep an eye out for him on lamp tonight to see if he has any injuries of course

Snowc

JD defiantly a pinemarten that done the damage you were very lucky he didn't attack you after you disturbed him very vicious animals

dodderangler

Snowc wrote: »

JD defiantly a pinemarten that done the damage you were very lucky he didn't attack you after you disturbed him very vicious animals

Never thought bout a pine Martin
Size of a house cat with serious set of nashers
If it was a pine Martin I'm surprised the ferret came out at all