genral ferreting chat

[tombong1]

well ive been doing quite well in the south-east, with bags of Rabbits of up to 25 Rabbitsworking the ferrets to purse nets & long nets, The problem with a couple of farms around this area is that ther is still myxsey around, and a lot of rats which are nipping the ferrets. Is ther any body else having these problems.

[demicav]

Hi Tombong1

I don't know much about Ferreting really but could you tell me if the ferrets are trained to come back to you ? Quite amazing for such a small animal.

[tombong1]

good question i suppose they are to certan degree. Me personaly every time i feed i shake the box of cat biscuits, so when i go ferreting i take a small box of cat biscuits with me and shake it at the entrance of the hole and normaly they come back to my hand. this isent garenteed to work every time so i use a locator collar which if they kill underground i no wher they are to dig down to them.

[epops]

Originally Posted by tombong1

good question i suppose they are to certan degree. Me personaly every time i feed i shake the box of cat biscuits, so when i go ferreting i take a small box of cat biscuits with me and shake it at the entrance of the hole and normaly they come back to my hand. this isent garenteed to work every time so i use a locator collar which if they kill underground i no wher they are to dig down to them.

mine just used to come back ayway if not out with spade and dig away lol

[tombong1]

Originally Posted by epops

mine just used to come back ayway if not out with spade and dig away lol

it is always going to be easier to get the ferrets to recognise a certain sound such as a box ratteling or making a noise of some sort that they will recognise as feeding time.

[epops]

Originally Posted by tombong1

it is always going to be easier to get the ferrets to recognise a certain sound such as a box ratteling or making a noise of some sort that they will recognise as feeding time.

i never thought of that do it work even on a lay up? i have no ferrets at the mo but next winter we gonna get back into it and i hate them radio collar things so id much rather use a line ferret me dad taught me how to make a muzzel out of strong cord its just getting ferret to stay still long enough to put one on but if the box ratteling works i'll try that cheers for that

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by tombong1

well ive been doing quite well in the south-east, with bags of Rabbits of up to 25 Rabbitsworking the ferrets to purse nets & long nets, The problem with a couple of farms around this area is that ther is still myxsey around, and a lot of rats which are nipping the ferrets. Is ther any body else having these problems.

I thought ferrets killed rats

[coasty]

There are a lot of rats aound everywhere... Been a lovely year for them,,,,

Andy

[epops]

Originally Posted by coasty

There are a lot of rats aound everywhere... Been a lovely year for them,,,,

Andy

not so many round my chicken run got a nice little air rifle but i have to say there were more than i have seen in ages

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by epops

not so many round my chicken run got a nice little air rifle but i have to say there were more than i have seen in ages

where did you get the air rifle my hubby wants one

[epops]

Budget Guns & Tackle : Replica guns, air guns, pistols, rifles, CO2 pistols and paintball cheap and brilliant back up service they know thier stuff

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by epops

Budget Guns & Tackle : Replica guns, air guns, pistols, rifles, CO2 pistols and paintball cheap and brilliant back up service they know thier stuff

Cheers

[eeyore]

for my money - you'd be better off spending a bit more and getting a more mainstream brand - a lot of those are good for plinking but not anywhere near powerful enough for vermin control for which you idealy want to be as close to the legal 12ftlb output limit as possible.

also the great majority of those are made in china and the build quality and quality control is variable to say the least.

I'd be more inclined to look for something from BSA, theoben, weirauch etc - and if you cant afford new look for a quality used model - get a copy of air gunner or airgun world magazine and look in the back.

sorry tombong - dont want to hijack your thread

[epops]

Originally Posted by eeyore

for my money - you'd be better off spending a bit more and getting a more mainstream brand - a lot of those are good for plinking but not anywhere near powerful enough for vermin control for which you idealy want to be as close to the legal 12ftlb output limit as possible.

also the great majority of those are made in china and the build quality and quality control is variable to say the least.

I'd be more inclined to look for something from BSA, theoben, weirauch etc - and if you cant afford new look for a quality used model - get a copy of air gunner or airgun world magazine and look in the back.

sorry tombong - dont want to hijack your thread

mine is up 12fllbs its a BSA super sport ideal for what i need it for but like ya say there loads of imitations out there so beware

[coasty]

Originally Posted by eeyore

for my money - you'd be better off spending a bit more and getting a more mainstream brand - a lot of those are good for plinking but not anywhere near powerful enough for vermin control for which you idealy want to be as close to the legal 12ftlb output limit as possible.

also the great majority of those are made in china and the build quality and quality control is variable to say the least.

I'd be more inclined to look for something from BSA, theoben, weirauch etc - and if you cant afford new look for a quality used model - get a copy of air gunner or airgun world magazine and look in the back.

sorry tombong - dont want to hijack your thread

I quite agree,,, I also would Suggest Airarms and Crossman,, I have a Crossman Rabbit stopper,,,

Andy

[tombong1]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I thought ferrets killed rats

I use big hob ferrets if i think ther is rats about. but the rats are living in used Rabbit warrens and i use small jills for Rabbits and as a result they are getting bitten by larger rats than them selves.as for the air rifles i would get a air arms s410 this should have the disired effect on rats & Rabbits at 20,30 yards no problem.

[Kayleigh]

Sorry for hijacking the thread I should have started one on air rifles. lol

Thanks for all your comments its the rats in the garden he wants it for. I don't want to use poison with having a pond. As long as he don't miss I think its a more humane way to get rid of them.

[tombong1]

No worries, happy shooting. Did you manage to decide on a air rifle yet?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by tombong1

No worries, happy shooting. Did you manage to decide on a air rifle yet?

I think we will get a couple of mags like eeyore said and have a browse. I thought they were a bit cheep at £50..

[epops]

Originally Posted by tombong1

I use big hob ferrets if i think ther is rats about. but the rats are living in used Rabbit warrens and i use small jills for Rabbits and as a result they are getting bitten by larger rats than them selves.as for the air rifles i would get a air arms s410 this should have the disired effect on rats & Rabbits at 20,30 yards no problem.

big hob and a jack russel deadly combo i had a broken coat jack russel he was brilliant with a ferret

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by epops

mine is up 12fllbs its a BSA super sport ideal for what i need it for but like ya say there loads of imitations out there so beware

nowt wrong with that - my first air rifle was a bsa supersport the suitable silencer carbine model and it was a damn good gun - I later moved on to the much more expensive theoben fenman , and theoben rapid .25

my caution was regarding the chinese 50 quid models like the B3 - its powerfull enough but IME the quality control is poor, particularly on the muzzel crown making many of them too inacurate for humane vermin control

(sorry for the off threadness - again )

[tombong1]

Originally Posted by epops

big hob and a jack russel deadly combo i had a broken coat jack russel he was brilliant with a ferret

I use a stafordshire bull terrier with two large hobs for rats.

[Blackbrook Eye]

Interesting thread, I have worked ferrets for over 50 years and have never had one that would willingly enter where there were rats in residence. Please keep this thread going, as I am still willing to learn.

[hedgerow]

I have worked ferrets for over 20 years and the last 10 or so have been almost entirely on rats. The smaller, more nervous ones work best but being smaller they tire quicker and you have to take more and work them in relay.
Three or four good quick jills and a large hob for draining, not forgeting a good wirrier(whippet x terrier) and short handled spades with a couple of friends and a good day is had by all.
The only downside is that after three or four years the jill get to having enough and are retired to rabbiting instead where they make very good rabbiters who stay with the Rabbits rather than moving of if they can not shift them. This is where the locater collars come in very handy.

Jills with slower reactions tend to get a pasting from then rats, especially females with litters and will then refuse to go down again when they smell them.