Hi everyone.
 
I recently found out about a kid here in Maryland who used his ferret to
flush out rabbits.  Unfortunately, the whiz kid was also using a hawk to
hunt the rabbits.  Apparently, hawks don't mind hunting ferrets either.
Well...you get the grisly picture.
 
I called several agencies to find out what the rules are regarding hunting
with ferrets in MD.  Finding someone who knew anything about it was tricky
(as it always is with gov't folk - no offense to any on the FML).  Finally,
I got in touch with someone who seemed to know what she was talking about.
 
She told me that it is not illegal to hunt with ferrets in MD.  It is
illegal to release ferrets into the wild, so if the ferret was released
without a leash to hunt, then it would be illegal because of the possibility
that the ferret would escape into the wild and do all those bad things you
hear about them doing in California.
 
I thought I had seen on the FML that it was illegal to hunt with ferrets, so
I politely asked her if she was sure.  She said something to the effect that
she didn't see why it would be illegal, after all, THAT'S WHAT FERRETS DO.
Well, I considered telling this woman that what ferrets do is eat kitten
food and steal socks and sleep in hammocks.  But instead I explained to her
that ferrets are domestic animals.  Though they may retain the instinct to
hunt, and though their wild cousins may hunt to survive, flushing out
rabbits and attempting to avoid being killed by birds of prey is NOT WHAT
FERRETS DO.
 
She then suggested that allowing the ferret to be killed due to negligence
could be considered cruelty to animals.  She told me who to contact, and
I'll be looking into it.
 
Anyway, does anyone know if it really is legal to hunt with ferrets in the
state of Maryland?  Thanks.
 
Forgive my rambling.  It's way past my bedtime, and that seminar paper is
still not finished.
 
-Heather
[Posted in FML issue 1454]