Bob C wrote:-
>rabbit bolting (ferreting).  The ferretter and ratter did not want ferrets
>killing prey; they wanted them to chase the prey out for the terriers or
>men with clubs to kill.  So ferrets were bred to *bolt* animals, not hunt
>them.  It is my *opinion* that one reason ferrets have such a musky body
>odor is to scare the prey before they can get close enough to kill them;
>few predators stink as much as the ferret.  There is no proof for this
>opinion, but you are invited to sniff predators if you wish.
 
I use a neutered hob for hunting as well as an entire jill.  Kurt has just
a slight musky smell, I guess a to a rabbits nose it would be fairly strong
but Kurt has been known to kill down as well as bolting rabbits.  I reckon
the rabbits hear the ferret going along the tubes - when the ferret
contacts the rabbit(s) you can sometimes hear some bumps and possibly
squeals.  I've not yet worked out whether the rabbit(s) are making a bolt
for it or have decided to face the ferret and battle it out.  Use of the
locator can give an indication of what is happening underground i.e. if the
ferret stops for a while it could have encountered a rabbit and has killed
down and then moved on.  A bit of spade work will generally uncover a
rabbit.
 
The jill I use is entire but even then she only has a very, very slight
musky smell.  The only time she went hunting she finished up riding on the
back of the young doe she'd bolted from the warren.  Scrap had 'skunked'
but I guess that was from excitement and not from fear - she was really
hyped-up complete with bottle brushed tail.
 
I have just been talking to a friend of mine who has a litter of hybrids,
three of hobs are still entire and are pretty much in season but they don't
stink like entire ferret hobs.  Mary intends to ask Dr Johnny Birks if
Polecat hobs do smell as much as entire ferrets.
 
BTW Bob I've got Johnny's latest leaflet about The Polecat in the UK
unfortunately I lost your snail mail address when I upgraded my hard disk,
I've also got some NL's for you as well.
 
Sheila
Bolton Ferret Welfare & Editor of The National Ferret Welfare Society.
Web Site: www.btinternet.com/~sheila/ferrets.htm  last update 10 Jan 1999
Waiting at Rainbow Bridge: Jill, Deanna Troy, Cameron, Carnath, Button,
Bill & Bobby.
[Posted in FML issue 2566]