Hi,
 
First I'd like to announce the arrival of "Little Bo Sheep" an albino jill
(or "white lady ferret" as my daughter requested)who has come to join our
household.We've had her 2 days now and so far she seems a little sweetie.All
3 kids have had cuddles and she's made no attempt to bite,which is pretty
good considering she's come from a purely working background!Buzz and Woody
want to be friends,but Woody's being a bit rough and uncouth......she's
obviously a lady and doesn't like "that sort of thing",whereas Buzz,being a
big teddy bear,seems to be getting along fine with her.They're in seperate
cages atm,but I'm letting them meet up for about 1/2 hour twice a day to
start off with.
 
Secondly,it does indeed seem that a certain Mr.Michael Foster MP has shot
himself in the foot with his "Hunting With Dogs" Bill.Hooray!!!So,we can
continue rabbiting with both dogs and ferrets and not become criminals.
 
Next,I'd like to say Sheila's description of how to go rabbiting in the UK
was spot on......well done Sheila!Pat yourself on the back.It seems a
strange concept to some of you US ferreteers from the comments so far,but
your rabbits are different to ours aren't they?Don't they live above ground,
more like our hares?I have no problems about going rabbiting,we hunt the
rabbits to eat ourselves and to feed our dogs and ferrets.(It's a more
"honest" way to eat meat than kid yourselves that the pink plastic wrapped
stuff from the supermarket has never seen an animal.)I'm not arguing the
"ethics" of hunting per se,but ferrets do enjoy going down holes,do enjoy
eating rabbits,it's natural for them to do it,so.......
 
And yes,you can buy special ferret locator collars,Linda.I've got 2 and I
think you'll find Arthur Carter sells them (coz that's where mine came
from!).
 
About the Royal Family and ferrets......apparently the Sandringham Estate
have just taken on a few more ferrets from a local Norfolk source,to help
out with their rabbit problems.And I found out recently that if you have
rabbits on your land over here,you have a legal obligation to control their
numbers!
 
Lastly,my ferreting friend told me that on the radio yesterday there was a
program saying that there were feral ferrets on the Orkney (I think) Islands
and there was a bounty on them the problem was so bad.I think they estimated
12,000 ferrets running wild,and the bounty was 10 per adult amd 6 per
kit.So......apparently it's not just New Zealand where they're successfully
breeding.Anyone else hear about it,or know any more?
 
Bored you all to death yet?Bye for now......
 
K.
[Posted in FML issue 2246]