Personally, I'd bring the guys.  That's not a universal view on the FML...
 
The key is, be on very good terms with your neigbors and landlord; many
confiscations happen during some sort of dispute.  Vets are *not* a problem,
not since the USDA approved a rabies vaccine...DFG has been told to lay off
the vets because Rabies is a far more serious problem.
 
Big city cops in Northern California are probably the most tolerant and
least likely to do something about a ferret sighting...San Francisco PD saw
my ferrets over 20 times, never a problem.  Bored suburban cops might see a
fert as a reak in the routine; I don't know much about true rural
cops/sheriffs although I suspect they wouldn't be a huge menace.
 
SoCal cops have a generally bad rep; LAPD, San Bernadino County Sheriffs and
others can be very nasty.  Contact a Ferrets Anonymous chapter near you to
see where the "trouble spots" are; last, be assured that a DFG Warden will
give you the absolute maximum s**t possible.  Good story: yesterday at the
local PetSmart, while brousing the large fert-products display, I met a
fellow weaseler who claims that at another branch of the chain, some guy
came in with a fert on his shoulder (as I've done in the past).  He was
approached by an off-duty DFG Warden; right about the point where the warden
had the badge out and in plain view, the fert owner *slammed* the b****rd
with a right hook!  Ran out the door, got clean away...not recommended, but
dang...
 
Now, let me tell one more story to show why there's hope: when I was living
in San Mateo (suburbia), Felix the late albino cuddle got out and down the
street.  I did the usual search, and put some "lost critter" signs up...the
next morning, I calledthe local animal shelter (which is a local gov't
facility) and (a nunny moosely) explained I'd lost a tame, friendly fert.
 
They had gotten a call the night before from someone who found him; they not
only didn't take the person's name, they told them what to feed Felix,
advised them to put a sign up with their number, and then told *me* the next
morning that this was going on; sure enough, I found the sign, tore it and
my others down, called them and was reunited within hours.  Not all Animal
Control agents are our enemies, even here in Califbanaweaselornia.
[Posted in FML issue 1723]