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BACKED UP
A RABBIT, CORNERED BY A FERRET OR FERRETS IN A STOP OR DEAD END, IS SAID TO BE "BACKED UP". WITH ITS HEAD PROTECTED BY ITS BUNCHED-UP BACK LEGS, IT IS REASONABLY SAFE. THE FERRET WILL OFTEN SCRATCH AWAY AT THE REAR END AND, BEING INCAPABLE OF GETTING OVER TO THE NECK AND JUGULAR, WILL OFTEN GIVE UP AFTER A LONG SESSION. THE FERRET'S FEET WILL BE SEEN TO BE FULL OF FUR ON ITS RETURN. IF THE SPOT HAS BEEN MARKED, THE RABBIT CAN BE DUG OUT. IF NOT, IT ESCAPES WITH SOME OF ITS BACK-END FUR MISSING, BUT WILL BE WELL CAPABLE OF SURVIVING. A HUNGRY FERRET MAY TRY TO EAT THE CREATURE ALIVE. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE VERY GOOD REASON FOR KEEPING FERRETS REASONABLY WELL FED AND NOT STARVED BEFORE HUNTING.
BOLTING
WE ALL HOPE THAT OUR FERRETS, WHICH WE BELIEVE TO BE BETTER THAN THOSE KEPT BY ANYONE ELSE, WILL BOLT ALL THE RABBITS IN THE BURIES WE SEEK TO EXPLOIT. SMALL, AND OFTEN VERY SWIFT, JILL FERRETS ARE SOMETIMES ABLE TO FORCE RABBITS INTO VACATING THE BURY OR WARREN INTO THE SET PURSE-NETS BY PREVENTING THEIR LAST-DITCH STAND IN STOPS OR DEAD ENDS. BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE THEY ARE OFTEN ABLE TO CLIMB OVER A BIG RABBIT, MEET IT FACE TO FACE AND CAUSE IT TO ALTER COURSE. BOLT HOLES, HOLES THAT ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED BY EAGER FERRETERS, ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THIS RESPECT. THESE ARE OFTEN PARTLY HIDDEN, OVERGROWN WITH GRASS, NOT ADVERTISED BY EARTH EXCAVATIONS, BECAUSE THEY ARE DUG OUT FROM UNDERGROUND, AND CONSTITUTING THE PERFECT ESCAPE ROUTE FOR A BOLTING RABBIT. LOOK LONG AND HARD FOR THESE ESCAPE ROUTES. BOLTERS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE - YOU DON'T.
BRAMBLES
MANY RABBIT BURIES ARE LOCATED NEAR TO DENSE BRAMBLE BUSHES. A THICK BRAMBLE STEM WITH THORNS INTACT AT ONE END CAN SOMETIMES BE USED TO DRAW OUT A DEAD RABBIT WITHOUT FURTHER DIGGING. A LENGTH OF BARBED WIRE MAY ALSO BE USED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE. IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY BUT, WHEN THE CARCASE CAN BE FELT, THE BRAMBLE IS MISTED TO ENTANGLE WITH THE DEAD RABBIT'S FUR AND IT CAN THEN BE TEASED TOWARDS THE SURFACE.
BURIES
MOST RABBIT COMPLEXES ARE REFERRED TO AS BURIES OR BURROWS. FERRETERS PREFER TO CALL THEM BURIES. THEY MAY BE IN OPEN GROUND OR IN THICK HEDGEROW COVER BUT, EITHER WAY, THEY HOUSE RABBITS IN NUMBERS, OFTEN IN PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER OF EXIT OR ENTRANCE HOLES. PERHAPS THE EASIEST BURIES TO EXPLOIT ARE THOSE COMPRISED OF, SAY, FIVE TO NINE HOLES. OTHER BURIES, THOUGH APPEARING ON THE SURFACE TO BE SEPARATE COMPLEXES, MAY JOIN UP UNDERGROUND AND BECOME DIFFICULT FOR ONE, TWO OR THREE FERRETS TO TURN TO PROFITABLE ACCOUNT IF THERE IS DOUBT ABOUT TWO BURIES BEING ADJOINED, TAKE NO CHANCES AND NET THEM BOTH.
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