The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-12-08
SHOOTING WITH FERRETs.
TRAINING THEM TO DRIVE RAR
BITS HH0N THEIR HOLES.
Points About N1uzzling and Working
the CREATURES and Choosing the
Ground to be Covered.

Points About Muzzling and Working
| tho CREATURES and Choosing the
| Ground to be Covered.
| " LTHOUdH there are q goodIy
/ "a h1mber of hunters who think
IN ts{cteam Of sport does not
%@ I'VE until the snow is on
the ground they can get after the rab-
bit, and by fhe aid Of the ferret, drive
him forth to get good running shot
without all the tiressme trsmping,
along the scent Of rabbit in search
of food, often to get no nearer to the
quarry than several hundred yards.
Truly the te-reter has the best Of Il
when he knows his business and has q
good ferret that knows his equally
well. The great trouble is that 80 few
of our ferrets do know their business,
or, to use common phrase, zone end
OF it." The fault of this lies in the
owner OF the ferret, and is easily reme-
died, for there is no animal moro
easily trained, or more useful when
trained, than the well-bred ferret.
was talking I'd man the other day
who breeds ferrets and makes quite a
business of il, keeping them on
farm, and having them divided off in
yards and hutch just as if they were
prize rabbits. wanted to buy a
couple Of young buck ferrets for the
coming season. and asked him if he
had any bred from parents that had
been properly trained? He replied :
"When 1 first commenced this bust.
ness | had ferrets on hand that were
trained like bird dogs, and, of course,
/ valued them accordingly. Do you
think there was any demand for them?
Well, there was not, and when asked
SIS or $40 for perfectly trained fer
ret people thought I,was crazy. SO
gave it up, and now have neither
trained ferrots nor ferrets reared and
bred from trained stock. 1t does not
pay"
L was surprised at this, and picked
out pair to do my own training,
ready for tho first tracking snow. As
from thls'it would appear that great
many people who use these animals do
not understand the advantage to he
gained from a trained one, may as
we'll make it plain before I go any
further. I thfSk all will allow that
there are few thih ihgs more annoying to
the hunter thsn to have the ferret
'lie up" whenB 81 into hole, result
ing in the loss mort while you wait
his pleasure at soming out, or if he
liz left, the losSA 1.-THE ferret, value,
say, $40. That 1s only the first evil.
the others are when he will not work
Mt all, refusing pdrsistently to go into
nm earth, or when he enters, and finds
n rabbit, he will Kill and eat it instead
of dragging it out, and has no idea of
answering tho voice or call of his mas
ter. In Germany, France and Eng
land the ferret is taught all of this,
and there is, with. few exceptions, no
bother and no delay to sport.
Obtain Il young animal, and see that
ho is healthy, has clean feet, with no
scabs on them or any sign of there
having been any, for this Is a sign of
''hutch rot" and will make the little
fellow sensitive 20 hard weather, and
apt to shirk. Take him home and have
for his homo moderately warm, dry,
clean hutch, and mind that it is kept
so. This is the most important item
of them all. Then commence the
training process, which is done
through the medium of food. When
you go to bed feed him, make q curl
ous squeaking sound like rat saueal-
ing. produced by pressing the tongue
against the side of the teeth and
strongly sucking the air through tho
interstices. Any boy will give you
lesson. Do this whenever he is fed,
80 rs to impress upon the mind that
the sound is connected with food, and
half the training is done. Then begin
to handle him. Make -up your mind
to the fact that when you put your
hand down be witt think it is some
thing to eat, aSswill raise ND to
''nose" it, and that if you draw the
hand away in sudden manner he will
be quicker than YOU, and will seize it,
giving you pretty bad bite but that
if you keep the hand moving steadily
and fairly down, in a fearless manner.
the ferret will find ont his mistake
and not bite. This is one of the hard
est lessons tho trainer has to learn. as
they are bloodthirsty looking little
cattle, and it requires some courage to
do this the first time or two. Having
overcome this difficulty, handle the
ferret at all times and all seasons
You cannot overdo it, and after time
you will take quite fancy to the lit
tie thing. L never carry ferret bag.
but carry them loose in my pocket,
which is fitted with flap and button.
Having progressed SO far, take the
ferret out in the open, and take him
hungry, so that when you make the
call he will be keen to come to you,
when he must be rewarded with a
piece of meat or liver. If he does this
well, advance him to the hedgerow or
brush, and get him 80 that he will
come to you whenever you make the
call.
When tho hunting commences, be
careful and have the ferrets we'll fed
the night previous, but not the morn
ing you go out, unless it is very cold,
when n very little milk may be given.
This will insure better work. Arriving
Mt the earth, either located before
hand, or by the hound dog, take the
ferret and place HIM IN the entrance;