Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-01-08

the ground, they can get after the rab.
bit, and by the aid of the ferret, drive
him forth to get good running shot
without all the tiresome tramping,
along the scent of rabbit in search
OF food, often to get no nearer to the
quarry than several hundred yards.
Truly the ferreter has the best of ii
when he knows his business and has a
good ferret that knows his equally
well. The great trouble is that so 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 rene
died, for there is no animal more
easily trained, or more useful when
trained, than the well-bred ferret.
was talking to man the other day
who breeds ferrets and makes quite a
business of it, keeping them on a
farm, and having them divided off in
yards and hutches, just as if they were
prize rabbits. l 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 l first commenced this bust
ness had ferrets on hand that were
trained ike pird dogs, and, OF course,
valued them accordingly. Do you
think there was any demand for them
Well, there was not and when l asked
SIS or $40 for perfectly trained fer
ret people thought was crazy. 30 L
gave /. up' ana now nave neither
framed ierrets nor terrets reared and
preo ;, from trained STOCK. 1t does not
f
WIS surprised at thls' and picked
ou' Pair W oo my own tralnlng,
.eaoy ZOE ehe hrs. tracking snow AS
from tnis u would appear That great
many people VINO use these ANIMALS do
not understand the advantage to be
gained from trained one, L may as
well make II plain before l go any
inrther' l think all Will allow that
there are lew things more annoying to
tne hunter 'nah 10 nave the ferret
lie up when put into hole, result
ing IN the loss OF sport while you wait
MS pleasure about coming out, or If he
is ielI, the LOSS OF the 1erret, value,
say Sio' Ihat Is only the hrst evil,
the others are when ne VIII not work
at ALL refusing perslstently to go into
an earth, or when he enters, and finds
raoolt' ne Will XIII ana eat II instead
OF dragging II out, and has no idea of
answering the 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 young animal, and see that
he is healthy, has clean feet, with no
scabs on them or any sign of there
having been any, for this is sign of
"hutch rot" and will make the little
apt to shirk. Take him home and have
for his home a 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 a curl.
GUS bOuutt ike u TdU BUuedl-
ing, produced by pressing the tongue
against the side of the teeth and
strongly sucking the air through the
interstices. Any boy will give you IA
lesson. Do this whenever he is fed
so as 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 he will think it is some
thing to eat, and will raise up to
"nose" it, and that if you draw the
hand away in a sudden manner he will
be quicker than you, and VIII seize 1t,
giving you pretty pad bite; but that
II you keep the hand moving steadily
ana ialrly down. IN fearless manner,
the 1erret VIII ma out ms mistake
ana not plte. ms Is one OF the hard
est lessons the trainer mas TO learn, as
they are oioodtnirsty looking little
cattle, ana IL requires some courage to