Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-03-06
HUNTING WITH FERRETS.
How Rabbits Arc Taken with the Aid
of the Sharp Little Animals in
New York State.

One of the postimes of farmers and
farmers sons in the northern part of
this state at this time of the year is
hunting rabbits with the aid of fer
rets. When the ground is covered
with snow, as it now is in that sec
tion of the state, the little animal is
very easily traced to its hole. Then
the ferret is sent in after it, driving
the frantic bunny to the open, where
it is soon dispatched by one of the
waiting hunters, says the New York
Post. ~
There is no chance for the rabbit
to get away, once it is tracked to it's
lair, for should the hunter miss it rs
it runs, it is only question of track
ing it to its next hiding place, and
again driving it out with the aid of
the ferret.
The ferret is yellow-coated little
fellow, usually about foot long,
with a bushy tail, long, needle-like
tusks in his mouth, and preternatu
rally sharp eyes. His diet when in
captivity consists of bread and milk,
but when n hunt is planned it is
usual to keep the ferret on scant ra
tions for day or two, to make him
more keen for the chase.
When a morning arrives with
light fall of new snow on the ground
the hunting party of three or four
start out, one carrying the ferret in
box or bag. Fresh rabbit tracks
found, they are followed to the rab-
bits resting place, sometimes under
the stump of an old tree, sometimes
under pile of brush, sometimes un-
| der the crook of an old rail fence,
| and sometimes in hole in the
| ground itself in n side hill. Clearing
away the snow, and usually putting
down a piece of carpet around i've
| entrance to the hole, so that the fer
ret can move readily, the animal is
started down the hole, while the
| hunters stand about in attitudes of
expectation, gun in hand, for the rab-
bit is like the clay pigeons thrown
| from trap-no one can tell in what
direction it will go. For that mat
| ter, it is not at all certain that the
hole he entered will be his place of
appearance, as he may have another
hole, or possibly two or three of
them, running from the burrow
where he is lying.
| But the ferret is an inveterate En-
emy of the rabbit, and soon the timid
| quarry can be heard squealing with
! fear as the ferret pursues him. Sud-
denly he pops into view and with pro-
digious jumps scurries away for an
other hiding place, only to be brought
low by charge of shot from the gun
of one of the hunters.
The rabbit killed, the next thing is
| to coax the ferret from the hole, and
this is done by holding the rabbit,
head downward, in the entrance, and
the ferret burying it's sharp fangs
in the neck of the rabbit, just back
of the ears, is brought to the surface
as drowning man is drawn from the
water.
The "sport" is too sure and deadly
to make the blood tingle, but there is
a momentary throb when the little
cottontail is seen bounding over the
snow. The practice of hunting by
ferrets is so deadly that it would eX-
terminate the rabbits in short order
but for their wonderful fecundity. 1t
is against the law in some counties,
but that seems to make no difference,
as the farmers own ferrets almost
| to q man.