The Ole Hedge Creeper
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A Passion for Ferrets and Ferreting

18/11/2014

1 Comment

 
Many of you out there know the Ole Hedge Creeper for many things Fieldsports and conservation related, mostly for my part as an ambassador for the Young sports or for my escapades with a shot gun/rifle or air rifle through my various writing of articles or books or my videos etc, what most of you will not know is that my true passion within Fieldsports lay not with the guns at all (although I do love shooting) in actual fact my true and purist passion lies with working ferrets for traditional rabbit control.
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Now for me this means no guns? What I hear you ask The Ole Hedge Creeper with not a gun in sight? No although bolt shooting over ferrets is fun and even working a falcon or a hawk over them I enjoy too, But not for me my real passion is working ferrets with purse net and long net and a good working running dog.

My favourite type of running dog is the good old working whippet (not those spindly poor excuse of show whippet) for a true working whippet is quick of pace with brains, That dog will put a Coney (rabbit) that slips a net back in the bag in a flash with a short burst of speed unlike any other running dog in my opinion, I also favour the whippet cross collie for that little extra too.

If any of you have read my books you will know of my love for the humble working whippet or whippet crosses, you will also know of two of the very best dogs that have ever owned me and that is my Gyp and her daughter Blue, One was crafty and one was clever and together they made a great team and over the years put hundreds if not thousands of rabbits in the bag.

DISASTER struck two years ago when those horrid false widow spiders got into my ferret court, They murdered my entire court of ferrets and since that day I have declared a hatred for those murderous arachnoid’s, I see one I kill it I see a nets it gets insecticide, I was so broken hearted about my poor ferrets that I just could not bring myself to replace them, the vision of my poor big Hobb Sam dragging himself to me with a bite in his spine broke my heart and filled my heart with hatred for those 8 legged murderers, I will tell you there is nothing anyone can say to change my mind either.

Well a few weeks ago my Becky who upon knowing I was a shell of myself for two years without my ferrets and that was the worst two years of my life for I had been around or kept ferrets for fourty years, She also saw how the Young Sports all started watching my old ferreting DVDs the day before we would go shooting.

Then listening to all the kids saying Ohhhhh I wish The Ole Hedge Creeper still had ferrets and take us ferreting as he tells us such amazing stories of momentous battles and tales of when the pugs (ferrets) did battle with the drummers (ferrets) deep underground.

So my Becky in all the ways a woman can charm said why don’t you get these boys some ferrets? At first I said no I am not going through what happened with my court the last time, So she said well why don’t you get the boys the ferrets and they are theirs but you must teach them all that you know.

She also added looking in my eyes with her womanly charm and doe eyes staring right into my heart, it would be travesty if you let all that knowledge die with you especially when you have all these Young Sports craving to learn all you know, and you always said that’s why you started Pass It On Young Sports to pass on the knowledge.

Well bowl me over a woman knows how to get the best from her rough ole country boy don’t she, So I agreed and put an appeal out on The Ole Hedge Creepers page on face book asking is there anyone willing to donate to the young sports some ferrets a cage or two and a carry box or two, That’s all they needed as I had everything else from spades to locators purse nets to long nets, I kept all my stuff just burnt the hutches and carry boxes when those murderous spiders murdered my poor ferrets.

I had many offers from many muckers from all around this great country that I call Englandshire but alas most were too far afield, then a message from my ole mucker Andy who said he would drop down double tier ferret cage almost new he did not need anymore.

Then a message from another mucker he had two ferrets well-handled for the kids and working too he also got another friend to donate two of this year’s kits and he had a spare double tier cage too.

I was simply overwhelmed by the support from my fellow fieldsportmen and women and within a couple of weeks we had both cages and all the ferrets and a carry box all settled in, In fact the day Steve and his son Charlie brought the ferrets down it was a Sunday, So we had agreed for him to bring all his kit and some older ferrets and let’s take the young sports out ferreting that very day.

I don’t know who was more excited the young sports or me, Steve was not due down till 9am and well both myself and the young sports were all wide awake by 5am, I have always been the same on a ferreting day I have never needed an alarm I am always the first up fed car packed and having a mug of tea by the time any of the other lads had even stirred.

Now my young sports are no different 5am I passed Connor on the way back from the loo he said he can’t sleep he was too excited about going ferreting not ten seconds later David appeared saying butterflies in his belly kept him awake so we headed down for breakfast.

Within an hour there is a knock at the door? It was young sports Jake and Tyler all dressed ready to go ferreting, they said they could not sleep for the butterflies and saw our light on and though it must be time to go.

Three hours later after several more cups of tea and watching ferreting DVDs the boys could not wait a minute longer, I thought they were going to burst, so they went outside and sat on the pavement waiting for Steve to arrive with the ferrets, I heard the cheer from the house when he arrived hmmmm I think the young sports were a bit excited waiting for their ferrets to come don’t you.

Well we put the hutches in position sorted out the bedding and the saw dust for the outside area filled the water bottle etc so the cages were ready for when we returned from ferreting.

In the meantime the young sports got to know their ferrets and picked one each and named them, Lol David wanted to call his little Gill a boy’s name and call her Jim we talked him out of that he now calls her Flash as she is very fast.

A quick cup of coffee for Steve and Charlie after their long drive then we boxed up the ferrets and headed to one of my local farms, for me this was a very special time as this was the farm I started ferreting on fourty years ago with my Pappy/Dad and uncle Dave.

I could feel it in my water (as my Nan would say) this is going to be a magical day and I was not wrong I telle boys.

Alas we have not had any frosts here yet so the vegetation was still pretty thick and the stingers boy oh boy didn’t they bite, My Ole Dad always said after a hard days ferreting when his hands were stung and sore he could not wait to paunch out the rabbits as that always took the stinging away.

First warren and Steve’s dog Barney said bunny was home but we gave that warren a miss as it was a bit difficult to ferret with young sports, so I took them over to what I call rabbit alley and the mega warren.

There was a mix of open easy holes and harder ones on the raised hedge bank, So we taught the young sports first how to lay the purse nets on the ones that could be easily netted.

Then Steve taught them how to lay long nets and stop nets, They were taught how to collar up the ferrets with the Deben MK3 collars and locators Steve had with him, I still love my old MK1s with knocker box so I will teach them with those on another ferreting trip.

That done time to set the pugs (Ferrets) to work with the young sports entering a ferret each, Then that silence came over the warren I have written about this many times in my books so I will again here to do it justice.

The silence as you look around everything goes muffled and in slow motion as you strain to hear when the pugs (ferrets) catch up with the drummers (rabbits) deep underground and those Viking drums of war start, Then almost as you switch off a light switch total silence then like bullets from a gun rabbits start hitting the purse nets, How am I doing so far anyone who has been ferreting will know exactly what I am saying.

On my side young sport David is on the first rabbit like Johnny Wilkinson landing a try over the all blacks line with the rabbit in the purse all pursed good and tight in the net held in safe hands.

The voices from the other side as the young sports scramble with the running dogs as rabbits bolt into the open, Young Sport Jake narrowly missing a rabbit as it flips out of the long net as young sport Connor and the dog give chase as it jumps down and un netted hole.

Another rabbit bolts my side full throttle making it for freedom across the field as Young Sport Tyler is on its heels as it hits the long net, Tyler puts in a crunching tackle like Jason Robinson diving for the ball on our 25 yard line safe hands again.

I look back and see Young Sport David’s heels as he lands another great tackle on a rabbit that hits a purse net at the far end of the mega warren, Still more voices from the other side of the hedge rabbit in the net, rabbits bolting down the hedge line rabbits in long nets.

Then a rabbits bolts to our far left Steve’s little whippet cross drives it into the far end of the long net, Steve and I both on opposite sides of the hedge make a dash to help the dog.

All rabbits humanely dispatched and all nets re-laid a calm ness came over the set as the ferrets came up and said there ya go boss we evicted them Coney (rabbit) none left down here, So we decided to call it a day ferreting boxing up the ferrets as it was 3pm and the light was starting to dip down.

We taught the Young Sports how to paunch out the rabbits and headed back to the trucks to get the air rifles and stand in one of my woods and try our luck on some roosting pigeon.

I must send a massive thank you to Andy for the cage and Steve and Charlie for the ferrets and cage and making the young sports season.

And as for me I can’t thank the boys enough for you have made me feel alive again, My passion for traditional ferreting runs deep in my veins and I truly never realised how much I missed those crazy little critter’s.

I was asked in an interview just recently if I had the power to save but one Fieldsports above all others if a total ban came in what would it be, I answered him before he finished the question and of course I said traditional ferreting,  the interviewer said take some time to think ahhhh he did not know me well either my answer will always be the same one it’s how I started and how I will finish, I love all Fieldsports with a passion but none so much as traditional ferreting with ferret net and running dog.
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If you would like to see me more in action either look at my articles here on the Countryman’s Diary under The Ole Hedge Creeper title page or over at www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk or if you would like one of my books with all the money going to Pass It On young Sports go over to www.fourteenacre.co.uk and click on the Pass it on link your support goes such a very long way in educating The Next Generation of Pass It On Young Sports and inspiring them the way we were all inspire in our own way in to what we love.
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The Walther Rotex 8 and Field Master Review

14/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Well I simply don’t know where to start? You see as The Ole Hedge Creeper and as co-owner of The Countryman’s Diary Magazine I get sent and asked to try out all sorts of kit, also being an RFD (registered fire arms dealer) I also get sent all sorts of guns and ammo to try and give my verdict on.

Now not much gets me excited now days as I have either shot it fished it used it or in many cases helped develop it, But then came along the Walther Rotex 8 or R8 as its better known, I took a trip up to the Armex factory ( www.armex.co.uk ) in Birmingham just recently to see the factory and have a go on their awesome indoor air rifle range as well as have a go with all sorts of their guns too of course.
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This was when I got to fire the R8 for the first time and boy oh boy did this little gun fire my excitement up, on the chronograph it was pushing out 11.87 ft lb with Air Arms field diablo 5.52  pellets (my preferred pellet in all my hunting guns) and on target they hit like a steam train in this sweet little gun, oh and by the way I don’t write a technical article it bores me to tears , I prefer to write an article and take you out hunting with me to the field so if you’re after a technical article you won’t find it here.

Now on the range I put the pitch black ( www.pitchblacknightvision.co.uk ) unit on the gun as a day or night scope it’s called the field master, After a fair while learning how to tune the unit in and get it zeroed with the gun Della from Armex and myself had a lot of fun both with the lights on and the lights off, Hmmmm shooting targets I might add before you get any funny ideas.
Well my time with Della and the gang at Armex drew to a close far too quickly as I had to head up to see my ole mucker in Rugby as I was deer stalking with him the very next morning.

My Ole mucker and myself headed out for a spot of lamping so I took the field master off the R8 and mounted as a hand held spotter, The field master is a brilliant spotter and allowed us to spot fox deer badger rabbit and hare without them knowing we were there, I put the Field Master on the R8 and shot a couple of rabbits with ease at around 25 meters.
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What I will say about the field master it’s a great spotter out to 300m but in my opinion nothing is shootable until its inside 100m and then I personally would not shoot it until its inside 70m, The reason for this is there is not enough magnification for my liking so that I can 101% certain to put the bullet/pellet exactly where I want it, It’s a cracking bit of kit clear as daylight but for me the magnification lets it down for longer range shooting.

So I would say this, it is a brilliant bit of kit for air rifle or rim fire shooting at short to medium ranges for rabbit and rat etc, But as a spotter boy oh boy you can see eye shine at 300m at 200m you can identify the outline of the body of your target, But like I say the lack of magnification brings the shooting down to within the 100m range.
I bid farewell to my mucker in Rugby after a brilliant time hunting with him and headed back to my beloved Somerset, and my Young Sports who were eagerly awaiting my return like a bunch of young countrymen awaiting Santa Clause to turn up in the early hours of Christmas morning, I think the video that is accompanying this article does my return justice.

Well I arrived home to my country pent house apartment to the place being full of Young Sports all wanting to know what I had returned with for them to test out, I don’t know who was more excited me or the Young Sports and like I say I think the video does the un boxing of the Walther Rotex R8 the justice this great little gun deserves.
They nor I could wait to go out rat and feral shooting with it, So we mounted the night master on the R8 made sure of the zero and went hunting down the grain mill, The place was running alive with feral pigeons and rats and the Young Sports got right into them using the R8 night master combo, Again I think the pictures and the videos accompanying this article really does do this awesome little gun the justice it truly deserves.

A few days later whilst awaiting the delivery of a Hawk Scope from Deben (www.deben.co.uk) I arranged a bit of a plinking afternoon with my Young Sports in the back yard, They had a go with all sorts of air rifles from springer to gas ram and pcp, Then they had a shoot off with the old Diana junior 177 that they enjoyed immensely, the postman came and brought me my Hawk scope as this is my preferred make of scope on any air rifle as they do what they say on the tin.

I mounted the scope to the Walther Rotex 8 and also added what I consider to be the very best sound mod out there for any air rifle, And that is the Huggett ( www.huggettprecisionproducts.co.uk ) moderator range, not only are they stylish and enhance any rifle they are placed upon but they also literally whisper every shot from any air rifle weather  Fac or sub 12ft lb.
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Scope and mod fitted time to zero and well what can I say a few pellets later I was literally whispering pellet on pellet at 30m without any effort at all, The Young sports took over and well what can I say but I think I have now lost that sweet little R8 to the kids as they won’t let me use it, Darn kids get all the fun eh.

That night I took them Hunting with the R8 Hawk Huggett combo, the Young Sports shot and I was re-assigned to being the lamp man, I tell you the wind was blowing a Hooley and there was rain in the air but still these Young Sports shot like pros with that sweet little gun, They put 5 rabbits in the bag before the weather forced us to call it a night, I am proud of each and every one of them and as for the R8 it performed like a dream proving this gun is right up there with the best of them.
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My verdict on the Walther Rotex 8(R8) is it’s a cracking little gun great quality with a British designed stock made by Maneli that for the £419 price tag that could be easily double that, the metal finish is very nice and the action from loading to the trigger pullMaking contact with suppliers today negotiating a good price to stock my shop. to the shooting is as smooth as silk, I would gladly stand at any range or go hunting with this little gun with great confidence.

The model I have is in .22 my preferred calibre but I am told there is a 177 version coming out very soon as well as an fac version too, Now I look forward to getting my hands on those next, If you would like to get an R8 speak to your local stockist if you have trouble finding one call Armex on Tel: 01216434900 and they will point you in the direction of your nearest stockist etc.

As for the pitch black unit Mike Bell from Target Sports 4 Recovering Disabilities had this to say about the field master.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper

www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk


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    To my Haters & Stalkers, I am a Lion not a Sheeple, my advice is to not poke the Sleeping Lion, for if you awake me from my slumber you will hear me ROAR, then you will find yourself staying at Her Majesty's pleasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    About the Archive

    As you will all know I am a busy boy and I am asked post articles and review on behalf of lots people in lots of different places.

    The images and photos are for illustration purposes only, they may not be of the actual day/article or location in question or even at the same venue, for client/venue sensitivity,data protection and often location or contract legalities, we may use a stock photo at our discretion, The main place to find most of my articles is of course the 
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