There is one way of working ferrets when rabbit-shooting which, if followed, I think would lead to a better day’s shooting.  You will often see the ferrets stick up with the rabbits.  Now, in most cases the gamekeeper or his man working the ferrets will often cut open a dead rabbit and put the paunch to the burrow.  I quite agree as to the desirability of this to get the ferrets out, but I say that the man using the ferrets ought never to touch the paunch, as the ferrets will not work half so well after he has the smell of the paunch on his hands.

Another bad plan is that of throwing a dead rabbit into the burrow so that the ferret will follow it out.  The best plan is to let the ferret get clear of the hole, and then pick it up quietly.  If you will break your ferrets in in this manner you will never have any trouble with them afterwards.

When ferrets are conveyed about for the purpose of rabbiting, boxes are much better to use than bags, as the ferrets then get a better chance of resting.  If bags be used you disturb the ferrets’ rest and position each time you remove one.  Take care to observe this and it will result in a good day’s sport.

Always take your ferrets home as quickly as possible after a day’s work.

Ferrets kept only for rabbit-shooting should always be fed as soon as the day’s work is over, but they must not have more food till the same time the following day.  If fed in this way regularly you will find that they will work very well.  It is also advisable to let them drink at a stream when they have worked about three hours.

When ferrets have been fast in a rabbit burrow, their paws may be full of down with scratching at the rabbits.  Always remove this before placing them to another burrow.  Each time you handle the ferret see that the muzzle is alright, and in muzzling with string great care should be taken to remove the long hair on the snout from under the string; otherwise the ferret may experience a tickling sensation, and not work so well as it should; see also that the string is tied tightly around the ferret’s neck; if not it can easily pull off the muzzle with its paws.

Whenever a ferret is severely bitten by a Rat the best course to take immediately you get it home is to bathe the wound in clean luke-warm water.  See that all the dirt is removed, and then apply a few drops of sweet oil to the wound.  Repeat this every four hours, until the wound is healed, but until then do not work the ferret lest more dirt gets into the wound.  My experience proves this to be the best way to cure a ferret when it has received a severe Rat-bite.

It is also a good plan occasionally (say once a fortnight) to skin a nice young Rat and give it to the ferret.

SUITABLE DOGS.