Ferreting

Ferreting is one of Britain’s oldest fieldsports – a traditional, effective and humane method of rabbit control that has been practised for centuries and remains as relevant today as ever. Working ferrets to nets is pest control at its most sustainable, protecting crops, pasture and infrastructure while putting wild rabbit in the pot.

This section covers everything you need to ferret successfully, from choosing your first ferret – hob or jill, albino or polecat – to housing, feeding, health care and handling. You’ll find practical advice on essential ferreting equipment, including purse nets, long nets, locators and collars, plus guidance on reading a warren, working ferrets safely and dealing with a lay-up.

We also cover the groundwork that matters: securing land permission, the law on ferreting and rabbit control in the UK, working with landowners, and combining ferrets with lurchers, terriers or a shotgun for a complete day’s sport.

Whether you’re keeping ferrets for the first time or looking to improve your success rate in the field, you’ll find trusted, practical advice here from ferreters with decades of experience between them.