Ferret Hunting - A Humane Pest Control

For thousands of years, ferrets have been usedin tunnels. Using cyanide as the primary gas, it is
as hunters in the field. They were trained to bethen let out in these tunnels and whatever animal
more effective in hunting field pests such ascome in contact with the gas is killed. However,
rodents and rabbits. This is also probably thethe danger lies if it is not properly carried out by
reason that ferrets are now domesticated inthe field owner. There may be a time that he
households. Although some people may opposemay forget to block all other entrances to the
the process of ferret hunting, it is actually one oftunnels and other rather safe animals go inside it.
the more humane pest controls there is regardingAll the more does it get more dangerous to
hunting rabbits and rodents in the fields, gardensferrets since these animals love to go down
and forests. The other forms of pest controlstunnels and burrows.
that have been available do not necessarily equateThe second method is shooting which is rather
to an ecological and safe way of hunting downineffective if you are not an experienced shooter.
pests in fields. In fact, at times these other pestAlso, it does require a lot of hard work and
controls can even damage other animals apartpatience. You have to wait for the rabbits to
from the target ones.show up and wait for your cue to shoot them.
So what exactly is the reason that rabbits areMany times you only have one choice in shooting
being hunted down? Although they possess anthese animals as they may quickly be gone after
appealing aesthetic value, rabbit in fact cause a lota missed shot.
of damage to the environment especially toThe third method, myxomatosis is a man made
agriculture. They eat the most part of vegetation,disease and has been proven to be quite
from agricultural crops, shrubs, grasses and trees.effective in killing rabbits. Although effective, it still
If they exist in a multitude of quantity, then theposes such an inhumane way of killing them.
damage that they are causing is catastrophic.When a rabbit has contracted this type of
They also have a tendency to build their homesdisease, his tissues swell which causes his face to
underground which then further leads to soilbecome so puffed. Also, his breathing becomes
erosion and damage. Since they mainly thrive onmore difficult and his eyesight is blinded. Digestion
vegetation, the vegetation that could have helpedis also impaired which means that his nutrition is
in combating drought is gone and therefore theslowly degrading. This type of pest control is now
fields of crops are already exposed to such aillegal because of its inhumane ways in getting rid
difficult condition. At times they may also eat andof rabbits.
even destroy other natural habitat of otherSo despite the effectiveness of these methods,
animals that are living in the areas.ferreting is the only one that is rather humane to
This is the reason that ferret hunting have alwaysthe part of the rabbit. With ferret hunting, rabbits
been a popular way to get rid of rabbits. Apartare given the chance to escape from the hunt of
from other ways such as gassing, shooting andthe ferrets. Also, since no part of the ecology or
myxomatosis, ferret hunting poses a lesseragriculture is being torn down, it is absolutely safe
danger to the larger scale.to the environment. These and a lot more make
Gassing is a form of pest control and should onlyferret hunting a much more humane way of pest
be carried out under license. It is a subtle way ofcontrol.
killing all animals that may be present in a field or