FERRET:
When I go ferreting I always use jills, colour doesn't matter. Even though I know people who successfully work hobs, I was taught by my father that hobs would kill rabbits more often than bolt them, hence lots of digging, which is something I don't care for. Another reason for using jills is due to their size, (being generally smaller than hobs) as this gives them the advantage of getting around a rabbit when tucked up, also the rabbit has an harder job pulling from the jaws of an hob than a jill, but I dare say their will be as many reasons why some people use hobs rather than jills.

NETS:
I usually take about fifty 3ft half a dozen 4ft purse nets half a dozen double pegged nets this is a net with two pegs one at each end and is very useful for holes which you can't get to very quickly as they tend to hold a rabbit for a lot longer, and two 30yd long nets, all my nets are hand made and have stood the test of time. All nets should be hung to dry after use and kept in a dry place mine have large hooks in the airing cupboard and only come out on rabbiting days.

GAME BAGS:
Game bags are used to carry my nets and any rabbits we are lucky enough to catch and should be heavy-duty canvas or similar.

FERRET LOCATOR:
The most important thing you will need second only to the ferret. From time to time a ferret can refuse or be unable to exit the warren usually when it has killed or got a rabbit tucked in a dead end hole, this is when a locator is used to detect where exactly your ferret and the dead rabbit is. There are three types of locator; an 8ft depth, a 15ft depth, and the new 20ft 'search and locate' that also has a digital depth reading. All consist of a receiver box and a collar that transmits a signal to it, It is important to check the batteries and carry replacements incase they run out. Locators are expensive and will cost around £80 - £120, but can make the difference between a good day and a long drawn out day with the loss of a ferret.

Ferret Finder MkI 15ft
approx £85.00 (inc. collar)

Finder MkII 20ft (Hi Vis)
approx £125.00 (inc. collar)

All Ferret Finders can be purchased from Deben

The three locators above are as far as I am aware the only ones available in the UK. I have tried all of them and I was quite happy with the results, though at present I have only used MK 2 on three occasions, each occasion dropping straight on top of the ferret, one of the benefits of the mk2 is its 20ft search this homes you in on the ferret very quickly, the digital read out takes a bit of getting used to but once you have mastered it, it's quite easy.

The 8ft would suit most needs but if you work warrens deeper than 8ft your ferret is undetectable some of the time, and if you get a rabbit tucked up it's bound to be deeper than 8 foot, although I have never dug more than 4-5ft for the past 2-3 years I have used 15ft locator just for peace of mind, there is nothing worse than a long wait and not knowing where your ferret is.

SPADE:
The spade needs no introduction; it's there for digging only on necessity. I use a small stainless steel border spade because it's good strong and light to carry a grafter is another useful spade usually weighs a fare bit more than a border spade but if you find yourself digging on a regular basis this is the ideal tool for you, but you can start weighing yourself down with too many tools.

MINK TRAP:
I always carry a live trap mink trap, which I keep in my Land rover. In some situations i.e. working warrens under concrete floors such as cattle sheds old army barracks or just thick hedges that are impossible to dig through or under, it may be necessary leave a ferret under ground overnight. I have had to use this method several times and it has proved 100% successful. Another method I use is by placing a second ferret into the warren, unfamiliar with the first, which usually results in a squabble and both ferrets exiting the warren.