Family Event

Ferret Mischief

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The sheds, yards, allotments and outhouses of shale-mining communities held many wonders. They were places of sanctuary where precious leisure time might be spend tending leeks and tatties, caring for chickens and doos, or perhaps even keeping ferrets.

Ferrets have a mischievous nature and are inextricably linked with the mischief of poaching. As twilight fell, miners and other working folk might be tempted to take their ferrets and nets into the surrounding fields and woods in search of rabbits for the pot. Police often went to great lengths to apprehend those poaching rabbits, which were considered to be the property of the landowners. Accounts in old newspapers tell of policemen lying in wait behind bushes, or sometime chasing poachers for miles across open fields. When the poacher was eventually apprehended, evidence was needed of secure his conviction, including his net, his haul of freshly-killed rabbits, and his ferrets. In addition to fines or imprisonment, the poacher faced confiscation of this ferrets therefore in an attempt to evade such capture, ferrets were often ingeniously concealed in pockets, up sleeves, or down trousers.

During this day-long event, members of the Scottish Ferret Club will introduce visitors to the playful ferret and their love of small dark spaces. There will be chance to meet ferrets of all shapes and sizes, and wonder as they race along pipes and squeeze through the tightest of spaces. You’ll discover ferrets in some very surprising places. There will be ferret talks and ferret stories, and opportunity to make you own ferret toy to hide beneath your jumper.