Rabbits have long formed a staple diet of country men. Although some landowners refused permission for rabbiting to take place on their land most farmers were happy for their men to catch rabbits on their land and thus reduce a pest that ate their crops. There are two favoured methods. Hidden snares that are set on the runs of rabbits or hares. The problem for these is that the captured animal is at the mercy of any human or carnivorous animal that comes along so the trap setter could lose his catch. They also can entail an injured animal being left in pain for several hours. Ferrets ready to hunt in rabbit holes photo courtesy of Malene Thyssen The second and most popular method involved the use of ferrets. Once a rabbit warren is located , all of the bolt holes are traced and fitted with small nets covering the hole. A ferret is then muzzled and set free in one of the holes. Ferrets are fierce predators of rabbits and on hearing the ferret entering the warren all of the rabbits will dash out through the bolt holes. As they rush out they will hit the net and quickly be captured and killed. The ferret will then come out chasing a rabbit and can be recaptured and used on another day.