Fritz the ferret & the rabbits
Photo: Nordicaoutdoors - my first rabbits
On a cold December weekend in 2020, I attended my very first rabbit hunt at Endelave. A little gem in the ocean just off Horsens Fjord. I was invited by my good friends Malte and Esben, also knows as the two guys behind the Instagram account @Nordicaoutdoors.
Muskox burger and rabbit safari
Endelave is a very small island with only 153 people. An island with much more wild rabbits than people. With a population that is currently so big that it’s allowed to control the rabbits with hunting all year around, due to the damage of the fields they cause.
It was a Friday evening, me and the other guys met at the Endelave ferry at Snaptun harbour. We had only one hour of sailing when we arrived to the beautiful island. Our great hosts served a tasty Greenlandic muskox burger before heading out on a rabbit safari. When I lived in Australia in 2015 I was told to be extremely careful when driving at night due to all the active kangaroos along side the roads. That flashback did hit me when sitting in the car watching hundreds of wild rabbits in peoples gardens, on the roads, fields and on the beach. They were everywhere. I suddenly understood the meaning of ‘‘the island of thousands of wild rabbits’’.
Fritz the ferret and Loco Lotte
The smell of coffee, toasted bread and smoked reindeer. That was the beginning of an exciting day. We are all, more or less, wearing Sitka-camo-clothes and are more than ready for a day of action. I’m extremely curious when it comes to increasing my knowledge and learning new things about hunting. So I quickly took the chance of helping the hosts with getting the ferrets ready for hunting.
We chose to bring two ferrets a long, Fritz and Loco Lotte. When hunting with ferrets it’s very common to give them a GPS collar on, so you always know where they are when working under the ground. The ferrets are being placed in a wood box with holes and straw.
Photo: GPS collar for the ferrets
Photo: Fritz the ferret and Loco Lotte are ready to hunt
First walk of the day
We drove out to a desolate and old airfield. It was basically just fields, totally damaged by rabbits. We have been divided into two teams of four hunters. I was on team Mark, Nikolaj and Gordon. We are standing on a straight line, which is very important due to safety. Fritz the ferret are being placed in front of the rabbit holes. Full of excitement we were waiting. Not really knowing how and when something is happening. None of us have tried this kind of hunt before, so we were all sharing the same feeling of being nervous and excited at the same time. Looking from the outside, standing four hunters just waiting for one rabbit to leave the hole in full speed may seem brutal, but it actually makes very good sense in relation to minimizing the risk of wounding a rabbit. If a wounded rabbit runs back into a hole, you won't be able to find it and you risk that the ferret will ‘sit’ on it.
My hunting buddy Gordon and me are standing together on the right side of the hedgerow. Fritz is still working in the holes. We’re patiently waiting for something unknown to happen. Which ready position is the best? How fast do they actually run? Oh, be careful not to shoot the ferret, wait for the rabbits to leave the hedgerow before pulling the trigger. This was just some of the many thoughts that was going through my head while waiting.
Photo: Gordon and me waiting for the first rabbit
First rabbit down
Out of no where a rabbit leaves the hole in full speed away from us. For my own surprise I managed to mount, aim and pull the trigger (video). Full of excitement I ran down to my first wild rabbit. Wauw an experience and what a beautiful animal. Soft and actually extremely adorable. My friends was just excited as me. This is one of the reasons why I absolutely love to share hunting experiences with friends. Having these unique moments together, creating memories.
Photo: my first wild rabbit
Photo: squeezing the urine out of the rabbit, to make sure it doesn’t effect the taste of the meat
Photo: the left side of the hedgerow also had succes on the first walk. In total of first walk we managed to get two good handfuls of rabbits - and this was just the beginning of an action filled day. Mark, Nikolaj and me.
Wild rabbits on the beach
During the day we are doing walks in different areas of the island. One walk in particular was the most unreal and beautiful scenery. It was on the beach. All of us together, standing in a strict line, letting the ferrets work. Supporting each other, congratulate each other.
Photo: @Nordicaoutdoors - Gordon, Ulrik and me
From field to fork
After an unforgettable and intense hunt, we drove back to the house. All of us started skinning and butchering the rabbits. One of my favorite pro-chefs from Denmark, Nikolaj Juel, was planning the perfect Endelave dinner for all of us. Rabbit ragu with fresh shot wild rabbits.
Photo: wild rabbits, just butchered
Photo: rabbit ragu, cooked by Nikolaj Juel and enjoyed by all of us
A photo keeps a memory from running away
This story is written with a smile on my face. A smile that automatically appears when I think of this hunting weekend with my friends. Hunting is so much more than just pulling the trigger. Hunting is friendships. Thank you Malte and Esben for hosting a hunting trip of a life time. Thank you Nikolaj, Mark, Jonas, Ulrik and Gordon for great company.
Photo: @Nordicaoutdoors - Nikolaj, Mette, Mark, Jonas, Malte, Gordon, Ulrik and Esben behind the camera
