We have two new additions to the blog.

Some are born with ferrets, some earn ferrets and some have ferrets thrust upon them. I belong to the latter group.

After an immensely productive whirlwind tour of the CLA Game Fair, Staffordshire and north Wales, I limped back home north of the border with the unexpected addition of two ferrets in a plywood box.

I blame my girlfriend.

When we saw a sign advertising ferrets for sale, I was only going to stop and have a look.

The salesman saw us coming and chose his methods well.

I have wanted ferrets for years but have never really got around to the actual business of buying them. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

Three hundred miles from home, I had resolutely decided that the sensible thing would be to learn all I could about keeping the animals, then buy some of my own in due course.

As we drove away with a scrabbling box in the back seat, my girlfriend tried to comfort me by explaining that there is never a good time to get ferrets.

All the breeder had done was dangle two (apparently adorable) eight-week-old silver kits infront of my girlfriend while explaining how much fun I would have working them in the winter.

It was a done deal.

Now that they are home, I must say that they are seriously growing on me.

They appear to be able to eat almost everything, from wild blaeberries to bacon, and I actually find that I quite like the smell of them.

I'll take the .22 out tonight and see if I can't get them their first taste of rabbit meat.

I'm not sure how they're going to help the black grouse, but I'm sure they will somehow.

The views expressed on Patrick Laurie's blog are the author's and not the views of Shooting Gazette, ShootingUK, IPC Media or its employees. www.gallowayfarm.wordpress.com