Scarce Rabbits

[yankeedoodlepigeon]

Hi All.

Was out last night on a farm the is over run with Rabbits only to find, well not much really. Out from 1pm till 8pm normally got some spots where you always see them but not one. Has anyone else noticed the same or am I getting un-wanted visitors? only seen a few through out the day. Lea

Edited November 26, 2010 by yankeedoodlepigeon

[hodge911]

same here mate one of my permissions used to be alive with them no matter what time you went you seen them .............. now your lucky to see any but i know that there,s people goin on without permission

[FalconFN]

I've seen and shot quite a few mixi rabbits in the last month, but still seem to be plenty of healthy ones around my way.

[drut]

Dried up for me as well,mixy seems particularly bad on my shoots this year but can't work out why rabbit numbers have dropped so quick.

[Lez325]

I see dozens on my shoots- definatley no shortage in Somerset :blink:

 

 

Les

[Bigbob]

same here still getting good bags of the bunnies

[Bleeh]

Well, apart from they dying off, two things you could try:

 

1.) Local regular predation, coming at certain times (say a fox that is always around at certain times, or cats etc) can change the time that they spend most the time feeding - try looking out at a different times to usual.

 

2.) With the cold weather, you'll find rabbits moving into woods and heavier shelter than they before frequented, try looking in different areas.

[mark@mbb]

The bunnies around cheshire has vanished as well the keeper told me there was a disease called vrd not sure what it is but it has destroyed the rabbits near me

 

ATB Mark

[Frenchieboy]

The rabbits seem a bit "thin on the ground" on my permissions lately! I know that we have had a couple of lads ferretting on one of the permissions (They had better not let me catch them or they will be going home without their nets - Don't bother "firing back at me" for that comment - It's a plain and simple fact that poaching is theft and if you want to act illegally then be prepared to face the consequences if and when you get caught - end of story!) but the "shortage" of rabbits does seem a bit of a general situation. No signs of any Mixy (Thank goodness) so I think it might be down to this really cold weather keeping them down below ground much more than usual. This is why I like to see about 3 inches of snow covering the ground, you can see exactly what quarry is moving on your permissions and what predators are about (Including the 2 legged ones)

[mcw65]

Wish the rabbits in my part of cheshire had vanished as it might stop people driving over the fields at night and leaving gates open and cutting fences.

[yankeedoodlepigeon]

Hi thanks for all the replys. Afriend of mine mentioned that a good few die off at this time of year as the weather gets bad, not something I noticed last year or the year before but could be a reason. mixi not showing any sign of anywhere. Good thinking about the snow tracks Frenchi some food for thought there. I know there are Fox about as I can smell it everywhere and seen it only twice all the times I have been going and all the guts or exploded rabbits gone the next day normally. Lea

[jimmyh1988]

down south here where i walk my dog theres hundreds and healthy too the main problem is theres alot of public walkways around the site and mixi doesn't seem to bother them too much i see the odd few the dog has em and puts em out there misery but if they are shooting or ferreting even without permission pharps you should confront them and say something !!!

[theprofessor]

Cambridgeshire rabbit populations near me are in fine fettle. Even in the snow.

[TJ91]

Plenty of rather large very healthy rabbits in my area, shot a good bag over ferrets yesterday

 

we have alot more than last year, we had myxi here mid of last year but it didnt kill them all off as it has in previous years

[Scully]

Still plenty around Cumbria and the snow makes it much easier to tell which holes are occupied.My nephew and his mates got 17 yesterday,bolted to guns.

It's Hares that have been disappearing 'round us.Someone said they had seen lights on one or two farms just recently,without the landowners permission,so perhaps someone has been running dogs down the beam or lamping them.We've been out a few times but haven't spotted anyone.

[ballybricken]

Plenty on most of our land in Cumbria too! Although there is alot of lampers about where I doubt they should be, ******** seem to be hammering out that moves!

[Jim Sarakun]

Cambridgeshire rabbit populations near me are in fine fettle. Even in the snow.

 

 

Correct.. Try going for the Rabbits after 22.00 and stay out until 07.00. Finish off with a Mc Donalds breakfast.

 

I used to go with Ozzy on this site, and always came away with between 1 & 200 each time. Night shifts have now put paid to that unfortunately.

 

We lamped them from a pickup, the shooter standing in the buck. We left the Hare's, as these do seem to be in decline most places we shot.

[Lez325]

Hi thanks for all the replys. Afriend of mine mentioned that a good few die off at this time of year as the weather gets bad, not something I noticed last year or the year before but could be a reason. mixi not showing any sign of anywhere. Good thinking about the snow tracks Frenchi some food for thought there. I know there are Fox about as I can smell it everywhere and seen it only twice all the times I have been going and all the guts or exploded rabbits gone the next day normally. Lea

 

 

Do you shoot them or blow them up?

 

 

Les