Fisherman Mike Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I was wondering what its like in other areas... Rabbits seem to be a bit thin on the ground in my neck of the woods over the last few years. I posted this on the forum before but just of interest I spoke a few years back with a 98 year old retired farmer who said to me..." taint no rabbits around these days like there was when I was a lad. I remember when the men from the Ministry turned up in 38 and long netted the feilds over Tetbury. They was stepping on em and took over 1500 in two days. When you come into the field the day after it was as though they hadnt taken any at all..they was all runnin around your feet and it drove me bloody dogs wild... I appreciate Myxy is a possible long term reason, but just interested to know. Dare say the cessation of Hunting and subsequent increas in fox and buzzard numbers has had an effect too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 ther are a few down here where i am, we been out with the ferrits.each sunday and had a few out again this sunday befor the young come about.we shoot them not net them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertan_J Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 suprised at the amount up here given the cold spell. I'll be out with the ferrets at the weekend keep them under control on a permission in north yorkshire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lampwick Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Not many about round here tonight that's for sure! Lots of moon light and a crisp frost! Still, one shot one down. The Goss will eat tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Loads down here, never seem to be short in numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJT Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I have places that a few years ago were heaving hardly any on there now. My main ground for rabbits is still holding good numbers but with all the snow and rain that we have had is moving them about a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 the last two times i have been out ferreting i have only come back with one from each trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duncan Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Up to about 7 years ago in my local area, there were many and stocks were reliable, myxy dropped numbers at the start of september and then they would recover very fast. Now myxy hits sporadically in different pockets and numbers are definitely lower year round than they used to be. You have to bear in mind though, that if you harvest the land year in, year out for them, of course they will be fewer in supply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I did mention this earlier in the season, I do agree that if you keep going over your land the rabbits will be very sparse, good for the farmer but when you turn up with the lads, all the kit etc it is along day for a few rabbits. However where so many farms rent out there land, contract farmers only seem to pay attention to the fields and leave the hedges. With the distant lack of farm workers the hedges are getting so dense, that it makes life very difficult and sometimes near imposable to work a warren. 99 % of us do it as a hobby and we do our best to keep the rabbits down. It does seem that the seasons are shorter but that might mean I am getting older. TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cesil Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 (edited) There's also thAt internal hemariging disease I know it's about in the south east had a few the other week looked like good healthy rabbits till you open them up then they were full of blood inside , and the land owner found 8 dead one morning what looked like nice healthy rabbits Edited January 22, 2011 by Cesil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 There's also thAt internal hemariging disease I know it's about in the south east had a few the other week looked like good healthy rabbits till you open them up then they were full of blood inside , and the land owner found 8 dead one morning what looked like nice healthy rabbits Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark@mbb Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 VHD has destroyed the rabbits around cheshire 5 years ago there was hundreds every one blames the travellers but the lads i have spoken to are not catching any the fields used to move when you lamped them but now there is non there Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Another contributing factor is lack of habitat,round here my uncles farm which was sold in 1976 used to have 13 fields,the farmer who has just bought this land couldnt find any names for the fields so i googled it and to my surprise the 13 have now turned into 3 fields,which means less hedge rows for rabbits/widlife etc,of all my permissions (18 in total),the ones producing the most rabbits are the smaller meadows/gardens etc and NOT large fields and those that are on the large fields are the ones that abut private grounds,these are easy to see as they have orange rabbit fence around them,the other places i have found them to be inabundance is against railway sidings and motorway embankments,so i think they are hanging in there if not on the farms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 They seem to go in cycles on different patches of land. I have gained more permission that I shall be working later this week because people are finding numbers significantly up on previous years. Yet a mile down the road numbers are heavily down! FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 My 4 permitions are within a 20 mile radious of each other and all a very thin on the ground ! Infact 1 permition I havent shot in 18 months and its still bare ! Although only 3 acres I had 50 bunnys off it when I first got it. Am hoping for a big return of the rabbits soon so I can let the Rapid lose on them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferretertom Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Theres less about than there was years ago, FACT theres not a great deal around here but i went ferreting on sunday and caught ten im hopeing for a few more this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustem Dave Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Thin on the ground here aswell about 10 years back we ferreted in 3 days over 2 adjoining farms 70,53 and 49 rabbits we also lamped the ground and took some nice bags,went there lamping foxes a while back don't suppose we saw half dozen rabbits in total it,s not just these farms that are quiet as i cover a large area.Even after we took these good bags we could always go there and get 20 plus rabbits then they just disapeared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Very tin on ground here but I agree with FM numbers seem to be cycles I have farms with hundreds then very little and other that never had a rabbit but is littered with them now. Being in thames valley we lossed alot in the july 2007 floods maybe your areas suffered the same fate EG tewksbury area not alot would have survived that type of flooding. Cheers OTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.