topshunt Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Hi all i have a permission to shoot air rifle and was talking to the farmer a while back now, and he said that you should't shoot rabbits without an R in the month that you are in, so in may june july august rabbits are off the list of vermin for me to shoot. myself i thought this should be some of the best times to cull them? Would like to know if anybody else had heard of this "tale" and what they think please and why would you not shoot them in those months? Even if you all say it's a load of rubbish i'm going to have to stick with what the farmer says as i dont want to lose the permission. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 i have not heard this before - must be a generous farmer In terms of a pure pest control exercise, its quite easy to mop up decent numbers of young rabbits in the summer months, they wise up as they get bigger. but as you said - its his land, his rules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I have heard it and if bunnies are being shot for sport then this kind of applies because these are the times when they are most likely to be carrying or nursing young. This doesn't really work though as I have been shooting pregnant does since January. If the intention is pest control then yes, shooting nursing and pregnant does is the quickest way to control the population. It is a matter of necessity and personal preference, some people have to shoot all bunnies irrespective of age or condition, some people have the luxury of being able to be more selective as to which ones they shoot. Anthony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I believe the saying refers to keeping meat fresh in the days before refrigeration. My grandmother would never slaughter pigs or take rabbits in months without an "r" in them, ie. in the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiss.tony Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 id say 90 per cent of us on here are doing this for pest control and all so cause we enjoy it i shoot everything 100 per cent full bore fox ,rabbits,pigeons no seasons no rest no problems they just keep come-in back you will never ever eradicate the pigeon ,or rabbit numbers trust me I don't care or more important the farmers don't care on how big the rabbits are or if the pigeons are sat on nests its not rocket science just pest control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Well bloody said Tony!! It's 100% pure pest control and if we were to leave our farms in the months you mention we would have no land!! It's a load of tat!!! I don't care how big or how many there are they all eat the crop simples!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Well bloody said Tony!! It's 100% pure pest control and if we were to leave our farms in the months you mention we would have no land!! It's a load of tat!!! I don't care how big or how many there are they all eat the crop simples!! You did notice that the OP said it was his landowner who made the comment or perhaps you just ignore your farmers requests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I think he is refering to ferreting. You only ferret if theres a "R" in the month or you spend all the time digging out layed up ferrets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooter Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 It is hard to shoot the bunnies when there isn't an R in the month, as they are hiding in the long crops and grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I believe the saying refers to keeping meat fresh in the days before refrigeration. My grandmother would never slaughter pigs or take rabbits in months without an "r" in them, ie. in the summer months. Same was said for many species of filter feeding shellfish. Part due I think to lack of refrigeration but also the question of,"red" or toxic tides during the summer months which render these spwecies dangerous for humans to eat. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codit75 Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 I think he is refering to ferreting. You only ferret if theres a "R" in the month or you spend all the time digging out layed up ferrets. That's the general rule with ferreting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted April 11, 2012 Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 Shoot the young bunnies and eat em! we used to call them"fryers"..rip the pelt off em pull out the guts paws and heads off, wash in cold water roll in flour, and chopped fresh herbs, and fry in butter or gee....it dont get any better....i cant bear the taste of mature rabbit, but fryers are something else........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 this is the old rules of ferreting , never heard it for shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 My farmers have no requests because they are normal!! It's losing them money and the more I have killed the better that rule applys to ferreting although I don't think anyone uses that rule any more!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Shoot the young bunnies and eat em! we used to call them"fryers"..rip the pelt off em pull out the guts paws and heads off, wash in cold water roll in flour, and chopped fresh herbs, and fry in butter or gee....it dont get any better....i cant bear the taste of mature rabbit, but fryers are something else........ +1 My ferrets love the young ones too. Throw one in and next day all thats left is the pelt, clean and supple like a silk handkerchief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 We shoot rabbits throughout the year;but you have to comply with the landowners wishes;whatever time of year it is. The only reason I don't ferret during the warmer months is because ferrets can overheat,having no capacity to perspire,but I will ferret during those colder months when rabbits start to breed.Ferrets will soon wipe out a nest full of kittens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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