pegasus bridge Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 It’s a very worrying picture I think gents, I’m personally gutted by it, used to have some great sport from a seemingly endless supply of rabbits and now it’s like a tap being turned off 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Lots more round here (north lincs). In the last 2 year's it's been steadily increasing. I think mixy had cleaned them out prior to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewh100 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 not many see a few wen out foxing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 I keep control of my sites so never vast numbers after initial visit or two. Just the same, my feeling is there are generally a few less about. We have to be realistic here, my job is Pest Control and the majority of Landowners of all sorts, and even the Government, want them greatly reduced or gone altogether. For them this is good news, if you are after a bit of fun, perhaps not. Frankly, I have no long term concerns for work, the rabbit survived myxomatosis when the UK population was allegedly reduced to circa 2% of numbers prior to its introduction and I rather suspect they will be back. Rabbit numbers always fluctuate as well, with good and bad years all the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Numbers seem to be quite healthy on one of my 2 permissions near Weston-Super-Mare; even saw a ‘black’ rabbit the other day. Melanistic? Unfortunately boundary issues/public footpaths running alongside preclude walking up along most of the hedges with the shottie. So back to the air rifle, I’ll start a separate thread on that so as not to drag this one off-topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Back in August I saw the first one I've seen in my corner of West Wales for 2 years. Haven't seen one since, very few here sadly. Cheers Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestonSalop Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Last year there were quite reasonable numbers in and around the woods I walk twice a day. This year so far, not one. Maybe a bit early for me to say they've gone but my dog has become very bored with nothing to chase except the occasional dopey pheasant! The local hares are more reclusive than the rabbits but I've not seen any of them recently either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret664 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 We are on the Essex/herts border and noticed a complete collapse in the rabbits in the last 12 months. We would annually take 2000-2500 rabbits and this last year we took just over 200 and stopped going out . And at this very moment we've never seen so few . We've had rhd1 in this area since the since the 90s as sent a sample to defra who confirmed this . so it must be rhd2. A friend in Wiltshire who has a 1000 acres says he has the same healthy population he has always had . ? So seems to be certain areas . Some fear it will be worse then when mixy first struck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 I’ve had 12 over the last 18 months . All for the pot. My usual places have dried up but I think trigger happy people don’t help. Shooting 100+ a night then going back the next night and so on. Ive met lads just wiping them out completely with the rifle then moan they have nothing left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serrac Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Very few around Fife/central Scotland. Can't remember the last time I saw a bunch on the verges at the side of the road in the headlights - used to be a pretty regular sight. On the other hand I did see some very young ones in the park 2 mins from my house a few months ago - so maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strimmer_13 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 None around me, north dorset, but over on my perm, loads of burrows and thats in yeovil. Back for a shoot in west wales 2 weekends ago, newcastle emlyn had loads, infact it was the air rifle that had em, but down on another shoot in Pembrokeshire theres none. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scout Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 (edited) Very few at the far south of Devon. Would regularly take 10 - 15 a night, but I have only seen 2 in the last 12 months, a huge increase in foxes, so still plenty to do. Edited February 18, 2019 by scout spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 3 years ago i had a healthy population of bunnies,then Mixi ripped through my permissions and they were sitting in the middle of the fields dying. now there are a few but not enough to go out for a nights rabbiting.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPP Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 Good start to the summer here last year having been quiet in prior years but having managed rather than wiped out numbers I haven’t seen many since, suspect lost to rhd since. Out twice since end of game season, for three rabbits!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 (edited) Here we are with a shortage of rabbits in many areas due to diseases and I see from this mornings news some people are thinking of reintroducing the golden eagle to upland parts of England and Wales, and think it will have no impact on domestic stock and ground nesting birds. You could not make it up. Edited February 19, 2019 by Yellow Bear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Well I saw one this morning, the first I've seen since August, and in exactly the same spot! Anyway decided to send my mad mongrel into the hedge to see if he could find a scent, (he's still very young) dog got very excited, and flushed a woodcock!! His first one, so I've no idea where the rabbit went but not disappointed! Cheers Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratchers Posted February 22, 2019 Report Share Posted February 22, 2019 On 17/02/2019 at 12:00, Major Sharpe said: I have one permission where I have never seen a rabbit, and I have been shooting it for four years (corvids mostly. It's a sheep farm) just before Christmas, a big fat rabbit hopped out in front of me. I was so surprised, I just watched it. Must have been the same rabbit that popped up my permission as its been the only one in 5 years, I just watched it to. Saw a rabbit road kill today, first one in months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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