Paul@Ribchester Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 My parents have about four and a half acres of land and when I was younger I used to shoot rabbits there with my air rifle. I haven't seen a rabbit there for at least ten years now and was wondering if I could re introduce them again? The old burrows are still there. I have been to a local auction to have a look at buying a couple of doe's and bucks with a view to releasing them and ideally they will breed, (lop eared and Dutch varieties would earn me a ********** from my parents). I have just watched the kill it cook it eat it rabbits episode and seen the gamekeeper trapping rabbits. This made me wonder if anyone on here in the North West traps live rabbits or knows someone who does with a view to them selling me a few in an attempt to get them breeding again? Any help appreciated, Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambu13 Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 im no expert but its my understanding that reintroducing rabbis to the wild woud be a VERY BIG NO NO!against the law and all that jaz! i look forward to an experts input but id think you'd be every farmers no.1 bad guy! i myelf thought about keeping rabbits in hutches for the fur and meat but it seems silly when i can go out and shoot the 'free range' ones! cheers sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@Ribchester Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 Thats interesting Sam, there is no arable land for miles around here just sheep/cattle etc. As you say hopefully an expert will be able to offer more advice........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambu13 Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 i thought it was a legal requirement of a landowner to control rabbits. i was just going off that. come on, someone help sambu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 I think it's illegal, sorry! It's definitely illegal to release captured squirrels, so it must be the case with bunnies too, they do far more trouble than squirrels do! You could try enticing them back with a bit of food, but remember it's illegal to bait an animal to kill it, so just check that they're happily settled in and a couple of generations in. Do remember you're not going ot see many at this time of the year, give it a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 i thought it was a legal requirement of a landowner to control rabbits. i was just going off that. come on, someone help sambu Yes it is. I would add that he should check that his land doesn't sit next to a big crop, as the farmer wouldn't be happy. Personally I'd just find somewhere else to shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 Releasing a pest species is illegal: check the Pest act 1954 and Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. As an arable farmer, if I was cropping land adjoining your parents' boundary, I would make a definite point of killing every rabbit that emerged from those 4.5 acres. Particularly if they looked like released domestic breeds. I'd then claim for crop loss. With wheat selling forward at £153/tonne and a breeding pair of rabbits allegedly able to produce 95 wheat-munching offspring per year, you would be extremely unpopular with local farmers. In answer to the topic question though, I do trap live rabbits. We have to in a couple of locations where firearms, ferrets, gas and Rodenators aren't appropriate. Fairly tedious stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 Like speeding it is illegal but should you need to transport them a 6" drainpipe with screw on ends would make a useful tool. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moneyhaw Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 get yourself a ferret and some nets and you should be fit to catch live rabbits, i dont think you`ll get them to stay in the wild were you want them to, there`s usually a reason why they left in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@Ribchester Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 get yourself a ferret and some nets and you should be fit to catch live rabbits, i dont think you`ll get them to stay in the wild were you want them to, there`s usually a reason why they left in the first place. Yes it was me and my air rifle................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted January 13, 2009 Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 Find someone who works ferrets and has been asked not to kill the rabbits he catches, but to re-locate them. Again if your parents land joins onto other farm land, then the farmer will not be too pleased! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul@Ribchester Posted January 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2009 I have spoken to both the owners of the land that joins and they said it would be fine, as I mentioned the land is not arable, one side just has a few sheep on it and the other nothing....... Obviously I wouldn't consider it now as its illegal........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Wonder why the colony died out? I suppose gassing would eradicate them. If it was an all-out Mixymatosis epidemic, then there may well be a chance that any re-introduction would result in the same thing. Might be an illegal situation in various ways, though, as already mentioned. I'm sure lots of people release unwanted pets though, but probably not with the intention of starting a new bunny colony to be used for sporting purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 You have to ask yourself why they aren't there now. If the land is suited to them, they will be there. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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