rob190364 2,594 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 I'm beginning to wonder whether rabbit numbers are actually going to recover this year in North Wales...last season started off quite well and then just before Christmas the rabbit population plummeted and the rest of the season was just hard work. I've been out with the dog at 5:30am for the last 3 days, first day I saw one hare and one fox but no rabbits, second day I saw nothing apart from a few squirrels, today I saw one fox and two rabbits. So that's 7.5 hours of walking the countryside early in the morning and I saw a grand total of 2 rabbits, both fully grown. What on earth is going on?? In every other year I can remember if I went out early doors in spring or summer there would be baby rabbits everywhere! I know it's still early days but the population recovery I was hoping for isn't looking very promising at the moment!! If I go to a farm 20 miles down the road the rabbits are everywhere....just seems to be a problem round here for some reason? Presumably the mixi last year obliterated the population so much that they're taking a while to build up the numbers again. Hope it doesn't happen again this summer! How are the rabbit numbers everywhere else in the country? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malt 379 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Dropped of dramatically round here over the last two years Rob. They'll be back at some point, it tends to fluctuate IMO.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
troter58 1,711 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 plenty round here they were well hit with mixie but theres loads of little ones running about the last few weeks and its like you said a few miles down the road its lifting with them i think they will pick up over the summer months you want to be having a mooch were theres plenty rob atb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marshman 7,758 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Where I live the numbers have been low for the last few years . But this year there's loads about . Still by the end of the summer the mixxy will have taken it's toll . I always hate to see them with mixxy half blind and eyes swollen it's a Poxy disease! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The one 8,594 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 There seems to be loads about just now but im going to hit them in August so ive had some if they get myxi later Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob190364 2,594 Posted May 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 plenty round here they were well hit with mixie but theres loads of little ones running about the last few weeks and its like you said a few miles down the road its lifting with them i think they will pick up over the summer months you want to be having a mooch were theres plenty rob atb Not that bothered about actually catching them at the moment, the squizzers keep us fairly occupied for the time being. I'll try and pick off as many mixi rabbits as possible when it hits to do my bit to stop it speading too much...quite happy just wandering around in the sunshine with my camera at the moment though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oakey 57 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Dropped of dramatically round here over the last two years Rob. They'll be back at some point, it tends to fluctuate IMO.. Hope youre right we used to get 20/30 a day ferreting past two seasons its been out all day for 5/6 still enjoy it but wouldnt mind a few more in the bag. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeakOil 352 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Been low numbers on my permissions for a few years now. One has no rabbits 10 years back It was heaving with them, I didn't hit them particularly hard control not eradication. Disease wiped them out completly and no new population has moved in and replaced them. On other permissions they are thin on the ground compared to 10 years ago. There was a new disease that took a great toll on rabbit populations known as RHD. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tayto 52 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Dropped of dramatically round here over the last two years Rob. They'll be back at some point, it tends to fluctuate IMO.. Died out around here about 20years ago and never returned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,217 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 It's shit round here for miles and mles, work hard all day with the dogs hunting like mad for 6-12 a day on average, and we rarely find more than one in any one set, even if it's 30/40 holes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob190364 2,594 Posted May 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 It's shit round here for miles and mles, work hard all day with the dogs hunting like mad for 6-12 a day on average, and we rarely find more than one in any one set, even if it's 30/40 holes. yeah I found that at the back end of last season, absolutely loads of warrens either empty or with just single rabbits in them....in the last 5 or 6 sessions of last season I think I found about 3 sets that had more than 1 rabbit in it. Well wierd! I wonder if that's why you seem to see more foxes about these days? Cos they have to travel further in search of prey? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,217 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 It's shit round here for miles and mles, work hard all day with the dogs hunting like mad for 6-12 a day on average, and we rarely find more than one in any one set, even if it's 30/40 holes. yeah I found that at the back end of last season, absolutely loads of warrens either empty or with just single rabbits in them....in the last 5 or 6 sessions of last season I think I found about 3 sets that had more than 1 rabbit in it. Well wierd! I wonder if that's why you seem to see more foxes about these days? Cos they have to travel further in search of prey? See more foxes? Chance would be a fine thing, all been shot around here! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iworkwhippets 13,234 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 I must be on another planet then, cos where i run my dog, they are in abundance, i will go as far as to say, on one of my permissions, theres younguns running under my feet yes i dare say myxi will rear its ugly head at some point, but at the moment, im well pleased Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rob190364 2,594 Posted May 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 It's shit round here for miles and mles, work hard all day with the dogs hunting like mad for 6-12 a day on average, and we rarely find more than one in any one set, even if it's 30/40 holes. yeah I found that at the back end of last season, absolutely loads of warrens either empty or with just single rabbits in them....in the last 5 or 6 sessions of last season I think I found about 3 sets that had more than 1 rabbit in it. Well wierd! I wonder if that's why you seem to see more foxes about these days? Cos they have to travel further in search of prey? See more foxes? Chance would be a fine thing, all been shot around here! There's not as many as last year, but definitely still quite a few knocking about. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevoSmith 147 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Im in north wales and theres plenty about here...we not had either mixi or vhd for a while now so plenty about...no doubt that will change at some point but for now were good Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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