Specialist Rabbit Dogs?

[Tiercel 6,986]

20 years ago the old boys used to complain how few rabbits were about. Now when I look back to 20 years ago there was loads compared to now. So at least in this neck of the woods they seem in decline. 20 years ago with in a mile of where I sit now there used to be at least a dozen spots with plenty now nothing

I didn't appreciate how good it was at the time

( that was a liberal 20 more like 25 thinking about it )

Terry, I use to lamp all around the area you live and 20 years ago it would just be a run of the mill night to have 20 rabbits in a couple of hours. Remember that farm with the wood on the bank I told you about, I started ferreting that in 1968 and even then there were good numbers there. But in the mid 90's they had a new strain of mixie and it almost died out, and all your area does not seem to have come back at all.

 

TC

[bird 9,593]

Compared to when I was a nipper we had more locally, now we still have enough but not plague proportions.

I think in the 50s from what you read or etc, they were every where1000's everywhere that's why they brought out the mixy to control them, I think apart from from few places like say the dales or Scottish borders, most numbers are down in the uk this last 10 years or so , you still get few but not like before

[Tiercel 6,986]

One of the main problems with rabbit recovery is that you can only kill a rabbit once. once it's gone it's gone. Summer hunting does not help anyone least of all the rabbits. Same it is for everyone if you rape the land you cannot expect sustainability.

 

TC

[Guest edrd]

restocking is the way forward ;)its a fantastic pastime for the curs id be lost without it i used to kill thousands of rats a year for rabbiting permission years of being in rat shit middins dogs stunk to the eyeballs week in week out that old molly and lucy has alote to answer for :thumbs:ideation

[morton 5,367]

Id have loved to be about in the 50,s with the plague proportion rabbit numbers,for a lazy lad like me it would have been Sooo easy,i remember the Dales in the early ,s,shit dogs catching 20,s and 30,s,only time ive owned decent mutts?.I frequent some of my old stamping ground now and struggle to get into double figures,yet there is ground about that still holds the numbers,most ground 30 years ago up there was the same,fields that seemed to get up and walk with the amount on them.I know farmers that waited for snow and the bunnys that moved to lower ground,shoots off the back of trailers accounting for 2 and 300 plus rabbits,will it ever be the same?.

[Ideation 8,216]

In a word. . . . . NO.

[baldockbanks courser 598]

It's a bigger picture than that, dog work and ferreting always let's a few go by the nature of hunting, the ones you let go will be shot or Alundie of disease.

 

It's the same with fox's..

If you see a field of young fox cubs after the stubble and think I'll leave them to grow up.

The next week the knob heads with the red beam and bullet rifle have killed the lot. If you would have run them there's a good chance you'll educate 1 or 2 you miss. So youv a choice run them now or leave them for the guns?

 

Worst is when it's shooting on arable with no pheasants for sport?! I watch them on you tube they sicken me.

[bracken boy 584]

Maybe because my special rabbiting dog dont just catch rabbs if he quick of the mark and clever enough he may be good enough to snare himself a hare.

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye. . . . it's sad times. The rise of the midnight cowboy. . . . has killed off a lot of places, especially those that had suffered from disease anyway.. . . .

 

I keeper an estate, and years ago, i've been told, they could shoot 100 + in a night no probs. . . .

 

Now if i'm out with the lamp, i'm lucky to see 20 rabbits over 1000 acres of grass land. . . . . often less. It used to be pretty much none, but I don't kill them there anymore, and we don't allow ground game shot on the shoot. Slowly we are nurturing them back. . . .

 

Spoke to the owners son the other day, he told me he had spotted a few rabbits around the place, starting to make a come back he said. . . . then told me he had shot double figures the previous night. . . . . for some fun. . . . and chucked them to the pigs.

 

And now we're back where we started . . . . . .

[morton 5,367]

NO is so defeatist,the early ,s high numbers are a mature mans 3 and 4,s now.I used to lug a donkey load of rabbits about and was never ever truly happy with what I caught,always wanted a dog that could catch just one or two more,the more me and my mates caught the more we wanted and expected from the jukels,honest dogs traded away for the mythical lurcher that may have offered more,then after years of chase and want the reality of what we had kicked in,happy,happy days,age and experience is often the best educater,yet those halcyon days are the ones that hold the most memorable memories,if I had those days,dogs and fortitude now.

[terryd 8,036]

One of the main problems with rabbit recovery is that you can only kill a rabbit once. once it's gone it's gone. Summer hunting does not help anyone least of all the rabbits. Same it is for everyone if you rape the land you cannot expect sustainability.

 

TC

 

Got to agree there thats why if I have a couple of rabbits in the fridge/freezer I will stay at home rather than run the long nets out much as I would like too. But I find of all the methods in the right spots you can clean things out a bit.

I know the wood you mean Allan been there a couple of times and lucky to get one now as there is only a handful about there. Nice little spot though and very nice farmer

Edited January 19, 2014 by terryd

[Raymond Mcphee 0]

Does eny body now a good place in fort william Scotland for rabbit hunting just got a lurcher pup new to this so would appreciate some help the pup is still to young she should be ready in September and wots the best dry food for them thanks

[swg dave 333]

This is a good post Baldock, i caught 2 the other night and let one go,

and i am gonna do all i can to keep there numbers up, on the couple of bits of ground that i know.

keep your places to yourselves, and you should allways have a bit of sport,just take

what you need.. i hope this post hits home, because we can all make a difference if we

really care, PS i hope so.....

[nothernlite 18,025]

the ground i have ive been on it for more than 30 years now when i first had it was moving with rabbits now there is still enough to keep me and my mutts happy why because im not in to big bags taking to many just a steady amount every week and im happy with that keeps my we rabbiting dogs happy

[BIGLURKS 874]

If WE all done our bit, we could all make a difference.

Next time your out lamping ferreting, or mouching

and that oppurtunity arises where we could let a few go back

then lets just do it.. WILL YOU..

dont be daft how are you going too tell if the dogs not broken 3 of its ribs in the strike or damaged its leg the ones that get away are the ones you leave for another day cos they are fit enuff too get away