Rabbits In Short Supply !

[cocpops 19]

I'd like to suggest that we all commit to the old rule off , No hunting Rabbits if there isn't an R in the month.

It may give them a chance to re-populate areas where they have almost vanished.

There's still lots to hunt all the corvids, ferrals rats and of course plinking to keep your eye in.

If we all agree to lay off the rabbits in summer I'm sure in the months and years ahead we will benefit ?

What do you think ?

[The one 8,592]

I think your having a laugh im seeing plenty and still killing good numbers of rabbits and look to be putting pressure on them till at least mid April ferreting hunting and shooting , I can see the landowners face when i say thats me see you when theres a "R" in the month the second word would be off and the next guy to chap on there door would be getting my permission

 

I see by your avatar your near me we have plenty rabbits about here ?

[jamesS410 106]

I know this is going to sound a tad controversial but as an arable farmer my preferred management plan (with rabbits) is eradication. If they're about and breeding then they will be rapidly causing me massive problems as regards to crop damage (+ however hard you hit them they soon return in the same old places). I would love to have the flexibility to consider rabbit shooting purely as a hobby (laying up in a hedge with the r10 is my idea of a perfect nights sport) but I currently spend in excess of £4k a year on rabbit control (excluding losses) and that's with the help of a few local enthusiasts and my own time out with the gun. Basically what I'm saying is if your permission owner hears you're leaving enough rabbits to give a healthy breeding population it could limit your reign on said permission! I'm not meaning to stir things but merely put a different slant on your perspective

[pianoman 3,589]

I have several great permissions here in Lincolnshire that are always full of rabbits. I've absolutely flattened the rabbit population on one of them and the other I shoot over when the farmer and his sons are not out with their rimfire rifles and shotguns until February. Already there are more rabbits coming back now. The farmers want them shot and it's either I do a good job or I will lose my permissions I've worked hard to keep numbers down..

 

The truth with me is, I really do not have a blood lust in me to kill everything nibbling above grass level, I don't like shooting rabbits to the point where none are left. The countryside is a poorer place without its share of wildlife and I love to watch one or two rabbits playing about in the meadows on summer evenings. Woodies are another matter, they do incredible crop damage 24/7 if they are not shot down.

 

But, with culling the rabbits, without boasting or bullshit, I am a very skilled and profficient marksman with my rifles and I would rather, I do it, with humanity and a proper, decisive killing headshot where and when it has to be, than let someone take my place who then, goes about it like an arse and wounds and injures more rabbits than bloody sense should allow; and generally brings incompetent cruelty by ineptitude to the sport.

 

The farmers see me bring dozens to the car after a shooting day and call it a good job. I've expanded the range of land I have, to enjoy shooting over as a result. I give my bags of bunnies away to the pubs and anyone who likes them for the pot. Gets me a few free pints in return.

 

Lovely!

 

Simon.

[mole trapper 1,705]

We're thick with them down here! It's a constant battle to keep them under control on some of my contacts.

[charlie caller 3,654]

And yet lads across the country(see general talk) are saying they are very thin on the ground, I have noticed a dramatic reduction in numbers on permissions that preciously held good numbers, I have a couple of areas that are hopping with them, but over all round my way the population has dropped considerably, one farm very local to me,that I have been going on for a good 30+ years now has more badgers than rabbits, go out foxing with the rifle, and I see badgers on almost every field, and hardly a rabbit in sight, this farm was never alive with them but always had a decent population, and had some lovely 3-4 hole burries, ideal for training the new ferrets come october, now every one of those is a bloody badger set, another farm-cum riding stables, was alive with them when we first got permission a few years back, now you are lucky to see 2 or three on a walk round, so my own thoughts on this subject? I will leave them alone on land where they are thin on the ground, and only hammer them on ground where the landowner requires year round control, as we all know use it or lose it I cannot help feeling that despite some lads saying they have loads in certain areas, that overall rabbits are struggling, a feeling borne out by many on here.

[pianoman 3,589]

And yet, by further contrast Charlie caller, I have a busy permission, full of rabbits, that never had a single rabbit known to be on it till about three or four years ago when a few moved in and started breeding.

 

I have a permission in West Yorkshire that was my father's. I learned my shooting with him there as a youngster and we shot tons of rabbits there every summer. I'd be lucky to see one or two in a month of day/evening shooing there now.

 

Maybe they migrate from areas where their numbers get clobbered? I don't know.

[mark williams 7,568]

My permissions are very low in rabbits, so i leave them as any damage they might cause is very small indeed. I would much rather see one or two than none at all.

Pigeons,corvids, rats are plentiful and are controlled 24/7 that pretty much leaves a steady population but also leaves a good population of game birds as a result.

 

atb

[John Stott 202]

I go for eradication. Thats why folk ask me to shoot them. They are not native and as James says, the damage to arable land and crops dictates many of our actions.

I have noticed mixy around a lot in Fenland again. That said many are recovering and buzzards are thriving, a sure sign.

Meat wise I give mine to some old folk in our village, along with pigeon they appreciate it.

I have a few for myself and woofer.

Like rats, knock them out and sure as eggs they will be back. One of natures survivors.

[charlie caller 3,654]

True John, but for the lads rabbiting as a pastime as opposed to the likes of yourself, who are finding very few if any bunnies on land that previously held good numbers, it is rather dismaying,I am in no doubt that numbers will bounce back, I just wish they would bloody hurry up round here

[Elliott 436]

True John, but for the lads rabbiting as a pastime as opposed to the likes of yourself, who are finding very few if any bunnies on land that previously held good numbers, it is rather dismaying,I am in no doubt that numbers will bounce back, I just wish they would bloody hurry up round here

Second that here

[j j m 6,625]

Plenty on my permissions

[charlie caller 3,654]

Bring us a few up here then mate please.

[villaman 9,982]

Been out on a few of my permissions to night , seen more rabbits tonight than I have all winter .

On some of my permissions ,I will not be shooting them until about June , but I have two golf courses and a few thousand acres of farm land to shoot on ,that will keep me going for a bit

[The one 8,592]

Seem a good few tonight but it's maybe been the mildest night of the week so far