Why The Rabbit Population Collapse?

[forest of dean redneck 11,190]

How many shooters come on here bragging about 100+ nights though? I've never seen one.

 

This is the lurcher section, that might be the reason.

 

Excuse me Mr Pedantic. How many shooters come on THL site in general and bump their gums about 100+ nights?[/quote

No normally they just do it with a couple ,pmsl

[Lurcher315 5]

Seen an alarming increase in fox and buzzard numbers up my way, can't help the rabbits at all! Used to be crawling with them, now its like a lottery win if you spot one...

[Lenmcharristar 9,180]

Same in places over here too, used to be hiving with them, then after that wet weather we had not long back, all the cert places are Barron, holes filled with leaves, like a rabbit apocalypse has come lol, hope they come back

[J Darcy 5,871]

It's not just rabbits, it's hares too.I think that the steep decline is due to a couple of things. I think that the amount of sheep on the land doesn't help, also the amount of slurry being spread. The climate isn't doing them any favours obviously. I also think that the amount of bullet rifles/lamp around is destroying hares in unprecidented numbers.Rabbits can sometimes return after being almost wiped out, but hares never do.

It's a sad state of affairs and I honestly think that in twenty years time there won't be any rabbits or hares about, just deer and foxes. I truely hope I'm wrong.

This decline has been occuring for over twenty years, but it has accelerated in the past five or six I'd say...

[terryd 8,044]

Rabbits seem to thrive in little pockets that people are not aware of or just cant access for what ever reason. Occasionally mixi will hit but they recover then there is some thing else about that really wipes them out. I had a little spot that no one bothered with and dam good numbers any time of the day rabbits in numbers about then one year nothing and 3 or 4 years later you won't find sign of a single rabbit there. What ever it was doesn't seem to pop up often thank god. Then you have spots that people are aware of and can access and any rabbit population takes a right hammering and number never climb much at all. So thank god for a little bit of local knowledge and I didn't waste all them years of not being school because I did my home work

But I try and show a bit of restraint and the ground favours the rabbits around here anyway

[smithie 2,429]

It's not just rabbits, it's hares too.I think that the steep decline is due to a couple of things. I think that the amount of sheep on the land doesn't help, also the amount of slurry being spread. The climate isn't doing them any favours obviously. I also think that the amount of bullet rifles/lamp around is destroying hares in unprecidented numbers.Rabbits can sometimes return after being almost wiped out, but hares never do.

It's a sad state of affairs and I honestly think that in twenty years time there won't be any rabbits or hares about, just deer and foxes. I truely hope I'm wrong.

This decline has been occuring for over twenty years, but it has accelerated in the past five or six I'd say...

I know of 1 farm were the hares are got rid of because of poachers leaving the gate open. farmer said no hares no need for them to come on kill it all. the open gate cost him 2k in dead livestock so he says.

[tote 843]

 

 

How many shooters come on here bragging about 100+ nights though? I've never seen one.

This is the lurcher section, that might be the reason.

 

Excuse me Mr Pedantic. How many shooters come on THL site in general and bump their gums about 100+ nights?

 

Ouch.

 

Think it might already have been said but just because they don't come on here bumming about it doesn't mean

it's not being done. I know a few that shoot big numbers, especially at the start of the season just after the

harvest, one does it with an air rifle. It really isn't difficult, that's possibly the reason it's nothing to brag about.

[walshie 2,804]

 

 

 

How many shooters come on here bragging about 100+ nights though? I've never seen one.

This is the lurcher section, that might be the reason.

 

Excuse me Mr Pedantic. How many shooters come on THL site in general and bump their gums about 100+ nights?

 

Ouch.

 

Think it might already have been said but just because they don't come on here bumming about it doesn't mean

it's not being done. I know a few that shoot big numbers, especially at the start of the season just after the

harvest, one does it with an air rifle. It really isn't difficult, that's possibly the reason it's nothing to brag about.

 

 

[Wales1234 5,425]

There's a lot of common around me and a bloke drives around night vision and knocks 8/9 foxes in one night and leaves them there shooters around here do ruin the sport

[swg dave 333]

START RESTOCKING LADS IT WORKS, GO TO SOMEWHERE Y

THAT HOLDS GOOD NUMBERS, TAKE SOME RABBITS NOT ALL,

AND REINTRODUCE THEM BACK TO YOUR CHOSEN GROUND.

THE SEASON IS NEIGH OVER, POOR OLD SHOOSHY

THEY DESERVE THAT MUCH.

VISIT LOCATION THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS, AND YOU WILL

BE PLEASED YOU TOOK THE TIME AND EFFORT TO DO IT..

BEST WISHES TO ALL,, DAVE

[jukel123 6,570]

It's not just rabbits, it's hares too.I think that the steep decline is due to a couple of things. I think that the amount of sheep on the land doesn't help, also the amount of slurry being spread. The climate isn't doing them any favours obviously. I also think that the amount of bullet rifles/lamp around is destroying hares in unprecidented numbers.Rabbits can sometimes return after being almost wiped out, but hares never do.

It's a sad state of affairs and I honestly think that in twenty years time there won't be any rabbits or hares about, just deer and foxes. I truely hope I'm wrong.

This decline has been occuring for over twenty years, but it has accelerated in the past five or six I'd say...

In parts of Aberdeenshire there are definitely more Roe than rabbits. In my area of Scotland there's more foxes than rabbits. The future is here.

Edited February 17, 2016 by jukel123

[Chaff 3,414]

This year our bit of land produced good numbers, some showed signs of fighting of myxi but the previous year there was very poor so we went else where.on this same land there are some massive burys that we never do leaving to over populate and then fill the smaller easier ones. Myxi constantly mutates to a stronger strain that initially wipes out big numbers then rabbits slowly build up amunity and so the cycle continues . So the numbers go up and down year after year. Now I might be talking out my rusty bullet hole here, if so please correct me.

[johonawhitness 110]

very intresting stuff ive noticed on my land with the rabbits and hares been left un disturbed without any control by guns or dogs for last couple years is a huge rabbit decline but a big rise in hare numbers . also a huge increase of buzzards i will daily see 2 3 4 over same field all at once. no mixy about either. maybe evreywhere is just diffrent but i belive its all natural no mans fault , here anyway.

[myersbg 1,355]

We have just had the worst strain of myxie i have seen in 40 yrs, usually when it comes it takes out 60 to 70 % of the rabbits, this time it has done over 95%, i dont see a single rabbit about when i go lamping now.

Not one person has mentioned the main culprit for decimating young wildlife, digging out breeding stops of rabbits, hoovering up leverets from there forms, hammering hibernating hedgehogs, slaughtering ground nesting birds and there nests, all of which is done under the cover of darkness by a creature some would have us believe only eats worms, beetles and blackberries is endangered and on the edge of extinction, our little black and white furry friend.

Also agri contractors working all night cutting up hares doesn't help.

 

 

Brian

[Chaff 3,414]

We have just had the worst strain of myxie i have seen in 40 yrs, usually when it comes it takes out 60 to 70 % of the rabbits, this time it has done over 95%, i dont see a single rabbit about when i go lamping now.

Not one person has mentioned the main culprit for decimating young wildlife, digging out breeding stops of rabbits, hoovering up leverets from there forms, hammering hibernating hedgehogs, slaughtering ground nesting birds and there nests, all of which is done under the cover of darkness by a creature some would have us believe only eats worms, beetles and blackberries is endangered and on the edge of extinction, our little black and white furry friend.

Also agri contractors working all night cutting up hares doesn't help.

 

 

Brian

 

Tonight's walk saw dug burys , place is full of them had one run straight at me the other night blind as a bat turned about 10 foot away dog went nuts on slip.