Poachers ,Mixy and hedgepigs too

[Baldcoot 2,352]

Drop the boss off ,head to the farm and park at the owners mum,s and as im setting up i can hear rimfire?  .Totally against all rules of the owner n never happened before ,so a quick scan with thermal but no sign off who ever is shooting so plan B ,off with the mod and crack a loud one off .

Magically the flurry of shots stops so assume they/theyve done one back to their likle house on wheels .Starts a proper mooch and see,s a weird critter ambling and havent got clue 1 what it is ..Torch on its a mr tiggywinkles doing worms over for his tea well pleased not seen 1 for years.Back to the reason for being there and can see a couple in the cover crop sneaks up like a large hobbit and pops a shot ,1 down .Does the wee routine n pops im in the game bag without looking at him proper <big mistook>

Across about 30m is his friend/brother so gives him the good news same again wee and in the bag ,lazy fool .1 more circuit of the field  and another 1 appears in the same area so t67 on rabbit down feeling well pleased 3 is plenty for the pot .Unload ,headtorch on knife out to gut oops oh bugger 1 has his eyes rolled/gummed shut , 1has nose dishcharge and all are alive with fleas blooming Mixy has landed no wonder they were simple shots .Well peed off been 2 years lucky but i suppose the damp months and sudden hot spell have made the little barstewards thrive .

My next outing will be a different area and involve a lot more checking of skin/eyes etc 

 

[Underdog 2,337]

I hate the vile disease and would like to know just how the poeple that dropped it slept at night.

We have the new bug too now, VHD.

 

U.

[Stavross 13,706]

I’ve not seen any mixy up here yet, but I’m sure it will rear it’s ugly head at some point, VHD is what bothers me as once one has it there’s no stopping it, at least with the mixy you stand a better chance of clearing them up slowing down the spread

[Deker 3,450]

First site I shot on this year had mixxy!

[Baldcoot 2,352]

Tis a nasty invention man is a &^%$£"! buggering about with nature and an unpleasant surprise when you think you area is clean .

[Underdog 2,337]

2 hours ago, Stavross said:

I’ve not seen any mixy up here yet, but I’m sure it will rear it’s ugly head at some point, VHD is what bothers me as once one has it there’s no stopping it, at least with the mixy you stand a better chance of clearing them up slowing down the spread

I leave contaminated rabbits as some do recover. They are stronger for it and hopefully they will pass on some resistance.... eventually.

[Stavross 13,706]

I’ve seen rabbits that have come back from mixy and they are non the worse for there troubles, I’ve had the kill them, leave them conversation with a few people, my farmer mate says leave them but I think that’s more like he wants it to spread rather then any concern for the rabbit welfare, I do tend to take them as once we get warm and damp the spread becomes rapid, last year I had one spot where you could walk round picking them up, the foxes must of been over the moon but it’s not a nice thing to see so many in discomfort and although a few will of come through it and maybe passed on stronger genetics the majority would not of made it

[The one 8,390]

seeing a few good numbers of rabbits about but don't see myxi till August thats why where i cant ferret i shoot them as i see them , you cant moan about myxi then 

[ianm 2,594]

There is a place here where there were hundreds and hundreds of rabbits then the railway workers turned up to electrify a line on the boundary. Within a fortnight they where all dead with myxy. Everytime the railways are involved anywhere where there are any rabbits myxy follows. Places i know  where there were good numbers of rabbits and VHD made an appearance there has never been rabbits since.