Rabbit numbers across the UK.

[B&W 29]

Haven't posted for a long while on here but I'm really interested to find out what your local Rabbit population is like at the mo and previous seasons ..

I've been ferreting for 30 years now and have currently got permission on 10 farms, 2 estates and a few odd jobs like horse paddocks/small holdings in the North Wales and Cheshire area's. 

Numbers on ALL of the said permission is as low as I ever remember. I feel I'm more of a conservationist nowadays and rarely use nets, preferring to bolt to the dog. My rimfire hasn't been out the cabinet in god knows how long.  Some of these places are large keepered estates that have always been abundant with rabbits.

Other farms that have huge hedges full of holes and some big old warrens, that have consistently produced good bags, season after season but your now lucky to see one or two. 

So, what are people's opinions? Do you think it's just this rhvd/2? Mixy has never been too bad where I am. How are things where you are? I know there are certain areas of the country, dales etc where numbers are good but is it now hitting there as well? 

I read an article the other day that said Scotland's rabbit population is down 80% over the last 30 years.

Sorry for the rant but I'm honestly starting to get a bit depressed with it! Love my sport but it's hard getting harder and harder. 

[Daniel cain 42,804]

I'm in the south wales valleys, there's always been very small pockets here and there, but you would struggle to hit double figures whether lamping or ferreting. We have always travelled for sport. Often having a yearly trip to the Highlands. Early 2000s you were falling over them, could longnet, ferret lamp well over the thousand mark in a week.... Last time I went we struggled for 400,speaking to the locals they told us it was down to some real cold winters and would take a few yrs to recover.... How true that is I don't know? With farming methods changing, loss of habit etc, predators, disease, roads and whatever else..... The old rabbit has always made a come back eventually

We have brought clean rabbits back from there and all over England dropped them off local for yrs... Try and boost up the local population..... Never really noticed a massive difference until 2 seasons ago.... Now its a lot more interesting when out exercising the dogs locally

Won't happen overnight... But have you tried introducing new blood so to speak? 

[peterhunter86 8,627]

Got a few with myxi around the start of October, and have only seen about 5 or six since, dogs havint had a run in months there's f**k all in the cover, tripping up over foxes in the estates, I see at least 3 when I'm out in the garden having a smoke I havint seen one when out with the dogs, sods law

[Arry 18,536]

Numbers are down here and falling year on year. Two farms I have that boarder each other have RHD, ferreted these farms for over fifty years I'm gutted about that. Another we picked up early this year was alive and the farmer was moaning about them. All looked good till last week my mate went up there to pick out some hedges we could make a start, Mixy every where. Other places it seems strange pockets where they are thick yet two fields away its dead. 

Cheers Arry

[micky 3,325]

Over the last 50 years i have had some very good Rabbiting land in Leics Lincs and Northants  , over those years  there have good and bad seasons but you could always catch a few without much trouble  , about 4years ago I noticed a decline on a large Keepered area in South Leicestershire  slow at first but after 3 years there was none , I thought I would rest this place for a season and I went back to South  Lincs  where I had worked a 7000 acre spread since the 70s ,I seen  the Gaffer  and he gave me the OK but said that there were not many running in  at Harvest time ! how right he was there was nothing . The same at Thrapston ! land I had Lamped since the 60s and the tally must be in the 1000s though a lot of new roads had been put in , I have heard that numbers are  down 50% in the Dales  and a chap who Lamps in Norfolk has said the have gone from there as well, on the Brighter side one place in Leicestershire has had an upturn I went there last week and the numbers were up to very high numbers though they are very safe at this place and it is only me that bothers them .

The picture is Melton Market about 6 years ago when it was just about hanging on ! not so long ago there was about 500 a week being sold  the last few weeks there has been none .

[Bobtheferret 1,223]

I think in general there is a not a county in the UK that hasn’t seen numbers dropping  over the last 3/5 years. I am fairly sure that it is RVHD2 that has done it, it obviously has hit some areas harder than others but I have researched it through the spread in domestic rabbits and it’s is definitely now nationwide. The promising thing from a hunters view point is that the majority of areas seem to have some rabbits left unlike after mixi struck which from what I’ve read wiped out 99% of rabbits almost overnight. Rabbits being rabbits they will recover and develop immunity (they are one of nature’s best survivors and reproducers along with the rat) but it may take 5-15 years depending on how the virus mutates and how people manage the population in there area. As the op said he almost feels like a conservationist these days I can sympathise with him, this season I have rarely used nets as I just don’t want to wipe what remains out or they will never recover. Even in awkward spots I mainly bolt to the dog and he seems to catch roughly 1 in 3 which considering I am doing some quite thick hedges and woodland I am pretty pleased with and it means I keep the permission but leave a good 2/3rds as breeding stock. I used to catch 50 plus reasonably regularly but the last 3 years double figures is a good day. 

[Bosun11 537]

RVHD2 decimated all the decent specks round here ten years ago and none of them have made a recovery...

[gnipper 5,945]

It's wiped them out round here and even with the odd helping hand they still aren't recovering. No point having a lurcher or taking the ferrets out locally.  People who are still going out and catching the last couple off a place need to think about what they're doing. 

[moonlighter 1,160]

I’m in Lincolnshire and the numbers are very Low here. Some fields that’s used to have them have zero rabbits now. You’ve only got to drive around at night and realise how few are on the road verges. 10 years ago, every roundabout and main road, held 100’s at a night time. Now I don’t see any. Such a shame really 

[Blackmag 5,862]

It's getting harder round here galgate lancaster carnforth ect always held good numbers same as local spots but theses last couple of years it's been dead seen more brock than bunnies 

[dytkos 17,534]

I'm seeing a few in spots that previously held a few, plenty in new spots I've visited at work at night but not many in general, seem to be in pockets rather than a nice even spread.

Cheers, D. 

[troyboy17 631]

The midlands is shit at the moment but never had large amounts

[WHWT 1,862]

I am up Northumberland and we have hit on the permission we have it the present, is unreal 50 60 70 with ferrets never seen nowt like it for well ever, we walked the place reeds,marsh grass, salt grass etc and picked 18 up with terriers no running dogs. So i think we are lucky by what ever one else is saying.

 

PUD  

[fred90 3,090]

2 hours ago, WHWT said:

I am up Northumberland and we have hit on the permission we have it the present, is unreal 50 60 70 with ferrets never seen nowt like it for well ever, we walked the place reeds,marsh grass, salt grass etc and picked 18 up with terriers no running dogs. So i think we are lucky by what ever one else is saying.

 

PUD  

I was up there in September on holiday with the Mrs and took little dog with me. went walking in the hills and I have never seen so many rabbits in my life. they were dropping in setts and before dog got back to me they were sat out again. 

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Would agree wholeheartedly Fred

I travelled up to Northumberland with a pal, to meet up with and have a walk out, with a well-known Spaniel enthusiast.

Unfortunately,..the gundog guy turned out to be a bit of a miserable fecker, so, rather than upset him,  I neglected to get my old camera, out of the Tesco bag...

Shame really, cos both cur pups caught plenty of fine rabbits and, even mugged a brace or two of hares

Cracking wild and wooly type of place, ideal terrain for a mouching jukel....I would love to return some day

 

 

http://www.chalkwarren.co.uk/