Rabbit numbers across the UK.

[Loton Moocher 1,252]

poor old coneys don't just have mixy to cope with anymore ,what with the mixy and the new diesese and with badgers ravens and buzzards getting a helping hand from the do gooders not to mention the rifle lampers I don't think  we will ever see rabbit numbers like the were again well not in our part the country anyway , sad times.

[fred90 3,099]

On 26/11/2019 at 22:56, moonlighter said:

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 

as a young man in the 80s Lincolnshire was the promised land for us lads of the east Midlands. we lamped, longnetted and ferreted right through the seasons. we often shot double figures on the grass verges using a little 3 bore, also known as a garden gun. now when I visit Lincolnshire I can't believe how the numbers have disappeared. 

[WHWT 1,862]

Been out day 25 ferreting 4 with terrier, try get photo up in bit.

 

PUD

[Bobtheferret 1,224]

41 minutes ago, WHWT said:

Been out day 25 ferreting 4 with terrier, try get photo up in bit.

 

PUD

Stop bloody bragging . Enjoy it whilst you can, lucky bugger! 

[WHWT 1,862]

PUD

[Havelightforcewilltravel 417]

52 minutes ago, WHWT said:

PUD

Can only kill them once mate remember to leave a few

[Lamper121 239]

Numbers definitely lower here in Ryedale area. I've noticed much more mixy this year though. I have almost completely refrained from using the rimfire this season, just a few ferreting trips and some short trips lamping with the dog this year I reckon... making sure there is sport for next year. 

[keepdiggin 9,220]

Loads where I am I dont own any running dogs or ferrets tho lol

[comanche 2,799]

Seems to me that it started going wrong ten years ago. Rabbit numbers had been rising for several years. Some claimed that they were close to pre-myxy levels in some areas.  

        Then came a very hard winter. It was deadly  cold,there was no food value in the frozen grass . Ferrets were finding and laying-up on emaciated  and long-dead bunnies in the burrows. 

       The surviving rabbit population was  weak  ,  huddled for warmth ;living on a razor edge.

         What better time to introduce a  little something to tip it off that edge?   

But of course the sort of people who would sanction that sort of thing  wouldn't employ anyone they thought was too talkative to carry out their dirty-work.......  But everyone makes mistakes.

    Anyway  whatever the reasons,be they natural and climate influenced ,or something  more sinister and artificial, or a potent combination of factors: something happened that winter or following Spring that left its mark on the rabbit population.

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2019 by comanche

[Furrosious ferreter 499]

As above... thats what ive thought and been told.

FF

[Bobtheferret 1,224]

I don’t think there’s any doubt that RVHD was introduced deliberately (as was mixi) I have little doubt that in another 20,30,40,50 years or however long it will take the humble but tenacious coney to reproduce to plague levels again that man will stick his nasty little oar in again and knock him back once more. 

I found a couple of dead rabbits at the weekend that were 99% likely to be RVHD victims and I have no doubt that this is the cause of the decline. Hopefully though like with mixi they will develop immunity and numbers will rise as well...they breed like rabbits! 

[fred90 3,099]

I have seen more mixy this year than I have in years gone bye. I still believe its a bigger killer than rvhd. how does dales, Northumberland, etc still produce big numbers despite these 2 diseases decimating other parts of the country? 

[The one 8,397]

some good numbers about but its patchy , one place i was too leave till the holidays looked promising then  got hit last week by Myxi and ive never known it hit that late here 

[Bobtheferret 1,224]

From what I have read and seen there are good numbers in spots but even in the dales etc a lot of lads I speak to are getting less than before. I think the mortality rate varies also, I read an extremely interesting scientific paper on the effects of RVHD2 in rabbits (if your interested in that kind of thing!) and it said mortality rates varied from 5 to 95% so if your unlucky you lose pretty much the whole population if your lucky it almost has no effect at all. 

[troyboy17 631]

The only place there seems to be a fair amount is up north