South Wales rabbit population

[darrren 414]

Seriously considering getting rid of my ferreting kit. There are barely any rabbits whatsoever, as a kid I could take a ferret out and a few nets and bolt 1 or 2 most days, no dog marking just net up where there is sign and always have the odd one even on a bad day. 

Fast forward 15 years, I am just working ferrets for the sake of it. Barely a bolt I'm lucky if I get 1 to 5 rabbits in a full season. They are either getting hammered by summer hunters with air rifles or there must be more to it. Barely ever see any and even when you do it's because they're in a place that's well protected for them, for example someone's garden patch with some bramble in. Other than a few here and there it's just dead. I don't hunt to kill for killing sake, but in 5 or 6 outtings it is nice to have a bolt. 

Anybody else experiencing anything like it? 

[The one 8,395]

Its hit and miss here one farm has nothing but the next farm has some , We Where to start a new estate on the 7th of January and thats been put on hold for now its like the good old days like watership down just hope there still there when the land owner says get rid of them 

[gnipper 5,945]

Its the same round here Darren its pointless having ferrets or a lurcher. The nets and locators are ok they can be put away in case of any miraculous bunny recoveries but its disheartening when you have stock who's purpose in life can't be filled.

[Elchapo 3,094]

Same every where by sounds of things , couple people I no are packing in , some getting rid of big runners and going for terrier types for a little pet/moocher , some the lads I no who fly bop are packing in or moving on to smaller falcons due to lack of quarry 

[Sirblessed 2,511]

Don't get rid of your gear or family pets, Just migrate to Australia plenty for all here, almost plague proportions in some areas here. sorry to hear its not so good there.

[Guss33 375]

Wait till all this COVID is over and come down to the land of Down under for a ferreting holiday stay with me for a weak and we can take a nice drive to Echuca and sirbles who I am sure would be more than happy to take us out for the day. I have never met the man bu he sounds Cruzzy. 

[Daniel cain 42,800]

You selling your kit... On a serious note, it's been a poor season for rabbits local, the stuff that is about I'm leaving alone... Got loads on my permissions but they all 80/200 miles away, and can't get down to them I give you a shout when I can get to them and we have a day outI got a load of moles to shift on a few farms in powys... I shift them and we can do what we want there

[Loton Moocher 1,252]

No shortage down south England a mate keeps sending me photos I’m sure to wind me up

[Daniel cain 42,800]

5 minutes ago, Loton Moocher said:

No shortage down south England a mate keeps sending me photos I’m sure to wind me up

I know a few lads who do the same

[darrren 414]

Sounds like it's the same for many then. As Sean said when you do see them you end up wanting to leave them be, that's how little they are in number. On the army camp I'm posted on at the moment there's a lot but I arnt too sure where they are coming from in the nights so I'll have to have a look around the edges. That's in Oxford. Its been this way in Wales for a long time now. 

[Loton Moocher 1,252]

51 minutes ago, darrren said:

Sounds like it's the same for many then. As Sean said when you do see them you end up wanting to leave them be, that's how little they are in number. On the army camp I'm posted on at the moment there's a lot but I arnt too sure where they are coming from in the nights so I'll have to have a look around the edges. That's in Oxford. Its been this way in Wales for a long time now. 

Parts of mid wales ok in some parts but dead in others seems to be the same all over , but bunnies have suvived everything chucked at them  so I’m sure they will bounce back eventually 

[jok 3,035]

Lovely to hear Sir Blessded on this topic. He and I go back a bit. Sounds like he orchestrated a movement of some sort, something like COVID, to transport all our rabbits to Aus, somewhat like China. Lol. Glad to hear you are well pal and doing the numbers. It’s fair to say I ain’t making many boxes at the moment. Stay good. Jok.

[Bobtheferret 1,223]

See plenty of bags of decent numbers on social media from all round the country, know a few welsh lads that seem to catch a fair few and the dales lads still seem to catch enormous amounts of coney. I think rabbits are suffering badly from RVHD2 and most areas have seen declines but I have great faith that rabbits will do what they do best which is survive and breed and will be back. Mixi killed 99% of rabbits and they came back. RVHD2 was bad in Australia for a 5-10 years and then stopped having an effect. Be patient don’t kill to many of what’s left and they will return. 

[darrren 414]

Bob I think it's the rhvd 2 here that's smashed them to be honest as it wasn't like this before I packed up when I joined the army. So Australia suffered bad with rhvd and then it eventually picked up? I think I'll probably leave them be where I do know of a few. Hopefully in a few years they will have come back in some sort of number. Are they that hardy really though to come back from the brink. 

[Bobtheferret 1,223]

RVHD2 has only really been around for 4-6 years depending on which part of the country your in but is now widespread and endemic to the uk rabbit population so you really need to give them time to recover. My positive outlook is from first the fact that mixi absolutely destroyed rabbits in this country and whilst some places have been hit hard it’s nothing like what mixi did, read up about the devastation it caused or ask some old boys a lot of people just gave up keeping ferrets altogether and the working breeds almost died out but rabbits recovered and relatively speaking pretty quickly really. Second is from reading about this strain in Australia and speaking to the odd fella down under its seems this strain didn’t do long term damage over there and within 10 ish years was having minimal impact on them having hit them fairly hard when the strain was first introduced. Thirdly rabbits are born reproducers and survivors and across the world have adapted to whatever challenges that have been thrown there way. To anyone that doubts the reproductive ability of the rabbit remember that Australia’s rabbit plague that compelled them the build a rabbit proof fence the entire length of Australia started with 24 rabbits in 1859 and by 1867 was considered completely out of control to the point laws were being passed in parliament. 11 years from 24 to a national problem! Only good old rattus Norvegicus can compete with the rabbit for fecundity and adaptability.