AN ITERESTING TOPIC

[micky 3,325]

Lots of people in the UK  cannot get any Rabbits because of VHD i myself had very good land   in Leics , Lincs, and Northamptonshire now there is not a Rabbit on any of it  and i am talking large areas, when Mixi first hit it killed almost all of them  and 6months after the initial  impact you saw the odd survivor but Mixi was never very far away, the result  of this Rabbits became unsalable  along with ferrets nets and all other gear every one packed the job in and Farmers prospered , what will happen this time round ? i think in the midlands the game is finished owing to VHD and the presence of Badgers on almost every farm in the counties.

[Guss33 375]

Don’t panic the rabbits will come and go from it I have the s@m problem where I am in Australia’s we are still making a killing on them 

[C.green 3,203]

1 hour ago, micky said:

Lots of people in the UK  cannot get any Rabbits because of VHD i myself had very good land   in Leics , Lincs, and Northamptonshire now there is not a Rabbit on any of it  and i am talking large areas, when Mixi first hit it killed almost all of them  and 6months after the initial  impact you saw the odd survivor but Mixi was never very far away, the result  of this Rabbits became unsalable  along with ferrets nets and all other gear every one packed the job in and Farmers prospered , what will happen this time round ? i think in the midlands the game is finished owing to VHD and the presence of Badgers on almost every farm in the counties.

Weve had a huge cull here multiple traps on earths teams out every night they aint about like they were.badgers that is. And i dont think he does that much damage to the population of anything bar hedgehogs maybe
 

 I still find a few rabbits but i wouldnt set nets for them these days just couldnt do it. I used to know some real good ferreting but most bits are fairly quiet now youll see more above than you will bolt

Edited October 18, 2022 by C.green

[Arry 18,510]

Well it's patchy here some of our perms nothing and others in pockets  here and there still bit of mixie about on one perm. Badgers they have given the a hiding with a cull and I'm told more Hares and Hedgehogs about because of it. TBH I can't say I've seen much of a change with Hares but Hedgehog are on the up. Foxes nigh on wiped out around me by keepers hounds haven't met near me for two years.

How things have change Micky.

Cheers Arry

[iworkwhippets 12,247]

Had a ride up to a village called west bergholt about 3 ish this morning, about 12 mins from me, no dogs or out, , shame really, enough bunnies about keep me happy

[BEARINATOR 2,825]

Hardly any rabbits local and where they are it’s mainly A1 or the industrial estates. Gave my last hob away and hung the purse and long nets up 

[jok 3,035]

IWW. The White Hart. Decent beer. Jok.

[paulus 26]

7 hours ago, micky said:

Lots of people in the UK  cannot get any Rabbits because of VHD i myself had very good land   in Leics , Lincs, and Northamptonshire now there is not a Rabbit on any of it  and i am talking large areas, when Mixi first hit it killed almost all of them  and 6months after the initial  impact you saw the odd survivor but Mixi was never very far away, the result  of this Rabbits became unsalable  along with ferrets nets and all other gear every one packed the job in and Farmers prospered , what will happen this time round ? i think in the midlands the game is finished owing to VHD and the presence of Badgers on almost every farm in the counties.

South west Leicestershire/Warwickshire has not faired any better mate. See more Buzzards than rabbits, 

[DIDO.1 20,804]

Seeing a few about here in Lancashire which is a miracle, thought we had seen the last of it. If @gnipper gets his finger out we will have a mooch out for an hour. Think I'd happily transport them elsewhere if we caught a few though, try and get a few breeding on other areas. 

Think I'd always try to give em a chance these days, bolting them for a .410 or lurcher rather netting every hole, try and get as much sport out of each one. 

 

[iworkwhippets 12,247]

19 minutes ago, DIDO.1 said:

Seeing a few about here in Lancashire which is a miracle, thought we had seen the last of it. If @gnipper gets his finger out we will have a mooch out for an hour. Think I'd happily transport them elsewhere if we caught a few though, try and get a few breeding on other areas. 

Think I'd always try to give em a chance these days, bolting them for a .410 or lurcher rather netting every hole, try and get as much sport out of each one. 

 

That's it mate , give  a chance, even in my days of plenty I did just that, bolt em.to.the dog, never took more than I needed , just a couple fer dog n ferrets, I still venture out now , but it ain't the same without a dog, but at least I get out 

[gnipper 5,945]

31 minutes ago, DIDO.1 said:

Seeing a few about here in Lancashire which is a miracle, thought we had seen the last of it. If @gnipper gets his finger out we will have a mooch out for an hour. Think I'd happily transport them elsewhere if we caught a few though, try and get a few breeding on other areas. 

Think I'd always try to give em a chance these days, bolting them for a .410 or lurcher rather netting every hole, try and get as much sport out of each one. 

 

I'll try and find out when she's next off on a weekend and let you know mate.

[gaza 504]

Left a local spot alone and seemed decent numbers. But terrier started catching few myxi in cover before started ferreting. Week before last did a recce, big mound without nets bolted a few. Ferreted properly with long nets at weekend, one out of it myxi and while doing hedgerow blind one coming towards us middle of field. So thats knackered and to be left. 

[Bobtheferret 1,223]

If rabbits recovered from mixi which killed a reportedly 99.9% of rabbits on it s first contact with the population I don’t for a minute think that they can’t recover from RVHD2. In both NZ and AUS they have recovered from it to a lesser or greater degree but like many things it will take time and patience. That land that had 100’s if it gets back to dozens again don’t clear it out and expect them to come back. If theres a dozen rabbits left just leave them full stop. There are still fair more rabbits in the country than after mixi first hit (saw a picture on socials of a chap caught 150 in a day!). It is a bit pot luck regards numbers but there is a reason for the phrase “breed like rabbits”. Give them time to get and pass on immunity and rabbits will recover. They are natures survivors along with rats and cockroaches. 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Bobtheferret

[toolebox 1,384]

I agree, also I'm not from your part of the world however I can confirm that rabbits can recover from RHD but as already stated, but it takes time. How long that might take depends on a lot of different factors. It makes good common sense, if you want to hunt and get healthy bags then they will need time to breed up, this will have to be managed well ,it's not the time to have greedy people take what's left after RHD has laid low the population. Getting that information and message out there, is important and the key to having some great sport  for all to enjoy going forward.

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by toolebox

[micky 3,325]

On 24/10/2022 at 21:02, Bobtheferret said:

If rabbits recovered from mixi which killed a reportedly 99.9% of rabbits on it s first contact with the population I don’t for a minute think that they can’t recover from RVHD2. In both NZ and AUS they have recovered from it to a lesser or greater degree but like many things it will take time and patience. That land that had 100’s if it gets back to dozens again don’t clear it out and expect them to come back. If theres a dozen rabbits left just leave them full stop. There are still fair more rabbits in the country than after mixi first hit (saw a picture on socials of a chap caught 150 in a day!). It is a bit pot luck regards numbers but there is a reason for the phrase “breed like rabbits”. Give them time to get and pass on immunity and rabbits will recover. They are natures survivors along with rats and cockroaches. 

Rabbits are survivors  but how much can they  survive ? Mixi in its first form  was a brilliant killer  but it had one draw back ! it killed to quick ! it wiped areas out without  spreading to far so it relied  on Man to give it a little push farmers used to advertise for diseased Rabbits and people were happy enough to supply them , a Farmer who i knew took 4 to his  uncles  cauliflower  farm  close to Boston and told me it was over run with them two weeks later they were all dead  and even today 70 years down the line people still spread it even though it is nowhere near as  potent has it used to be . VHD is something i know nothing about other than it is relentless it took 4 years to wipe them out on land that i go on which i think was the best in Leicestershire / Northamptonshire  now there is nothing  to be seen , they may be safe up there in the Dales the have lots of room and  are safe and warm in the drystone walls but here in the midlands they are about done.