What's rabbit numbers like in England very poor here in N lreland maxi hit alot off places but knock over a few no big numbers at all bit of crack just

[Ferretman65 2,123]

[Ferretman65 2,123]

[steve t 835]

Used to get loads around here rhd has them all gone. Sligo area

[Ferretman65 2,123]

2 minutes ago, steve t said:

Used to get loads around here rhd has them all gone. Sligo area

Have a good friend lives in sligo he has to travel a fare bit for rabbits  

[Ferretman65 2,123]

[poxon 5,555]

I quit 2 seasons ago now after a long time at it. it wasn’t worth the bother time an effort no more put in it got to a point that you’d be doing a dusk till dawn for one or two rabbits on the lamp 2 rabbits would be a good night that’s how bad it got! My last season at it I finished the season on 98 lamped rabbits with the dog plus other bits. For the last 10yrs I’ve watched rabbit numbers dwindle at one point we could find more than enough work for 6 ferrets and 7 dogs between us now you’d be lucky to actually call a dog a working dog. Thats Oxford way an no I’m not a posh c**t vhd virus as killed the dog/ferret game round here. I’ve said I’ll have no more dogs after this I’ve one that’s 14 and her granddaughter that’s 5 i keep joking I’m gunner get a sausage dog to my family because I’ve always had a dog about but it’s only been 2 seasons and I feel there’s unfinished business left for me in the field….

[Black neck 15,169]

Youv definitely won longest title 

[Ferretman65 2,123]

48 minutes ago, poxon said:

I quit 2 seasons ago now after a long time at it. it wasn’t worth the bother time an effort no more put in it got to a point that you’d be doing a dusk till dawn for one or two rabbits on the lamp 2 rabbits would be a good night that’s how bad it got! My last season at it I finished the season on 98 lamped rabbits with the dog plus other bits. For the last 10yrs I’ve watched rabbit numbers dwindle at one point we could find more than enough work for 6 ferrets and 7 dogs between us now you’d be lucky to actually call a dog a working dog. Thats Oxford way an no I’m not a posh c**t vhd virus as killed the dog/ferret game round here. I’ve said I’ll have no more dogs after this I’ve one that’s 14 and her granddaughter that’s 5 i keep joking I’m gunner get a sausage dog to my family because I’ve always had a dog about but it’s only been 2 seasons and I feel there’s unfinished business left for me in the field….

You be back at it mate it's in our DNA lamping and ferreting I've bred that bitch she's 5 weeks now so 4 to go just wee rabbits dogs hopefully there will be rabbits to hunt the way things our going not really looking good But keep going all the best lads for next season 

[Ferretman65 2,123]

28 minutes ago, Black neck said:

Youv definitely won longest title 

Been off for a while nothing has changed still the joker off the site lol  

[Gilbey 1,408]

Round work got hit quite hard with myxomatosis this time, think because it had been missed for a good while, unlike other places. But there's already baby bunnies about

[Ferretman65 2,123]

9 minutes ago, Gilbey said:

Round work got hit quite hard with myxomatosis this time, think because it had been missed for a good while, unlike other places. But there's already baby bunnies about

Funny thing I've never seen young rabbits with maxi has anyone on here seen them maybe I just haven't came across them 

[Daniel cain 42,893]

48 minutes ago, poxon said:

I quit 2 seasons ago now after a long time at it. it wasn’t worth the bother time an effort no more put in it got to a point that you’d be doing a dusk till dawn for one or two rabbits on the lamp 2 rabbits would be a good night that’s how bad it got! My last season at it I finished the season on 98 lamped rabbits with the dog plus other bits. For the last 10yrs I’ve watched rabbit numbers dwindle at one point we could find more than enough work for 6 ferrets and 7 dogs between us now you’d be lucky to actually call a dog a working dog. Thats Oxford way an no I’m not a posh c**t vhd virus as killed the dog/ferret game round here. I’ve said I’ll have no more dogs after this I’ve one that’s 14 and her granddaughter that’s 5 i keep joking I’m gunner get a sausage dog to my family because I’ve always had a dog about but it’s only been 2 seasons and I feel there’s unfinished business left for me in the field….

Oxford way  was the go to area for a lot of welsh lads with runners....only thing we had to go at locally was digging...

.....used to lamp down that way first  in 98.. dropped off friday nights,knocking stuff over and sleeping in barns until the lift came on a Sunday to collect you and your goodies...dogs I have here now,will be my last...if I change my mind,then I get one from a rescue centre... having dogs has controlled my lifestyle choices since my early teens...will be nice to just say f**k it,jump on a plane,book a hotel etc...and not have the worry of whos looking after 5/6 dogs 

Incidentally...Ive enough permission locally these days...and theres more rabbits and bits locally to me than theres ever been....no need to travel 100 miles,plus to get a few runs these days.....but Ive lost my mojo ,cant be f****d with the dogs /airguns or even fishing now... By the end of this yr I would have sold)given away anything hunting related...time I  started to have a life and start living ....got a list of things I want to do and see before Im worm food

[OldPhil 5,364]

Good answer...

I feel exactly the same,...it used to really upset me that I felt like that,...but thank God, at last I have realised that there is far more to life than, "Dawgs and Ferrets"....I've done my service,...I've ate slept and drunk the hunting life, for over 65 years,...I feel confident that my life with lurchers has not been wasted,. .the dogs have opened so many doors for me, and in a roundabout way, my obsessional interest in them has given me a good living. 

But now,...although I will still always have a walk out , and can never really let go completely,...to all intents and purposes, it is over....

I feel that I have lived through the best (and the worst years) of the minor Field Sports, so nothing much left to do...

Its been a good ride, .... but now is the time to get off,....Its a big old world out there, and I am gonna get me some of it...

 

 

Edited March 18 by OldPhil

[The one 8,398]

Used to travel miles for ferreting lamping filled the freezers up for the summer feed 15 ferrets on rabbits now you struggle to see a couple , I have thought about selling up my gear but who would buy the lot ?. its a struggle now to get rabbits to fed my five old ferrets 

[Black neck 15,169]

2 hours ago, Ferretman65 said:

Been off for a while nothing has changed still the joker off the site lol  

I've missed thee