Hunting anywhere in the UK?

[hullhunter 219]

i would have loved to go anywere were i could had had a slip on any of the larger deer, boar, fox.

would not have been fussed were it was.

you only get roe,fox, rabbit and hare up my way. so pre ban i would have loved to go somewere were i could of had a chance at slipping on all of the game we have. is there such a place?

[fitchet 788]

i would have loved to go anywere were i could had had a slip on any of the larger deer, boar, fox.

would not have been fussed were it was.

you only get roe,fox, rabbit and hare up my way. so pre ban i would have loved to go somewere were i could of had a chance at slipping on all of the game we have. is there such a place?

the nearest thing to it is norfolk.the deer levels are through the roof imo because of the amount of sugar beet grown deer particuley chinese water deer seem tolove it.

[HiLost 32]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

 

very interesting read that mate cheers for sharing, as someone whos hunted one area over a long period of time and built up observations on the population, how do you think rabbit numbers compare over the years to the present day? do you think they will start to come back again in these "cycles" or do you think the numbers have dropped to an all time low?

[Roebuck Rod 6]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

I used to go to Bulford camp, 1984 onwards, walk for miles all day, sometimes see tanks go past us. but they never said nothing. pure wilderness. plenty of hares.

[beddycross 18]

alwaysys seems to be plenty about round hawkstone park in shrewsbury and the land is perfect for running dogs

[Bosun11 537]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

 

Good read Brambo, thanks.. I hope your wish comes true..

 

For me... the Borders

[lurcherman 28]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

 

very interesting read that mate cheers for sharing, as someone whos hunted one area over a long period of time and built up observations on the population, how do you think rabbit numbers compare over the years to the present day? do you think they will start to come back again in these "cycles" or do you think the numbers have dropped to an all time low?

 

The rabbit numbers are not low in my opinion and some say there back to pre mixy years i just think there alot more shy than they were years ago hence the reason that you dont see as many as you would have done back then. i had a walk out today and there were fresh prints and tracks everywere and also seen a few bits but if i went and lamped the same area i may not see anything but if i ferreted it the average bags are 30,s IMHO,the rabbits have grown into shy, scared wrecks in most places due to over lamping ect ect ,

[brambo1938 9]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

 

very interesting read that mate cheers for sharing, as someone whos hunted one area over a long period of time and built up observations on the population, how do you think rabbit numbers compare over the years to the present day? do you think they will start to come back again in these "cycles" or do you think the numbers have dropped to an all time low?

 

 

A "predator/prey cycle" goes on for years and is the natural order of things when nature is left to itself.What happens is that the predator population rises as the prey population rises until the predator numbers become so great that the prey birthrate cant sustain the predator population.Then most of the predators starve to death and the prey population struggles back to its previous peak and the cycle starts again.If you google "predator prey cycle" -wikipedia explains this in greater depth than I have done.

 

This is what made the Plains hare as fast and as wary as he is.As the rabbit population declined so the hare became the foxes intended prey.I doubt they could catch a winter hare in a run but they killed those hares that thought squatting was a survival technique and ambushed the slow/ unwary from cover.Survival of the fittest at its best.

 

I've not been on the plains for some years now but unless there has been some human intervention (or the mange.which is endemic in plains foxes, has taken a greater toll than normal) I imagine that the cycle is still repeating year after year,generation after generation.

 

Strange to think that we owe the fox for the sheer quality of the the plains hare!

[brambo1938 9]

Salisbury Plain for me.From 1955 to 1990 I hunted at least twice a week every season in an area just east of the "live firing area"- a place (several sqare miles ) that the Army had set aside for infantry maneovers.Wiki describes it as a wildife haven , and so it was.There were rabbits,hare,foxes and a very scrawny ( but still tasty )strain of wild pheasant there.You would sometimes see a roe or fallow there but I think the noise of rifle fire on the rare occasions (2 or 3 times in a season) that the army held maneovers there frightened them into the "tamer " areas.

 

The place was so untouched that there was a very clear "preditor/prey cycle" in evidence.Every five years or so the rabbit population increased to the point that it could support a large number of foxes. In those years we hunted foxes all year and hares in the winter but I dont believe we made that much of a dent in their numbers. There were perhaps five lots of gypsies and maybe a dozen or so of my mates that coursed there.I like to course solo and more often than not I could hunt all day and never see a soul.

 

The foxes lived mostly on rabbit but they also took leverets that crouched too long and ran down the slower ones so the hares that survived there were fast and nervous. Hardly ever saw a "kick" up and it was no disgrace if a dog did'nt even get to turn a hare with an yd start especially when you remember that there are hills and valleys and small copses to provide escape routes.

 

 

No-one ever bothered us there until about 1990 at which time the police started to take an interest,stopping our vans and the like. At this time I began to suffer from chest ailments,my saluki x bitch was too old to work or breed

and the guys who bred her had not turned up to their usual wintering place so I packed it in. They tell me the police put up a helicopter now if a local farmer gets one whiff of whippet shit.

 

I just mooch after rabbits now in the scrubland at the edge of the Forest but if I had just one wish.......

 

Good read Brambo, thanks.. I hope your wish comes true..

 

For me... the Borders

 

 

Thanks for your good wishes mate ATB

 

B

[hickymick 37]

used to love s/yorkshire pre ban,golfcourses,old pits stacks full of rabbits nd fields and woods, hares in numbers what could turn your dogs inside out on big hilly fields,good for lamping rabbits,maggot farms, pigfarms nd tips full of rats for half a pints(terriers) foxes living on out skirts of hunts,all just on doorstep used to walk all over place with a spade in hand a lurcher nd 2 terriers,not the best dogs or the best place but it was never the same walk, then badger law nd cook report turned it all upsidedown nd every one into experts on law nd the god dam mobile phone,, :wallbash:still get out on permish, but miss the old times when i could run,,lol

[blacktabs 3]

The estates chatsworth thorseby cresswell and welbeck before the electronic eyes were put in game a plenty and for rabbits bakewell and haddon took some beating hares they were everywhere local not any more though.

Can remember the cook report that really put the mockers on it atb.

Edited December 22, 2010 by blacktabs