Rabbits may be in danger

[stevethefish 80]

Well its getting time to start the yearly rabbiting trips, unfortunately I have seen a big decline in the last couple of months. I put this down to the wet weather, the rabbits hate the wet so will have spent even more time below ground and with a bit of mixy about the fleas would have spread it like wildfire. I am hoping this is not the case, its going to be a shame if we have lost loads to mixy again, but my suspicions may be founded.

It will soon become apparent when we set out and cover the heavily populated areas that we were expecting huge numbers this year.

Has anyone else noticed a big decline? if this IS the case we may have to tread very carefully so as not to over crop the rabbits, kill our own sport as to speak. This may sound hypocritical when you see the numbers we usually get, but we still manage the numbers so as not to over do it, most areas we cover are over run and bounce back yearly.

You can take a look at some of our videos from last year on youtube some links below, some are funny but all are genuinely done with preservation in mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVgSr6imP_Q&feature=share&list=UUmCBiVKOUZ_ROTuSb7pnvEA

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wFZnIPmz0E&feature=share&list=UUmCBiVKOUZ_ROTuSb7pnvEA

[Guest thebigdog]

have been a couple of threads on this already, numbers seem down in most places.

[micckey 106]

there is something amiss with rabbits ... without them it would be have a nock on afect for many species..

in my view,,dont think its myxi as ive seen no sings ,but the rabbits have gone form loads of areas round my way

[stealthy1 3,964]

Thin on the ground here at the minute, plenty to go at, but a long walk for small bags on the smaller warrens that are well spaced appart

[iworkwhippets 12,879]

Im working a sewage plant at the mo, plus a scrapyard, over run with healthy bunnies

[j j m 6,589]

There a bit thin on the ground one a couple of my shoots but I put it mainly down to lots of foxs in the area

[ftm 3,357]

extinct round here

[stevethefish 80]

Yeah sounds like a problem, my area is normally over run but I walk the dogs and dont see many and plenty with mixy, fingers crossed but will put some posts up when we eventually get out, weather permitting.

[whippet 99 2,613]

i was saying on another thread that there were a few knocking around by me..............................went to a place on the higher ground last night and i made my self look a twat to me mate i was in shock that there were no numbers like usual ..........................when walking the dogs over the summer we litteraly falling over them ,..................gutted

[BS40liam 203]

I havnt been ferreting in a little while now due to work but had a shine with the lamp last week and where last year there was plenty about, in the same places this year its absolutly dier! Saw maybe 6 rabbits at 3 different locations over a distanve of 2 miles or so...ridiculous! Gonna have to start travelling further a field to find some decent pockets of rabbits just to give the dogs a run let alone for the pot!

[The one 8,530]

A hit or a miss in most areas

[Brimmer 220]

Does anybody think that people are to blame for a reduction in numbers? Its something that I have thought about for 20 yrs and have some theories on it.

[Lurcher88 51]

I'm new to rabbiting - Gotta say I've found very few numbers and merely put it down to my lack of experience. Glad its not just me who has noticed it

[fitchet 788]

Does anybody think that people are to blame for a reduction in numbers? Its something that I have thought about for 20 yrs and have some theories on it.

 

Was talking to an old feller a couple of months back about this and he said that pre mixy days they could got longnetting at night and get 100+ a few times a season. I think that mixy VHD weather and kites/buzzards have all played a part in it. We also got onto hares and he said that with all the fields that get sprayed these days they are also declining. Mad really. Atb

[stevethefish 80]

No Brimmer, not saying we dont have a small effect but this is disease and weather that is causing this. Don't worry they will bounce back history dictates that rabbits will overcome.