Where Are All The Rabbits????

[Halfinch 51]

Just as the Tittle says.....

They certainly arn't around Hertfordshire

 

The numbers have been decreasing over the last 2-3yrs.

 

I have a couple of permissions that no one else hunts on and they used to be overrun with rabbits, I've never hit them that hard because it's more for the sport and ferret food than any commercial need to reduce the numbers.

 

This year there are hardly any rabbits left and it's the same on all my permissions, Very Very low numbers.

 

Where in the UK are you and what are the numbers like?

Edited February 9, 2013 by Halfinch

[whippet 99 2,613]

if there aint many rabbits about they will soon find your permission...........

[Bunny Boiler 177]

7 year up and down mate. Rabbits have a very precise natural population graph. And the position on the graph varies on location. You are obviously in a low, while areas of Cheshire are on a high give it a few years and the high will resume. Thats not to say you have to go to a different county though. The population can change over a matter of miles.

 

Sources: Pest and predator control surveys.

[Ideation 8,216]

I go all over the country, and this year has been the worst ever. I put it down to the very wet summer that f****d breeding and killed a lot of kits, most of what ive caught has been older rabbits from the previous year, Even areas where there are still decent numbers, its less than previous years (apart from isolated pockets).

 

Im sure someone will disagree because they have been out and caught a few, so there must be loads

 

Its the same with hares, the wet summer f****d them right up.

[Halfinch 51]

I was thinking it could be down to the wet summer, but some people are saying it is down to VHD.

 

Hopefully it is just the wet summer, because it seems Rabbits don't come back from VHD very quickly.

[tegater 789]

Same as, went out in the snow with the ferrets this morning for a couple of hours, a few tracks about but not many. All the holes appear waterlogged and the only rabbits I saw we're those put up from clumps of rushes.

 

Most rabbits my way now seem to only live in the wAlls at this time.

[wildman 535]

was going to type the very same post myself i hunt in north yorkshire renowned for great numbers of rabbits but not any more 100 plus bags have turned into single figures within 3 years been thinkin of going further north to scotland not sure what numbers are like over border must be better than here

[3 and counting 22]

Maybe we need to curb the 'big' bags being taken, else they could end up on an endangered list. Numbers seem to be down everywhere and although new to hunting myself this seems to be a nation wide issue.

 

Don't get me wrong it must be good to get double figures every time you go out, but, surely they need time to recover? be it from us over hunting them or natural causes.

 

Bri

[8shot 192]

ive been like that all winter.. not enough rabbits to run my lurchers on..... then went for a mooch the other night and loads... bloody strange.. went out this morning with the rifle and seen quite a few. .. altho i only shot one for the pot saving the rest for the dogs.. .

[wildman 535]

ya can tell ya must be new to huntin rabbits are more prolific than ever its just finding the places that every other b*****ds not found and if ya travelling 100 plus miles for a day out with ya dogs n ferrets then ya need to replace fuel tyers insureance dog food ferret food vet bills blah blah blah

[Halfinch 51]

I'm hoping that they breed well this year, there are some still on my permissions, just no where near the numbers there used to be. I've pretty much laid off them now

 

In theory though, 1 pair can produce 1000 rabbits in a year (including their young breeding as well)

 

Here's hoping that they start breeding like Rabbits.

[pip1968 2,490]

i havent been out as much and havent cought as much in recent years but went out the other night when we had them gales and seen plenty of rabbits about were usually were i go your lucky to see a rabbit

[Halfinch 51]

ya can tell ya must be new to huntin rabbits are more prolific than ever its just finding the places that every other b*****ds not found and if ya travelling 100 plus miles for a day out with ya dogs n ferrets then ya need to replace fuel tyers insureance dog food ferret food vet bills blah blah blah

Lots of people "New to hunting" on this forum then, because it seems to be the same story all over. I may not be as experienced as some of the old hands on here, but I've got a fair few years under my belt, but I don't need experience to tell me there are less rabbits on my permissions, my eyes tell me that.

[wildman 535]

not at you halfinch at 3 and counting sorry mate

[Halfinch 51]

not at you halfinch at 3 and counting sorry mate

Lol, oh sorry, thought you was saying I'm a newbie.

To be fair if you see me falling over all sorts of roots and things and getting tangled in the proxy barbed wire sometimes, you'd think I was new to walking. :-)