Rabbit Numbers

[The one 8,483]

A couple of years ago I put nearly thirty thousand miles running about doing rabbit jobs I can see this year doing a heap of miles the boss says stay in a tent but for ferreting stuff that , maybe a camper van would be the way to go . I've seen a good few rabbits this week but I've put the miles and petrol in the car

[The one 8,483]

Get a camper van and go to Thurso , Wick rabbits , lochs and golden beaches for sea fishing Hardley a soul there and none of them No overnight parking signs you get all over down here

[bhawk 64]

On most of our land we can get 30 odd normally, although on some patches of land this number at beginning of the season can be +....

All depends on the land though

[bhawk 64]

 

On most of our land we can get 30 odd normally, although on some patches of land this number at beginning of the season can be +....

All depends on the land though

are they your birds in avatar mate? What are they?

 

They are gyrXsaker and gyrXpere if my memory serves me, the photo was taken when we were catching the falcons up after hacking them up in scotland. Not my birds, they were bred for sale in the UAE. Nowadays i only have a gyrXsaker at home, still working with the birds though

[Guest vin]

only ever seen a Harris in action, would love to see them falcon crossed tho, if you ever fancy a day on different land give me a shout, i don't think we too far away

 

and me...i like a bit of Falconry. . I want to see a Peregrine on snipe. and a Merlin on the Larks. . Seen the Harris Hawks and Gos's plenty and flown a Spar myself.

[max abell 196]

The rabbits are definitely not in the numbers they used to be in the 70s when I started ferreting

We are lucky enough to have thousands of acres of permissions and the rabbit numbers now tend to go up and down year to year some seasons we have a good year or couple of weeks years on the trot then other years we're struggling to get small numbers

Yet years ago we could ferret the same warrens year after year and get roughly the same amount of rabbits so I'm not sure what's changed cos more people ferreted them days and mixy was worse them days than now so don't know what the answer is. ?????

[Tiercel 6,986]

always wanted to see merlin on larks since I was a lad

To see a ringing flight where the Merlin is trying to get the ascendency over the lark then they both drop like stones is a sight I will always remember. But getting back to the topic at hand. Most people ferret into March or even April when the first of the rabbits are breeding, it has it's knock on effect. The problem is you can only kill a rabbit once and if that is a doe with young then you are killing your own sport.

 

Is it not funny how the people who kill does with young or pregnant cannot work out why the rabbit numbers are declining on their permission.

 

TC

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

The rabbits are definitely not in the numbers they used to be in the 70s when I started ferreting

We are lucky enough to have thousands of acres of permissions and the rabbit numbers now tend to go up and down year to year some seasons we have a good year or couple of weeks years on the trot then other years we're struggling to get small numbers

Yet years ago we could ferret the same warrens year after year and get roughly the same amount of rabbits so I'm not sure what's changed cos more people ferreted them days and mixy was worse them days than now so don't know what the answer is. ?????

 

Very true Max Abell...

 

I've hunted rabbits in most counties throughout the UK ...really enjoyed it..

However,.we always knew, that sooner or later, we would kill the goose, that laid the golden egg. Taken some large quantities in the Far North of Scotland,...hunting over terrain that was best described as being, a rabbit paradise...But,...even today,..when I catch 40 or so rabbits,..I often start to think,.maybe,...enough is enough...

 

Time moves on,.nothing remains the same,.but still enough shushis around,.to see me out

Edited August 11, 2015 by Phil Lloyd

[mackem 26,837]

Caithness and sutherland used to be stiff with rabbits,never had a problem getting permission from helmsdale up,not the numbers there now,my cousin lives a stonesthrow from bettyhills,theres rabbits around her place but not in number.

[stealthy1 3,964]

It's always the same, nothing much about, and then the crops start to grow, and then there'a a rabbit plague

[mackem 26,837]

Who was the guy back in the 80's,he was from glasgow i think?He used to write for shooting news when Tommy McPhee opened peoples eyes to the rabbit numbers in the far north,the guy sold up,lock stock and barrel and moved north,not plummer,this guy was a plasterer or something?

[Jamie m 668]

I've seen a few protected reserves where there untouched, that are absolutely jumping ,

[smithie 2,443]

Should be long netting the land next to it

[Jamie m 668]

Should be long netting the land next to it

It's surrounded by deap channels lol ,

[The one 8,483]

Nip over at night a few pine cones soaked in creosote helps them go on there holidays mate