VHD set to decimate our rabbit population!

[Deker 3,478]

4 minutes ago, Born Hunter said:

In 95 the rabbit bag index was what 0.7. In 1905 it was like over 0.9. So you're definitely wrong there. Not if you take into account the error bar, I thought you liked statistics! Also, clearly 95 is an outlier. Hence statistics.

Also, that IS an interpretation. Because what the data actually says is the rabbit bag. We're assuming that correlates with population. You just love assuming when the statistics don't fit your comments!

Now I really am done. f**k. Lol

 

[Born Hunter 17,831]

Nope, done. Good day, sir. 

[J.F 2]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/04/running-wild-the-disease-resistant-rabbits-ruining-farmers-crops/

 

Rabbit population was highest in 2016

[dogmandont 9,966]

When I was in my teens I could of walked out the gate with dog and lamp and been back in an hour with ten rabbits but them days are long gone sadly. Myxi took a toll on them but I also think farming practices took an equally heavy toll. 

[goshawking719 492]

I was shown a good spot up the dales 10-12 years ago by a pal, you would see a few hundred bunnies in a hour or so's walk. Had a walk up there last year and whilst numbers were a down my pals lurcher worked up and caught a dozen or so in a hour. Three hours walking at weekend with two good lurchers and we saw two rabbits scuttle off in the distance. A sad state of affairs

[CRAZYHORSE 2,647]

[Deker 3,478]

It does appear that VHD is here and the ultimate result is anyone's guess at the moment, but history suggests to me this will not be the end of the rabbit in the UK or the world.

I have no idea if this is a painful death but it can often be within 48hours of contamination and the mortality rate is high, but some do survive.

The Government has been trying to control/remove rabbit from the wild in this country for many many years, they are not there for our sport, and we are only allowed/instructed to remove them because they are a pest.

Whilst some see VHD as an affront to their sport, there are many land owners out there that will be more than happy to see the complete removal of this non indigenous species from the country by whatever means.

 

[dogmandont 9,966]

2 hours ago, Deker said:

It does appear that VHD is here and the ultimate result is anyone's guess at the moment, but history suggests to me this will not be the end of the rabbit in the UK or the world.

I have no idea if this is a painful death but it can often be within 48hours of contamination and the mortality rate is high, but some do survive.

The Government has been trying to control/remove rabbit from the wild in this country for many many years, they are not there for our sport, and we are only allowed/instructed to remove them because they are a pest.

Whilst some see VHD as an affront to their sport, there are many land owners out there that will be more than happy to see the complete removal of this non indigenous species from the country by whatever means.

 

Fcuk the land owners, they would be happy to see nothing but a green desert.

[The one 8,513]

Ive permissions in different bits and can travel  from 20 minutes to 2 hours each way to get to  them  and there all really low on rabbit numbers even with myxi you could travel and hit pockets of good numbers that where unaffected this VHD certainly flattening them across the country 

[Arry 22,680]

I think there must be quite a few different strains of VHD or RHD as we had it on some of are permission a while back but it never wiped them right out. Also the first ones I ever found were about 20 years ago, 2 dead rabbits on the same day with blood coming from there ears and nose. I know it was that long ago because I was with my youngest lad and we lost him in 2002 when he was 19, but remember he was about 13 or 14 at the time. But its not like what Gav is describing, we still had good numbers for years. I did a thread I think maybe last year in the ferreting section about how the Australia were going to release a strong strain of RHD, how I thought they were playing with fire. Said then how long before it turns up here by some greedy land owner introducing it by bring back a vial of this strain from Australia.

For me it seem to have gone full circles, when I started ferreting early 60's only a few rabbits about but thats how it was and thought it was normal. There were tales of large numbers before mixie but I never saw it. If you and your mate got a brace that was a good day.

Cheers Arry

[The one 8,513]

I remember thinking myxi was bad enough . i had Codger on here from the isle of man over for a weekend and i took him to a railway banking that i had been saving to ferret and it always gave good numbers  travelled 30 minutes and got there pulled all the gear out and walking over the field and there was dead rabbitts scattered about i thought thats going to feck up Codgers trip but next year they where back with this VHD they just dont bounce back the numbers are still low 

[Lenmcharristar 9,924]

Why can’t they invent one for badgers fs save all the culling bs and be left with healthier strains that survive

[Greyman 29,265]

8 hours ago, Deker said:

It does appear that VHD is here and the ultimate result is anyone's guess at the moment, but history suggests to me this will not be the end of the rabbit in the UK or the world.

I have no idea if this is a painful death but it can often be within 48hours of contamination and the mortality rate is high, but some do survive.

The Government has been trying to control/remove rabbit from the wild in this country for many many years, they are not there for our sport, and we are only allowed/instructed to remove them because they are a pest.

Whilst some see VHD as an affront to their sport, there are many land owners out there that will be more than happy to see the complete removal of this non indigenous species from the country by whatever means.

 

You are right to a point, but I think there is a much bigger picture than landowners or hunters as rabbits are a major food source for many  predators like bop,s that have just come back from us pickling there eggs with pesticides to the point of near extinction, I believe on the Iberian peninsula they are actually doing things to help rabbits as they have such an effect on the population of Iberian Lynx that are also struggling, it will be a very bad day all round if rabbits disappear as many things depend on them

[Greyman 29,265]

3 hours ago, maxhardcore said:

Another great nutritious food source the conglomerates don't have to worry about whilst feeding us flavoured cardboard.

My local council have been on the radio all day talking about banning wood burners, they state pollution as the reason even though I have factory,s near me that take the paint off your car and swarms of fly,s in summer that would put Ethiopia to shame, it,s obviously nothing to do with people getting warm for free and the conglomerates wanting them to crank up the heating to feed the shareholders,

[Deker 3,478]

11 hours ago, dogmandont said:

Fcuk the land owners, they would be happy to see nothing but a green desert.

........….and without them you would have no sport!