Lack of rabbits

[Neal 1,869]

Does anybody know why? In my case it's probably lack of habitat but I gather in some places it's VHD. 

Please tell me I've got those initials right and not written something rude!

[poxon 5,741]

6 minutes ago, The drover said:

Instead of ferreting and killing them . Catch them drop them in old sets that have none . Do your bit lads . Beats moaning about it 

There’s a reason the warrens are empty it’s vhd virus dropping them off don’t work

[poxon 5,741]

2 minutes ago, Neal said:

Does anybody know why? In my case it's probably lack of habitat but I gather in some places it's VHD. 

Please tell me I've got those initials right and not written something rude!

Vhd round here neal plus everything else against them

[Shadow100 1,066]

27 minutes ago, The drover said:

Instead of ferreting and killing them . Catch them drop them in old sets that have none . Do your bit lads . Beats moaning about it 

Think a few quid from the game dealer is a motivation for a lot of them tbh, to cover their fuel, dog food etc so I don’t think many will be keen on releasing them.

Edited August 9, 2020 by Shadow100

[Shadow100 1,066]

The introduction of NV & Thermal optics is playing a big part, this goes for rabbits, mountain hares and brown hares. They’re being hit harder than ever before. People need to show a bit of voluntary restraint but sadly can’t see that happening, financial gain & bragging rights are too important. 

[fred90 3,234]

29 minutes ago, poxon said:

There’s a reason the warrens are empty it’s vhd virus dropping them off don’t work

exactly there is a reason they have disappeared in the first place. dropped off in old setts? it's not that simple. 

[The drover 348]

13 minutes ago, fred90 said:

exactly there is a reason they have disappeared in the first place. dropped off in old setts? it's not that simple. 

Yes it is . Wait at least 150 days since rhvd has wiped the place out . Then try and reintroduce.  It's worked on half a dozen areas for me . Places may not be over run . But they are back where they were missing for near on 20 year . It does work . That's first hand . However,  it works best near villages etc.  Then the gunners and summer hunters cant get to them so easy do it preferably in march after the harsh weather kills off diseased rabbits. And they are ready to breed

[The drover 348]

51 minutes ago, poxon said:

There’s a reason the warrens are empty it’s vhd virus dropping them off don’t work

Yes it does

[The drover 348]

38 minutes ago, Shadow100 said:

Think a few quid from the game dealer is a motivation for a lot of them tbh, to cover their fuel, dog food etc so I don’t think many will be keen on releasing them.

They will most likely be the biggest moaners

[nothernlite 18,088]

Where thete is plenty kill as many as you can not so many take less nice to see what the dogs can do and why not beats the keepers filling thete drop boxes  one of the bits i do keepers had 8000 in 3 months in drop boxes other bit i do keeper has left them for me hes a good man lol 

[Shadow100 1,066]

20 minutes ago, W. Katchum said:

Sure my boss an other farmers will be happy about me dropping live rabbits back on the land rabbits are a pest, not like the deer hare an fox, fox maybe present themselves as a pest odd time but let’s face facts, how many lurcher men actually get a call out for for hare fox or deer? So you can be picky an choosy, but if I get a call from farmer smith up road or pulled in office by boss an told there as decent number of rabbits in such an such hedge an they starting to eat crops, well if I don’t do em, somebody will So why should I leave em or drop em??  They be getting  fed to ferrets or took to game dealers like always, an if they disappeared then the farmers will be happy I imagine, I don’t for a minute think rabbits Orr rats will ever become extinct, they natural Survivors

You’re right what you’re saying about farmers wanting them gone etc. It’s the same way a lot of grouse keepers want rabbits, whites and deer gone from their moors. So in that case you’re right to take them because if you don’t they’ll get the rifle boys in. It doesn’t make it right though, thats why people complain. If you lay it bare they’re trying to eradicate a species from an area for financial benefit. It’s no different to bulldozing nice green fields to build houses. They’re manipulating a landscape to fill their pockets.

If you’re a proper dog man and love the countryside that’ll never sit right with you. 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Shadow100

[C.green 3,231]

2 hours ago, poxon said:

There’s a reason the warrens are empty it’s vhd virus dropping them off don’t work

Drop adults and youll see the same adults you dropped. But they young dont seem to get past half grown stage.

[Shadow100 1,066]

9 minutes ago, W. Katchum said:

No mate some situations deffo don’t sit right with me, I’m lucky I work on farm surrounded by farms an moorland, all folk I clear pests for like seeing some around and only really want them gone when they become pests as such so I under no pressure to eradicate them, my days a hunting big bags are done but like iv said if boss says a hedge or field is getting hammered then I’ll do me what to shift the lot of them, if I ever get jobs where I’m being paid them same goes I’ll do me best to clear em

It’s different for me I don’t have any permission so it’s purely sporting. We rotate as best we can and give places a bit of a rest so everything doesn’t end up getting pushed about and going all scatty. I’ve worked on farms & sporting estates when I was younger so I know what it’s like got no problems with denting numbers when they become a real hazard but youll know yourself some people just go on a free for all every time they get out the motor.

Heard a keeper say before they’d totally wiped out the rabbit population because “the raptors come for the rabbits and stay for the grouse”. Any excuse for a killing spree is what he meant to say I think

I love my deer so really gets to me when places drop them on sight, for some pathetic excuse like a roebuck scratched my favourite tree a few weeks ago so they’ve all got to go. Saw a similar article saying an estate were wiping out the muntjac because they were eating too many bluebells ffs, creative way of saying “we’ll make a fortune off the stalking” 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Shadow100

[poxon 5,741]

1 hour ago, fred90 said:

exactly there is a reason they have disappeared in the first place. dropped off in old setts? it's not that simple. 

I read some were that vhd once it’s wiped a colony out there Warrens can harbour vhd virus for 8months or more the infected area can keep getting topped up with the virus in the area by other species of animals passing through the land as carriers plus humans walking from spot to spot helping it spread. It’s like sending lambs to slaughter dropping them off

[Black neck 15,983]

round about me i take a few and leave a few thats me excuse for being shite anyroad