Lack of rabbits

[Jude 85]

What’s everybody’s rabbit populations like this year? Been out a couple of times having a look for when it cools down to get the pup a few runs. Hardly even worth bothering going out from what I’ve seen recently 

[fred90 3,260]

I don't know whereabouts you are, but it's like that in a lot of places. I have travelled to the east coast a couple of times recently and it was dire on the roads. year's ago you would see them on the verges and run over. I saw 4 young rabbits that was it. I went up into the peak district last week to a place that years ago was holding big numbers. it looked dead, dog put 1 rabbit up into a little sett, it looked like the only rabbit there. 

[nothernlite 18,089]

3 minutes ago, fred90 said:

I don't know whereabouts you are, but it's like that in a lot of places. I have travelled to the east coast a couple of times recently and it was dire on the roads. year's ago you would see them on the verges and run over. I saw 4 young rabbits that was it. I went up into the peak district last week to a place that years ago was holding big numbers. it looked dead, dog put 1 rabbit up into a little sett, it looked like the only rabbit there. 

You will be glad it never caught it 

[stealthy1 3,964]

Have a look round carrot fields. 

[morton 5,368]

19 hours ago, Jude said:

What’s everybody’s rabbit populations like this year? Been out a couple of times having a look for when it cools down to get the pup a few runs. Hardly even worth bothering going out from what I’ve seen recently 

The beauty of lurchers is you can often expand your horizons,unless you own an heavily influenced Bull type.

[poxon 5,751]

The rabbit population round by me as been going down hill the last 7-8yrs to the point of owning a out an out rabbit dog is pointless owning one now days.round here you’ve got to have a dog with a bit more about it if you want to work the animal and you have to really put some long nights in to get work 

[Loton Moocher 1,254]

35 minutes ago, poxon said:

The rabbit population round by me as been going down hill the last 7-8yrs to the point of owning a out an out rabbit dog is pointless owning one now days.round here you’ve got to have a dog with a bit more about it if you want to work the animal and you have to really put some long nights in to get work 

A moochers lurcher should be takin anything that you can eat ? Dont think iv ever seen one that just takes rabbits only ?

[Moocher71 4,050]

they used to be plenty rabbits local but over last 7/8 yr numbers have dropped so bad Ya lucky to see one ,only used to see the odd hare local yrs ago but we been seeing plenty last few yr .strange how hare numbers rise when coney numbers drop and plenty of deer about .

on one farm I have perm that used to hold good numbers  as more badgers than anything else .

 

[Gypsydog94 4,608]

One of my permissions was holding good numbers last season. Could get 30-40 slips on a good night but now been informed mixi is taking its toll on numbers and not to expect much running

[poxon 5,751]

13 hours ago, Loton Moocher said:

A moochers lurcher should be takin anything that you can eat ? Dont think iv ever seen one that just takes rabbits only ?

think in this day an age you need a dog bred ready for anything not bred for a set job you gotta keep your options open with no restrictions with a dog that’s a master of none unless you keep a load of dogs for set jobs 

[bird 9,969]

2 hours ago, poxon said:

think in this day an age you need a dog bred ready for anything not bred for a set job you gotta keep your options open with no restrictions with a dog that’s a master of none unless you keep a load of dogs for set jobs 

spot on mate, i thought like that  8 or 9 years ago,  regards  rabbit numbers down, unless you put lot of miles in  either up the Dales, or Scotland , and being honest got bit bored just catching rabbits , i was doing 8 hours of driving just to get good bag 20-35 in a night , old bryn was great rabbit dog deff, but that was all really , where as Buck my dog now more  of alrounder get good bag of rabbits, but do other stuff as well if need be .

[Shadow100 1,066]

Just an observation, not a rabbit man myself, but a lot of the men that hunt rabbits seem to try & take the maximum number possible every time out, then complain about the lack of rabbits. Makes no sense to me.

[Neal 1,873]

It's been several years since I saw more than a handful of rabbits near me. Every time I see a rabbit on the piece of permission I half heartedly call mine (it's a local farm which is rapidly diminishing under a tide of housing estates but I like to look at it a few times a year just for old times sake) I leave it in the hope it'll find another but no luck. As a result, my dogs have been solely rat, squirrel and pigeon dogs for about seven years...apart from when we go on holiday to Dartmoor.

[shaaark 10,889]

18 minutes ago, Shadow100 said:

Just an observation, not a rabbit man myself, but a lot of the men that hunt rabbits seem to try & take the maximum number possible every time out, then complain about the lack of rabbits. Makes no sense to me.

Same here mate. It's just numbers numbers numbers, like it's a contest, then whinge cos there's f**k all left! Lol

[The drover 348]

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