Consistently low numbers of rabbits this year

[Black neck 15,852]

17 minutes ago, low plains drifter said:

 

Oh fcuk you, you guinea cack sucker 

Oh fcuk you, you guinea cack sucker

You know? 

You know?

Wt buick

[low plains drifter 10,288]

22 minutes ago, Black neck said:

Wt buick

Cover yer ha'penny wor frock sporter

You know? 

 

[king 11,972]

1 hour ago, Black neck said:

Wt buick

Enjoy

 

[Black neck 15,852]

40 minutes ago, king said:

Enjoy

 

Congenial at best

[king 11,972]

Just now, Black neck said:

Congenial at best

And a very spiritual way of removing barb wire I found..

[bird 9,862]

On 27/12/2023 at 19:27, Penda said:

Rabbit number local to me have been dropping for years you get the odd pocket that holds a good number trouble is if people sniff out a decent rabbits population they hit them hard all year round then as time goes on they wonder why there not there when I was younger I was out more times then on was in never took big numbers but I used to always take a few but some people just take it to a next level almost wiping populations out fair enough is you have to do it but think once there gone the farmer don't need you there,me personally I go where I won't so it doesn't bother me much but to some people it's gonna take a toll

well said, where i lived before  by weston park, rabbits numbers were low, had to travel  to get good bags .But funny really that after a full season lamping with bryn i had back then, ok was getting  mid 30s few nights ,  was getting back  to my place next morning 6am  after 4 hours of driving , started fed up with it doing all season. Had Buck who  was bred for deer / foxes really , but i did get 38 rabbits with him one night, which i think was great for a big dog  like him. i was like you going anywhere , but getting chased most nights , ok when you can run , but fookin hard as you get older , bloody hell had some close calls when out with big Buck cops/ farmers    after  you   , got away with it thank feck    lol  

[jackthelad 1,893]

On 29/12/2023 at 06:43, saluki bouy said:

Farm near me I walked over the other day not a rabbit to be seen 15 years ago study by Edinburgh uni estimated 1 million rabbits 

bushing with a terrier and a whippet pointless here now there’s more roe than there is anything else so much so that there a pain in the arse 

Wats the post code haha roe are never a pain in the arse 

[saluki bouy 681]

1 hour ago, jackthelad said:

Wats the post code haha roe are never a pain in the arse 

Gees a pm 

[fred90 3,199]

4 hours ago, bird said:

well said, where i lived before  by weston park, rabbits numbers were low, had to travel  to get good bags .But funny really that after a full season lamping with bryn i had back then, ok was getting  mid 30s few nights ,  was getting back  to my place next morning 6am  after 4 hours of driving , started fed up with it doing all season. Had Buck who  was bred for deer / foxes really , but i did get 38 rabbits with him one night, which i think was great for a big dog  like him. i was like you going anywhere , but getting chased most nights , ok when you can run , but fookin hard as you get older , bloody hell had some close calls when out with big Buck cops/ farmers    after  you   , got away with it thank feck    lol  

wouldn't charge it for the world though mate.

[Penda 3,341]

4 hours ago, bird said:

well said, where i lived before  by weston park, rabbits numbers were low, had to travel  to get good bags .But funny really that after a full season lamping with bryn i had back then, ok was getting  mid 30s few nights ,  was getting back  to my place next morning 6am  after 4 hours of driving , started fed up with it doing all season. Had Buck who  was bred for deer / foxes really , but i did get 38 rabbits with him one night, which i think was great for a big dog  like him. i was like you going anywhere , but getting chased most nights , ok when you can run , but fookin hard as you get older , bloody hell had some close calls when out with big Buck cops/ farmers    after  you   , got away with it thank feck    lol  

You had some good times ray I always say you haven't until you've had the on top a few times it's what keeps us going keeps the blood flowing and the heart pumping my mates not far from weston alot of bunnies where he goes 

[The one 8,463]

I can remember meeting my mate late on and lamping right up to a farmers house at 2am he seemed to thrive on looking for trouble , Would like to do that now no wonder the dog boys would say watch that land that farmers crazy LOL 

[terryd 8,373]

Lamping up to farm houses that brings back memories. Back then even if they woke they would just know you were after a rabbit and causing no harm so not worth bothering with. All ways the odd over sensitive one though lol. How times have changed

[downsouth 7,151]

On 27/12/2023 at 22:00, Daniel cain said:

The seasons are all to f**k...the only thing thats consistent is the constant rain...we dont have proper winters/seasons now...the animals and their habits shows us that

The weather definitely plays a big part.Ive commented a few times on here that theres still rabbits in reasonable numbers around me.Maybe not like 20years ago when it was all fruit orchards and no rabbit fencing but theyre still there to be seen even during the day.Over the last few weeks my daughters little dachshund has killed 4 on our morning walks that have been in the final stages of myxi.Something that I rarely saw this late in the year years ago

[byron 1,169]

On 27/12/2023 at 21:11, Borr said:

We hear it every season, but there's so many pressures.. night vision, airgunners , ferrets and the possible spread of myxi vhd , increase in predators bops especially, foxes , badgers, mink stoats weasels, cats, weather I'd say is a big one, suitable habitat, foot traffic has been a big one near me I think the pressure of hundreds more dog walkers pressures them off ground and food sources. Not sure why all these empty fields near me don't see a pair of eyes anywhere, more likely see a deer than a rabbit tbh.

And otters.

[comanche 2,923]

My belief ,based on a little bit of inside information is that the massive rabbit numbers of about 13 years ago crashed  due to the cold winter of 2010/11 combined with a sowing of a certain strain of VHD.

And due to the very short lived immunity to the disease that is conferred on the survivors of the disease and their offspring ,   young rabbits  are lucky to live long enough to produce a single litter before expiring. 

Hence the population in affected areas isn't  strong enough to negate the effects of other diseases ,hunting, predators and bad weather.  

Edited December 31, 2023 by comanche