rabbits

ferrete

there is a serious shortage of rabbits this past year or so around my part of the west of the country and was wondering if any of you new where there was any rabbits or even farmers with rabbit problems i would gladly take care of it and benefit myself with a tasty dinner afterwards with my catch. i have full insurance and could use whatever meathods the farmers feel most sufficient in order to combat their individual needs from ferreting to dogs to rifle or shotgun

Spunk84

ferrete wrote: »

there is a serious shortage of rabbits this past year or so around my part of the west of the country and was wondering if any of you new where there was any rabbits or even farmers with rabbit problems i would gladly take care of it and benefit myself with a tasty dinner afterwards with my catch. i have full insurance and could use whatever meathods the farmers feel most sufficient in order to combat their individual needs from ferreting to dogs to rifle or shotgun

your a one man army arent ye;) just drive around and ask, rabbits around myself is very scarace and hares have dissappeared altogether. i had a family of hares living under and old piece of sheet metal for years and havent seen them since last year

rabbit assassin

They were plentiful in my area here back in summer just gone, but towards september/october I noticed a few that I had shot were rampant with mixie. In about 2 or 3 weeks there was no more than a handful in the area I shoot (about 3 square miles). I only shot the odd one for the pot with the hmr while out for a stroll. the area was once heaving with rabbits, now your lucky if you see 4 or 5 when out for a nights lamping ! Its a proper bloody shame

One shot on kill

Couldn't agree more bad population around me to

landkeeper

they have all but gone from round here with myxy and rhd :( i was over at a farm i could normally shoot 40 on in a couple of hours normally. i saw 3 all dying .
all my friends are reporting much the same

Birdnuts

As LK just mentioned a sudden drop in rabbit numbers is often associated with an outbreak of myxomatosis which can still occure occasionally in any part of the country. Rabbits will be naturally scarce too in areas of poor drainage and any soils that make digging burrows difficult. This means that in places like Connemara and West Mayo the only areas that hold decent numbers of rabbits are the likes of sand dunes,coastal machair grassland etc.

PS: The OP should keep an eye on the Farming forum around late spring-time when farmers will occasionally post threads looking for people to control rabbits in young crops and silage ground.

Longranger

Not too many around my way either. We had a great spot for them a couple of years back, the farmer who owned the land didn't mind having a few of them on his land and was happy to let us shoot a few for the pot and they make great target practice. However, two guys showed up and with ferrets and a whippet and wiped the place in a couple of weeks:mad: am I the only one who doesn't want to see them gone? If you do find a permission,don't wipe the place out please! Outside of the season they are often the only thing to keep us hunting.

ferrete

Spunk84 wrote: »

your a one man army arent ye;) just drive around and ask, rabbits around myself is very scarace and hares have dissappeared altogether. i had a family of hares living under and old piece of sheet metal for years and havent seen them since last year

Actually there was others that came and wiped my sport and think mixi took hold of another area these were areas where there was always a good population of rabbits. Thanks for suggesting the farming forum, and ps dont worry about me wiping them out i just want a few for the pot and believe in not over hunting as not to ruin my sport

bitemybanger

It's been a while since I went out specifically for rabbits but when lamping after the red lads I see loads of them, no visable sign of mixy around me thank God.

ferrete

wish i had them about beautiful to see in the country side also so they are so i take it there wont be any ideas of locations then

bitemybanger

ferrete wrote: »

wish i had them about beautiful to see in the country side also so they are so i take it there wont be any ideas of locations then

Usually in grassy,hilly fields with plenty of cover like brairs and goarse and large ditches or earth banks. As for exat location, in and around Meath:P

robbie mars

Same out our way summer there was loads of them at one stage we were tripping over the little feckers now when we go out we be lucky if we shoot three i did shoot one wit maxi during the summer in one of our great spots

ferrete

welll i would love to have a few more about and even if there were only a few io would ferret them and relase them after as i believe in keeping a sustanaible population

garyc007

where abouts in the west are u ferrete. i dont pass much heed on them myself but il ask round

Tindon

Was out last night and also noticed very few bunnies around compared with last year. Two different places that were teaming with them last year

gunisfun

there is a farm around my place and it is covered with the fells and crows and pigeons and everything else some spot but can not shoot it because the farmer likes the animals but dose let me come in once a year to clean up the old lads but is is some spot

Farmlife

have been asking farmers for permissions the last few weeks (north/west co Dublin) and all i keep hearing is "fire away, but you'd be lucky to find a rabbit" most reckon the myxomatosis wiped them all out, but i'm still on the hunt

Galway Elvis

Plenty of big, fat,healthy specimens areoud east Galway where I have permission.
My lack of skill and tallent is a contributing factor.....:o

Tackleberrywho

I saw 6 or 8 rabbits while out foxing last night, I would not expect to see much more come march and onwards.

I was in South Tipp 2 weeks ago and there were feckin rabbits everywhere, much more than around where I live.

Tindon

I have spoken to a good few people about this shortage of Rabbits and one guy had a reasonable/possible explanation and that was the hard winter of last year. I don't agree with the mixi explanation simply because I didin't see a whole lot of sick/dead bunnies.

Ronnie Beck

Is it legal to snare rabbits?

Birdnuts

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

Is it legal to snare rabbits?

Yes

kildare.17hmr

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

Is it legal to snare rabbits?

Not only is it legal its alot of fun!

marcp

I only got a call from a local farmer this evening and his exact words were "these hairy japanese bas##rds are taking over me farm", he is swarmed with them.
Its gonna be a good weekend hopefully.

Ronnie Beck

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

Not only is it legal its alot of fun!

Being at it since i was a kid just never knew if it was legal especially now that i'm over 18;). Always wondered if you caught someones dog in one could you be prosecuted.

kildare.17hmr

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

Not only is it legal its alot of fun!

Being at it since i was a kid just never knew if it was legal especially now that i'm over 18;). Always wondered if you caught someones dog in one could you be prosecuted.

That wouldnt be good! Reckon you could get in trouble for that alrite

Ronnie Beck

kildare.17hmr wrote: »

That wouldnt be good! Reckon you could get in trouble for that alrite

In the last year i've only seen one guy in the spot i was thinking of setting a few . he had two jack russels with him. I'm down there all the time with the pup. Should be grand if I set them at night and check them early in the morning though.

poulo6.5

we cant move for rabbits around my area. always plenty to shoot:D

Farmlife

Whats the best type of land to find rabbit on? crops? forrest?

session savage

Tackleberrywho wrote: »

I saw 6 or 8 rabbits while out foxing last night, I would not expect to see much more come march and onwards.

I was in South Tipp 2 weeks ago and there were feckin rabbits everywhere, much more than around where I live.

Your not wrong there tackleberrywho, where I live the fields are crawling with them. Endless supply of free meat here

poulo6.5

rgugliel wrote: »

Whats the best type of land to find rabbit on? crops? forrest?

good grassy land preferably with sandy soil. thats why you always see them in quarries.
but any place that does not flood and is dry enough for them to have a comfortable warren.

session savage

rgugliel wrote: »

Whats the best type of land to find rabbit on? crops? forrest?

In my experience they are much more plentiful along ditches with furze bushes. And the seem to prefer the hills around here too.

session savage

poulo6.5 wrote: »

...but any place that does not flood and is dry enough for them to have a comfortable warren.

that would explain why they like the hills

dickdasterly

I am looking for somewhere in the Antrim area to snare rabbits, i am from Scotland originally and there was rabbits everywhere. They just don't seem to be as prevalent here.

Hunter21

My local spot for rabbits a section of it was dug years ago as a pencil quarry.. The ground is very very dry and the grass is nice and short and is near a round. Also the ditch is not too stoney, more briers and blackthorn bushes. Got a rabbit there today at 2pm with my brand new Marlin .17hmr

Erk

Congrats Hunter.. Well ware