Looking place for rabbits in county mayo

hiho1967

Just wondering is there anyone here who knows where theres any good places in county mayo where id be able to hunt some rabbits. Havent been out hunting in years but want to get out in next few days

Keelan

10 15 years ago, the place was alive with rabbits. I use to get bags of 20 to 50 easy with lurchers and rifle. Mxy bad weather over hunting, have got their numbers right down, their is hardly a rabbit about now their in mayo!! most of the country these last few years are suffering a massive rabbit drop!! shame really!!

woodcock89

How's things. I saw a add on done deal they sell wild rabbits for re stocking land. It's in the Other sports section. Was thinking about it my self. Does it sound like a gud idea.

dodderangler

woodcock89 wrote: »

How's things. I saw a add on done deal they sell wild rabbits for re stocking land. It's in the Other sports section. Was thinking about it my self. Does it sound like a gud idea.

They probably caught all them rabbits from mayo hence why there's none
It's not a good idea to encourage someone to catch and sell wild rabbits
Also if you bought a few and released them then could be releasing them into mixxy land

Birdnuts

hiho1967 wrote: »

Just wondering is there anyone here who knows where theres any good places in county mayo where id be able to hunt some rabbits. Havent been out hunting in years but want to get out in next few days

It depends what part your in - I have a place in North Mayo(Erris) and the only rabbits in the area are a couple of miles away on sand dunes. Why?? - cos rabbits don't like wet,peaty or heavy soils. They need softer sandier soil to excavate their burrows, which is the only way they will breed succesfully and in decent numbers, assuming the area is mixy free. Mayo is a big county but is limited in good rabbit habitat for those reasons. Your best bet for rabbit hunting would be to look for permissions in places with large areas of sand dunes or good limestone soil like what is found in the Ballinrobe/Hollymount area. Sand/gravel quarries can be good too.

pat_cork

I rang that man about the rabbits earlier; €10 each, €200 for 25 and €250 for 35. Sounds like a handy way to make money.

How many rabbits would you need to get a good crop of them back?

4200fps

pat_cork wrote: »

I rang that man about the rabbits earlier; €10 each, €200 for 25 and €250 for 35. Sounds like a handy way to make money.

How many rabbits would you need to get a good crop of them back?

If your willing to pay that amount for them i'd nearly take day off work and catch them for you for abit less lol. Thats crazy money.
We've alot of rabbits a few miles away fom us. We are blessed when you think about it. Good to see them around in my eyes. I doubt they will live unless you release them in an area where there used to be rabbits and burrows. Theres two types of rabbits,some burrow in field and other burrow in hedge.If you got 30 you'd want to give them a year i'd say but I could be wrong

Kristopherus

pat_cork wrote: »

I rang that man about the rabbits earlier; €10 each, €200 for 25 and €250 for 35. Sounds like a handy way to make money.

How many rabbits would you need to get a good crop of them back?

I'd be reporting him. I doubt very much that its legal to capture rabbits from the wild in those kind of numbers.

cookimonster

Is there something about NOT being allowed to release 'vermin' back into the wild once caught, I'm sure I came across something about this being illegal....

4200fps

cookimonster wrote: »

Is there something about NOT being allowed to release 'vermin' back into the wild once caught, I'm sure I came across something about this being illegal....

I hear its legal if you have the right cages for transporting them un harmed. Heard this on another fourm. I don't know how true it is

dev110

You need a permit from the NWPS.

Have a look at this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056358270

Keelan

dev110 wrote: »

You need a permit from the NWPS.

Have a look at this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056358270

Spot on.
The lad that is selling them, is breaking the law!!
I know mayo well, and as said, rabbits are mainly around the beaches, but, their is a lot shooting people with rifles and their getting over hunted, NPWS, are actually going to do a survey soon, on rabbit numbers, as it seems the humble rabbit is in decline in Ireland!
Ireland is mainly bog, especially in the west, its hard for rabbit to repopulate in areas where they have been wiped out by mxy or over hunting, as they can not spread over bogs from one place to another, unlike the uk, where they can travel for miles.
Years ago, most people hunted just for the pot, they took what the needed and not over kill. The modern Ireland seems to have gone greedy, numbers count and boasting in pubs ect! Lot of lads seem to to have .22's now and shoot one after the other, no need for it.
Saying that, in areas where they are causing a problem, they need to be controlled, as they are classed as pests, but this seems to be getting a rare thing these days.!