# Long Netting Rabbits



## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Here's another way of controlling bunny's.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Another interesting set for taking the little buggers.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Its good fun!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Night time sport...Just going to the meat market honey...be home about midnight.


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## Helmet_S (Mar 18, 2010)

It looks like it all you can eat rabbit over there. I would hate to have a rabbit infestation like that but it would be a tasty problem to have at least.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

And very free Helmet_S.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Is there a season on rabbit ?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'll bet not if they have that many and the landowners are mandated to keep their numbers down.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

On a call said:


> Is there a season on rabbit ?


No Brian as Don has already said by law you must control rabbits on your land.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Mmmm...I would try to make the government pay for my bullets since its mandated and over an animal thats ultimately a part of nature which means that landowners should be compensated not necessarily for the damage etc.. those numbers can do. But for being required to control them by either gunning or paying someone to do it if the killing isnt to the landowners personal doing themselves (animal lovers etc..). Or move in some yotes, then I bet that would reduce the numbers properly and leave no mess, then hunt yotes keeping them under control which I think is an easier proposition than rabbits due to breeding cycles etc....So whats happened to all the fox/predators like owls falcons etc.. that Im sure prey on the rabbits. Nature has a way of keeping those kind of numbers in check, so something has changed the equasion. Man I think.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Nothing has happened to the predators over here in England. If you don't control the rabbit population on your ground what damage happens to your crops is your own fault but once the population moves to the farmer next door then you can be made to bring the rabbit numbers on your land down. A fox may catch 1 rabbit in 10 goes, add a few birds of prey and some stoats into the mix and the rabbits are still coming out on top. England is perfect in every way for them habitat wise thats why they do so well. Have you ever been to England Antlerz22!?


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Never have, takes precious money away from the coyote paraphernalia I MUST have. If the scenario you picture is correct, then you must have the fattest birds of prey as well as fox who cant run from the hounds!! Heres a question, do the restaurants/diners etc.. have rabbit on the menu due to the quantity available?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Bunnies aren't stupid for starters there are plenty of eyes and ears in a rabbit warren, the predators are not fat and not as many people eat rabbit as maybe 60 years ago due to myxomatosis.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

myoxomatosis, thats a new word for me, wonder if rabbits here have that as well and if so where. Having said that I say one of the links to youtube you posted and one of the guys was gutting a rabbit as if field dressing for consumption. Is the myox thing only in certain areas, localized or is it widespread there?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

The whole of the uk.


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## Dust (Mar 16, 2010)

Matt, my wife wants to visit England. Think I could ship a rifle and ammo over and come visit?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Get your international firearms license, come in August or onwards and I'll take you out deer stalking and fox shooting.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

*Myxomatosis* (sometimes shortened to "myxi" or "myxo") is a disease which affects rabbits and is caused by the Myxoma virus. It was first observed in Uruguay in laboratory rabbits in the late 19th century. It was introduced into Australia in 1950 in an attempt to control the rabbit population (See: Rabbits in Australia).

As I think the link may cover, rabbits nearly ate Australia off the map in the 50's, there was a bounty on them because they eat the same things as sheep, and sheep are, or at least used to be, the mainstay on the stations in much of Australia.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Dust said:


> Matt, my wife wants to visit England. Think I could ship a rifle and ammo over and come visit?


How are things going now Dust, any better.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Its a horrible disease and makes you feel so very sorry when ever you see a rabbit with it.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

So do farmers hire guys to come in and control the population? And would not farmers incourage the fox to thrive to help control those hoppers ?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

As I've already said foxes only catch 1 rabbit in 10 attempts so not really. Most farmer will have people shooting or ferreting rabbits for free on their land but if they have a major problem then they will call people in to sort things out.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Owls and hawks around here seem to have a good score on rabbits ...as well as pheasants.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Yes but if there's 10 rabbits sat out feeding in a field thats a lot of eyes to spot predators coming!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yeah...but those bunnies like to come out at night. And the owls here do a good job of cleaning them up. However if you have sooooo many rabbits it would take a flock of owls.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Thats what I'm saying Brian, sheer numbers!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Has there always been soo many rabbits ?

What is the reason ?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Pretty much so. Hard to say Brian, perfect habitat, foxes heavily controlled, buzzards just making a come back now after protection from idiot gamekeepers. We now have European Eagle Owls wild over here so who knows maybe things will start to change. They are now making a come back on the table as well.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

On a call said:


> Yeah...but those bunnies like to come out at night. And the owls here do a good job of cleaning them up. However if you have sooooo many rabbits it would take a flock of owls.


Here's my trivial mind again... A flock of owls is called a parliament.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

youngdon said:


> Here's my trivial mind again... A flock of owls is called a parliament.


He's right!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I have a picture in my mind of all the members of parliament sitting with their coiffures on and round spectacles. HMMM do you think? It must be the house of lords though, just because it seems they would be stuffy or should I say stuffier. No offense if your family is either spiritual or temporal Matt. LOL


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

I'd never take offence from things you say Don. Some are right old gits!


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

I bet parliament does not control rabbits any better than fox ?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Snaring is a good way, ferreting and lamping.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Yes all good control measures.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Mattuk said:


> I'd never take offence from things you say Don. Some are right old gits!


Some things don't change no matter the country, they just call it by a different name.


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## bgfireguy (Apr 12, 2011)

Wow whole lot of rabbit pelts over there huh? How do you guys have to dispose of that many bodies?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I believe they put them on pikes as a deterent to other rabbits, but I could be wrong.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

So are you saying that is why the pike are so big over there ?


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

youngdon said:


> I believe they put them on pikes as a deterent to other rabbits, but I could be wrong.


Never heard of that one Don.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

bgfireguy said:


> Wow whole lot of rabbit pelts over there huh? How do you guys have to dispose of that many bodies?


How do you mean bdfireguy, once shot, skinned, the bones? Sometimes we don't even pick them up!


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## bgfireguy (Apr 12, 2011)

Really? I would think that with that many rabbits being offed they would require you to bury them or something. Over here in Illinois we have to bury our beavers if we get unless you buy a special tag to keep the pelt.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

bgfireguy said:


> Really? I would think that with that many rabbits being offed they would require you to bury them or something. Over here in Illinois we have to bury our beavers if we get unless you buy a special tag to keep the pelt.


What ?? you throw them away ????


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## bgfireguy (Apr 12, 2011)

Yea the permits that I and a friend have allow us to hunt beavers on his familys farm creeks all year long even when its outta season because of how destructive they are on the crops. so its a trade off required per our permit to hunt year round is to bury them. it sucks but hey although id rather sell the pelts, if it means that i hunt something year round when no one else can, its a trade off to me.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Use them as bait for coyotes, if of course they are legal to hunt year round.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Bg...I understand now...Don makes a good point, yote bait


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

bgfireguy said:


> Really? I would think that with that many rabbits being offed they would require you to bury them or something. Over here in Illinois we have to bury our beavers if we get unless you buy a special tag to keep the pelt.


The trouble is bfg people have got use to meat in a wrapped up ploy tray in the supermarket they are only just being turned back on to wild game by the tv chiefs who are doing a really good job. A lot of people who shot big numbers of rabbits didn't deal with them because they got little back from the game dealer.


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