Rabbit numbers,

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by TassieTiger » 30 Aug 2019, 2:06 pm

It’s funny - the vegans / animal cruelty brigade go ape s**t about shooting...yet you never see them protesting govt offices that release mexo or other similar viruses...they seem to think that they just drift off into an everlasting dream...as opposed to die ing a horrific, painful and slow death...
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by xDom » 30 Aug 2019, 3:35 pm

TassieTiger wrote:It’s funny - the vegans / animal cruelty brigade go ape s**t about shooting...yet you never see them protesting govt offices that release mexo or other similar viruses...they seem to think that they just drift off into an everlasting dream...as opposed to die ing a horrific, painful and slow death...


Don’t see them getting all tied up in knots over people going fishing!? How’s ripping a fish out of the water with a hook any different than shooting game?
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by bigfellascott » 30 Aug 2019, 4:16 pm

Ya don't see em getting upset when someone yanks a veggie out of the ground roots and all rendering it a slow agonising death on a supermarket shelf somewhere either, what the f***s wrong with em.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by bigfellascott » 30 Aug 2019, 4:18 pm

Speaking of Rabbits, seen a good warren with about 20 young kittens running around on it the other day whilst out cutting firewood, I've been to this particular spot a few times over the years and it always seems to have good numbers of bunnies running around, yet anywhere else I go they have disappeared.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by marksman » 30 Aug 2019, 7:57 pm

there's still plenty where I go and a few in places that were decimated by calicy years ago
problem at the moment is that you can't get to them because of the mud and it's too far to walk out with your rabbits in tow
this year it seemed to be big rabbits that are about
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by bigfellascott » 30 Aug 2019, 9:17 pm

marksman wrote:there's still plenty where I go and a few in places that were decimated by calicy years ago
problem at the moment is that you can't get to them because of the mud and it's too far to walk out with your rabbits in tow
this year it seemed to be big rabbits that are about


Plenty of big rabbits should mean plenty of little ones sooner or later :D
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by xDom » 02 Sep 2019, 8:06 am

Last couple of mornings I've been going out in my normal spot in central Vic. This place is extremely well known and gets a lot of visitors with guns so the critters are hyper vigilant.
Now I've got my thermal viewer I can see there are a reasonable amount around. I nailed a couple each visit.
A thermal imager, NV IR clip on and a set of shooting sticks.... What a combo!!
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by John » 09 Apr 2020, 1:35 pm

I’m seeing more than ever in the hunter valley nsw at the moment where I live haven’t been able to put a dent in them so far.
But what I am noticing and not sure why is there not burrowing holes anymore there all seem to be living in wood heaps and anywhere there’s a bit of cover if anyone knows why I’d like to know out of curiosity. I haven’t seen any signs of new holes or them using old burrows all so not seeing any hairs around ether not sure if the virus has nocked them out ether.
There definitely a pest that needs controlling but I’d hate to see them wiped out there so much fun to hunt and a great tool to teach the youngsters how to hunt and being good numbers it keeps them interested unlike hunting big game where it can take many hours of patience to find one and to get a shot on
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by solarpak » 09 Apr 2020, 2:25 pm

Maybe its time to let the rabbit breed up and the rabbit processing industry resurrect itself.........

I dont know how we will be financially after the COVID disaster but we need every bit of help rebuilding this nation of ours.........i shudder to think it will take 20 years to get back financially.

I dare say the govt will increase the retirement age !!!

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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Stix » 09 Apr 2020, 2:40 pm

solarpak wrote:Maybe its time to let the rabbit breed up and the rabbit processing industry resurrect itself.........

I dont know how we will be financially after the COVID disaster but we need every bit of help rebuilding this nation of ours.........i shudder to think it will take 20 years to get back financially.

I dare say the govt will increase the retirement age !!!

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Bit late for a rabbit industry...

Unfortunately the many strains of virus are out there, & out there to stay...and its pretty devastating when it hits a populated area too... :thumbsdown:
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Ziege » 09 Apr 2020, 4:44 pm

Been knocking off a few and cooking them up last few days, not tonnes around but evidence of a fair few... Ones were shooting have great condition, probably something to do with the 60 rolls of fresh hay next to the Warren haha
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Ziege » 09 Apr 2020, 4:48 pm

Sadly yeah, of we are headed into another depression because of this covid ****** then the roo population and other furries are gonna get hammered, it was rabbit that got Australia through the great depression, almost every kid and family made a job of trapping and hunting them daily. My grandparents and almost every other persons grandparents would have starved if not for the over abundance of rabbit and its ease of access. As much as I understand the reasons behind using calici virus, I feel it's not a good thing going forward from this point on
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by NTSOG » 09 Apr 2020, 6:52 pm

G'day,

There are still no rabbits on my property [south of Ballarat] and there never have been in 34 years, but I know there are pockets of them in large numbers in surrounding areas not all that far away - pre-virus days. All I have is a mob of 'roos that increased after my neighbour whacked 30+ on his property and about 5 crazy hares.

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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by TassieTiger » 09 Apr 2020, 7:55 pm

I live on 5 acres and I’m in reasonable close proximity to some large sporting grounds - every year, I receive a notice in the mail box advising that the council is deploying calici virus to prevent sportsman from tripping over diggings in the ovals, etc.

Some rabbits have seemingly learned to stay away from their “areas” and most look fat and healthy and breed quickly but then some of those end up head butting low velocity .22’s...leaving one or two on the go constantly.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Stix » 09 Apr 2020, 8:56 pm

Ziege wrote:Sadly yeah, of we are headed into another depression because of this covid ****** then the roo population and other furries are gonna get hammered, it was rabbit that got Australia through the great depression, almost every kid and family made a job of trapping and hunting them daily. My grandparents and almost every other persons grandparents would have starved if not for the over abundance of rabbit and its ease of access. As much as I understand the reasons behind using calici virus, I feel it's not a good thing going forward from this point on


Yes Zeige...im not a fan of the virus...not from a shooters point of view, but from an economic POV...

I showed an Asian run retail meat seller (marketed as a butchery, but they dont have the foggiest how to butcher up meat, they get it all cut for them), a pic of 20 dressed out bunnies on my phone couple of years ago...should have seen their eyes light up...!!
They wanted as many as i can get & were willing to negotiate on price...

And as for the depression...youre spot on there mate...!!...thats ultimately how i got into this shooting caper...chasing bunnies was a given for couple of generations of grandparents i had, & my ol'man ended up a big time ferreter & trapper, with a love of shotgunning too...so hence, i grew up standing over warrens as a wee takker with a single barrel 410.

I alsolove my chasing foxes under spotlight & that is mostly what i do, & i can tell you without any doubt, the areas with no or very few bunnies, are hardest hit with brazen foxes come lambing time...this time of year is easy pickings as it is for foxes, but float around a flock dropping lambs with little mallee scrub & no bunnies & fill the boot with orange fur in no time.

I rekon the bunny has its place in our environment now...its replaced the natives we had that have been decimated by cats & foxes...I shoot couple properties where cats are "admired" for their apparent bunny & mice busting abilities, & the empty life on one farm ATM due to these cats is very sad.
With no cats & a few foxes to keep bunnys in check, there are lots of wildlife about...frillies, blue tonges & sleepy's & low level birds everywhere....
But now that cats are in the sheds, there is nothing anywhere....

Anyway...bit off track...bunnys are a part of our ecology now, & the useless goodie-tooshoes conservation busters should be focusing their efforts on cats...not the humble bunny...but try tell that to lefty biology or agri uni grad now... :roll: ...nope bunnys are the baddest of news...

I think they just target them because that virus is easy to work with & genetically modify, so once theyve wiped out bunnys, they can praise themselves to take away the focus on the cat problem we will be left with...
They claim the young ones build an immunity to to strains out there & thats bulldust...!!...each strain they claim they'll nail all bunny's but all they succeed in doing is pumping more future problems out there.

Anyway...the humble roo will now replce the humble bunny for a staple if this current virus caused depression gets any worse...there is already an influx of mixed mince available in shops now (roo/beef combo)...so i rekon we wont have the numbers problems with roos come this time next year...not down here anyway.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Stix » 11 Apr 2020, 2:35 pm

I like the look of "Spunky"...would make a nice little tea cosy... :lol:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnW3ciLBmJk

Each to their own eh...good on em... :lol: :clap: :drinks:
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by on_one_wheel » 13 Aug 2022, 6:46 pm

Been a while since anyone posted a numbers update.

I reckon the rabbits are having a great disease free season my way.
Only spotted one sick rabbit so far this year (mixy)
Today I found a whole mob, at least 30 of them in one tight bunch happily grazing on wheat grass between downpours.
Took a couple home, might head back later tonight and clean up. :thumbsup:
20220813_175847.jpg
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20220813_175847.jpg (221.26 KiB) Viewed 3801 times
Last edited by on_one_wheel on 13 Aug 2022, 10:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by animalpest » 13 Aug 2022, 9:38 pm

Stix - young ones do build immunity of sorts. They actually have a degree of immunity from the colostrum in their mothers milk.

Letting the same strain of virus go in the same area every year is a poor idea.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by bigpete » 14 Aug 2022, 1:05 am

on_one_wheel wrote:Been a while since anyone posted a numbers update.

I reckon the rabbits are having a great disease free season my way.
Only spotted one sick rabbit so far this year (mixy)
Today I found a whole mob, at least 30 of them in one tight bunch happily grazing on wheat grass between downpours.
Took a couple home, might head back later tonight and clean up. :thumbsup:
20220813_175847.jpg


Actually spent a couple of hours this arvo chasing bunnies with a bow,then sniping them with a 22 once my knees knocked up. Seems to be plenty about
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by 22Whorenut » 14 Aug 2022, 9:50 am

On one wheel, nice Sub HP performance. Which one were you using?
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by on_one_wheel » 14 Aug 2022, 3:55 pm

That's just Winchester Subsonic at a bit over 50m.
Front on heart lung that ended up sitting just under the skin on its ass cheek.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Oldbloke » 14 Aug 2022, 4:23 pm

Just starting to see a few pop up in SW Vic last 3 or 4 months.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Border_Bloke » 26 Aug 2022, 8:13 am

This time last year I saw about 10 (and took a couple home) in the bowhunting only area of the Manus state forest in NSW.
The apprentice reckons there are heaps at his family property near Holbrook.
I haven't seen any in the northern Vic areas where I hunt deer for a while now though.
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Re: Rabbit numbers,

Post by Billo » 26 Aug 2022, 2:31 pm

Hunted out west of Orange last weekend probably saw 30 bunnies all day playing around the black berries, won't last too much longer cause when it heats up the mozzie will get em.

Shot one with the swede offhand which was rather satisfying, so much so I've load up the 6mm with some 55gr BT for some red mist action in few weeks :thumbsup:
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