Rabbit numbers,

[on_one_wheel]

Here's a thread to report your rabbit numbers.
Have you seen an increase or decrease in population and activity ?

What are you seeing?

I've just returned from a trip that took me up through central SA, Port Augusta, Woomera, Roxby, William Creek / return.

Plenty of time was spent looking for fresh signs of rabbits. ZERO rabbits spotted, 1 in 100 holes show signs of recent activity.
I've NEVER seen anything like it.
Winter dormancy or successful virus results
Time will tell.

Even around home ( Lower Murray Basin ) the numbers have been reasonably low for a while now.

020717-Rabbit-virus-release-pic-Rabbit-Free-Australia.jpg (158.46 KiB) Viewed 12781 times

[xDom]

Yep, this is BS!. Went out the other morning in central Vic. Normally I at least see a few before they bound off.
Didn't even see a single one.

[flutch]

virus has them completely f***ed in WA

[bigpete]

We've been seeing heaps here

[bladeracer]

Here's a thread to report your rabbit numbers.
Have you seen an increase or decrease in population and activity ?

What are you seeing?

I've just returned from a trip that took me up through central SA, Port Augusta, Woomera, Roxby, William Creek / return.

Plenty of time was spent looking for fresh signs of rabbits. ZERO rabbits spotted, 1 in 100 holes show signs of recent activity.
I've NEVER seen anything like it.
Winter dormancy or successful virus results
Time will tell.

Even around home ( Lower Murray Basin ) the numbers have been reasonably low for a while now.

020717-Rabbit-virus-release-pic-Rabbit-Free-Australia.jpg

We had a spell of two years without any at all, then they started to come back, though not enough to warrant shooting them yet. But now they've disappeared again.

[AJB]

Not many getting around seen a few bugger all compared to Christmas time there was heaps

[YoungBuck]

I am still regularly shooting them into double digits on each trip at one of the properties I shoot on. I think I'm up to about 100 shot there now.
I've not really seen a reduction in numbers in my area.

[Sawyers]

virus has them completely f***ed in WA

Ive shot close to 40 of a small 10 acre block in the last year and a half, but havent seen any around for the last couple,e of months.

[xDom]

I am still regularly shooting them into double digits on each trip at one of the properties I shoot on. I think I'm up to about 100 shot there now.
I've not really seen a reduction in numbers in my area.

Is this central Vic? Last property shoot I went in near Maryborough there were bugger all.

[flutch]

virus has them completely f***ed in WA

Ive shot close to 40 of a small 10 acre block in the last year and a half, but havent seen any around for the last couple,e of months.

2010 through to 2015 there were literally hundreds on any given warren, 2016 half that, since i have seen a grand total of 10 rabbits and thats after covering literally more than 500,000 unique acres. as well as all adjoining roads and towns... me say they gone.

[1Fatman]

We went out last night and got just over 80, that was just on one property of about 45000 acres. Still plenty of them running around.

[Sawyers]

virus has them completely f***ed in WA

Ive shot close to 40 of a small 10 acre block in the last year and a half, but havent seen any around for the last couple,e of months.

2010 through to 2015 there were literally hundreds on any given warren, 2016 half that, since i have seen a grand total of 10 rabbits and thats after covering literally more than 500,000 unique acres. as well as all adjoining roads and towns... me say they gone.

The released a new variation of the calivicirus around our way around 2016 and it put a dent in them

[Noisydad]

After years of not making time for hunting, an opportunity too good to pass has been grabbed around the throat.
Down the back paddock at work (just out of town) is pretty rough area where an old abattoir was demolished and there piles of brick, concrete and dirt all pushed up. Perfect “rabbitat” and the ground is a moving mass of grey and they’ve never been shot at!
Boss asked me to do something about it so today was the day
Camp oven rabbit stew for tea tonight!

[bigfellascott]

Seen about a Doz or so last time out spotlighting, have seen quite a few flattened on the roads around town here and there too.

5yrs or so ago I was shooting sometimes up to 100 in one session, now I don't even bother really looking for them. might have a look in spring and see what I can find for the pot.

[Pademelon]

Well here on my place in Tas I see more feral cats than rabbits.

[tom604]

my properties have almost none ,,,,riverland and down south ish

[TassieTiger]

Well here on my place in Tas I see more feral cats than rabbits.

I’ see a couple now and again in the semi rural area near home but I see none at my bush property.

My kids played sports recently at a outer northern suburbs oval and there were signs warning of poison being used to control rabbits...

[Jon79]

Almost a novelty to see them here now

[Elmer]

Yup, bunny numbers have been very low where I go.
My premium patch normally holds between 60 to 100 did a head count yesterday and only saw 25.....I dont think any viruses have been through since I reckon the lack of rain for the past 2 years has decimated the numbers.
That's why I haven't been putting up any vids lately cos there ain't a lot to shoot.

[Peter988]

Place I shoot on in northern NSW was overrun with them in 2016/2017. We could shoot a couple hundred a night. Was like being back in the 60’s. The virus had no effect. Surprisingly though, myxo popped up again last year and decimated them. They are slowly coming back. Got 50 odd in a few hours spotlighting last week.

[ThumbNT]

been hunting down south near Wandering here in WA

last 3 trips we've seen 4 on a 250 acre property, shot zero.

heard some howling late pm/early am, my guess some feral dogs.

Was in Kalbarri in October 2018, got about 6 in half an hour.

[Cooper]

Hadn’t had many about. Went on the motorbike to check on the horses tonight. Saw 3 or 4 in a 1km ride. Hadn’t been seeing anying.

It is the the 1st of August and also saw a black snake out. Had frosts last two nights. Fairly sunny days. But was quite late in the evening about 5.30pm and the sun was down! Seems a bit early

[Stix]

Hadn’t had many about. Went on the motorbike to check on the horses tonight. Saw 3 or 4 in a 1km ride. Hadn’t been seeing anying.

It is the the 1st of August and also saw a black snake out. Had frosts last two nights. Fairly sunny days. But was quite late in the evening about 5.30pm and the sun was down! Seems a bit early

Mate that snake must be related to those magpies that arc up during the night...
Or he's in BIG trouble coming home from the pub that late...!!!

[Heretic]

Seen a couple in state forests but hardly any South or North of Sydney on private property.
Was only a few short years ago that I could fill a couple of eskys in an arvo, now won't shoot them and hope the numbers bounce back.
Calici virus AKA Rabbit Haemorrhagic Virus is very effective and has decimated rabbits in the Hunter region.

[straightshooter]

Only recently I saw a single young rabbit about 10 k's away from my place in the Young Cowra area of NSW. Otherwise I haven't seen any in the area for at least 10 years.
Hares yes, rabbits no.
But I have been told that not too far east in the Boorawa to Crookwell districts there are shootable numbers.
We still see many around Sydney but even daydreaming about shooting any of them would get a visit from the Tactical Response Group.
It's my suspicion that the calici virus will be very effective in some climatic zones and less so in other climatic zones.
I will probably be pushing up daisies by the time rabbits develop a resistance.

[Faedy]

Ive got a property near Boyup Brook in WA - perfect rabbitat, but lucky to see one or two out spotlighting. - the virus has nailed them

[bladeracer]

I will probably be pushing up daisies by the time rabbits develop a resistance.

Our rabbits have been decimated by calici, however, we have two, father and daughter, that seem to be immune to it. Another breeder brought out one of his girls to spend a week with our bloke, but nothing came of it. We have six youngsters now and we're hoping at least some mìght survive the next release.

Calici is a horrible death for them.

[on_one_wheel]

I will probably be pushing up daisies by the time rabbits develop a resistance.

Our rabbits have been decimated by calici, however, we have two, father and daughter, that seem to be immune to it. Another breeder brought out one of his girls to spend a week with our bloke, but nothing came of it. We have six youngsters now and we're hoping at least some mìght survive the next release.

Calici is a horrible death for them.

It definitely is.

Anyone who thinks that shooting animals for pest control is cruel should be made to watch animals die from poison and disease.

Normally you don't get to see the full effects of calicivirus like you did because unlike a pet rabbits or farmed rabbits, wild rabbits tend to die in their Warrens by bleeding from every orifice and drowning in their own blood.... nice

I'd choose the bullet thanks.

[Member-Deleted]

Declining numbers around the Euroa area of Vic, we would shoot up to 100 back in the late 90's to early 2000 after that it has become a downhill road, last year I took 3 during the whole season, or what I call a season Nov-Jan. But they are out there in pockets, a friend shot 80 on a 3 acre chicken farm down Gippsland, so they are about but only in pockets and those pockets are not where I hunted most of my adult life, very sad but the virus is definitely taking it's toll.

[Ricochet]

I'm just over the boarder from ACT, seen bugger all over winter, but have seen a few little spring bunnies popping up. If the damn licence aint approved soon I'll have to get the bow out.