Releasing wild rabbits ( Stupid question but still)

[Gunfun]

I'm always impressed by hunters concerns for the welfare and ethics of taking their quarry.
There are millions of chickens, pigs and cattle cultivated and slaughtered each week to feed the people of this country, and it's a shame that the same media/groups that stigmatises hunters doesn't show the same high standards for their welfare.

Logically I don't see harvesting enclosed free range rabbits with a rifle any less unethical than catching them, transporting them to slaughter houses and using bolt guns or throat slitting for the dispatch. In fact done discreetly, shooting is much more ethical, humane and less stressful to the animal, unfortunately where shooting is concerned it's never pure logic, and a 'perceived emotional perspective' of others must be considered.

[kash2001]

Hi all.
I know is may seen like a very stupid question but I you don't ask you don't get haha
I am a keen air gunner and I was wondering if I could release some wild rabbits on my own land as I don't have any at the moment. I know it may be illegal but how would I do it and where could I buy them from.
Many Thanks
Kez

Although its not ethical to some or even legal, its the same question I had too. I posted a while back about attracting wild rabbits to our area. Acres and acres of rolling green fields with barely a rabbit on it. I cultivated the area in an attempt to draw rabbits in - not particularly to shoot, as I actually do enjoy seeing them about. Not seen mixy round us and dont want it the rabbits within a mile or two all look healthy which is good.

It is also good to know that should I feel like a rabbit meal that they are just a field away. I also wondered about running about the country lanes at nights with a big net trying to catch healthy rabbits caught in the head lights of the car and whisk them off to our area for release. But as yet Ive not done it, I see it as relocate rather than introducing new rabbits, anyhow its a interesting question.

I would do it if I could, cause although vermin and a good meal, they are part of our countryside and I know farmers dont like them and I understand why, I use to shoot them for farmers in our area when I lived in the home counties. Without rabbits its a very dull countryside, the usual cows/sheep for our consumption, a pheasant or two escaping the shotgun and the odd squirrel. Our landscape looks almost barren even though we are surrounded by acres of greenery. Foxes and hunting birds are doing too good a job and they themselves will starve if the food source disappears.

"I'm always impressed by hunters concerns for the welfare and ethics of taking their quarry.
There are millions of chickens, pigs and cattle cultivated and slaughtered each week to feed the people of this country, and it's a shame that the same media/groups that stigmatises hunters doesn't show the same high standards for their welfare.

Logically I don't see harvesting enclosed free range rabbits with a rifle any less unethical than catching them, transporting them to slaughter houses and using bolt guns or throat slitting for the dispatch. In fact done discreetly, shooting is much more ethical, humane and less stressful to the animal, unfortunately where shooting is concerned it's never pure logic, and a 'perceived emotional perspective' of others must be considered. " Totally agree.

The rabbit has been here long enough for other animals to depend upon it as a food source, it is us that are killing them off to the point that others in the ecosystem will suffer. Rabbits are a pest in some areas, but I dont see anything wrong in encouraging their rejuvenation in the area where they are welcome. Yes rabbits do move on but if culled reasonably well and the local wildlife eating them the warrens shouldnt get out of hand.

I've now got 3 rabbits and 2 hares in our grounds give or take, they'll be safe here from me for a while anyway , well at least till their numbers explode (which I doubt) but seeing a white tail bob around here brings a smile to those that see them round here. I regularly cut an area of grass by the field corners where there is good cover of copse and hedgerow, its worked but it could also be luck too that they have arrived to feed in this area.

Good luck with whatever you do to get them on your land. I cant imagine the armed response team kicking down your door cause youve managed to acquire a few rabbits even if they did survive in your fields.

[Muskett]

Warrener's were people employed to provide rabbits for the table from an enclosed rabbit warren. Rabbit farming. Thats how the Roman's brought them over and why when the Romans left the rabbits went with them. So it was probably Vikings, Saxons or Normans that brought them over in large enough numbers for escapees to establish themselves. Wild warrens might have been a preferred method anyhow. Netting and ferreting was a commercial enterprise until mixi. There are huge eating rabbits bred and reared in small cages in Europe today. Between 20,000 and 40,000 rabbits a year are required for the UK meat market, much exported.

Hunting and shooting sports do one thing that no alternative has yet been found to do better when done well and that is the management, and food provision for birds, in areas of the countryside that no one else would ever bother with. Hunting sports do great conservation works and all self financing. No one has come up with such a sustainable and substantial system that does so much good for wildlife and management their habitat. Without it all there would be nothing. The best all the rest of the animal lovers brigade does is token.

[T 20]

My first thought when I read this thread was "what a dick."

It is also my last thought.

Releasing wild rabbits to get a population you can shoot? Weird. Very weird.

You should have a word with yourself.

Now before we slate the OP and new member any further, he simply asked about the legality of introducing rabbits to his land :-

Hi all.
I know is may seen like a very stupid question but I you don't ask you don't get haha
I am a keen air gunner and I was wondering if I could release some wild rabbits on my own land as I don't have any at the moment. I know it may be illegal but how would I do it and where could I buy them from.
Many Thanks
Kez

As he has no rabbits at present, it could be that his land is unsuitable to support a rabbit population or he would already have one.
I only have rabbits on 15acres out of 70acres here at Quigley Hollow as the other 55acres are heavy clay which is hard digging.



All the best Mick

[robs5230]

Rabbits are the responsibility of the landowner in terms of controlling them. If they then become a problem on an adjacent bit of land the neighbouring landowner may have some legal comeback. Its unlikely any rabbits released on your shoot, will confine their activities to your land. Crop destruction by rabbits can have large financial implications.

[Drew451]

Above #19 & #20. Voices of reason on the thread at last.

[GoodWILLHunting]

My first thought when I read this thread was "what a dick."

It is also my last thought.

Releasing wild rabbits to get a population you can shoot? Weird. Very weird.

You should have a word with yourself.

Harsh, but fair-ish.

It is however worth bearing in mind that rabbits were introduced to many places, estates and what not, as a food supply for workers etc.

That was the case here, can't remember the date it happened, before my time, but I do remember the date the last of them drowned, when their tidal island stronghold was over topped by the sea in the big storm of 2005, as the ground isn't suited to rabbit movement from one place to another they tend to get stuck in suitable pockets. So unless the Skye population take up swimming thats it for us on the bunny front.

[angrybear]

Although its not ethical to some or even legal, its the same question I had too. I posted a while back about attracting wild rabbits to our area. Acres and acres of rolling green fields with barely a rabbit on it. I cultivated the area in an attempt to draw rabbits in - not particularly to shoot, as I actually do enjoy seeing them about. Not seen mixy round us and dont want it the rabbits within a mile or two all look healthy which is good.

It is also good to know that should I feel like a rabbit meal that they are just a field away. I also wondered about running about the country lanes at nights with a big net trying to catch healthy rabbits caught in the head lights of the car and whisk them off to our area for release. But as yet Ive not done it, I see it as relocate rather than introducing new rabbits, anyhow its a interesting question.

I would do it if I could, cause although vermin and a good meal, they are part of our countryside and I know farmers dont like them and I understand why, I use to shoot them for farmers in our area when I lived in the home counties. Without rabbits its a very dull countryside, the usual cows/sheep for our consumption, a pheasant or two escaping the shotgun and the odd squirrel. Our landscape looks almost barren even though we are surrounded by acres of greenery. Foxes and hunting birds are doing too good a job and they themselves will starve if the food source disappears.

"I'm always impressed by hunters concerns for the welfare and ethics of taking their quarry.
There are millions of chickens, pigs and cattle cultivated and slaughtered each week to feed the people of this country, and it's a shame that the same media/groups that stigmatises hunters doesn't show the same high standards for their welfare.

Logically I don't see harvesting enclosed free range rabbits with a rifle any less unethical than catching them, transporting them to slaughter houses and using bolt guns or throat slitting for the dispatch. In fact done discreetly, shooting is much more ethical, humane and less stressful to the animal, unfortunately where shooting is concerned it's never pure logic, and a 'perceived emotional perspective' of others must be considered. " Totally agree.

The rabbit has been here long enough for other animals to depend upon it as a food source, it is us that are killing them off to the point that others in the ecosystem will suffer. Rabbits are a pest in some areas, but I dont see anything wrong in encouraging their rejuvenation in the area where they are welcome. Yes rabbits do move on but if culled reasonably well and the local wildlife eating them the warrens shouldnt get out of hand.

I've now got 3 rabbits and 2 hares in our grounds give or take, they'll be safe here from me for a while anyway , well at least till their numbers explode (which I doubt) but seeing a white tail bob around here brings a smile to those that see them round here. I regularly cut an area of grass by the field corners where there is good cover of copse and hedgerow, its worked but it could also be luck too that they have arrived to feed in this area.

Good luck with whatever you do to get them on your land. I cant imagine the armed response team kicking down your door cause youve managed to acquire a few rabbits even if they did survive in your fields.

I grew up 1/2 mile outside Oke, we only had a few rabbits in one small Crab-Apple copse none in the other fields, probably due to the heavy clay soil.

If there are rabbits within a mile but not on your land then it's due to either soil type or habitat, they don't want wide open rolling green fields , they want the cover of hedges, copses & other overgrown areas.

[Barryg]

Now before we slate the OP and new member any further, he simply asked about the legality of introducing rabbits to his land :-

All the best Mick

But dont you think that the media would have a field day at the idea, it's the opposite to pest control and a chore you would rather not do.
I think that airgunning should look squeaky clean and not a bloodthirsty sport/hobby. If Im wrong I'm wrong

[kash2001]

Yeah thanks Angrybear, I grew up in Bucks in the countryside and the rabbits there seemed to love big open fields, the farms I did vermin control were cattle and grazing lands, the rabbits would be in the hedgerows, but spent half the day out in the fields around. Used to love as a teenager going out with my HW80 and Optima3x9*45 in the mists of the morning - nothing like it

But although we have occasional rabbits here, they are very nomadic unlike Bucks bunnies, they never stay for long. As you say its probably to hard to dig the wet clay to build a substantial warren. But I know we have two rabbits as I have them on our wildlife cameras feeding where I cut the grass coming out almost nightly, but just two never more... occasionally just one but they are consistent. Mainly coming out at 2-3 am but I have seen one out occasionally in the late afternoon in the copses around.

Theres no chance of them over populating here, too many foxes and hunting birds, but they are a pleasure to watch in the late afternoon in summer even if its only one

I live in hope that a few more turn up, cause with only pigeons, crows, starlings and robbins its a blank, albeit beautiful canvas out there...

[Muskett]

I think we all think the worlds a better place for rabbits. I think they are very cute. I like eating them too.

Air Rifles have a perfectly legitimate and legal place in vermin control. No one makes anyone go shooting vermin, but those who like to can. Plenty of opportunity to plink and target shoot for those that care not to.

Ethically, I think its weird not to control and manage vermin, just need to be done correctly and humanely. Before mixi millions of rabbits were gassed. The bonus with rabbits is that they make good eating. Can't be said with rats unless a tree rat.
We live in a managed environment and without careful management then that would be cruel. In the UK 1/3rd of rabbits stave to death due to not laying down enough fat in summer and autumn, another 1/3rd from man induced diseases, but thankfully rabbits breed like rabbits.

I have seen a mega warren in Cambridgeshire where a field had 10,000 rabbits. The ground was a honeycomb. Council Land that no one had permission over. It would eventually be gassed.

[secretagentmole]

Irrespective of legal or not, then:
A rabbit warren every year sends fourth excess males and females to find new homes, to stop overcrowding. Thats the natural method.
If your patch has no rabbits then quite possible the ground isn't good for holding rabbits, or establishing a warren or two. Poor land and rabbits will be always be scarce. If there are signs of old warrens then if they were suitable local rabbits will repopulate then soon enough. Poor drainage, and no cover are the main reasons for few rabbits.

Catching a whole lot up and dumping them on your ground is unlikely to result in anything more than bewildered terrified rabbits that the local foxes will sweep up in no time. Or the local rabbits will hound out sharpish.

The spread of desease is high. Rabbits are vermin for good reason and its not just what they eat but the damage they do.

Lastly,
This time of year most fields look empty. Go out with NV kit or a lamp at 3am and you will see the real rabbit numbers all feeding out in the fields. Numbers can be staggering.

Pays to be one of the first three does it?

[T 20]

But dont you think that the media would have a field day at the idea, it's the opposite to pest control and a chore you would rather not do.
I think that airgunning should look squeaky clean and not a bloodthirsty sport/hobby. If Im wrong I'm wrong

Well Barry,

It could be argued that the OP is just looking to increase the wildlife on his property and to manage their numbers if and when the need arises in the future --- he hasn't actually said why he wants rabbits on his property.

The small rabbit population I have cause me no problems or loss of earnings, and as predators and mixomatosis keep their numbers in check I never bother shooting them here --- I actually quite enjoy seeing them about.

I do shoot rabbits on other folks property when the rabbit population gets out of hand, but again I see that as just management of their numbers to an acceptable level rather than being bloodthirsty.




All the best Mick

[secretagentmole]

I grew up 1/2 mile outside Oke, we only had a few rabbits in one small Crab-Apple copse none in the other fields, probably due to the heavy clay soil.

If there are rabbits within a mile but not on your land then it's due to either soil type or habitat, they don't want wide open rolling green fields , they want the cover of hedges, copses & other overgrown areas.

Gonads, they will make their homes in wide open fields, they don't get much bloody choice in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire!

[Muskett]

Pays to be one of the first three does it?

Well spotted, forth you go for being a clever d..k. Male buck rabbits then its brawn not brains whatever Watership Down says.