So I arrived back in the new house (With the wife) after a BIG couple of days driving down with the new boat (Pics to follow)and this cheeky bugger casually walked past me and started nibbling grass. Now I don't know whether to hit him with the air rifle OR keep him around.

I only see them places I can’t shoot them.

Let him be!

I'd let him stay. We have several here that come and go and I like to just watch them from the house. The Springer Spaniels have other ideas though.

Pete

If you want more leave it alone soon you well have many.

If not him kill it.

I shall call him Steve and he will be my friend....until he eats my vegetable garden then he shall be my dinner

Non-native invasive. Kill him, Bakesley, fry that bastid up.

You're SUCH a hillbilly Ann

Before Calici virus Ann that’s what we would have done to all rabbits. They have wreaked havoc on this country.

Nowadays many areas it is rare to see a bunny.

I think they keep re-releasing strains of Calici to keep it going.

The problem with that virus is I believe it has gotten over there to the States and is affecting our native wild rabbit and hare species. I raise domestic bunnies for poop (garden compost) and meat. Would hate to lose them from a disease like that.

Ann there is a vaccination you could get to protect domestic rabbits (pets and meat rabbits etc) The virus doesn't effect hares only rabbits (trust the science )

I'm still trying to figure out what a "Cheeky bugger" is. LOL

Ya, let it live and then shoot away for the pot once you get a herd of them.

Good luck in the new place, sir.

Zeke

quote:

Originally posted by Bakes:
Ann there is a vaccination you could get to protect domestic rabbits (pets and meat rabbits etc) The virus doesn't effect hares only rabbits (trust the science )

Dude, hard to trust the 'science' these days. Gawd.

Indeed! I recall the old George Carlin routine about the scientist experimenting with new birth control pills, + the punch line was "Well when these women turn 65 + one leg gets shorter than the other, they'll just say, gotta recall those pills."

Ann, I bought a hardbound copy of the Merck Veterinary Manual when I was raising rabbits in the early 80s. You may borrow it if you like.
P-Dog, you are right about their populace increase, they breed like, well, like rabbits.

Just to clarify. The cheeky bugger is a European Brown Hare not a rabbit. They have 2 to 4 young known as leverets born above ground. Much easier to control their numbers than bunnies. Any dog can catch a young leveret and they are easy to spotlight. When I took over a new farm in Southland we took 60 the first night with the spotlight and 16 the next day. After the first month of control we hardly ever saw one again. Rabbits were a different matter!

Hare today, gone tomorrow.

I agree with Ann - shoot him along with any of his relatives....