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Hare's (not Hairs)
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ohouston



Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 12:58 pm    Post subject: Hare's (not Hairs) Reply with quote
    

Last week a nearby farmer asked me to sort out a problem with Hares. His cabbage crop was sprouting and a gang of aboth 15-20 yobbish Hare's were nibbling them up at a horrifying rate.

Well, I've got a soft spot for Hares - so I was a bit dismayed to hear they had become yobbish. But he sold me a tear jerk story, livlihood being nibbled to death, kids crying and in rags and hungry. "When will the yobbie Hares stop Daddy" sniff sniff.

Well, he bought them an early Christmas present - a gas gun, and after making an example of a couple with the .22 it looks like the rest have decided to stay in the woods, so I can heave a big sigh of relief as I've not had to resort to my own version of a scorched earth policy.

I'm up in the Grampians and have been pretty heartened to see the numbers of Hares going up recently (minus two because of cabbage violations, despite repeated warnings in clear English).

My interest is this, have the rest of the UK seen more Hares around (great to hear if thats the case). And secondly, any other 'Harey' stories (boom boom) you'd like to share?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Are you a professional then?

Andy B



Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Gas gun! do you shoot em or suffocate them.

cab



Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've noticed more around this year, but I never see enough of them to be able to say that there's a big increase. Seem to be more of them about in the fields South of Cambridge.

Alchemist



Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Aberdeenshire
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I've seen a few too. Whereabouts in the Grampians are you Ohouston? We're in Durris by Aberdeen, but occasionally stay out towards Lumsden and i've seen quite a few up there.

Guest






PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

No the "Gas Gun" is a thing powered by a propane bottle and it just makes a boom sound a couple of times every half hour or so. It is just for scaring things away and is harmless, unless your listening at the tube when it goes off of course.

I'm not a professional, but was brought up on a Farm and love the countryside, hence my interest in this site!

ohouston



Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

oops, forgot to log in, that was me as 'Guest' above.

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thought so. There's damn few round here, but it's not really the right sort of country for them.

Jonnyboy



Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Doing quite well over here, studies showed on average six hares per square kilometre, a six fold increase from 2002.

Or just a surveyor who couldn't count.

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have quite a healthy population of them here in our corner of Essex. The farmer next door has about 500 acres and I regularly see hares while out riding on her land. In a couple of places they almost seem to outnumber the rabbits.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Not seen any down here. Actually I don't remember seeing one since I holidayed on the Fens when I was a nipper.

ohouston



Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 14

PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds like a mixed bag for our friends the Hare, some areas up, some conspicuosly absent - possibly due to local factors [there are three, in order, 1. Food, 2, Predators (inc. man) 3. Disease]

How about rabbits? There are thousands in the North of Scotland right now. Does anyone know if 'they' are going to introduce another strain of Mixie? Whats peoples views on Mixie? I don't like it.

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We had a huge population of rabbits here last year, followed by a mysterious outbreak of Myxie....

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Rabbits are everywhere down here. I've not seen any with mixie while walking this year but I have done in past years.

I think more should be done to encourage people to eat rabbit before thinking about developing a better form of mixie.

Guest






PostPosted: Thu May 26, 05 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Quite right, my sentiments too.

Rabbit is very tasty, much better than supermarket anemic tasteless factory chicken or pork, poor buggers. (come on, its white for God sake!).

But how do we make the most of this wonderful (free!) rabbit bounty before it is killed off (again) by a very cruel man-made disease? (is it DEFRA that introduces it?)

Ok, my view is to (responsibly) shoot, trap, snare and ferret them and enjoy a fantastic meat that is leagues above the "supermarket" Deli.

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