Bodger
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Bunny Hugger.
We are currently experiencing a mini plague of rabbits that are intent on turning my newly planted cider orchard into saw dust.  At the moment the rabbit guards are keeping them at bay but its quite disconcerting to see hoards of the little blighters every morning as I do my feeding and watering rounds. I might be cracking up here but I feel sure that they only have one thing on their mind. No ! Not sex but my apple trees 
I've shot a few at night time but their numbers and ambition seem to show little if any sign of decline.
A few months ago, at great expense I lashed out on a catch alive rabbit trap. They aint cheap I can tell you. For the first month or so, I faithfully followed the instructions and baited both the trap and the surrounding area with chopped apple and carrot but to no avail. The bunnies have totally ignored it and have 'cocked a snoop' at me. Its also become a standing joke within the family, who are also good at snoop cocking with me being the butt of considerable amount of humour. 
First thing this morning I had rather a suprise, infact it was one hell of a suprise.
I'd caught my first rabbit after all this time and then promptly let it go. It was only a 'lickle baby one' and I hadn't the heart to bump it off. Now, if it had been its Ma or Pa I would have killed and eaten it. I wasn't prepared to kill the baby rabbit but was quite prepared to make it an orphan, how much of a hypocrit does that make me ?
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Brownbear
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Dry your eyes and buy a rifle.
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lettucewoman
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AAAAAAAAhhhhhhh
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Bodger
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I've got the pie crust pastry ready for him when he's bigger. Do you think that the apples and carrots will make him tastier when he's bigger ?
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whitelegg1
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I could offer some assistance
Where abouts are you.......?
I'm housetrained, and used to be quite successful!!  Till I met the rabbits with radar!!!!!
Pete
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willow1
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But that little Cute Bunny is going to grow bigger and eat more of your trees.
Not sure where you are but im in Bristol and if you need a hand with an extra air riffle just give me a shout if im near by to you
all the best with those rabbits
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Bodger
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Hundreds of miles away unfortunately.
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cab
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| bodger wrote: | | I've got the pie crust pastry ready for him when he's bigger. Do you think that the apples and carrots will make him tastier when he's bigger ? |
Subtly flavoured with your tree saplings? Probably going to be gorgeous.
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Bodger
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Over my dead body. They've all got Colditz style wire netting guards around them. I dropped a small gooley when I first fitted them, which allowed the rabbits to get a nibble but touchwood, since I refitted them there's not been any further damage. 
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dpack
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i sympathise ,the rosewood bunnies are dug in like the viet cong and seem to know the moment i change from watcher to hunter 
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vegplot
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| dpack wrote: | | i sympathise ,the rosewood bunnies are dug in like the viet cong and seem to know the moment i change from watcher to hunter |
They smell your intent.
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dpack
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maybe ,it is odd how being watched is ok but being watched with intent has them laughing from the scrub at the edge of the hedge/warren in a tangle of twigs
the ones in sussex and scotland were easy prey but this lot are canny
judging by the number of 12 bore bangs in the area i recon darwinism is in action and this lot have evolved esp
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Pilsbury
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Bodger, next time im heading that way I will pack my air rifle and see if we can have bunnie pie if you like
I know how much you like knocking things up out of old pallets so pop up a hide now and let them get used to it, then it will be a suprise when a hail of deadly lead comes their way.
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Mrs Baggins
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Bodger - I feel your pain! Rabbits took out FOUR of the apple trees in our orchard early this year despite the trees being rabbit-caged. Then the trees went on to astound me by not only surviving but bearing a heavy crop of apples. Go figure.
I am going rabbiting soon to stock up the freezer and keep 'em under control. Rabbit pie for us!
Don't bother trying to eat a rabbit that's been caught in a live trap. They are so scared by the time you get to them that they are tough as old boots.
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woodsprite
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| Quote: | Don't bother trying to eat a rabbit that's been caught in a live trap. They are so scared by the time you get to them that they are tough as old boots.
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I absolutely agree!
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Old-Chads-Orchard
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Get a gun!
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nettie
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| vegplot wrote: | | dpack wrote: | | i sympathise ,the rosewood bunnies are dug in like the viet cong and seem to know the moment i change from watcher to hunter |
They smell your intent. |
I didn't even think you'd built your tent yet!
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Bodger
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A little update.
In the past six to eight weeks, I've manage to kill 30 plus rabbits with my air rifle and their numbers appear to be much reduced.
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stumbling goat
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good for you.
kf
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12Bore
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| offroading.net wrote: | Get a gun!
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Somebody call?
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