Patience reaps rewards
Rabbit shooting in my part of the West Country took a serious nosedive towards the end of last summer. The simple fact was that the local population of bunnies seemed to disappear almost overnight, with the result that very few landowners had any need to keep their numbers in check.
Not so long ago, myxomatosis — which has been around for decades (see Vintage Times, p54) — was the main culprit when it came to sudden plunges in rabbit populations. The disease took a heavy toll over some years, but there always seemed to be a few resistant rabbits that made it through. And given this mammal’s deserved reputation for rapid breeding, colonies quickly bounced back.
Far more devastating over recent years has
