Norwood Green

I'd been contacted about removing rabbits from a new patch, so I arranged for my 1st visit on date that was agreeable with the gardener, and today was the day.

I arrived at his house at 10:00am, and I followed him, as he drove to the land.

We headed for the 1st warren, under a pair of large Hawthorn surrounded by sparse Bramble.

The gardener & I set the nets, I entered Bandito with her collar on, and we waited.

Within 5 minutes a huge doe hit a net, it pursed nicely, and Flash (lurcher) dashed in & pinned it until I relieved her of it.

Another 5 minutes passed, and a rabbit came to a hole and paused, I was about to grab it, when it turned back in.

I checked with the locator, and Bandito was right behind it, but still on the move.

Another 5 minutes passed, and Bandito was located 10' deep below the main trunk. So I entered Jilly.

10 minutes passed, and a rabbit hit a net.

Flash darted under the Hawthorn and pinned the rabbit.

The gardener was at that side of the warren, and as he went to grab the rabbit, told Flash to LEAVE!

She did, and the rabbit slipped the net and went back into the warren

A couple of minutes later Jilly emerged, so was returned to the box.

30 minutes passed, as I kept checking where Bandito was.

I finally pinpointed her at 3' and she wasn't moving

So the dig began

I dug 1' and checked again, still there!

I dug another 1' and checked again, still there!

I dug another 1' and checked again, not there!

A quick scan of the area, and she was on the move, and then started heading back to the hole I'd dug.

I dug a couple of inches in the clay, and broke through...

...a nest chamber, that was full of fresh grass & belly fur, with some blood spots.

She'd emptied the nest!

Then she poked her head out of the hole, and readily came out.

We ferreted another 4 warrens (2 were only 2-holers) and on the last warren Bandito flushed a rabbit from 13' deep, it bolted, slipped the net, and outran Flash to the boundary hedge

While we worked the 1st warren, a gang of 4 lads entered the land with a terrier, saw us and slinked back off the land.

While we worked the last warren, a lurcher was sent in to check the 1st warren we worked, while a couple of lads hid among the trees with another lurcher.

Well, I got 1 rabbit, and the gardener's now got my number, and I have his, and I've been welcomed to return.

Here's hoping my next visit is more fruitful.

When I skinned & dressed the rabbit, she had 4 large kittens, almost ready to be born, so the tally was 5.