Ferreting
This requires experience and is potentially laborious. It is best used in winter when no young rabbits are present which may cause the ferrets to lie-up and have to be dug out.

Long netting
Can be used in conjunction with ferrets / dogs or can be used as a form of drop net

Snaring
A free-running noose of brass wire is permitted. Snares must be visited at least once and preferably twice a day. There is a risk of catching non-target wildlife species and domestic pets, so they should be used with careful consideration

Spring Traps
Approved spring traps can be used to catch and kill rabbits. They must only be used within the overhang of a rabbit tunnel entrance. Traps must be visited at least once, but preferably twice, a day,  again there is the risk of catching non-target wildlife species and domestic pets, placing the traps in burrows or tunnels reduces this risk but it cannot be eliminated, so as with snaring careful consideration needs to be given to the use of these traps. All the spring traps we use, are approved by Defra under the spring traps approval order 1995.

Baited Cage Traps
Cage traps have proved to be very effective at controlling rabbits. The traps should be placed in the rabbits’ feeding areas and baited with sliced carrots. Cage traps must be visited at least once and preferably twice a day. Trapped rabbits must be humanely dispatched on removal from the traps. Cage traps can be particularly useful for catching rabbits in confined spaces such as gardens and cemeteries.

Drop Traps                                                                                           Historically used to catch rabbits within managed warrens, drop traps are once again being used to capture rabbits. A large sunken box is placed beneath a rabbit-proof barrier, usually a fence, through which rabbits are encouraged to pass at the trap location. Rabbits passing over it fall in to the catching box. Once set to catch, the trap must be inspected at least once and preferably twice a day, with captured rabbits being removed and humanely dispatched. Non-target animals should be released unharmed.

Legislation

Pests Act 1954: an Order has been made under this Act declaring the whole of England and Wales to be a rabbit clearance area in which every occupier of the land is responsible for destroying wild rabbits on his land. Where it is not practical to destroy them steps must be taken to prevent damage, e.g. by the erection of rabbit-proof fencing.

Protection of Animals Act 1911: requires that spring traps be inspected at least once every day between sunrise and sunset.

Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981: bans self-locking snares and requires that other snares be visited at least once a day.

Spring Traps Approval Order 1995: lists spring traps approved for killing rabbits.

Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996: prohibits the cruel treatment of wild mammals, but allows legitimate pest control by humane means. BJA/ASTS 22/02/08