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Rabbit Population

Lawdwaz

By Lawdwaz,
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Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

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It seems to me I've never seen so many rabbits, they are everywhere!  I have a couple running around my yard daily, there's three or four at work each day and countless and I mean countless others I see every place I drive.  Up in Waterport (Orleans County) there has always been lots of them in the summer but even this year there appears to be a bumper crop.  My wife and I were driving someplace around home a couple weeks ago and saw better than a dozen in just a mile or so of side streets.

Anybody else notice this?

 

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CharlieNY Proficient

CharlieNY

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Lawdwaz- this is probably the peak year of what is commonly referred to as "the 10 yr. cycle" in which rabbit populations reach a peak. It is described below in the Indiana DNR website. As an avid rabbit hunter with 2 beagles, I am looking forward to a good season this year. Rabbit hunting is one of my most enjoyable forms of hunting and a great form of physical exercise as I am always on the move with the dogs.

Cottontail numbers, like most animal populations, run in cycles of highs and lows. The population builds up, then disease, strife and poor reproduction reduce numbers to a low level. This low may continue for two or three years before a slow increase begins to bring numbers back to another high. Peak populations usually occur at intervals of about 10 years.

valoroutdoors.com

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uberyan Newbie

uberyan

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I've seen them fairly regularly on the walking trails around me. Every now and then would see one or two scurrying about on my front yard when I pulled into the driveway.

Last night went to put the trash out and there was one sitting on the grass on the edge of my driveway right by the curb. I passed by it with less than 3feet of space between and it didn't even move. Checked from my window about an hour later, still there just hanging out.

What are the restrictions on hunting rabbits and small game in general?

I know it's a daily bag limit of 6 and figured out the areas of Long Island where it's permitted.

But in terms of weapons, are only air guns allowed or can you use a .22?

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Doc Experienced

Doc

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I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

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The_Real_TCIII Grand Master

The_Real_TCIII

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19 minutes ago, Doc said:

I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

Id look no further than your shooting ability

 

 

 

hehehe

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jperch Collaborator

jperch

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13 minutes ago, Doc said:

I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

Us "old farts" remember when there was a dead rabbit every few hundred yards on the highways.  Limits were common if you had beagles.  I believe the most likely cause of the drastic bunny decline is the increase in hawks, owls, etc.  For that matter, there was not as many songbirds either.  Back then, due to DDT, there were almost no birds of prey in these parts.  Now they are plentiful and they do a great job at taking out a high percentage of the young of the year.  I often see a fair number of them this time of year but by Fall most are already gone.

jperch

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Moho81 Mentor

Moho81

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I was just thinking the same thing this morning after I let the dog out and she chased one away. Every morning and evening there seems to be a few in the yard. One of the golf courses I play has rabbits everywhere. I damn near run one over with the cart every time. 

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thphtm Newbie

thphtm

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35 minutes ago, Doc said:

I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

You answered your Question with your statment above. Also the woods have overgrown ,too many tall trees and no underbrush for them to hide in, This state needs a major land clearing effort.A year ago the first time in 10 years I had 2 young rabbits that would come to feed at my pet rabbit hutch , not any more the foxes got them . 

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Culvercreek hunt club Enthusiast

Culvercreek hunt club

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56 minutes ago, Doc said:

I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

I would venture to say it's a combination of factors. An increase in Raptor and canine populations coupled with a maturing forest . The less efficient small farms that were common back then left a lot of harvest in the fields. There were a lot of hedgerows and brush lands becasue the equipment was smaller on the farms and was not necessary to plant every square inch of the property. Cash cropping is a different approach now. 

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Buckmaster7600 Mentor

Buckmaster7600

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I remember a time when I could go out rabbit hunting even without a dog and expect to come home with some great tasting supper. I haven't been able to do that at anytime during the last 2 or 3 decades. I'm not sure what is so different these days. Any guesses?

I'm only 30 and when I was a kid I could walk around in the winter with a 22 and shoot 4 or 5 a day and did it a few times a week my grandmother and other family members loved them and I loved hunting them. Now I have a dog and we go out a few times every week and I'm lucky to get him on one track a day. I don't even shoot them anymore because we just don't have enough.

I don't honk as others have said birds of prey put a hurting on them as well as the coyotes and foxes. Around my place the biggest difference is the fishers and bobcats. I was probably 20 when I saw my first fisher around here and probably 25 when I saw my first bobcat around the house. Now I feel like I see them once a week or so.

There is a lot more predators around now than there was 20 years ago that's for sure.


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Lawdwaz Grand Master

Lawdwaz

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13 hours ago, CharlieNY said:

 Rabbit hunting is one of my most enjoyable forms of hunting and a great form of physical exercise as I am always on the move with the dogs.

 

Ever try dove hunting?  Not much exercise but tons of fun and great table fare at a wonderful time of the year.....

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BizCT Grand Master

BizCT

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Is that high fence hunting Biz ????

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257 Weatherby 'oughta do the trick!

Aaaaaaa what's up, Doc???

That's low fence, still fair chase. Unit 3S, so bow only. But even that would be cheating. I get closer each time I see him. I should be able to grab him by September with my bare hands.

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