Rabbit population question

[BCfarmer]

Greetings:

What does the '11 rabbit population look like in your part of the world? I couldn't throw a stick this spring without scaring up one or more rabbits. They were everywhere. By mid July there were none to be seen. Last year they were all over the place through out the summer. A friend and I hunted about an hour after the first snow last fall and had five with five shots. I haven't even seed any killed on the roads since spring. Wonder if the dry weather took a toll? Just wondering.

BCfarmer

 

[SEIndSAM]

Welcome aboard BC, Greetings from SE Indiana.

I've seen plenty of rabbits in SE Indiana, looking out the window at 3 right now.

 

[Expat]

I think something may have happened this year. I saw quite a few in the spring, including babies. I haven't been seeing them hardly at all recently.

 

[x10]

I think something may have happened this year. I saw quite a few in the spring, including babies. I haven't been seeing them hardly at all recently.

this is exactly what happens around here.

no really huntable populations in this part of Morgan count, May be different 6 miles from me but I don't have permission to hunt there

 

[nsenneking]

I rabbit hunt a lot and i usually find that in spring you will see a lot more rabbits than in late summer or fall. Its not necisarily from them getting wiped out or anything, it can be anything from the thinning of cover in fall, to different food sources being available. They are just starting to move now at my place, 3 months ago my dogs could run 3 different rabbits right behind my house and now we have to go over 400 yds to even jump one

 

[kolob10]

Around here, the rabbitt population is inversly proportional to the predator population from year to year.

 

[windingwinds]

Last year by the time season came around, all we found was bits of fur from either the red-tailed hawks or the coyotes making the rabbits into dinner. My son only managed to jump one rabbit the entire season while hunting in Jan. The cover had been ate down too much by my pasture critters, aka horses so this year we have been focusing on increasing the cover by leaving fallen branches down, shutting the horses in dry lots, starting now (I have to supplement with hay anyways) and did not mow this year. I have been seeing rabbits almost every day. I hope that doesn't change come November.

 

[Sailor]

I see more birds of prey and less rabbits lately.

 

[Expat]

I see more birds of prey and less rabbits lately.

Yep, more hawks, more cats out roaming, more coyotes, more foxes...

 

[Lancem]

Always had plenty around until this year... 0 in the yard.. You know rabbits run in cycles, this is probably the low cycle

 

[Gamez235]

I've had a pair of red tail hawks around the neighborhood and have pretty much killed the critters, or the critters aren't moving.

 

[nate1865]

They're all over the place where I live. Of course, when I go out to hunt them - I won't see any!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I've lived either on the edge of Indianapolis or in Greenwood since 2001. I've seen fewer and fewer rabbits since then...

Until quite recently. I've seen "a few more" this year.

I've also seen more foxes (gggrrrrrrrrr, baby, grrrrrrr!) in Greenwood than I ever thought I would; including one running right through my yard.

All the other rural driving that I do, it sure seems to me like I've seen fewer and fewer rabbits, too. I like to think that it's related to too much habitat destruction (farmers removing fence rows more & more) and a booming coyote population.

-J-

 

[CindyE]

Greetings:

What does the '11 rabbit population look like in your part of the world? I couldn't throw a stick this spring without scaring up one or more rabbits. They were everywhere. By mid July there were none to be seen. Last year they were all over the place through out the summer. A friend and I hunted about an hour after the first snow last fall and had five with five shots. I haven't even seed any killed on the roads since spring. Wonder if the dry weather took a toll? Just wondering.

BCfarmer

They are plentiful here, where our neighbors think they are cute and feed them. I'd like to shoot them (the rabbits), but i think that's frowned upon inside city limits! i do not enjoy varmints that eat my garden!

 

[7.62-5.56Plinker]

a recent spike in coyotes (thanks DNR) is really taking its toll on every critter in the woods. everyone get out there and blast some yotes and youll see more critters in your woods.

 

[boatsandguns]

Greetings:

What does the '11 rabbit population look like in your part of the world? I couldn't throw a stick this spring without scaring up one or more rabbits. They were everywhere. By mid July there were none to be seen. Last year they were all over the place through out the summer. A friend and I hunted about an hour after the first snow last fall and had five with five shots. I haven't even seed any killed on the roads since spring. Wonder if the dry weather took a toll? Just wondering.

BCfarmer

Since rabbits travel in circles.. how do I know which ones i counted. when I was a kid, we didn't have a heck of a lot of rabbits around here.

 

[d1wil]

Someone released a lot of hawks down where i live. don't know if it was the dnr or who but there really working our rabbits over down here.