Rabbits!

[IronSpirit]

As I'm sure you all can tell, I'm pretty new to hunting this year :)
I'd love to get some rabbits, but to be honest I hardly ever see them around South Jersey anymore! I remember maybe 10 or so years ago they used to be all over the place...feeding on the side of the road, in people's yards, and I used to see them in the woods a lot as well. Where have all the bunnies gone? Is it even worth it to target them in this area?
My next question is on techniques...I don't have dogs for it. Is it more effective to try and walk through brush and thick grass to "flush" them, or to set up near a field/feeding area and sit and wait? Any opinions/tricks/ etc...are greatly appreciated.

[DoubleDown]

walk hedge rows,thickets in the early morning and kick the real thick stuff as rabbits will sometime hold real tight.u are right,i believe bunny hunting was alot better 10-15 yrs ago.i do it maybe 1-2 times a year anymore.

[ub1243]

we stopped bunny hunting about 20 years ago.
too many feral cats.
also the years when the fox peak, the rabbits go. thats just a cycle.
but the cats have got to go.

and there are more red tails now then ever.
the bald eagles and red tails are everywere. i had a bald eagle eating my last gut pile for two days.

[Darrin Greene]

did removing leg hold traps influence the fox population and this their food source?

[ACEarcher]

I used to hunt a KILLER bunny farm. I mean one hedge row and you'd have your limit. With a bunch of guys it was a blast. A really awsome place. Unfortunitly the farmer sold out and its a development now. Shame, I had a lot of good hunting memories there.

[ACEarcher]

http://www.scholarpedia.org/wiki/images/thumb/c/cc/Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg/300px-Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg (http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Image:Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg)

Predator-prey models pritty much look like this. Prey pop is up then predator pop is up. Prey pop down than predator pop down. Kinda natures way of keeping in check.

[The Ridge]

I hunted a 5,000 acre club in South Jersey (Atlantic County Game Preserve) I covered just about every inch of that place and never once kicked up a bunny.We had groomed fields and food plots and we would release pheasants,quail,chuckers any birds left after a hunt if not hunted in a few days the Hawks that circled the fields would snatch them right up.I believe this also devastated the rabbits as well.We also had afew Ferrel cats there as well but some how they disappeared:fight:

[The Ridge]

http://www.scholarpedia.org/wiki/images/thumb/c/cc/Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg/300px-Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg (http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Image:Hoppensteadt_pp.jpg)

Predator-prey models pritty much look like this. Prey pop is up then predator pop is up. Prey pop down than predator pop down. Kinda natures way of keeping in check.


Years ago rabbits were all over the place.I mean crazy all over the place even on state game lands.One thing that was rare to see back in the mid to late 70's were the Hawks.When you would see one it was like check out that hawk.You could drive the PA Turnpike from Pit to Philly and see a few now they sit on every mile marker.I do not think the bunnies will ever come back.Too many predators who can supplement their diets with other critters so they will sustain. The bunnie population in my backyard is real strong and guess what we don't have? Hawks.

[IronSpirit]

So if I'm serious about this rabbit hunting thing my best bet is to set up rabbit decoys, bait in hawks, kill as many as I can, and hope that next season Peter Cottontail makes a comeback? :huh::p
I appreciate the feedback guys! I suppose if the population is low anyway and they get plenty of predatory pressure without me I don't need to be hunting them around here.
Gives me more time to focus on deer!

[The Ridge]

Believe me we wanted to take out everyone of those hawks but those suckers just flew a bit too high:naughty:
You are from Mays Landing I see.You should try to get into Duck hunting.I know its a bit expensive to get into it with the sneak box and all that stuff but you are in a good area.
A cheap way to spend the day go railbird hunting (Mud Ducks) (Clapper Rails) Go at high tide preferably new moon flood tide and work the sod banks and back criks. Dirty and wet but good fun and there is a chit load of them out there.They eat good as well.Just don't shot the ones with the YELLOW LEGS.It would be like shooting a hawk,Owl,Piping Plover not good.Make sure you know what they look like.

[IronSpirit]

I have heard of rail hunting! And have considered it, I have a 25' CC I keep in the bay and I've been meaning to park on a sod bank and walk the marshes for "mud hens" but just haven't gotten around to it. If I have time to be on the boat I can't focus on anything but fishing!
I believe the season is closed for rails now anyhow...friends of mine have said you can hunt ducks the same way...by walking the marshes. This year I'm learning and trying a little bit of everything so I can figure out what type of hunting is most enjoyable for me and what I should invest money in.
So far nothing beats stalking deer with a "stickbow", I haven't shot one yet but I've learned how to walk in the woods, and I'm getting closer and closer to them on foot. I've been deer hunting a few years and I think this might be the season :)

Whats wrong with hunting piper plovers? I understand they are tasty and if we get them all we can drive on the beaches all we want :thup::fight::razz:

[The Ridge]

I guess as you may know they stock pretty heavy pheasants and quail over at Peasly (spelling). Got to get ther during the week though and of coarse right after stocking.I have a good friend that hunts there a whole bunch when he is not over at ACGP he has a blue pickup ,white beard and a setter named patch.His name is Frank he owns Franks Boat Rentals in Strathmere.If you ever run into him try to hook up with him. Im sure he will be happy to have you hunt with him.he is over there often.Or he could steer you in the right direction. Tell him Don said hi.He will be at our deer camp in PA in the next few weeks and he always brings up a boat load of pheasant so I know he'll be out there.He also brings up a chit load of clams so he might be spotted near flat creek in Strathmere atleast he better be WE count on those clams,

[ub1243]

did removing leg hold traps influence the fox population and this their food source?

not at all. most guys over came the loss of the leg holds and learned snares within a few years.
fox are programed to eat the same food, what ever they can get. i see them eating apples and grasshoppers, but mice, voles, moles, and rabbits are the food source.
it's just cycles.
but the rabbits just can't make a come back with the hawks and cats.

[njhunter11]

If you really want some rabbits try networking with your friends and see if anyone knows somebody with a farm. Usually farmers are more than happy to get rid of some rabbits. I've never hunted them without dogs but i was told you have to walk around the hedge rows with a long stick and beat around in the patches of sticker bushes. It'd probably be easier if you had a friend doing the stick part while you wait for the quick flush. I go about a dozen times a year with beagles and on a average day we'll get 3 or 4 rabbits depending where we hunt. Usually each rabbit takes a good bit of time before we catch onto its pattern and develop a game plan to pick it off.

[beaglejohn]

seems to be more bunnies around this year then in the past imo i hunt 5 farms and they all seem to be holding plenty of bunnies opening day we started 9 rabbitts in 3 hours of hunting had 5 good chases and killed 5 rabbitts i think you need dogs anymore to bunnie hunt im fortunate to own now 6 beagles if your seriuos about goin shoot me an email see if we can hook up

[onthehunt]

The farm I hunt has a ton of rabbits. We just don't hunt them. We have a ton of hawks, sharpys, and a pair of bald eagles, also. I think the habitat is good for the bunnies. We plant a ton of honeysuckle for the deer and as you know, it is great cover for the rabbits to hide from the birds. Every winter we stack brush on top of the honeysuckle so the deer won't browse it down to the ground, which creates a bigger patch and more cover when spring arrives.(when most baby bunnies are born). So maybe loss of good hibitat is the cause:huh:

[Nitrous SwampRat]

if anybody needs someone to get rid of those vicious rabbits :D..IM YOUR GUY! LOL!

I had a beagle as kid and it was fun runnin him. I miss it.

I usually hit some of the WMA's late in the season to get some bunnies. not easy witout a dog but i usualy get a couple.
if anybody needs an "extra gun"..be happy to tag along....and i can "be the dog" if need be.
Im 34 now and i remember as a kid being the dog for my uncle and father. mom would get all mad at my pop b/c i'd be all scratched up by briars and thorns. it was a blast.
Nick

[ub1243]

We plant a ton of honeysuckle for the deer

i want to do this also. were are you getting the starter plants? did you have to protect them when you just started?

[onthehunt]

We had a bunch of patches in some neighboring properties. We just dug it out with a bobcat. Get under it with the bucket so you have the roots and soil. Then we just scrape the ground to bare dirt where you want to plant it and drop it on top. It will reroot it self pretty quickly. Make sure to cover it good with brush, tree limbs, old wicker chairs, etc. It will give it something to climb and it keeps the deer from eating it ALL. They love this stuff! Every year we put a little more brush on and the patch grows quickly. It will double in size in one season:eek:. IMO it is one of the best food sources you can plant on your property.