Author Topic: Rabbits being rabbits (Read 12189 times)

heronblu · « **on:** June 09, 2015, 10:29:25 AM »

I have seen more rabbits this year than I can ever remember seeing. I'm thinking this is going to be a fun year with a lot of rabbit in the freezer and maybe some new hats and mittens!

Fl0und3rz · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2015, 10:33:41 AM »

I'd say I have seen about 2X the typical amount in suburbia King County. Blast away.

johnnyaustin44 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2015, 10:38:23 AM »

I also have seem way more than normal from everett to arlington. Usually between 6-7 in my yard every morning.

GBoyd · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2015, 05:53:58 PM »

The same down here in Tualatin. The farm where I work has tons running around, damaging trees. They're open year round here so I've been taking my bow out before work.

KenPCPilot · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:27:23 PM »

I used to have coyotes behind my development. The last time I heard them was last Thanksgiving. They are clearing a portion for new homes. I think the coyotes have left because the rabbit population is crazy. My son counted 8 in the neighbors yard recently. Thankfully I have dogs so they stay out of my nice landscaping. I live on a street about 1/8 mile long and I would not be surprised if there is at least 50 rabbits.

Dbax129 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:31:45 PM »

I have been seeing a lot of rabbits in kitsap county too. Just mentioned to my wife I dont ever remember seeing so many.
Does anybody have info on what type are around? Aome are closed and others are open year round. How to ide tify and what species ranges are. It would be fun to hunt them if I knew I could...

seth30 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:34:11 PM »

it seems that way in Whidbey too. Back in 2010 I remember seeing rabbits everywhere as well. Maybe its a five year cycle

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:34:32 PM »

It was a good year to get beagles based on the number of rabbits I have seen. Hares too.

You know rabbits typically have a pretty dramatic cycle in population. I think it's every 7 years they peak in most areas. No facts to back it up but it stands out in my memory.

jasnt · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:35:27 PM »

Should be a good year for bobcats then

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:38:12 PM »

Quote from: jasnt on June 11, 2015, 12:35:27 PM

Should be a good year for bobcats then

Wish I could run my hounds on them too

jackelope · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:38:59 PM »

Quote from: Jonathan_S on June 11, 2015, 12:34:32 PM

It was a good year to get beagles based on the number of rabbits I have seen. Hares too.

You know rabbits typically have a pretty dramatic cycle in population. I think it's every 7 years they peak in most areas. No facts to back it up but it stands out in my memory.

That's what I thought too.

jasnt · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:44:00 PM »

Quote from: Jonathan_S on June 11, 2015, 12:34:32 PM

It was a good year to get beagles based on the number of rabbits I have seen. Hares too.

You know rabbits typically have a pretty dramatic cycle in population. I think it's every 7 years they peak in most areas. No facts to back it up but it stands out in my memory.

this is true. Bobcats and lynx fallow the same cycle with them

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2015, 12:45:35 PM »

Well if this is a peak year then my beagles are going to think they are the best rabbits dogs on earth...reality wont set in until next year

KenPCPilot · « **Reply #13 on:** June 12, 2015, 09:27:13 AM »

be careful when eating them. If they have swollen lymph nodes in the neck they can be infected with Tularemia. wear protective gloves to avoid contact. If rabbit appears sick or if you see the liver has white spots the meat is probably infected and should not be eaten.

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #14 on:** June 12, 2015, 10:26:01 AM »

Quote from: KenPCPilot on June 12, 2015, 09:27:13 AM

be careful when eating them. If they have swollen lymph nodes in the neck they can be infected with Tularemia. wear protective gloves to avoid contact. If rabbit appears sick or if you see the liver has white spots the meat is probably infected and should not be eaten.

Yep, always check the liver. Tularemia is almost non-existent in cold weather months (rabbit season)

Jingles · « **Reply #15 on:** June 21, 2015, 06:31:06 PM »

If I remember right from my younger days a long time ago rabbits do have cycles of good years and bad years and I vaguely remember that the cycle was approximately 7 years But that was back in MI and were cotton tails

furiouzgeorge · « **Reply #16 on:** June 21, 2015, 07:11:55 PM »

Been seeing them everywhere, and it's been killing me that it's not winter!

Pete112288 · « **Reply #17 on:** June 21, 2015, 08:09:25 PM »

I was taught the same thing in school about the 7 year cycle. If I remember right they talk about the bobcat or lynx populations have a direct correlation with it. Predator numbers go down because of lack of prey, then prey numbers go up while the predator numbers are down, then the predator numbers go up again because the prey numbers went up, then the prey numbers go down again because of increased number of predators, and so on and so on.....

plottwalker · « **Reply #18 on:** June 25, 2015, 09:08:19 AM »

been a good year so far in oregon, have not found a spot to run that wasnt full up of them, last season was good in washington as well. 7 year cycles are correct. brush rabbits and cottontails seem to follow this cycle, snowshoes not so much.guys should plan to stock up on shells and dogs this season.

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #19 on:** June 25, 2015, 09:47:13 AM »

Quote from: plottwalker on June 25, 2015, 09:08:19 AM

been a good year so far in oregon, have not found a spot to run that wasnt full up of them, last season was good in washington as well. 7 year cycles are correct. brush rabbits and cottontails seem to follow this cycle, snowshoes not so much.guys should plan to stock up on shells and dogs this season.

I might have to add a dog or two to my "pack" from your stock. These two are doing awesome for only 14 weeks old. Really driven.

plottwalker · « **Reply #20 on:** June 25, 2015, 09:49:12 AM »

sounds good, everything i have now is spoken for, have a female coming in now... if all goes as planned will have pups ready to in 4 months.

Powerd · « **Reply #21 on:** June 25, 2015, 02:46:42 PM »

Quote from: furiouzgeorge on June 21, 2015, 07:11:55 PM

Been seeing them everywhere, and it's been killing me that it's not winter!

What kind of rabbits are you seeing? I thought the rabbits we see in northwestern Washington in people's yards and the streets are mainly the common unclassified kind? Is this correct?

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #22 on:** June 25, 2015, 02:51:30 PM »

Quote from: Powerd on June 25, 2015, 02:46:42 PM

Quote from: furiouzgeorge on June 21, 2015, 07:11:55 PM
Been seeing them everywhere, and it's been killing me that it's not winter!

What kind of rabbits are you seeing? I thought the rabbits we see in northwestern Washington in people's yards and the streets are mainly the common unclassified kind? Is this correct?

What kind would that be? Cottontails? Yeah they are classified and a small game animal.

jasnt · « **Reply #23 on:** June 25, 2015, 06:28:37 PM »

Quote from: Jonathan_S on June 25, 2015, 02:51:30 PM

Quote from: Powerd on June 25, 2015, 02:46:42 PM
Quote from: furiouzgeorge on June 21, 2015, 07:11:55 PM
Been seeing them everywhere, and it's been killing me that it's not winter!

What kind of rabbits are you seeing? I thought the rabbits we see in northwestern Washington in people's yards and the streets are mainly the common unclassified kind? Is this correct?

What kind would that be? Cottontails? Yeah they are classified and a small game animal.

i think he's talking feral rabbits

furiouzgeorge · « **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2015, 07:03:43 PM »

Cottontails! I guess I'd eat feral rabbits too...

Sent from my verykool Fusion SL4500 using Tapatalk

PiNkPaNtHeR · « **Reply #25 on:** July 20, 2015, 11:24:48 PM »

Quote from: Jonathan_S on June 12, 2015, 10:26:01 AM

Quote from: KenPCPilot on June 12, 2015, 09:27:13 AM
be careful when eating them. If they have swollen lymph nodes in the neck they can be infected with Tularemia. wear protective gloves to avoid contact. If rabbit appears sick or if you see the liver has white spots the meat is probably infected and should not be eaten.

Yep, always check the liver. Tularemia is almost non-existent in cold weather months (rabbit season)

Man, that's enough to scare me away from eating them. This is the first I ever heard of it. Shot and ate plenty in Maine many years ago. Potentially fatal? No thanks!
We now have them on the property this year for the first time since we've owned it. One was in the garden the other night as we put up deer fencing but didn't think we'd need to hold it tight to the ground just yet. Wrong again.

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #26 on:** July 21, 2015, 07:10:31 AM »

Been seeing lots of hares up high this month. Saw a few that were poached and left in the road

why?

Gets me excited for winter with the new dogs

jasnt · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2015, 02:27:57 PM »

Quote from: Jonathan_S on July 21, 2015, 07:10:31 AM

Been seeing lots of hares up high this month. Saw a few that were poached and left in the road why?

Gets me excited for winter with the new dogs

i bet, I'd be excited too. I've never gotten a chance to run rabbits with dogs. Sounds like a blast!

Why would any one shoot rabbits out of season and hot weather to boot then carry them to the road only to just toss them aside?

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #28 on:** July 22, 2015, 11:35:54 AM »

I think they just shot them in the road. I see hares sitting in the roads up North in the mornings. Still a brain-dead and wasteful thing to do.

Those snowshoes really give beagles a run for their money.

seth30 · « **Reply #29 on:** July 23, 2015, 08:59:10 AM »

How far do they run after being jumped? Are they similar to cottontails or jack rabbit behavior after being bumped?

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #30 on:** July 23, 2015, 09:05:52 AM »

Snowshoe hares are the energizer bunny. They go and go and go.

It seems like if the dogs aren't able to get them to run past you in the first few minutes then it's a loooooong chase. I'd say closer to Jackrabbit behavior. Not that I've ran Jacks.

After a weekend of hare hunting, the cottontails are nice for the dogs to get behind and see once in a while.

Jonathan_S · « **Reply #31 on:** July 23, 2015, 09:06:28 AM »

It's been a while since I've been out with good rabbit dogs so this winter will be fun

seth30 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 23, 2015, 11:06:38 AM »

So if they act like jackrabbits then I will be dialed in on them

Been hunting the heck out of them in Nevada this past year. At night they only run a few feet, during the day anywhere between 40 yards to the next county

plottwalker · « **Reply #33 on:** July 28, 2015, 10:16:48 AM »

Terrain and conditions determine how the rabbit or hare will run more then anything. i have had big running cotton tails in open country with good scenting conditions, and poor zig zag running hare at times as well.
the average snow shoe hare is harder running and puts the most distance between the dogs and its self. jacks dont seem to care about the gap between them and the dogs. not sure why that is, i can only assume they have the speed to always get away, or the hole to get into if the dogs are closing in on them. snow shoes are hard for dogs to catch/hole up.
In idea conditions with the right pack, you can catch consistently.

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Author Topic: Rabbits being rabbits (Read 12189 times)

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