Rabbit Season comes in too early.

huntinfool · Post by **huntinfool** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:28 am

Here in PA our season starts next month. Unless we've gotten a frost I won't be shooting. We've usually gotten a frost by then though. I think use of good judgement is the key here. If you aren't going to use the rabbits don't shoot them. I will add another opinion I have though on rabbit populations, I don't believe hunting has a major impact on the population unless you really over hunt an area. I've lived and hunted the same areas for 20+ years and I've seen ups and downs in rabbit populations the whole time. At one point I had gotten rid of all my dogs simply because there were no rabbits, and no I hadn't overhunted it. My grandfather is 70 years old, and he has seen the same trend. I believe disease is the number one aspect, with habitat being number two and predation third. Disease comes in and really hurts the population, this is when predation and hunting come into play, as if you hunt the last rabbits left or they get killed by predators then it takes them longer to comeback. The hawks and bobcats seem to move to where the rabbits are, so if there aren't many then they move on. I try to hunt the areas hard that have and overabundance and I leave the areas with moderate to weak populations alone. I'm no biologist, it's just my opinion based on my experience.

Joeyman · Post by **Joeyman** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:16 am

Our season starts in OCT and I am fine with that. We don't shoot any untill we have a good frost. We go to run them for the most part in the begining. But as soon as we have a hard freeze it's on... let the shooting begin.

We try not to over hunt our spots. I always plan out different areas to hit as the monthes go on thru out the season.

SilverZuk · Post by **SilverZuk** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:41 pm

wvduece wrote:rabbit season comes in here in november n stays in till febuary 28. no need to change it 4 months is plenty of time jb

Yep, we get to rabbit hunt from the first saturday of November to the Monday before thanksgiving (that is when deer gun season starts).
We have two weeks of rifle season, one week of anterless season, and a week of muzzleloading. By the time all the deer seasons are over, it is the week before Christmas.
So we only get to rabbit hunt 3 saturdays, then lose a month to deer season, and then 1 week before Christmas to the last day in Feb.

wvduece · Post by **wvduece** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:24 pm

SilverZuk wrote:
wvduece wrote:rabbit season comes in here in november n stays in till febuary 28. no need to change it 4 months is plenty of time jb
Yep, we get to rabbit hunt from the first saturday of November to the Monday before thanksgiving (that is when deer gun season starts).
We have two weeks of rifle season, one week of anterless season, and a week of muzzleloading. By the time all the deer seasons are over, it is the week before Christmas.
So we only get to rabbit hunt 3 saturdays, then lose a month to deer season, and then 1 week before Christmas to the last day in Feb.

here in mingo cnty we can rabbit hunt right through deer season except the first part of buck season

jb

JD Baisden · Post by **JD Baisden** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:44 pm

wvduece wrote:
SilverZuk wrote:
wvduece wrote:rabbit season comes in here in november n stays in till febuary 28. no need to change it 4 months is plenty of time jb
Yep, we get to rabbit hunt from the first saturday of November to the Monday before thanksgiving (that is when deer gun season starts).
We have two weeks of rifle season, one week of anterless season, and a week of muzzleloading. By the time all the deer seasons are over, it is the week before Christmas.
So we only get to rabbit hunt 3 saturdays, then lose a month to deer season, and then 1 week before Christmas to the last day in Feb.
here in mingo cnty we can rabbit hunt right through deer season except the first part of buck season jb

That because you boys in Mingo Co, deer hunt all year round.

Wilson Creek Bill · Post by **Wilson Creek Bill** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:15 pm

Well here where im from rabbit season comes in Nov 1, going back out for the opening weekend of gun season for deer, and then goes out for good at the end of Jan. I really dont like that season. There are way to many deer hunters around here, and its so hard to find spots to hunt during deer season....JMO.

Matt Wilson · Post by **Matt Wilson** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:23 pm

Season in MI opens this sat and runs to march 31 except for the 15 days of firearm deer season. Only promblem is nobody will let you on there land untill jan. After all the deer seasons are over the best time to hunt is in nov and dec but everyone is afraid your going to run there deer off.

JAMES ROLLINS · Post by **JAMES ROLLINS** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:29 pm

Here in FL. you can hunt year round on private, I mainly run the OCALA NAT FOREST 365,000 ACRES. It opens the 2nd wknd of Nov. and runs until the 3rd wknd of March. Its very rare to run into any rabbit hunters, and there are plenty of rabbits last year between myself and my 2 brothers we harvested over a 100. I LIKE IT JUST THE WAY IT IS.

Wilson Creek Bill · Post by **Wilson Creek Bill** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:07 am

You guys that can hunt year round, do you have to watch for the wolves in their necks. I think thats what they are called. We've had dogs catch rabbits before it gets to cold, and they have those big worm looking things crawl out of their skin. I dunno what it is, but it makes me sick to see it happen.

NorWester · Post by **NorWester** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:49 am

Season here starts Sept 1 and goes till June 15 and I find it annoying that it shuts down at all! In Alberta you can hunt hare year round and in Manitoba they aren't even regulated, you dont even need a hunting licence to get after them bunnies

SouthernBeagles · Post by **SouthernBeagles** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:16 pm

I think most of us enjoy the race and know when you kill the rabbit, you just got to go and find another one, lol. Between George and I we killed less than 15 last year but had a lot of good races lol.

As far as the season, Mid November till the end of Feb here. next door in Alabama they start in October. We live on the state line and have the best of both worlds. The deer hunters pretty much rule the roost till Jan but there are a few pockets we can hunt where the dogs aren't in danger of being shot by some redneck with an attitude.

If anything needs to change, shorten the deer season or break it up a little Deer season starts early sept (last weekend) with bow and ends Jan 1st with gun. The DNR even added every day as a doe day here so you know the woods will be full of deer hunters more this year than any other. We have a limit of 12 deer (2 bucks- 10 does). If the small game hunters don't step it up and if they ask for anything less than they have.........our sport will surely die.

If you want rabbit season shorter, stay home.

Big Mike · Post by **Big Mike** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:34 pm

opens way to early in Michigan

Danny King · Post by **Danny King** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:55 pm

here in michigan its sept 15 opening day is today to march or april 15 i think april see i dont usually kill untill first snow but i might go get one today but who cares when it is if you want to grap a handfull of worms and flees go at it and kill those rabbits. for one you shouldnt care if theres rabbits at the trials most trialers should be hunters first then trialers. rabbit population is up here and im going to kill me about 50 or so this year.

Danny King

B.Trull · Post by **B.Trull** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:58 am

billi wrote:Indiana still has a early season in many of the state propertys. Please dont give DNR any credit in Indiana as for as im concerned all they care about is the deer and turkey hunters. I asked them 3 years ago to raise the out of state fee it was half the surrounding states. They finally got around to the change but it took forever. I suggested the change several years ago when they had meeting to ask for suggestions. They didnt care about the suggestions it was just a PR stunt. Do you think anyone ever looks at the possesion limit? DUUUH. Do we really need to kill that many when most of us find it hard to find some to run. Driving miles to find them. Just ask the question the IDNR what you doing to better the rabbit population..how about just maintain. Also it seems like by not taking mink they have become one of the big predators. Just thought beins i was raving might as well throw that in..lol

Really ??? I cant find any info about it online ????

Yes, I am no fan of the DNR ,but the bar is pretty low for their improvement.

Yes, I have seen 3 mink this year, first time ever for that.

Every farmer has a dozer now and wants 8 more rows of beans, so away goes the fence rows

My dad laughs at me for driving to Iowa to shoot rabbits.

wvduece · Post by **wvduece** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:05 am

JD Baisden wrote:
wvduece wrote:
SilverZuk wrote: Yep, we get to rabbit hunt from the first saturday of November to the Monday before thanksgiving (that is when deer gun season starts).
We have two weeks of rifle season, one week of anterless season, and a week of muzzleloading. By the time all the deer seasons are over, it is the week before Christmas.
So we only get to rabbit hunt 3 saturdays, then lose a month to deer season, and then 1 week before Christmas to the last day in Feb.
here in mingo cnty we can rabbit hunt right through deer season except the first part of buck season jb
That because you boys in Mingo Co, deer hunt all year round.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ya not suppose to tell everybody

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Rabbit Season comes in too early.

Does rabbit season Open to early?