The American Beagler Forum

What is the worst thing on rabbit in your state.Here in Nc I have to say ticks.I think ticks kill more rabbits here than anything eles.Then I have to say bobcats or tom cat.Thanks.

Housecats seem to be the worst around here, fish and game did a study up here awhile back and came to the conclusion that housecats were harder on hare than coyotes and bobcats combined.

My guess would bne cats and foxes in my area.

My Hounds
Oh yeah, and don't forget the school bus

Hawks

I moved here to GA from NE Maine and Dixie dogs is spot on up there. Feral cats were the worst, followed by Coyotes. When Loring AFB closed down, hundreds of cats were left behind. You can figure the rest.

Here in NW GA I'm hearing that the drought last year did a lot of em in. We'll see. In my rookie eyes, it looks to me like construction is the culprit. Maybe the housing crisis will have a silver lining.

On newborn rabbits, I'd say fireants are a major problem around here. It'd be a toss up between hawks and coyotes on the adults.

BiL

Oddly, I have had f & g people here say that possums and crows are the worst on baby rabbits in the nest, then skunks and then when they leave the nest, hawks and owls then foxes, bobcats, and coyotes. Feral cats aren't much of a problem in the hills around here anymore, I suspect they get eaten by coyotes. It's a wonder any survive, but when you consider that rabbits born this spring reproduce this year then you see the reason some survive. It's like the old deal, put a penny on the checkerboard and double it every time you move it, 64 squares. Two rabbits beget 4, beget 8, beget 16, 32, etc.

JMO (for HERE in order): Owls, bobcats, hawks, fox, stray cats, coyotes, wild dogs, tractors/mowers, & cars. Nest raiders: Snakes, racoons, fire ants, rats, & armadillos.

I think humans kill as many as the preditors (yotes, hawks, cats, etc.) between bush hogging, pesticides on fields and developing farms, etc. I think loss of habitat has a major influence on rabbits. Seems like everyone w/ at least 10 acres owns a bush hog and feels the need to clean cut everything in the spring and early summer. Not only does it remove valuable cover, but also destroys rabbit nest and kills adults that don't get out of the way. I talked to a guy that cuts a lot of hay fields and he cut a 70 acre field where I rabbit hunt some and he said that he probably killed 6 - 8 adult rabbits.
-Peter

I agree with Briarhoppers, humans are responsible for the death of many of them. When we bush hog off fields in spring and early summer we take away the cover for the rabbits especially the babies that have just been born and expose them to predators because they have no place to hide and my dogs always catch some young rabbits during the spring and early summer while I am running.

I will have to disagree with the human thing.I have 7 pens and there nobody in there doing the thing yall said.But come aug and sept the rabbits are gone.

humans obviously do have a part, i means its not the only thing but i would have to say the main one, hawks as well, you think thats what is cleanin your pen out?

Well yes I beleive humans do there part.But in my pens and everybody eles pens around here in aug and sept the rabbit not only in the pens they get gone.I ve walk in them pens in the first of aug and see these tick all over the back of there necks and then maybe two week after the rabbits are gone.I ve got a friend thats go to a nother state and rabbits everywhere and hawks and foxes too but lot of rabbits.But I maybe the only crazy one on here that says ticks.And It mite not be were you stay.But Thanks to everyone for the reply.

earl i have read on here somewhere that some people will make dust wallows where the rabbits usually use n scatter sevin dust right in the wallow this might help ya with the tick problem let those rabbitts get that sevin dust in their fur wouldnt hurt to try it sevin dust isnt very expensive jb

rabbitearl wrote:Well yes I beleive humans do there part.But in my pens and everybody eles pens around here in aug and sept the rabbit not only in the pens they get gone.I ve walk in them pens in the first of aug and see these tick all over the back of there necks and then maybe two week after the rabbits are gone.I ve got a friend thats go to a nother state and rabbits everywhere and hawks and foxes too but lot of rabbits.But I maybe the only crazy one on here that says ticks.And It mite not be were you stay.But Thanks to everyone for the reply.