The American Beagler Forum

I AM NEEDING SOME RABBITS FOR SOME PUPS AND I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF YOU GUYS USED LIVE TRAPS TO CATCH WILD RABBITS TO START YOUR PUPS WITH, I WOULD RATHER USE WILD RABBITS TO TRY TO GET THEM STARTED BUT I REALLY DONT KNOW WHERE TO START, WHAT KIND OF TRAP? WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT AS FAR AS COVER OR WHAT?, IVE HEARD IF YOU KNEW WHERE AN ACTIVE HOLE WAS YOU WOULD BE BEST TO PUT IT AROUND IT OR CLOSE BY IT WOULD INCREASE YOUR CHANCE? ALSO WHAT TYPE OF FOOD OR BAIT DO YOU GUYS USE IN YOUR LIVE TRAPS? SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE DOES CATCH RABBITS BY USING LIVE TRAPS COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF TRAP YOU USE, WHERE TO LOCATE IT AND WHAT KIND OF BAIT OR FOOD DO YOU USE, ALSO WHEN YOU GUYS FIRST TRY TO START YOUR PUPS DO YOU GUYS LET THE PUP COME UP AND SMELL THE RABBIT IN THE TRAP BEFORE YOU TURN IT LOOSE FOR THE PUP TO SITE CHASE AND HOPEFULLY START USING HIS OR HER NOSE? ALSO AFTER THE PUPS FIRST SITE CHASE OR RUN BY USING HIS NOSE DO YOU GUYS TRY TO KILL THE RABBIT TO THE PUP SO IT CAN GET A TASTE OF IT, OR DO YOU WAIT UNTILL THEY ARE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BETTER BEFORE YOU KILL ONE TO THEM? ALSO IF YOU CANT GET A WILD RABBIT THEN WHAT IS THE BEST SO CALLED BRED OF RABBIT THAT YOU CAN BUY THAT WILL RUN AND PUT DECENT SCENT OUT? IS THERE ANY CERTAIN BRED OF RABBIT THAT IS THE BEST TO TRY TO START A PUP WITH? ALSO I AM LOOKING TO GET A FEW RABBITS TO GO AHEAD AND START FOOLING WITH MY PUPS WITH, IF YOU HAVE ANY OR KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT DOES THEN PM ME OR CALL AT 606-337-6050 OR 606-302-3854. ALSO WOULD YOU GUYS RATHER START A PUP WITH A WILD RABBIT OR A SO CALLED MIXED RAISED RABBIT? THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY INFO OR HELP. THANKS CHRIS FUSON

I have always used box traps. If you do a search you should find more info on them and other types of traps. I personaly dont have much luck trying to catch rabbits in the summer. Its easier in the winter when food is scarce. If you want a tame rabbit then you can use probably any variety. I use Sanjuans in my starting pen and they work well. I would put the rabbit in a small wire cage so that the pup can see it and the rabbit cant run away. If its a tame rabbit that was raised in a cage then it wont run for long (once turned loose) before it gives up and stops. They dont have the stamina coming straight out of a cage where they could never run before. A wild rabbit will be gone in a hurry. Thats my 2 pennies.

I live in the burbs and caught wild rabbits in the past with a double open-sided live trap. I put it on an established trail where they squeeze through the pickets on the fencing and bait it with apples (which probably isn't necessary and has probably led to a few birds springing the trap). The last time I caught one, it went ballistic in the (wire) trap and pounded its head trying to get out (blood splatters everywhere).

I use a commercially made wire mesh type box traps. I got some for less money than the wood would cost to make them. Google for rabbit traps and you'll see some sets of plans to make your own box traps out of boards.

My dad and brother used to make box traps and catch rabbits.

Now and then I've been doing what your talking about doing. When I catch a rabbit my dog goes nuts and so does the rabbit. I let the rabbit go quite a ways from cover so my dog can sight chase it for a few seconds before she has to dive into the brush. She thinks it's great fun and for days or until I catch another rabbit and we do it again she'll keep going into the brush looking for that wascally wabbit.

I bait the traps with carrots and set them near place I see rabbits coming and going through the brush along the fence row. Be forwarned! I caught a skunk in a trap last week. Why it wanted carrots I'll never know but that presented a situation I hadn't planned on.

Here in NC it is unlawful to trap rabbits now,only when hunting season is in.Rabbits are hard to catch this time of the year anyway in a wooden box.But if I was going to train a pup I would used a tame rabbit.That wild rabbit is goen most of the time before the pup knows what has happen.I am coming out with a video this Nov on how to make a box that will really catch a rabbit.You donot have to bait it.It took me 7 years to come across this secret.Amazying.

thanks for the info guys.

rabbitearl, you have my attention. I can't trap a rabbit; coon or oppossum no problem, then they stink up my traps. Maybe my traps are too big? I know this is a bad time of year. I am trying to stock my training area. I am interested in your secret to success.

The peaches are dropping now. The rabbits come to the yard to eat on the peaches. Once they start, I pick up all the peaches and only leave one in each of the wire traps. The peaches seem to be more than the rabbits can resist. Later, the apples will start to fall and the rabbits will come to eat again...just pull the same trick on them again...
I'm sitting here eating the last of a peach pie the wife made two days ago, got my order in for a cobbler next time...made a bunch of elderberry jelly today, went through 15 lb of sugar. Blackberries and rhubarb are froze in the freezer. Only thing I need more of is blueberries, man I love that pie...

I like wooden traps rather than wire for the reason that rabbits or hare seem to be calmer when trapped in them. If I use wire traps, I put thin plywood inside on the end, so the rabbit doesn't smash it's tender nose on the wire and bleed. I've seen them bleeding like this when using wire cages, and I sure don't like the increased chance that a predator will be able to catch them once you release them, because of the scent of blood. Terry McBride

Patch, I picked 4 pails of choke cherries this weekend while running the dogs.
It was a bad year for blueberries this year in our area I sure like fresh blueberry pancakes, they just ain't the same after they go in the freezer. One good thing about hare hunting, the dogs seem to find the best spots to pick.

does anyone have the blue prints for the pyramid traps i could get a copy of ? i tried to do a search and couldnt come up with any blue prints just a few pictures of them .. thanks for any help

Dogwispher, check it out. Just click on pictures to get a better veiw.



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