The American Beagler Forum

I am thinking about building a running pen!

I have about 25 acres that has 30% open hay field, 10% 8 year old Pines (fairly open under them) and 60% pine, hardwood mix (just thinned and cleaned of thrash trees)

What I am wondering is what do I need to do to it to make it best for the rabbits?

Do I go in and plant brairs, berry bushes, just let it grow up on its own.

What kind of grasses are best to plant for the rabbits and how many rabbits should a 25 acre pen have in it?

How many feeders and what kind of feed does everyone put out and do you feed just in the winter or all year round.

I could go on and on, but I guess this will do for now!

Thanks

Bdog I would cut everthing down.Are you going to run grown dogs or both.and how many dogs are we talking about.What speed? Were I getting at 25 ac might be to big.Bigger the pen the more problem you have.I would not go no more than 20 rabbits.You donot want rabbits going everwere.I used turkey feeders with rabbit petlets and sweet potatoes,and last year try salts and got good results on it.The biggest problems I see in pens is keeping rabbits in it.Remember don t care how nice the pen is but its not worth 2 cent if no rabbits.Man came to me one time and told it like it is.I ve got a new tractor with no motor.

Thanks for the info:

I have got to live with the trees as they are big and worth a lot of money and will be ready to cut in 5 or 6 years!

It will be a different ball game after we cut every thing down to about 12"-15". Lost of tops and brush.

For now I have to grow around the edges and under the canopy.

Out of all the replys I have gotten, cover is the most universal of all things suggested. without it the rabbits can't survive and reproduce.

Yea I think about 1 rabbit per acre in a pen sounds about right or you would have every dog on a different rabbit. It would be wild!!

I only have 5 dogs and will probably get one more if I find a super dog!!

My Best,

be careful where you order your wire from!!!!! we are in process of building a 30 acre pen now that we finally got our wire. took us talking with lawyer to get any action from supplier. i am still a little heated!!!!!

What's best for the pens is a topic of disagreement at the club where I am a member. I personally like the look of the club grounds in Mark Carders' videos. I know we can't keep rabbits in ours and we are always restocking and paying $15-20 per. Last summer we closed one pen to running and left one open. Guess which one has more rabbits now? I tend to believe that rabbit population is cyclical for reasons that we do not fully understand and we can't change it with feeders, cover and predator control.

Their are three running pens in my area.the best one is an 18 acre pen Mr. Hicks put 50 rabbits in his last year.Rabbits runnin all over the place. The briars in Ga. are a different type than in Mi. where i hunt. They are thick and mixed with honey suckle make excelant cover for bunnies. Briars heavy timothy, rye grass and low hanging pine or juniper.
Brush piles, something a rabbit can get into if he needs to. The more dogs the merry`er. Just an ol mans opinion.

Ghuck R

Bdog when you get ready to start building your pen and you need a quote on the Wire I can get it in 5 feet high or 6 feet high, the 5 feet wire will give you a 4 foot fence with a foot apron and the 6 foot wire will give you a 5 foot fence with a foot apron. You can talk to alot of people and some will tell you to build a 4 foot fence and some will tell you to build a 5 foot fence. There is about $20.00 a roll difference in price, and the rolls I sell are 150 feet long also. You can call me or I will call you just e-mail me your phone no. and I will contact you bglemstr@aol.com, you can get your wire from the time you order about 10 days to 3 weeks.
Thanks Chip Eisenhut
Eisenhut Dog Supplies