The American Beagler Forum

I have noticed something over the last few years in my area. Areas where hunting pressure is hard....in particular public hunting grounds rabbits have become nocturnal completely and live in holes. On days with lots of snow I have found lots of rabbit sign all leading to small holes right in the ground....no bigger than a pop can for an opening. And plenty of these holes with rabbit sign. Come spring these same places are great to run hounds with plenty of running and rabbits, but for now very few above ground. I found it very interesting. Are rabbits adapting???? Has anyone else noticed this??

Duke I have noticed the same thing. Hunting pressure makes rabbits smart I guess. I hunted a place the day after Thanksgiving. Most people deer hunt this area during this time. We jumped alot of rabbits and almost all of them ran real good. Once deer season was over I went back and alot of people was there that day. We jumped quite a few but most holed up. We managed to kill 3. We can have a few good runs but since deer season is over and it gets hunted real hard the rabbits seem to find a hole quick.

Its something I have noticed for several years! Anyplace with steady pressure they seem to do this. I first noticed it when we ran at a place full of rabbits, and cameback the next day and could not jump a one. Many public hunting grounds in our area get this way this time of year. I think its a combination of the weather, and pressure. The Good LORD isn't gonna let all of them get wiped out!
Theres one Ol Timer I know that runs at night this time of year for that very reason, and never has to go father than a 100 yards from the truck, with plenty of action...

i have found that whear the fox and yots are they don't run during the day much .

i have found that whear the fox and yots are they don't run during the day much .

Same thing for us on a lot of places we run. Tons of sign and no jumped rabbits. It has been especially bad this year. I always thought of it as the perpetuation of the
species. Seems like hawks and owls are at an all time high for us and the rabbits left know it! If you get a good day you can still jump several, but not what the area holds
for sure.

BCBeagles wrote:Same thing for us on a lot of places we run. Tons of sign and no jumped rabbits. It has been especially bad this year. I always thought of it as the perpetuation of the
species. Seems like hawks and owls are at an all time high for us and the rabbits left know it! If you get a good day you can still jump several, but not what the area holds
for sure.

same here in TN!!!...tough huntin...and str8 to a hole!...hawks circling constantly!!!....there aught to be a law!...LOL

My stepson is out alot at night coonhuntin, & he sees all kinds of rabbits. When I go to them places, I almost think he's lying to me!

I think they turn nocturnal also.I used to run at night awesome runs.coyotes got bad and kind of went back to running in the day.over the last month it is hard to find a rabbit much less a long run.I ordered tracker lights for my collars and am going to start running at night again.Ken

I guess on public or high pressure land its adapt or die. Just hope thedont get to nocturnal.

I've got 3 spots on private land now that I run on. Zero hunting pressure but lots of coyote sign. The rabbits are there but they spend alot of time stuck tight in the HUGE brushpiles that are out there. I am thinking of picking up a bale of Hay-Kob from TSC and putting some piles out in some sheltered spots away from the brush piles. Figure it's all natural stuff they would usually feed on and has a nice strong scent. What do you all think?

Never heard of it.

It's like a loose mix of dried alfalfa, clover, and such.

What's the cost for how much of the stuff?

It's 5 bucks or less for a good sized bag. I also thought about going with straight rabbit food but with all the additives and such was not sure how they would take to it. Plus it didn't seem to have as strong or as rich a smell to it.

I suppose I could just buy a few bales of hay too and hollow out part of it to act as shelter as well as a food source. But I've seen fox and coyotes travel across a wide open field just to check out bales of hay. And have caught more than a few by making a set around such a large visual attraction. I was thinking that just a handful or two of this richer smelling food source would work alot better for drawing the bunnies out without giving predators a highly visual attraction.