The American Beagler Forum

I saw this on the other form and liked this ideal, has anyone tried crossing San Juan does with wild rabbits, by letting the does go lose for awhile then catching them latter.

They will not cross, it is physically improssible as they are not genetically compatible.

Big Dog

Im sure you will get alot of opinions on this subject because there are alot of them out there! Some folks say it can be done. Some folks say it can only be done is a large pen. Then there are folks that say it is 100% impossible because a wild rabbit and a San Juan are totally different and it is genetically impossible for the two to reproduce.
I have started raising some "special" rabbits that are suppose to be a crossed with a breed of Hare, different types of wild rabbits and San Juans. I have no proof of this, only what the guy I bought them from has told me. One thing I can promise is that you can see the Hare in them! They are "wilder" and run alot faster than San Juans ive seen.

I don't know about all this crossing on rabbits, but I do know this.

I was given three rabbits that were suppose to be San Juans. I've always heard they don't do well when let out of the pen. No survival instincts and all. I've had two San Juans out of the pen for over a month now and they can really give my pups the slip when they want to do so. They head straight for the briars or hide under my son's sand box. They've seemed to have escaped all the other dogs and cats around here as well. Maybe they aren't as good for training dogs, but they will do for now until my pups are old enough to take to the starting pen. The starting pen I go to prefers the dogs to be at least six months old. My dogs aren't there yet, but are really learning how to run a decent chase, using their noses on these old, slow San Juans.

San Juans are domesticated... Will breed with big cals and New Zealands but not cottontails. Maybe a freak in a great while...

I 've had wild and san juans and they won't cross at least the ones i had wouldn't. they are good to start dogs with but you must keep them in dark covered pens and what you are doing is making them man shy or dog shy. once you put a cover over there pens they start getting wilder and wilder, you just watch when you go to feed them, they will start scampering and going crazy, then they are ready to be put in a starting pen, leave them for a week to get use to there surroungings, and you get some of the best raises you have ever seen , cause they will run and act just like a wild rabitt.

I have been crossing Hare and Cottontails together for awhile now, the little ones all have white stockings, I have also crossed some Hare with San Juans, they usually come out crooked legged so I figure it has Jack of all Trades somewhere back in the pedigree, I figure it comes from Mr. Krpan leaving Jack out running all night, unattended.