The American Beagler Forum

im hearing that there was once or sitll is interest by some rabbit hunters in having indiana extend its rabbit season thru feb.28 instead of the end of january. several of the fellows in our group have expressed interest. if there interest in a feb extention among others.... let me know. we will see if we can revive the topic with state dnr


jackrabbit

I, ...Patch

To be honest with you I think if they want to extend it to Feb. that's fine if they don't bring the season in until Nov on state ground. I think the season is plenty long the way it is now.

I don't think we can extend the season. The rabbits here are all breeding
at the end of Jan. We don't want to be hunting them then. Leave it like it is now.

I REALLY DONT KNOW WHEN THEY START BREEDING HERE IN INDIANA, AT LEAST HERE IN SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA. MY GUESS IS MARCH IF ITS WARM ENOUGH BUT EXTENDING THE SEASON PROBABLY WOULDNT HURT ANYTHING AS FAR AS POPULATION GOES. JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE SURROUNDING STATES THAT GO TO THE END OF FEBUARY WITH NO IMPACT ON POPULATION. ALSO I DONT SEE WHY THE INDIANA DNR WOULD CARE ANYWAY AS THEY SEEM TO LOOK DOWN ON SMALL GAME HUNTERS, BUT THEN AGAIN LOOK AT WHAT DAVE FISHER WENT THROUGH IN PENNSYLVANIA TO GET IT EXTENDED. HE WAS VERY PERSISTANT AND IT PAID OFF. IM GAME.

I live in sw lower mi about 16 miles north of the in border.Here we can hunt untill the end of March and I make sure to always hunt the last day.I"m usually not shooting by then but we really get long runs on the males.I don't think another month would hurt in IN. Always plenty of rabbits here.

HOW ABOUT SEEING IF THE DNR WILL LET US HUNT THEM ALL YEAR LONG, AND WE JUST KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES, THAT WAY WE WILL HAVE NOTHING FOR TOMORROW OR THE FUTURE...THEY HAVE ENOUGH PREDITOR'S AS IT IS , WITHOUT MAKING OURSELF'S NUMBER ONE ON THE LIST... THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE PEOPLE, NOT YOUR FREEZZER FULL OF RABBITS... WE HAVE THAT PROPLEM IN SOUTHERN INDIANA WHEN ALL THE OUT OF STATE PEOPLE COME IN TO ARE HUNTING AREA'S AND KILL EVERYTHING THAT MOVES BY THEM...

I think the seaon is long enough. I hunt but would rather run beacause I don't have a whole bunch of palces to hunt and killing the rabbits off my running grounds just doesn't seem like a good idea. Plus the running in early spring is what I enjoy the most and I want as many rabbits breeding as I can. Tom Gross

input is what this post is all about. i will say though that i feel most of the fellows do think of the future very much when considering extending the hunting season. the majority of our neighbors are already enjoying the longer seasons and not having difficulty finding bunnies either. i hunt and fish in southren indiana several times a month year round. and i know for a fact the bunnies are not starting to breed untill the end of feb. but with those first few warmer days of march they are out frolicking all over the place.

as for guest who obviously isnt for an extended season. dont forget that the same guys who are suggesting the longer season are some of the same guys that you hunt with and around. they are not out to kill everything in sight and more than likely have a real understanding of game management. its been my experiance that even on state ground that a limit of rabbits could easily be taken even on the last day of season. perhaps its the fact that most fellows do look at small game with an understanding of whats needed for the future. we will continue to monitor responses and only if there is sufficiant positive response will we will begin to work with the issue.

please do keep the comments coming though... both positive and negative thoughts are important.

I LIVE IN SOUTH IND ..I WOULD THINK GUEST MUST BE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE OUT OF STATERS COMING INTO THE STRIP MINE AREAS. WE ALSO NEED TO UP THE OUT OF STATE LICENSE. KENTUCKY IS TWICE WHAT OURS IS..I HAVE TALKED TO THE DNR ABOUT LOWERING THE LIMIT PLUS HAVE WRITTEN THEM. I STILL THINK ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS DEER AND TURKEY..I JUST CANT SEE EXTENDING FOR MY BENEFIT I CURRENTLY GO MANY TIMES WITHOUT A GUN..THEN AGAIN I HAVE FRIENDS THAT WOULD SAY ..GREAT..I THINK WE NEED SOME CHANGES JACKRABBIT BUT I CANT SUPPORT THIS ONE..ITS NICE YOUR WILLING TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORT HOWEVER..

This is one proposal I can't really support. In SW Indiana the breeding season is beginning at the end of Janurary. Most years, several of the male rabbits I dress at this time already are in breeding condition. It is not unusual to find nests by mid-march. Frankly, I don't need the meat.
I can enjoy my hounds just as much or more without a gun. A longer hunting season just means more competition for places to run.

I can tell you that rabbits in southern Indiana don't wait until the end of Febuary to breed. I have visually trailed spotting females in corn fields as early as the first week of January. We don't need to extend the season here, pay attention to other posts. Just a few weeks ago there was a post about trouble finding rabbits in Indiana. Habitat is slowly but surely disappearing here. There are a few places around that still have excellent cover, but we certainly don't have the abundance of cover that out neighbors up in Michigan have. We need to leave the season as it is and be thankful for what we still have.

Here in Missouri the season last until the 15th of Feburary and I do not see any negatives. Most of the non dedicated hunters have all ready put up their shotguns. To my way of thinking this is the best time for rabbit hunting. The snowfall is better and I love to hunt in snow.

Well put Chris!!!!