Rabbits and Salt

[miner49er]

Today I went down to some property I have and cut down some cedars and each time I would throw a chunk of salt about the size of my fist under it. I busted up 2 [50] pound salt blocks and used it on about 50 acres. I have heard this will double your rabbits in a year. What is your thoughts on this?

[MURL-BEAGLER]

Todd, I don't know, but let us know when you find out.

[Jack]

I know this helps. Reason being, we, houndsmen here had a war with the cattle men about hounds running thru cattle. The land was Game Dept. land and the hunters won the fight and the cattle were removed. Along with the cattle went the salt. The rabbit supply become in short supply. I did as you have done and broke salt blocks and placed them around under cover., protection from the owls. I have done this for 4 years and now the rabbit are back. I read up on this and rabbits need salt to reproduce.

[Huntin54]

Do you guys use white salt blocks or the mineral salt blocks??

[D.Gross]

The DNR has used salt for several years here in Indiana on State Fish and Wildlife Areas. For the most part it has been very successful in increasing reproduction. There is one area where the manager has had little luck and can't find a reason for the lack of success. He put out 3,000 lbs. a couple of years ago with no luck. The area used to have tons of rabbits 10 years ago.?

[miner49er]

I used the white salt blocks but I might try some of the brown ones too.I also am going to plant some food plots such as clover. Does anyone have any other suggestions on plots to plant.This will be used as running grounds only...... no hunting. Thanks Todd

[Ky Scott]

Hey Todd, If you get some mineral blocks make sure they are just minerals. Some of them have stuff in them for cows that is meant for cows only.

[Huntin54]

When you are going to plant a food plot make sure it is right next to the cover so they don't have to go far for it. And make it in strips or very small areas. Like 1/10th of an acre is enough for each plot for rabbits.

[Beagle Huntsman]

I just put out 30 salt bricks on my farm over the past two weekends. I think it somehow makes the rabbits have more breeding success. I did this last year and have a good rabbit supply now.

Pheasants Forever sells food plot mixes. You generally get 4-5 acres of seed for about $20 (at least that's what it was last year and the year before). It's mostly millet and sorghum, but it makes nice winter cover for rabbits and the birds (sparrows, quail, etc) love it too. I know the rabbits use it quite a bit because they seem to head for a food plot when the hounds are after them. I'm not sure if Pheasants Forever has their 2006 mixes out yet, but they will soon.

Another good thing to do is to till or disk up areas and let the native plants come up. If you do this about this time of year, the disturbed ground tends to produce some nice cover during the growing season. The seeds you need are already there, and disturbing the ground just gives them a chance to take hold and make better rabbit cover.

[Hatfield]

you might want to think about a a clumping grass that will provide somewhere for the young to stay off the ground and dry in rainy weather. A chilled baby rabbit is usually a dead one.

[Shooting Match]

Jack

Where did you find the info on the reproduction and salt? This my help my rabbit's at home and in the wild. It's worth a salt block to try.

[jon cornett]

the indiana dnr did a study at glendale some years ago on salt and rabbit populations. what salt does in rabbits is it kills the parasites that a rabbit may carry. meaning most worms that a rabbit may carry. it may kill or decrease other organisms also but this is what it (salt) does. so in short it keeps your breeding age rabbits healthier (less or no parasites) meaning healthier, stronger young, more young make it and so on and so on. i put the white salt blocks out. bust them up and spread them. just last year i started cutting plasic barrels in half, cutting two entry holes in each side and put whole blocks under these. rabbits will chew on this salt like kids chew on candy. it does work, anyone who has been to glendale and seen the salt they put out and there rabbit population would understand why it works.

[Bart Caudill]

For the last 3 years, I have been putting the 4lb. brown salt/mineral bricks out at my dads farm. I put a whole case (15) out each year.

My uncle is 72 years old this year, and has hunted our farm every year for 30+ years. He agreed with me, that for the last 3 years, we have jumped more, ran more, and killed more rabbits, than any of the years in the past. He noticed that over the years, you would have ups and downs, in the rabbit populations, from one year to the next. In the last 3 years, they have been steady, and strong.

I usually throw the bricks in the bottom of the real thick briar patches, as to try and keep the deer away from them.

I will be purchasing 4lb. salt/mineral bricks again this year, and every year to come.

Bart

[thornie]

I buy the small blocks of salt and with my little saw cut them in 1-11/2 chunks. I drill a little hole in one end and use zip ties to attach under brush and small trees. I also buy a big sack of corn and when I go into one of my areas, I'll take a couple walmart bags fill it with corn and put ears out while I walk around. I make sure its under some type of cover, so the deer can't get at it. Sometime when the snow is on and you go back and look it looks like they had a party. I've been doing it for a few years now.

[jon cornett]

you can also soak wood in salt brine and put it out and the rabbits will chew and eat the wood and the deer wont touch it.