What happened to the cottontails?

[prcn]

My dad hunts weekly with his buddy for rabbits. His good friend has a pack of beagles in York County. They hunt York, Chester, Cherokee, and Spartanburg counties along with a few others.
They are having a very bad season. Like really BAD.
Reports of some new disease killing Peter Cottontail, hawks migrating, coyotes, etc.

Is anyone else having a bad rabbit season?

[HT]

Not around here. My buddies went last week to a WMA and killed 8 in 4 hours.

[JimmyD714]

I'm sure burning the forest at a time when rabbits are having babies isn't helping things.

[StrutnBPS]

A few days ago we ran 4 on a tract that usually produces 5-6. However, I know the issue with it. The pines have shaded out all of the briars.

A few other guys I know said they are having a below average year as well.

[WoodieSC]

It's pretty rare when I see a rabbit around my place. I've only got a bit over 12 acres of wooded/brushy property, but am surrounded by a few thousand acres of woods and pastures. I have found nests rousted out, probably by coyotes, every year. I expect they're the primary culprit.

[JimmyD714]

No doubt they're also a major impact on rabbits on WMA. Serious question - why won't the DNR let us do any trapping on public land? I cannot wrap my head around this one.

Between hogs and coyotes some significant trapping effort on public land could really help improve things. On private land it's 365 days a year, any way you want to kill them, as it should be. Why not give the hunters more ability to reduce the number of pigs and yotes on public land?

Heck I'd be happy as could be to come get some hogs from someone trapping them. I want them for the freezer! And if I could trap them on WMA I'd surely partake.

[Highstrung]

A fairy came down to tell them to quit bopping field mice on the head one to many times..

[bearclaw]

Went last weekend for the first time with a buddies beagles. Had a good day. Killed 9. Let one get away right at dark. Let 2 go right at lunch. They were half grown and were running around in yard from flower bed to flower bed. Put couple of pups on those while we cooked and ate lunch. That was his best hunt of the year so far. This property always produces good numbers. Other places have been hit or miss this year.

[raybird]

i hunt 4 days a week, rabbit shit everywhere i go.

my buddies got beagles, they kill em every weekend.

everyone has an excuse for lack of success

[StrutnBPS]

One thing I noticed is that as the year went by the numbers of rabbits drastically decreased. Sarting in Sept. it looked like a bumper crop. I'd see several rabbits on my way into the woods, on the plots, and on my way out. However, by January those numbers went down big time.

[centurian]

Coyotes get the ones near the road and plots (the ones we typically see) pretty quick. We used to kill 30 to 60 rabbits in about 3 hrs on the club in the early 2000's. Timber grew up and coyotes came in in force and no more rabbits. Started thinning about 5 years ago and cutting the last year. Put a lot of brush piles for cover on the ground and opened up the under story for low level plants/ Rabbits seem to be increasing again but i doubt i will see the kind of population we once had

[StrutnBPS]

Coyotes get the ones near the road and plots (the ones we typically see) pretty quick. We used to kill 30 to 60 rabbits in about 3 hrs on the club in the early 2000's. Timber grew up and coyotes came in in force and no more rabbits. Started thinning about 5 years ago and cutting the last year. Put a lot of brush piles for cover on the ground and opened up the under story for low level plants/ Rabbits seem to be increasing again but i doubt i will see the kind of population we once had

Don't forget the hawks, owls, bobcats, house cats, etc.

[JimmyD714]

I'm pretty sure hogs will eat a bunch of baby rabbits too.

[raybird]

One thing I noticed is that as the year went by the numbers of rabbits drastically decreased. Sarting in Sept. it looked like a bumper crop. I'd see several rabbits on my way into the woods, on the plots, and on my way out. However, by January those numbers went down big time.

that’s how nature works. happens every single year

[StrutnBPS]

that’s how nature works. happens every single year

I agree, but this year it seems like it was a bigger change than normal.

[Catdaddy]

Rabbit virus.

Sent from my motorola edge plus 5G UW (2022) using Tapatalk

[Duck cutter]

I do remember reading an article about a virus but my crowd is killing them like usual, mix of cottontail and swamp rabbits

[StrutnBPS]

I do remember reading an article about a virus but my crowd is killing them like usual, mix of cottontail and swamp rabbits

Most of the rabbits we kill are swamp rabbits.

[Arrowman]

I wish I had a good rabbit beagle

[JimmyD714]

Me too. Never hunted them over beagles and hope to some day. I just force my way through the briars and shoot when they flush. Usually is quite a bit of work for 2 or 3 flushes but I still enjoy it. Great way to explore some new woods as well.