Rabbit burrows

[DoubleSIG220]

I need some help with hunting tactics from the pros in here. I believe I have found two of the burrows my local rabbit population retreats to.

Theoretically speaking what's the best way to maximise my kills? Can I draw them out some how? Flush the burrow out with buckets of water (I know it sounds whimsical, but it gets snakes out of holes!), etc.?...or would this be a kind of local bunny genocide that would further lower my opportunity to hunt?

[baxterbasics]

I suggest lowering TNT down the hole on a fishing line,or maybe standing over the warren shouting:
"Dowhhhh--i`m a gonna get yer yer pessssky vermint!!"

I don`t know how effective this method is,but i seem to remember a a fantastic moustachioed American rabbit hunter did a series of imformative hunting films in the mid 1950/60`s and this was his preferred method of flushing rabbit out of the ground.

Bax

[zebedee71]

No need to drown em out and besides the water would most likely saturate into the earth before it reached the rabbits.

Sit and wait em out. Buy yourself a Camo Net a few short poles and lye under the net about 30 yards away from the warren and wait for em to come out. Another way is BLOCK one of the holes and sit and wait at the other.

I DO have plans for a WMD of the rabbit type but current legislation prevents me from disclosing the specifics to you due to the fact when it goes off it will wipe out a whole 20 yard area of life

Zeb

[crossaaS410]

i agree with zebedee as theese are the tactics i generally employ. make sure you hide up down wind from the direction you will be shooting and you cant go wrong. Remenber rabbits have poor eyesite but excellent hearing and sense of smell so sit as still as you can. theese tactics are best employed at dawn and dusk when the rabbits are more active and come out to feed. If you shoot one then dont blow your cover to collect the rabbit instead leave it there and wait as you are likeley to get more rabbits venturing out of there warrens.

[snock]

Just leave glasses of carrot juice out for them.

Seriously though, it's a good idea not to shoot them TOO close to their burrows, even though you have shot them cleanly they could still retain enough adrenaline to make it to the safety of the burrow and be out of reach.

Pete.

[termin8R]

A warren with only two holes? Hmmmm!!!

I've been away from this for years, so maybe I shouldn't mention putting a smouldering, creosote-soaked rag in one of the holes? And that if the smoke blows back at you, you're at the wrong hole? (Ventilation outlet instead of inlet). Got any mates with ferrets?

[kiriak]

Get a smoke test pellet used to check soundness of flue's and chimneys. Chuck one down a hole and cover with a sod of earth. Watch the smoke come out of the other holes along with the bunnies.

Unfair advantage? So is an air rifle at 30 yards capable of blowing a hole in ya head!

[Farmerpalmer]

pump the bury full of lighter gas and ignite

[Sid]

One of these should work

[LagomorphHunter]

I have five ferrets that would be more than keen to flush them for you. Roll on ferreting season!

[DoubleSIG220]

I have five ferrets that would be more than keen to flush them for you. Roll on ferreting season!

Wow, I'd never have guessed those little ferrets preyed upon bunny rabbits?

[chris ballard]

I suggest lowering TNT down the hole on a fishing line,or maybe standing over the warren shouting:
"Dowhhhh--i`m a gonna get yer yer pessssky vermint!!"

I don`t know how effective this method is,but i seem to remember a a fantastic moustachioed American rabbit hunter did a series of imformative hunting films in the mid 1950/60`s and this was his preferred method of flushing rabbit out of the ground.

Bax

Cant think of anything better Bax Semtex is a prettier colour though

[Whippet.22]

Wow, I'd never have guessed those little ferrets preyed upon bunny rabbits?

Lol, cultural differences. In America ferrets are widely kept as pets, whereas in Great Britain they are mainly kept as working or hunting animals, although ferrets as pets is catching on a lot over here.

You basically find a bury, cover all the holes with purse nets, introduce a ferret and kept quiet and still. Then all being well BAM! a rabbit makes an escape attempt via one of the holes and throws itself straight into a self sealing purse net.

You thereupon grab said rabbit quickly (they have a habit of being able to roll themselves out of nets surprisingly quickly), untangle it from the net and dispatch it by hand or with a priest. Whilst you are doing this your mate sticks a replacement net over the hole. Ad infintum or until you run out of rabbits or one of the many thousands of things that can go wrong in ferreting happen, which they will.

The average ferreting session ends with a few soggy rabbits and several hours untangling nets and painfully removing bits of bramble from them.

I haven't even touched on many of the things that happen whilst ferreting, such as what to do if one of the ferrets decides to munch on a few young rabbits and goes to sleep inside the bury (here's a clue, it involves a spade and lots of swearing). You don't always ferret to purse nets, you can do it over shotguns or to a lurcher. I've only been ferreting 6 times (twice over shotguns and the rest purse nets) but it's a very interesting sport with so much to learn.

I'm sure someone will be able to find/write a much better rough guide to ferreting than my amateur description. HTH

[Jackel]

Try baiting them out with weetbix,dogbiccys,rabbit food draw them futher away from the warren before shooting them

[Mr.Fixit-Norm]

One of these should work

One from your personal collection Sid?


Norm