Cottontail Question

Do any of you get called to remove this year's over-abundant crop of cottontail rabbits? They seem to infest every flower and vegetable garden in my area this year.

If any of you are even halfway successful, please let me know your secret. PM me and I will be forever greatful. I seem to be having the same amount of luck catching rabbits as I have getting a date with Daisy Fuentes.

You just purchased the tool that we use for rabbit control. What a better way to spend an evening for a few nites a week.Discreet harvesting is very effective if you can hit what you shoot at.?:)

I think I've seen more rabbits this spring and summer than I have in the last 3 or 4 years combined. I haven't got a single call for any rabbit removal, but I'm sure it will happen soon enough. I'll have to agree with Mr. Jameson, that marauder ought to be just the ticket. Its what I'd be using.

Wormbobskey,

In order to shoot rabbits they have to be in season or you have to have permission from the Chief or one of his designee. Here is the rule from the OAC:

(4) Nuisance wild animals which cannot be live-trapped because of certain conditions may be killed only after applying for and receiving written permission from the chief of the division of wildlife or their designee. No such written permission is required to kill or use lethal means of control for the following nuisance wild animals unless otherwise provided in paragraph (H) of this rule:

(a) Beaver

(b) Chipmunk

(c) Mice

(d) Shrews

(e) Voles

(f) Moles

(g) Muskrat

(h) Opossum

(i) Raccoon

(j) Rats

(k) Red, gray, fox and flying squirrels

(l) Skunks

(m) Woodchucks

(n) Coyote

(o) Red or gray fox

In other words, in Ohio rabbits are a capture and relocate species as you cannot use any lethal devices on them without having a letter of permission from division.

Eric, you have way to many rules in Ohio.
Jim

Eric, do I need to have a specific location, ei a homeowners address, to get the permission slip from the division? Or could I apply for a blanket slip that would apply to my immediate area?

Im trapping rabbits that are burrowing under a guys well house and chewing on pipes & wiring. Positive set in front of the hole, I'm 2 for 2. I could thump them with my recurve if I wanted to though.

Tyler

They have large road signs that say, WELCOME TO OHIO WHERE THE COTTONTAIL RABBIT IS KING!

Wormbobskey,

I believe it will be site dependent, just like it used to be for squirrels and muskrats. You'd have to contact the wildlife officer for that county to find out for sure.

Additionally, make sure there are no municipal ordinances prohibiting shooting. In Broadview Heights, shooting of anything would be prohibited as they have an ordinance that states it is illegal to propel any object towards an animal with intent to injure or kill. If you have something similar where the problem is, you'd need to get a hearing with the council and ask for a waiver for that property.

Municipal laws will trump any authorization given to you by Division so you may want to start by checking with the municipality and see if this is even possible. Here is a good starting point for you: https://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=14702. You can then do searches for hunting, shooting, air riles, air guns, animal cruelty, etc.

I use my 'wooden rabbit trap' and set it right out side the hole or in it's path.
I catch plenty that way.

(Daisy, now...she's fine!)

get a box, a carrot some string and a stick, and sit and wait for it

wow paul, i posted my rabbit question before scrolling down the subject list on the forum

Josh.... Just use the Winkelmann method. Set some traps for groundhogs or other animals, and catch the rabbits! Here's a "strange looking groundhog" from a few days ago. Rabbits are usually tough to catch in wire cage traps, but I guess some cabbage, apples, and a little "chuckster" bait was too much to resist.

Ron, I did that exact thing on Saturday. I asked the customer if I should let it go and he said, "Heck no! They're as bad as woodchucks."

wow, so many that last years winter they ate the entire flower garden of my wife. they literly chewed everything above the snow line.now you know how a woman scorned is. Now there back this spring and the cat ate so many youngins he dont want anymore.....hes back to cat food.
I thought wow, no yotes or fax with this many..
I'm gonna be trying new rabbit dishes this fall, for sure.

some time ago Lt had a thread called about catching rabbits in a wooden trap. it is in the archives probably now. the wooden traps do work well.