I’ve seen that many of you have posted about hunting as a hobby, so I’m looking for tips/tricks. After an unfortunate week of rabbits eating many of my grafts, I’m looking to reduce the rabbit population on my acreage. What tips or tricks do you have for hunting rabbits (that don’t cost a fortune)? I’m all ears!
(I currently have a .22 rifle but no special equipment)
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It’s pretty tough without dogs.
Rabbits don’t like straying too far from their home turf so if you’ve flushed one he’s going to try to get out of sight and then double back to his home and not just keep running in one direction
They naturally go in four years cycles and this is likely a high year for you so it won’t always be this bad
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Spotlight brushy areas at night with a .22. Make sure you check with your state fish and wildlife department, this may or may not be legal and/or require special crop damage permits.
Traditionally, you stomp around brushy areas and kick brush piles hoping to flush one out in daylight and use a shotgun. Although this technique will probably not be efficient enough to drastically reduce their numbers.
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Treev tubes work quite well against rabbits in my experience in the mean time
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@phlogophite @yellowcreekdan
Sounds like I have the wrong tools for the job, haha. I have a rifle, but need a shotgun. I have a housecat, but need a dog.
Maybe I just need to lure the fox I sometimes see closer to the house (although I worry this would be bad for my ducks).
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Yes… unfortunately we’ve had several feet of snow this year, so the tree tubes were buried and rabbits were high enough and free to munch on lots of unprotected apple tree at mouth height. I was unprepared for how wintry this winter would be. 
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If you are in a area with snow on the ground so you can find their trails, a few snares set in their trails will help out.
Check your local laws first.
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Yes, they are easy to trap! Box traps work too with an apple slice.
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I normally see rabbits very early and late in the day … like after sundown and before sunup.
I have a 17 HMR with 4x12 scope… and a steady shooting stick… head shot…
Juvenile… half grown bunnies… are good eats fried just like chicken. Older ones you may need to slow or pressure cook.
TNHunter
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I also often see them just at sundown. I wonder if a trap like yours with carrots will tempt rabbits but not my ducks, haha.
I appreciate your vote of confidence here (telling me what to do with them before I have caught or shot any, haha).
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I think we see rabbits nearly all hours. Like birds.
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If a .22 is your only option, a slow stalk on a sunny winter day can be productive. When I say slow, I mean 10-20x more standing and looking than walking. It should take you an hour to go 150 yards. I can usually get to within easy shooting distance of them as long as I see them before they see me. I use a .22 and take head shots. Usually use a nearby tree for a rest/way to keep rifle steady. It can be an enjoyable day in the woods.
Good luck
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Our beagle club traps rabbits for our training area. If you have a club near you or even someone who belongs to one they would probably be glad to trap them out for you. Most beagle federations have a club listing with officers.
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I love bunnies and will not do but…
Mine love coming out at night. Make a little trap area with clovers or leafy greens, grass, anything they like. In front of a window of your house lol. Once they get comfy enough, they’ll come by at night and won’t leave even if you were to open said window as long as it’s more than 15 ft away. You shouldn’t miss at these distances lol
I’ve watched the bunnies in my yard literally jump and play every night this summer from my window. They even got bold enough to just sit in my lawn at i go outside as long as i don’t let the dogs out.
Lol, I am no threat apparently and my dogs will catch and lick when they do catch them. Then they release as well 
my dogs are like me
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I’ve not heard of a beagle club nearby, but it’s worth looking into!
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There’s 2 things rabbits are great at: breeding and dying. Hunting or snaring might help some, but you’d have to consistently stay on it. If you can find a way to protect your plants/trees, that would be the best option. I haven’t seen aluminum screen discussed, but that’s an option. Cut it and then staple it together. As the tree grows, it will pop the staples.
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I don’t have a great setup for shooting rabbits from the house. I trap them in live trap cages and dispose of them. Once in a while I can pick one off with pellet rifle. Cute, but very destructive animals.
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Good point above about aluminum window screen. Even though I shoot some bunnies year round, and I have a good population of bobcats, coyotes, and feral cats I keep my fruit tree trunks protected with either 3’ of screen or 4’ of hardware cloth. New trees get hardware cloth, and I’m replacing a number of old window screens with hardware cloth each year.
3’ has been adequate protection 95ish% of the winters. 4’ ups that to 100%
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I appreciate all the tips thus far. I realized yesterday that my property has so many places to hide that I may struggle to get a clean shot (unless I follow @Melon 's advice and put carrots near my porch… may try that).
I’m working to increase the protection around my trees… and I have put out some traps with carrots and am hoping that I don’t catch any skunks, ha!
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