Rabbit habitat

Jim thats great that the state level is getting involved in building habitat.Indiana can take lessons from our neighbors on alot of subjcts when it comes to outdoor interests. I was told over the weekend about people putting out PVC pipe to use as breeding beds. does anyone have any knowldge about this? is it as simple as putting a section of pipe in a fence row or what exactly is done?

Find someone that does irrigation and get some pieces of irrigation pipe. They usually have a lot of scrap pieces.

old shipping pallets work well and people are uselly glad to get rid of the busted ones for free. stack them like u was just throwing them a junk ditch. also cover with brush if possible . dont build them to loose that prediters can get in them.

Thanks for the input, I guess i had simply never heard of using pipe, and it struck me as odd, we have used pallets under all the brush piles we have built, and it seems to work real well

Most guys build the "brush piles" too big... A pile that is 5x5 is large enough to provide adaquate shelter. When I raised beagles a hunting gclub in Florida built some piles starting out with logs along the bottom a 6 inch pipe leading in from the direction of the food source and two coming out in other directions. With logs going across the top, then "brush" limbs Christmas trees were piled up on top. Also consider you need to Clean these areas out periodicly about every 3 years or so due to ticks and fleas, put powdered 7 dust around the pile rabbits will take it into the hole, and help control the ticks that drive them crazy. Also consider placing feeders made out of a four foot section of 4" pipe. Place a 45 degree elbow at the bottom and a cap on top, fill up with pellets or corn. Use strapping to attach to a post about 1 and 1/2 to 2"" from the ground, plant some cover bushes around the pipe, such as brambles, but remember that you need to get in there to fill it up from time to time. You can wrap the pipe with a piece of sheet metal to help protect the food from water.snow etc... Also the pipes mentioned for cover need to be at least 4 ft long or the rabbits will not use them, they don't feel protected. You can anchor them with other logs or stones, they give the rabbit a safe place to run, not to live that is where the brush piles come in. I am building a brush pile frame of landscape timbers along the bottom as a base, and brush piled along the top to attract some of the wild rabbits close to home. Also checking with a landowner nearby about building a couple of brush piles on his hunting camp property. Right now they "buy" rabbits for their camp cook outs because they do not have many native rabbits on site. Remember the 3 needs of Rabbits, FOOD, SHELTER and the need to Feel Safe.

awsome idea on feeders never thoght about that guess its because there is alot of grain and alfalfa feilds around us

Even with feeders, you might want to plant a few feed plots near by. If we as Basset owners want our sport of Feild Trials and Rabbit hunting taken seriously, we must approach all areas of concern. If we approach rabbit management as a serious part of our sport, we will see better hunting, better trailing etc... and in the long run we will improve our dogs. As it is now with beagles a good jumper is hard to find, why? Becasue beagle clubs that do not manage the rabbits have to have humans beating the sticks to scare up a rabbit, when dogs realize that the human is going to do their job for them, they will let us, thus they never learn to "jump" their own game. If we take care of the Rabbit Habaitat, we will have plenty of rabbits, and dogs will jump more of their own rabbits, without much human assistance. I went to a beagle trial a number of years back, during that trial not one rabbit was "jumped" by the dogs, they were scared out of their hides and holes but the crowd hitting the bushes with sticks etc... the dogs could trail, but had no idea on how to find their own game to start with. Is that the kind of legacy we want to leave the future with the Basset breed? I want my dog to know how to find her own rabbit, jump it, track it, and stay on track until the "kill." I am sorry if I sound too passionate about the idea of letting the dogs do the work that God designed them for, but afterall isn't that the most exciting part of the sport? To see a dog react to jumping a rabbit, and following the rabbit trail nose to the ground sounding off as they go.

I got a good laugh out of the dogs waiting for the people to beat the rabbits out of the bush. The dogs are pretty smart. My first basset lived in the city until about age four but as soon as we moved to the Shenandoah Valley he took right to rabbits, without any help from me. Whether he just went out back by himself or went out with me he would find one and go. He was a natural born killer I guess. By the time I got my last basset we'd moved on top of the Blue Ridge amidst the big trees and there was plenty of other game but few rabbits. Now I'm in Colorado and I've seen one or two rabbits in our canyon but they're not too plentiful, I guess because of lack of forage (semi-arid) and predation (coyotes, cougar). But I would like my next basset to enjoy his calling in life... Art

Bigeagle thanks for your input, it is very informative. we have used feeders for years for coons, but never considered using them for rabbits. we have used the pipe feaders like you discussed, as well as 5 gallon buckets, and 55 gallon plastic drums with plumbing nippples attatched. as far as in them we gave used numerous kinds of grains,, dog food, and even heard of people using Krispy Cream Doughnuts. but a coon isnt quite as picky as a rabbit. your input on this is be greatly appreciated. Your comments on using seven dust was also very useful. I had never considered using it around brush piles, even though we use it around our kennels . The tics here in southern Indiana are terrible and any thing can help.

I want to thank everyone for all the input on this subject. all the input has been very informative. and speaking for myself, I have learned alot. Now it is just a matter of taking what all of you and utilizing it. and modifying some of the things we are already doing for the coon population to better fit with rabbits. Thanks again, and keep posting

How about blueberry plants? would that be good rabitat or would it attract unwanted critters?

Bears like blueberries.

What works well in my area is berry plants that have thorns..ie.raspberry or black berry etc....this mixed in with Sumac trees is ideal..The rabbits will feed on the young Sumac bark in the winter like its candy..they grow fast a the bark recovers real well.. Sumac trees grow fast and after 10 or so years don't know of much use for them as they a brittle and rather fragile....a small patch of Christmas trees and you have rabbit heaven....throw in some of that culvert piping and the rabbits would be like flies!!!!This is pretty much for winter habitat....if you are looking for new grounds to hunt and you can find this combo and get permission to hunt there ..You'll probably find rabbits and have a good time....This is for cottontails....Snowshoe rabbits(hare) are browsers and pretty much eat like deer..They like low laying pines for cover.....

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