I plan to hunt a Female RT on cottontail Rabbits in Upstate NY (on the edges of the Adirondack park.) I have hunted before but only taken Red squirrels and grouse. I honestly know very little about hunting Cottontails. I have browsed the Internet for info and found a little but not enough. I have a goal. 10 areas (preferably fields) that are crawling with bunnies. I have the best tester of any bunny field, a Miniature dachshund. I need habitat descriptions and any other info you can give me. I believe that I found a niece area it's nearly a clear cut area with a few dead trees for perches. Baby Raspberries and plenty of brush. I haven't tested it yet (have to wait for dog training season) but jumped around on the piles and managed to find absolutely nothing. I was only there for 5 mins... sos There is still hope of bunnies. Thanks, Complete answers would be nice but I will take anything.
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
Believe me Cjinx, that field you were in, but unfortunately you weren't able to take Diana with you. Although....you could take her out in the field and ACCIDENTALLY let her off the lead. Just make sure you have her tags on her and maybe put a bell on her so you can hear where she's going. Without the dogs it's best to look for heavy briars and lots of brush piles. Cottontails are an edge creature, meaning they live in the transition zone between wooded areas and open fields. You won't usually find them far from some cover. So there's no need to really consider open fields of grass. Unless there's cover nearby, there won't be any bunnies that will last very long. -Joe
Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war? sounds good to me..
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
I grew up in upstate NY (central NY State) and have relatives in the Postdam area. I remember speaking to a falconer from the Potsdam area at the 2004 NY falconry meet who said that game can be scarce in northern NY so you are wise to do some scouting now.
Keep a few things in mind when scouting rabbit spots. During the summer months it may seem like a filed is literally crawling with rabbits, yet when you return in the fall they may all seem to have vanished. The main reason for this is natural predators.
Here in Connecticut, it's usally easier to find rabbits in sem-urban areas (behind industrial parks, shopping centers, etc.) than in more rural areas. With an ever increasing population of fox, coyotes and fishers, there is a lot of competition for the bunnies.
I'm not sure if you guys have fishers up that way yet, but if you don't they will undoubtadely migrate up there soon enough. I know that you have coyotes and fox in abundance.
Cottontails tend to concentrate in areas with moderate to heavy cover areas (e.g., brushy fencerows, brush or junk piles, upland thickets, field edges or landscaped backyards where there is sufficient food and cover). They love that multiflora rose, which is a fast-growing reddish, thorny bush that has become one of the most invasive plant species around here.
You've got the right idea. The best way to find rabbits is to use a good dog. Go to one of your spots and do a little reconnaisance work. My wife had a fat beagle who has never been trained for hunting, but even that dog can find the scent of a rabbit in a field where I might never be able to see one.
For example, I went a a particular field that I thought looked promising for bunnies at least a half-dozen times a year ago. I never saw a rabbit there. I went back with the beagle and within fifteen minutes we had bumped at least five rabbits in different areas of the field.
The main thing is to put in the scouting time now. As you will see, finding good hunting spots is one of the biggest challenges facing falconers in the northeast.
Good luck to you and let me know if I can help in any way. I'm by no means an expert (only a first year general) but I would be glad to help out where I can.
Cjinx, With or without Diana you'll have a hell of a time finding CT's if your area is anything like syracuse. I'd go with what everyone else said, try semi-urban areas first, junkyards, near malls, etc. Another trick i was shown by Seven and Highhopes was a Christmas tree farm which had recently done some logging. They left piles of brush and they all contained bunnies.
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My area isn't like syracuse but rabbits are scarce... I have a neighbor who I am going to ask where he hunts rabbits, he is somewhat successful.
Thanks for all the answers guys, I am gonna be lookin!
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
hey they are going to build a new Wal-mart in potsdam that will most likely ruin are town... but ayway thats the only industrial semi suburban lanscape I can think of... except a certain tractor Co. going up right next to it, I am going to have to go check it out this weekend. How would you go abouit getting permission from a big coproration?
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson
Cjinx, You're thinking of shopping centers and not Industrial Parks. What I found helpful was to do a google search of "Industrial Parks (or Commercial Real Estate, or Commerce Parks, etc.) AND (enter name of your nearest city)". Then, when I got an address, I'd do a google earth seach and look at the satelite photos to get a feel for the spot. Wherever you can see warehouses, you'll probably find bunnies. Newer industrial parks aren't as good as the established ones which haven't sold off all of their lots, which are usually overgrown. When you get some snow up there, give me a call and I'll teach you the hawking technique that helped me get 11 bunnies in 3 days using my doxies. It's a blast and really quite simple. -Joe
goolin now and i'll give you a call. dreaming of a white christmis!
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." -Thomas Paine
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? -Marianne Williamson