Us New Englanders better get our bunny hunts in soon

[vermonster13]

There are groups trying to get the New England Cottontail listed as endangered. Here are some articles about the Cottontail.

Shawn count me in at the bunny hunt this winter!

  http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=136259&z=176%20class=  

  http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0626/p03s02-uspo.html

[bbassi]

that sucks. So if it gets listed there will be no rabbit hunting because we can't tell the difference between the sub-species? I seem to remember a subspecies of Canada goose that they did this with a while back.

Wait! I know...maybe the boys from WHA can "hunt" rabbits instead of deer! It would bring so many "hunters" in to help with the plite of the rabbit that in no time they would be running all over again. (sorry, couldn't resist)  

[tamure]

How on earth do rabbits become endangered?   :eek:

[One eye]

What a joke!  Sounds like it's time for a predator reduction plan in New England.  Mark my words fellas, brick by brick!

Dan

[Paul/KS]

You can come out here to Kansas and hunt them any time you want,no "season" for rabbits,hunt'em all year long.

[Shawn Leonard]

I kill lots of rabbits each year and there are more this year than ever. My bunny hunt this year will prove that. It is hard to believe that bunnies are scarce. Shawn

[woodchucker]

Gee Shawn, Maybe we should throw some of them folks into a couple of your "brush piles" and let them see for themselves how many bunnies come running out!!!!! Whatdayathink?????  

[DIAMONDBACK]

What a bunch of bull,as we know these people are clue less,but they keep trying.There are plenty of rabbitts in northern n.h.

[Pinecone]

I realize that I am not a NE resident, but I just finished bush hogging my pastures and young cottontails were EVERYWHERE!  I always leave a certain number of brush piles and untended fence rows for small game and I can tell you that at least at my place, the rabbits and quail are far from endangered    !

Claudia

[vermonster13]

They do alot of reading. Like mentioned above brick by brick. The anti's know that small game hunting numbers are down, the low turn out at the Maine meetings illustrate this also. They go for easy targets and keep chipping away at us, we can't allow them to take any opportunities from us.

Especially rabbit hunting which is a great doorway hunt for younger kids.

[WESTBROOK]

We used to have lots of snowshoe hares in my neck of the woods 15 yrs ago. Less and less till now you can hardly find a track.

We need a hawk and owl season.

Eric

[wapitimike1]

It's no joke. I sit on a couple of different boards in CT. This is a major issue, it could set a standard for the rest of the US. The study is based off of Maine. The rabbits only inhabit the southern area. The numbers are down do the fact the they are not native to most of Maine. The anti's are pushing to stop all rabbit hunting from Maine to Maryland the whole eastern seaboard. We have allerted the US sportsmans alliance, the states of CT,MA,RI,& NY have also brought thier studies to the US Fish and Wildlife. If they ignore the facts and use this nutty study from Maine. they could use this type of nonnative declines to ban all types of hunting. This stuff is no joke!!!!!

[bbassi]

ok, am I missing something? Are they classifying this "New England Cottontail" as something different than the common cottontail that we all see everywhere? If anything we are over run with rabbits the last couple of years. I think I saw 5 tonight in my yard while I was shooting (not them, they are safe till winter unless I catch them in my garden)

[vermonster13]

It's the same cottontail you're seeing in your garden. These folks are scary committed to stopping hunting anyway they can.

[Frank AK]

wait.... are you saying the new england cottontails that are "endangered" are in the US?

[vermonster13]

I'm not saying that, but animal rights group is trying to in Maine court.

[Spike]

There are 2 types of cottontails in NH.
check the link to NH Fish and game site.

   http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Hunting/Hunt_species/hunt_small_game.htm  

The "NewEngland" cotton tail is being threatened due to the change in habitat and the other cottentails ability to adapt to surburban areas. Some areas with known populations of "New England" cottontails are already off limits for hunting because you cannot determine the type in a hunting situation.

Here is another link with the story
 http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Newsroom/News_2004/News_2004_Q3/Cottontail_closure_092104.htm

[wapitimike1]

The report is grouping all of them togather and based on the Maine study. They are saying the NE cottontail is trouble. It runs from Maine to Maryland with different subs. But by passing this legislation if you cant tell the differance in the field. None of the groups can be hunted. It's like basing a study on Keys deer and applying that study to the rest of the country. Hare's are native to Northern climates. they think most of the CT's up there are from early settlers. They use every weasel tactic in the book. They always seem to find some nut in wildlife to listen to them. We have been fighting these Dr Bombay studys for years. If it's not one thing is another!!!

[Frank AK]

Well then they should see if the "regular cottontail" is endangered.

[BOHO]

I know in Miss rabbits and quail aren't near as common as they were many years ago. I think all the bobcats and coyotes that have shown up the last few years have alot to do with that. We need to have a predator season. Like July 1 to June 30.