MN rabbit question

[BrianH]

Any MN rabbit hunters out there?  I was out with the beagle today for the first time this year, and didn't see much in our usual spots.  Just wondering if rabbit numbers are down this year or what.  I live in Moorhead, in the northwestern part of the state, a few of the land owners I spoke with also said they haven't been seeing much.  

A couple of weeks ago I was hunting mule deer in western ND and there was cottontails everywhere out there.  Perhaps the predator population is down out west, around here the coyote population is pretty high right now.

[Robhood23]

My in laws in Ada have plenty, not alot of land but still fun to shoot!

[DeerSpotter]

Yes it's time ago nab some coyotes !  When you see the coyotes running across those house gardens, that's what I call those developments that have 200 houses in them, and they have a name like " Oak Grove "  and there's not a tree in the place !

Coyotes feel safe there scarfing up little toto's all over the place.

And I haven't seen many rabbits on public land either, but in Minnesota you don't see much wildlife on the public land close to the metro, if you know what I mean, they shoot anything and everything.

I saw one yesterday .22 with the most expensive scope on it, and a banana clip.  Although this one day didn't have a bucket full of blue jays and squirrels and Robbins.

Makes it difficult when you're trying to use traditional for rabbits.


Carl

[BrianH]

Carl,

I agree, the coyotes have become a problem.  When I leave one of my deer hunting spots by Barnesville you should hear the coyotes, howling on all sides of me.  I think I may have to do some more coyote hunting this winter.

My beagle Otto doesn't have a clue, but it has been tough to train him due to the low numbers of rabbits.

Brian

[DeerSpotter]

I was hunting in the Stillwater area three years ago, and the coyotes took over that area, we had a deer kill late in September by coyotes, we never saw another gear in that area for the rest of the year.

Now all and 50 miles north of the city's, what's actually 70 because I moved 20 miles north, but we also have coyotes giving the deer trouble there.  It's a problem, and in the economy like now, they probably won't open up a bounding on them solve the problem.

Carl

[rock_hunter]

I do quite a bit of rabbit hunting in SE ND, mostly for cottontails.  The winter before last there were a lot, and last winter not as many.  On Saturday I might make my first hunt for this year, hopefully I'll be able to kick a few up.

[BrianH]

Jeff,  I have done fair share of hunting near Kindred, as I grew up close to Horace. My best buck I shot about 3 miles north of Kindred on the Sheyenne.  Good luck on the rabbits.

[Holm-Made]

Interresting.  I started a thread a while back on the Traditional Bowhunters of MN forum about getting a rabbit hunt going this winter.  Nobody has been able to find any good concentrations of rabbits.  I'd like to host it in Brainerd but haven't seen a rabbit all fall.  Maybe you guys would want to get involved.  Here's the link.
 http://www.traditionalbowhuntersofminnesota.com/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=58f55931181e9f8ac0ec70d35bcb6086&board=2.0

[Bucksnort101]

Only place I've seen an abundance of Rabbit in Minnesota is in the French Regional Park on the North end of Medicine Lake. Don't think the Park System would like me trudging through with a bow and shooting them though.
Did see a Fox chasing a ribbit down one of the trails I walk though, it stopped dead in it's track when it saw me and we had a little staring contest for about 5 minutes. It was pretty neat.
Saw a humongous Buck the other day in there as well.
Lots of wildlife in those places off limits to hunting;)

[BrianH]

Chad, Thanks for reminding me, I haven't been on that site for quite awhile.  I would love to get together for a rabbit hunt.  Where?  I am not sure, I was thinking about taking the Beagle out to Chippawa National Forest this winter and trying for Snowshoes, I hear they are more enjoyable with a dog as they tend to circle more than the cottontails.

[Fallguy]

I've been hunting around the Walker area I have not seen any great numbers of rabbits, cotton tails or snowshoe's. The deer numbers seem to be down also.

[BrianH]

Fallguy,  Thanks for the good info, maybe I will look at another area.