Cottontails

Hey guys, I miss the days of a good cottontail shoot and recently am craving a nice rabbit stew dinner.

In the past few years my efforts were not really rewarded with trips to the usual spots proving to be a waste of time.

IE driving for 2 hours pushing bush for 4/5 hours and seeing 2/3 bunnies.

Anyone have any tips or areas where they have seen the populations of rabbits on the rise... I guess snow at this point is an issue also for southern areas.

I'm coming from King our usual spots were in Belleville and London... they used to produce now I have no clue where to go..

I feel like there has to be some snow around simcoe and must be some areas holding bunnies.

Any help is appreciated. THANKS!

Cottontails definitely on the upswing. Averaging 2-4 each time. Hunt for 2-3 hours. My beagle is 15 and retired lol. So we hit the brush piles ourselves. Anxious to get a new beagle but am waiting on my old one to go. Cant get them sitting on the couch.

what area(s) you hunt in

Wmu80

I'm not sure about the area you hunt but I'm finding the huge number of coyotes around are driving the rabbits near people. We see lots of rabbits near the farm house but few in the bush. Maybe it's just because we are around the house more than in the bush? If you can try hunting closer to the farm houses. We had one hanging around the house for months, my wife actually gave it a name, Baxter. A couple of days ago Baxter fur was found in a pile of coyote tracks right next to our drive shed!

been noticing a lot more cotton tails staying up by the farm house as well .
We had a good day hunt dancing around on top of the thorn bushes . Couple of good cuts and scratches but it was worth it ... and my new pants came out destroyed ...hunting 80 as well

Nice

nice haul

Nice! There are hardly any bunnies in my area. Might see one once a year.

What area ?

1-2 times a week I see a dead bunnie flatted on the road by our place.

We had one healthy mature yote hanging around as well that i haven't been out for yet .

Been noticing a lot more Red foxes around more than ever .

Counted 7 so far . Beautiful animal !!!

Did you move Dan? Last time we talked, you were in suburbia.

Moved back out into country side . 76 acre farm backing onto Nottawasga river.
Pm details .

That sounds like a little piece of heaven.

We bunny hunt hard, literally stomping every pile. We also do not shy away from the thorns and thick stuff. We used to average seeing 8-10 in about 5 hours. Now we see 1, maybe 2. There are usually coyote tracks to every brushpile long before we get there. So I am leaving the rabbits alone. I hunt the coyotes occasionally, but am ice fishing more for the most part.

I agree that there are more rabbits up by the farmhouses and barns. I think those are just the ones that the coyotes are not comfortable coming to get. Especially since most farms have a dog or two around the outbuildings and many dogs do not bother with the rabbits. At least no to the extent that coyotes do. I also see way more rabbits in town at first and last light than I ever saw in the country. Again, lack of true predators IMO.

I hope they come back soon as I truly miss the exercise and being able to laugh and catch up with buddies in a way you can't during most hunts where you have to be quiet.