Hares

Sky · Post: # 88705Post **Sky** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:26 pm

And rabbits ... our land is getting a bit over run with them we've noticed.

What's the best way to get rid of them in NZ?

Hubbys a bit of a rubbish shot with the gun, and the dogs smaller than they are (she's a papillon), the cats did the best job early on in the year when they kept bringing home cute baby mangled ones.

Also can we eat them when we catch them or will they be full of disease and worms?

Ellendra · Post: # 89024Post **Ellendra** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:00 pm

Are you familiar with trapping? Can you take a class on it and learn? Is trapping allowed in NZ?

Is there a hawk you can invite over? (Seriously, I used to have one that perched just outside my kitchen window so she could watch the rabbits in my garden)

As for eating, the biggest danger is the fleas, or rather the diseases carried by the fleas. Once a rabbit dies the fleas will start to jump ship, and you don't want to be the one they jump on.

Of course, if you have that many animals you're probably more used to dealing with fleas than most people nowadays, so I'll try not to preach to the choir here. Enjoy your bunny stew!

happy place · Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:28 pm

definatley eat them

yum yum
my advice would be to gut them as soon as poss then hang them by rear legs for about 24 hours, skin then cook or freeze. Check liver and if liver looks mank chuck rabbit in bin.
As for trapping I've never had much success but found a little practice at a rabbit target at about the range you will shoot them at leads to a clean kill. Also always go for head shot stops them twicthing which scares the rest away and dosn't spoil the meat.
well good shooting and enjoy the bounty

Sky · Post: # 89148Post **Sky** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:46 am

Thanks for the replies

PeterNZ · Post: # 89149Post **PeterNZ** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:55 am

Try Timm Traps with carrot in it!

We shoot them with a .22 or even a very good air rifle! If you are not a good shot a scope might help a lot!

Cheers

Peter

frozenthunderbolt · Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:40 am

a scoped .22 air rifle 2500 Feet per second or better if the best bunny banger. 3-400 to get a good one with a good scope. but ammo costs effectively nothing, they aren't too loud and if you are over 18 you dont need a gun lisence to buy own and opperate one.
Ours is 1000FPS and will punch through 2 layers of 18mm plywood. doesnt work so well over longer distances though so more FPS is very useful.

Regards, Jed