I read today where rabbit hemorrhagic fever has been found all over the West and Southwestern U.S. in both wild and domestic rabbits. Supposedly the meat can be eaten by humans, but people are to take great caution in handling, cleaning, disposing of parts, etc. of rabbits. It can apparently live over 100 days in even dry conditions and can be spread by insects, hunters, birds of prey, other infected rabbits, etc. 80% fatality rate on cottontails, jacks, pygmy rabbits. We already are dealing with occasional cases of plague, tularemia, etc. Just another fun fact of 2020 to deal with.

I keep a small rabbitry for meat. They are off the ground in suspended cages. The only safe way to handle this.

I lived in Spain and Italy from 2002-2007, we had rabbits everywhere and a lot of hares.

In 2016 I moved to Germany, hardly any rabbits anywhere, though the hares seem to have fared well.

Here in New Mexico we have a lot of rabbits, and a lot of hares (jackrabbits) and there is quite a bit of disease but so far I am not finding a million dead rabbits like we did in Europe.

I ain't seen a rabbit/hare in so long I couldn't tell you the difference.
it's even worth noting if you happen to see one dead along the highway so everyone in the truck can take a look.

I use to go onto a woman's place that was 55 sections and cull jackrabbits. We did this at night and some nights the both of us would kill around 100. I used 55 grain cast bullets in a 22-250 around 2000 fps. This reduced load was much easier on ears shooting from inside a pickup and would range out about as far as you could get a spotlight on them.

yep.
my buddy's grandpa used to make us sit out on the hay bales at night and shoot them 1-2 nights a week after we got done stacking it.

not complaining, but we both were damn tired after throwing hay all day.
at least he was the one getting up to do the milking on those mornings.

I used to see quite a few cottontails in our front and backyard here in Vegas. But, I haven't seen one in the yard for a long time. However, we do have coyotes that prowl our gated community regularly for small pets and other things. Yesterday, I did see a roadrunner and a blue winged teal in the backyard at the same time. Flushed the teal out as I don't want her nesting in the yard and using the pool. The last three years my neighbor has had a female mallard and around 12 little ones hatch out each year. It can be a messy issue.

The type wildlife around my place has changed. When I came here in 1982, there were mourning dove and a small Inca dove. I had never seen a white winged dove or a ring neck dove until about 10 years later. Seemed like overnight they were about all you saw. Haven't seen an Inca dove in years. Did not see deer back then, now they are in my yard every night. The Air Force base here (Goodfellow AFB) had no deer, now it is over ran by them. On the riverwalk there were some tame white ducks. Then some Mallards took up residence and very obviously they interbred which makes me wonder how do the different type ducks remain pure?

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:On the riverwalk there were some tame white ducks. Then some Mallards took up residence and very obviously they interbred which makes me wonder how do the different type ducks remain pure?

Curious, I thought I remembered that Mallards mate for life.

quote:

Originally posted by TomP:

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:On the riverwalk there were some tame white ducks. Then some Mallards took up residence and very obviously they interbred which makes me wonder how do the different type ducks remain pure?

Curious, I thought I remembered that Mallards mate for life.

There is divorce and adultery at times.....

Ducks are also amongst the few animals that rape.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
I read today where rabbit hemorrhagic fever has been found all over the West and Southwestern U.S. in both wild and domestic rabbits. Supposedly the meat can be eaten by humans, but people are to take great caution in handling, cleaning, disposing of parts, etc. of rabbits. It can apparently live over 100 days in even dry conditions and can be spread by insects, hunters, birds of prey, other infected rabbits, etc. 80% fatality rate on cottontails, jacks, pygmy rabbits. We already are dealing with occasional cases of plague, tularemia, etc. Just another fun fact of 2020 to deal with.

I know parts of Europe have dealt with this. I have never heard about it in the US. Is this the first time we’ve had it in the states?

Rabbits have always had Tularemia, you can tell by spots on the lungs. Back in the day you didn't eat texas cottontails until after the second big freeze..old wives tale? dont think so, I never got sick anyway, maybe cold weather cures lots of rabbit ills, who knows..