I think this is the beginnings of an economy based on perpetual growth and fossil fuel energy running headlong into geological energy constraints. Basically I see an undulatory downward path for the rest of my life. From here out, I think any rallies in our economic condition are going to be met with spiking commodity prices that knock us right back down.
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject: Artificially boosting the local rabbit population?
If a scenario ever comes to pass where I can't buy food at a local grocery store, I could resort to hunting to feed myself any my family. I have a small woods in my back yard that technically is state property, but would be uh...claimed by me in a SHTF scenario, and no one would know the difference.
Most of the deer are in other state owned property across the road. A bit of a walk, but feasible nonetheless. Right now though, I can hunt squirrel and possibly rabbit, from my own kitchen. The problem is, I don't see a whole lot of rabbits back there. Its PERFECT habitation grounds for a strong rabbit population, but for whatever reason, thre just aren't that many here. Does anyone know how I might boost the population? Would it be as easy as just going to the pet store and buying a few and releasing them? I don't want to release animals that have been taken from the wild so long they can't survive on their own, only for them to die of starvation in a few days. Suggestions?
Become a "breatherian". These are people that quit eating and drinking. Sounds pretty absurd, I know, but considering the path that we are all going down I makes most sense...
There were some good points on another thread about planting wild veggies in the woods
.You may want to try and look that up also.
A few years back,My brother in law had some rabbits 10 or 15,and he got tired of feeding and cleaning them and just left them in their pens to die.
I couldnt watch this so I loaded them up and took them out back to the woods but I never saw them again.I figure the domestic ones became food for hawks and foxes.They are probably not capable of surviving.
when I released them they were just sniffing around lost.
You may have better luck with quail and pheasant.
Foxes do a lot of damage in areas like this.
you should look into it and if there is a fox population you might want to "reduce" it a bit.
Behind my house is a game preserve.Hunting is forbidden.But the predator animals do a lot of damage.
Its nice to have govt land out back.I feel the same way about the woods behind my house ,like its mine.lol _________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
Joined: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3429 Location: California, USA
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:06 am Post subject:
Releasing rabbits into the wild could, depending on the area, result in a huge population explosion of rabbits, with enormously detrimental effects on the local ecosystems & food chain.
Ask anyone from Australia about that. In fact go put the word "rabbit" and "Australia" into a search engine and follow the links.
Also when any species gets past a certain population density in the wild, it becomes susceptible to endemic diseases, some of which are transmissable to humans. You don't want a hoarde of infected rabbits taking over niches that are presently occupied by other edible critters.
Really, if you want rabbits as food, the thing to do is build a rabbit cage and breed them for the purpose. Rabbits are economical to raise, and their manure can go back to the soil. Also in a controlled setting you don't have to worry so much about disease taking hold.
Part of the reason humans went from hunting to raising livestock was that it was much easier and didn't take as many bullets.
Rabbits, if left to their own devices, tend to breed like ... rabbits.
If the place is perfect for rabbits and has no indigenous rabbit population, perhpas it is not so perfect after all. Inadequate food or water supply, overzealous predation, disease, or a disadvantageous climate may be limiting their growth in this "PERFECT habitation ground."
Raising rabbits is a fine plan. If you have a surplus which you can not eat, feed to your guard dogs, sell, store, or give away, then releasing them into the wild may be an option in order to develop a population of ferrel rabbits.
About the only thing they need to survive is a good food source. This would include your croplands. If you are going to be releasing these surplus rabbits, do so a great distance from where you live or you may end up spending your time hunting them specifically to reduce their population to prevent them from eating you out of house and home.
If you want to boost the current local population of rabbits, hunt their natural predators. Fox, wolves, coyotes, big cats, hawks, even snakes and rats will feed on baby rabbits. Reduce the factors limiting their population and they will flourish. A flourishing rabbit population will aid in boosting the predator population. Now you have foxes in the hen house.
Its a big can of worms. Does the increased rabbit population consume the food the deer would eat, driving down the deer population? Its a fine plan, but mother nature is a cunning, cold hearted b***h. _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 13065 Location: naive idiot fantasy world
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:08 am Post subject:
I agree the domestic rabbits will most likely get eaten by predators, but in any case it's best not to release domestic animals into the wild. Raise them in pens, much easier and more convenient than having to hunt them. Just cut some grass for them everyday and put it in the pen, presto, free rabbit food. Or you can build pens with an open bottom, lay chicken wire on the lawn, put the pens on the wire, the rabbits collect their own food (the chicken wire prevents them from digging out and escaping).
Good suggestions on integrating rabbits into a small productive farm : "You Can Farm" by Joel Salatin _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow." - jboogy
Well, the thing is, I'm not so sure I have too much in the way of predators to worry about for the rabbits. I'm in Southwestern Ohio. I haven't seen a stray cat in my neighborhood in months, never seen a stray dog....Like I said before, we have some deer and squirrel, but I've never heard or seen, a coyote in this area. That's about the extent of the wildlife situation. Raising them in a pen would certainly be more efficient though.
Joined: May 24, 2004 Posts: 3429 Location: California, USA
Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:43 am Post subject:
Kpeavey, did you miss my item about wild rabbits in Australia? Please do a web search on "Rabbits" + "Australia" and read a bit.
Releasing rabbits into the wild in certain ecosystems & climates is STUPID. World-class stupid. Too stupid for words.
You can release them a hundred miles away and within a decade or two at most, they could be at your doorstep eating your garden down to nothing. At first they'll be good for small-arms target practice with the added benefit of providing stew. After the novelty wears off and your supply of ammo starts to get low, they will become an enormous pain in the ass that won't ever go away.
On the other hand, Ludi's idea about movable pens with chicken-wire bottoms, is great. Make the pens big enough and you can sell "Free Range Rabbits" in the local farmer's market!:-).
Joined: Nov 24, 2004 Posts: 75 Location: West Lafayette, IN U.S.A.
Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 7:37 pm Post subject:
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy and release bunnies into the wild!
Whether or not you see the predator population, it exists, and will make quick work of any new bunnies. Rabbits avoid predators with an extensive set of tunnels, as well as memorized hiding places. Rabbits set loose have none of these advantages. They won't even have shelter from the rain.
Raise and eat if you will, but it is animal cruelty prosecutable by law to release bunnies, and it gives monumentally poor returns besides.
Melissa
Humane Society bunny fosterer, and bunny mom for 15+ years
Not to mention domestic rabbits are a totally different species than wild rabbits. Domestic rabbits can't breed with wild rabbits, and they have totally different behavior patterns.
Beyond that, increasing the number of rabbits will a) decrease available food and thus decrease the rabbit population, and b) attract more predators, decreasing the rabbit population. Ecology 101.
Not to mention domestic rabbits are a totally different species than wild rabbits. Domestic rabbits can't breed with wild rabbits, and they have totally different behavior patterns.
Beyond that, increasing the number of rabbits will a) decrease available food and thus decrease the rabbit population, and b) attract more predators, decreasing the rabbit population. Ecology 101.
Jenn
....except there aren't any wild rabbits around anyway.
Releasing surplus rabbits into the wild initially seemed like a good idea. The informed have shown the flaws in that plan. _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 921 Location: 145'2"E 37'46"S
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 9:35 pm Post subject:
So rabbits not so hot idea, but the principle is sound: the surest LONG term wealth for any lifeboat builder would be biodiversity, chosen & imported to provide yields of all reqd foods for as much of the year as possible. What will work of course depends on locn, climate, skills and luck.
I am well aware that these exotics will prob have -ve impacts on native biodiversity, but then so will starving humans. Preserving pure ecological communities is a luxury we might have wanted 20 yrs ago, but IMHO is a complete waste of time now.
Selecting, obtaining & establishing such plants & animals in your locale is a prime preparation for decline, for own security & as source of future wealth.
What makes sense the most is gg´s free range idea.Laying down some wire mesh between four trees which are approximately in a square or parallelogram formation,then putting some mesh around the trees and a net on top and let them live in there in some boxes,all they need is water get a few bales of clover,bingo,"free range".
If the area is big enough you might be lucky and wont have to clean,or after a month,relocate it. _________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
It is not 100% unheard of for "domestic" rabbits to hang in there for a few years if enough of them are released into an area, but their color makes them really vulnerable unless you live in a place with a lot of snow. Get some grey ones if you want to try this. These little guys are pretty hardy, even if it gets cold where you are.
Much better to try to improve the local conditions so that they will show up on their own, or with some help. If there is a clear flat spot back in there somewhere that will support some grassland type plants, go back in there with a rototiller and till it up and plant alfalfa, favorite food for the little guys. Alfalfa seed can usually be had at the local feed store, if there is one.
Secondly, set out traps for whatever varmint is running around down there which might be a predator and keeping the local rabbit population down. Probably coyotes or foxes if in North America, maybe also bobcats. Also wild dogs and faral cats will eat a rabbit if they can catch one. There are still places in the country where you can collect a bounty for doing this. You might catch some flak for trapping on state land, but unless the game warden goes back in there frequently, maybe no problem. Your state DNR may even give helpful suggestions.
A potential issue will happen if one of your neigbors' dogs or cats is running wild back in there and you catch him in your trap (dog=stupid form of coyote, cat=stupid form of bobcat) so set your traps at dusk, and go get them at dawn to keep this from happening. If it does happen, you know that was what was keeping the wildlife population down. Get him out of your trap and throw him out in the street so it looks like he got hit by a car before your neighbor catches you. Either that or bury him in the woods so there is no evidence.
Thirdly, once you have done the first two things above, pretty easy to go out and trap wild rabbits and "relocate" them to your little area. Get one of those live traps and bait it with rabbit pellets. Do not be shocked if you get a possum or raccoon once in awhile using the same bait. Those critters are also edible, so catch and release.
You will have to develop some trapping skills (live traps and also regular snares and foot traps) but this will not hurt you. This can be easily researched on the web, and traps can be ordered online.
Also, better to wait until the first hard freeze before going out and shooting your wild rabbits. Reason: the first freeze will kill off the sick ones, which are carrying disease (there are a few nasty rabbit-related viruses and parasites that you can pick up if not careful).
Rabbits are a fine source of food and fur which can be used to make warm clothing articles. With a little advance planning, you can have a nice little population going semi-wild back there that you can tap into when the time comes.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
News
Discussions
Resources
Members
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
