Shooting Rabbits

[Grunt]

I've got a bit of a rabbit problem on my property. I'm planting trees and the little frickers are eating them. They're also burrowing under my new water tank.

I had a bit of a Google to see what the licensing requirements are. Assuming that the police think I'm an acceptable person. (Bit concerned about that. )
I've got 11 acres. Are they likely to give me a hunting license with a property that size?

I'm thinking either an air rifle or maybe a .22.

I don't want to use poisons on the property.

Chris

[Barry_White]

Grunt

I live on 5 acres and I have a recreational licence which give me permission to shoot vermin etc.

Just go to the police station and get an application. I think you may have to do a course on the save handling of weapons.

My brother-in-law was just telling me about some pellets you can buy from a rural supply company that will get rid of rabbits.

The other thing you could wrap the trunks in newspaper.

[Grunt]

Thanks Barry, I've downloaded the application form and it just asked how big the property is.

I'm going to be planting 1000 trees or more in the next 12 months. Mostly be direct seeding so the rabbits will wait until they just right and then eat'em.

I don't want to use any poisons as they will be lots of other animals around that I don't want to kill. Plus, I really want to be organic.

Chris the Greenie.

[masoth]

Are you a primary producer? You can get a pest erradication licence and YES, you are required to pass a simple test. In theory you should show this when buying ammunition. I don't remember what the cost is. At least a .22, but better still .223, with a very good telescopic sight.

soth

[Santalum]

You could always buy a couple of ferrets organic, environmentally friendly and you could also partake in the local ferret in the trousers day Jon.

Thanks Barry, I've downloaded the application form and it just asked how big the property is.

I'm going to be planting 1000 trees or more in the next 12 months. Mostly be direct seeding so the rabbits will wait until they just right and then eat'em.

I don't want to use any poisons as they will be lots of other animals around that I don't want to kill. Plus, I really want to be organic.

Chris the Greenie.

[Tex79]

Hi Chris,

As you are only on 11 acres I would go with a good air rifle or a shotgun, especially if there are other houses close to the boundry of your property. .22's are great all round rifles but the projectilescan travel a long distance if you happen to miss your shot and it ricochets. If your able to sneak up in them to with in 20 -30 metres an air rifle would be perfect. Just my two cents worth.

Cheers,

Evan

[Santalum]

Rabbits! .223! 11 acres!

Are you a primary producer? You can get a pest erradication licence and YES, you are required to pass a simple test. In theory you should show this when buying ammunition. I don't remember what the cost is. At least a .22, but better still .223, with a very good telescopic sight.

soth

[journeyman Mick]

.................The other thing you could wrap the trunks in newspaper.

But won't they just keep eating once they've finished reading?
Or do they find, like me, that the offerings of the mass media are totally unpalatable?

Mick

[Cliff Rogers]

Good on ya for giving it a go, we don't use any chemicals on our 10 acres either.
We have problems with the bush turkeys digging our trees up.
I have made some tree guards that seem to work with the turkeys but I doubt they would work on a rabbit.

Here are a couple of other solutions; I don't know how good they are.


http://bunnyblasters.com.au/

http://www.fertool.com.au/

Fertool Distributors Pty Ltd
Tree Guards : Tree Protection

Supplier of plastic tree guards and rabbit proof guards

Email: [email protected]

Region: AUSTRALIA-WIDE
Address: 97 Abbott Road, Hallam 3803
Phone: 03 9796 4433
Fax: 03 9796 4311

[dazzler]

When I was a kid we used to shoot rabbits with an air rifle..

It was way funny watching one fall over and the others look at each other as if to say;

"Whats up with billy"

[Big Shed]

I am on 25 acres and have so far planted about 2500 trees from tube stock and have done about 5 km of direct seeding lines.

We also have lots of rabbits, so we used the wire and plastic sleeve type tree guards. They work great against rabbits and more importantly the hares (I find they are a bigger (excuse the pun) problem than the rabbits. We started out using milk cartons, totally useless, the hares just keep coming along and eat everything that dares poke its' head above the milk carton.

Before we started the direct seeding, we did a Pindone Oats poisoning program, not really an issue as the surrounding farms also do this. I have yet to find an animal or bird killed by the Pindone Oats, other than the rabbits.

Since we did the direct seeding, 2 years ago last September, we have not done any poisoning, and we are finding that we lose very little to rabbits or hares in the direct seeded area. Roos are a bigger problem, particularly this year because of the drought they come in to drink from our 2 dams.

If you are interested I can post a few photos of the direct seeding, both from last year and now.

I am active in our local Landcare Group and we have our own direct seeding machine, we did about 300kms of direct seeding this year.

Having done both, I would not plant those 2500 seedlings again, I would do it all with direct seeding. Better success rate and a s**t load less work

I would be reluctant to use a .22 on our property, even with 25 acres our neighbours are closer than I would like, friends are on 10 acres and I wouldn't use a rifle on their place. I have used a shotgun, also has the advantage that they are easier to hit!

[Big Shed]

But won't they just keep eating once they've finished reading?
Or do they find, like me, that the offerings of the mass media are totally unpalatable?

Mick

You're supposed to put the cartoons on the outside, they like the pictures and won't eat them

[Clinton1]

410 shotgun might be the go, and you can rest easier wrt any stray ricochete's (spelling?). Either that or a .22 short round.
I know you are not asking about rifles/calibres, but the calibre of the weapon will be taken into account along with the land size, at some point.

[rrich]

Chris,
You mention burrows. When I had a gopher problem I used a garden hose in the exhaust pipe of the car to solve the problem. Just stuff rags around the hose to insure that the exhaust gas goes through the hose. Put the other end of the hose into the burrow and close off the burrow to seal in the gas. Let the vehicle idle for 30-45 minutes and nothing will come out of the burrow. With my gophers, I wiped out the whole colony which included the gophers in my 5 immediate neighbor's yards.

[Santalum]

Sounds like an interesting idea, low cost low tech and worth a try Jon.

Chris,
You mention burrows. When I had a gopher problem I used a garden hose in the exhaust pipe of the car to solve the problem. Just stuff rags around the hose to insure that the exhaust gas goes through the hose. Put the other end of the hose into the burrow and close off the burrow to seal in the gas. Let the vehicle idle for 30-45 minutes and nothing will come out of the burrow. With my gophers, I wiped out the whole colony which included the gophers in my 5 immediate neighbor's yards.