Show OUTDOOR CORNER the Rabbit This is vear of the rabbit- Cot are and local hunters are enjoying an extremely high and it appears that they're at the If the cycles hold bunny populations will plummet in a year or and will descend to the low part of 1116 in another half-dozen or rabbits will begin climbing to new there are two sub- species of cottontails in this part of the mountain and desert The mountain rabbit lives where his name and he's fond of mini- rocky and sagebrush The desert bunny lives wherever there's and likes brushy and even junk considered a delectable treat by all sorts of Eagles and great horned owls find him and coyotes and bobcats go out of their way to catch him whenever they Even the tiny which is half as big as a cot will stalk him when he has an Because of the high degree of predation and a number of diseases and parasites that affect the bunny seldom lives to a ripe old A two year old rabbit is a senior citizen in the cottontail and the average age is more like one plus or minus a few 2 in E were offered all the protection of regular managed A season and bag limit was and now the cottontail can be hunted only from mid September through the end of This season protects breeding since they generally start their litters by early One pair of rabbits may have three or four litters a This high degree of reproduction K ISIS S r. u li tori 1 m re a Most hunte for their 2 ve of in wm S rr SS i the most obvious because those that are shot at missed dart during the and arent when hunters are in the This is me of the that a breeding population protects itself and carries on the job of replenishing the species each No matter how hard an area is there are enough survivors to fill all the vacant burrows the following spring with young The heavy snow in the region will no doubt keep all but the brave hunters off the outlying Although there are literally tens of thousands of bunnies out most will never be conf- fronted by a This is true during winters with little snow as because most hunters seldom expend any effort for their A short hike over a ridge in even a heavy-hunted area is usually rewarded with plenty of rabbits that are never some pursue rabbits with cross-country skis or This is great and offers plenty of exercise as well as a productive Those who have never eaten cot- are missing out on a The little rabbit are and can be prepared according to dozens of They are and Uste similar to For best skin and dress the rabbits as soon as they are I carry carry a and cover the s odor when the entrails are when you get you don't have the unpleasant task in front of you it's already and the discarded parts and organs are in the wilds where the magpies and coyotes will make work of them- |