# Trapping Rabbits



## steelhead1

Are we allowed to set traps for rabbits? If so, what would be the best set? Where I'm trapping at right now is loaded with rabbits. They have beaten trails everywhere. Thanks in advance for any info.


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## FREEPOP

I'll bring the boyz over and we can take care of those wascally wabbits


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## WAUB-MUKWA

Set 110's right in their trails and put sticks and debris on each side so they don't jump over and around.


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## Skinner 2

You cannot trap rabbits in Michigan!

Skinner 2


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## tommytubular

yep.....what skinner said

Pick youself a nice sunny day and post up near the rabbit trails. Sometime you can catch them sunning themselves or moving down those trails, plink them off with a 22. Play the wind too......you might just catch a fow or yote that is looking for the same thing.

Or just invite Freepop and company over for a day of hound hunting


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## Adam Waszak

tommytubular said:


> yep.....what skinner said
> 
> Pick youself a nice sunny day and post up near the rabbit trails. Sometime you can catch them sunning themselves or moving down those trails, plink them off with a 22. Play the wind too......you might just catch a fow or yote that is looking for the same thing.
> 
> Or just invite Freepop and company over for a day of hound hunting



Make sure any snares or traps are pulled before FREEPOP and company is turned loose huh  

AW


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## shorty27

It was said earlier that you cannot trap rabbits in Michigan. I know quite a few guys who own rabbit pens and according to them it it legal to live trap 5 rabbits per year with a small game license for the pen? Just wondering if anyone knows if this is correct?


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## Mickey Finn

I thought I had read some where that you could live trap rabbits for training purposes but that they had to be used right away.

When I checked the dnr site there was no mention of this and rabbits ar'nt listed under target animals.

So, maybe the bit about live trapping was in the conservation orders. I look further.


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## Mickey Finn

shorty27 said:


> It was said earlier that you cannot trap rabbits in Michigan. I know quite a few guys who own rabbit pens and according to them it it legal to live trap 5 rabbits per year with a small game license for the pen? Just wondering if anyone knows if this is correct?


The wildlife conservation orders chapter XIV.14.6 Dog training says this.
This was updated 06 dec. 05 so it should be reliable.

Otherwise you have to hunt them and kill them. So, police up the traps, and release the hounds! Good luck.


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## Rommel103

steelhead1 said:


> Are we allowed to set traps for rabbits? If so, what would be the best set? Where I'm trapping at right now is loaded with rabbits. They have beaten trails everywhere. Thanks in advance for any info.


Hi,

Its still ok in AU. I have to trap for ag reasons,
Here's an idea for trapping rabbits I got from an e-book on trapping I bought.

You can see the e-book I'm quoting from here:

http://self-teaching.com/trapping/

Its a bloody good book. I've even figured how to use one of the traps in it to catch kangaroos with (I'm an Aussy, the book is USA) 

On rabbit trapping there's a bit that says:

"..The rabbit is fond of pursuing a beaten path in the woods, and is often snared at such places..."


"...the devices used in its capture are multitudinous. It is by no means a difficult animal to trap, and a glance through the second and fourth sections of our book, will reveal many ingenious snares and other contrivances, commonly and successfully used. 


The Box trap is perhaps the most universal example of rabbit trap, but the Self-setting trap and Double-ender are also equally effective where the animal is desired to be taken alive. If this is not an object, the snare is to be recommended as simple in construction and sure in its result. 


The above constitute the only devices commonly used for the capture of the rabbit, the steel trap being dispensed with. On page 121 will be found additional remarks concerning the rabbit, and many hints no baiting, etc., are also given under the heads of the various traps above alluded to. 

Here's the bit on the box trap. Sorry I can't show you the pics from the e-book it refers to but you can visualize it if you think hard:

the common wooden box-trap, better known, perhaps, by our country boys as the rabbit-trap. A glance at our illustration, will readily bring it to mind, and easily explain its working to those not particularly acquainted with it. These traps may be made of any size, but, being usually employed in catching rabbits, require to be made quite large. They should be made of hard seasoned wood-oak or chestnut is the best-and of slabs about an inch in thickness. The pieces may be of the following dimensions: let the bottom board be 20+7 in.; side board, 20+9 in.; lid board 19+7 in., and the end piece of lid 7 in. square. 


The tall end piece should be about 16 inches high by 7 broad. Let this be sharpened on the upper end, as seen in the engraving, and furnished with a slight groove on the summit, for the reception of the cord. Now to put the pieces together. 


Nail the two sides to the edge of the bottom board, and fit in between them the high end piece, securing that also, with nails through the bottom and side boards. Next nail the lid board on to the small, square end piece, and fit the lid thus made neatly into its place. 


To make the hinge for the lid, two small holes should be bored through the sides of the trap, about four inches from the tall end, and half an inch from the upper edge of each board. Let small nails now be driven through these holes into the edge of the lid, and it will be found to work freely upon them. 


The principal part of the trap is now made, but what remains to be done is of great importance. The "spindle" is a necessary feature in nearly all traps, and the box-trap is useless without it. In this case it should consist merely of a round stick of about the thickness of a lead pencil, and we will say, 7 or 8 in. in length. One end should be pointed and the other should have a small notch cut in it, as seen in the separate drawing of the stick. The spindle being ready, we must have some place to put it. Another hole should be bored through the middle of the high end piece, and about 4 in. from the bottom. This hole should be large enough to allow the spindle to pass easily through it. If our directions have been carefully followed, the result will now show a complete, closefitting trap. 


In setting the trap there are two methods commonly employed, as shown at a and b. The string, 
in either case, must be fastened to the end of the lid. 


In the first instance (a) the lid is raised and made fast by the brace, holding itself beneath the tip of the projecting spindle, and a nail or plug driven into the wood by the side of the hole. Of course, when the spindle is drawn or moved from the inside the brace will be let loose and the lid will drop. 



In the other method (b) the spindle is longer, and projects several inches on the outside of the hole. The brace is also longer, and catches itself in the notch on the end of the spindle, and another slight notch in the board, a few inches above the hole.

When the bait is touched from the inside, the brace easily flies out and the lid falls, securing its victim. Either way is sure to succeed, but if there is any preference it is for the former (a). It is a wise plan to have a few holes through the trap in different places, to allow for ventilation, and it may be found necessary to line the cracks with tin, as sometimes the enclosed creature might otherwise gnaw through and make its escape. If there is danger of the lid not closing tightly when sprung, a stone may be fastened upon it to insure that result. 


This trap is usually set for rabbits, and these dimensions are especially calculated with that idea. Rabbits abound in all our woods and thickets, and may be attracted by various baits. An apple is most generally used. The box-trap may be made of smaller dimensions, and set in trees for squirrels with very good success..."

Hope this was a bit helpful.  

Kind regards

Rommel


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## franky

So if you wanted some rabbit stew, you couldn't put a 110 on the trail they use? I'm a bit confused here.


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## lwingwatcher

franky said:


> So if you wanted some rabbit stew, you couldn't put a 110 on the trail they use? I'm a bit confused here.


Nope...you cannot. If you do, you are likely to lose the trap to a pizzed off houndsman to boot...


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## franky

You can't even trap them on your own property?


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## lwingwatcher

Skinner 2 said:


> You cannot trap rabbits in Michigan!
> 
> Skinner 2


Check with Boehr on the Hunting and Fishing Law forum if you don't believe us.


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## multibeard

It is real simple "YOU CAN NOT TRAP RABBITS"...........

Rabbits are a game animal. They are not a furbearer there for you can not trap them!!!!! Look in the hunting and trapping booklet. Rabbits are listed in the hunting seasons with a season for hunting them.

Now go look in the trapping section and see if you can find a season for trapping them!!!!!!!!


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## franky

Sorry about that, i guess i just never realized, thank you all for the clarification.


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