North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[LONGDISTSHTR <longdistshtr@InfoAve.Net>]

Re: Box Rabbit Trap

Having lived through the Great Depression, I have an adversion to rabbit 
whether it is stewed, fried,
fricasseed, roasted or hasenpffeeffered but I sure get tired of nibbled bark 
on my fruit trees. Up
north I have seen trees girdled by the fluffy bunnies (no offense to Usagi). 
Tanglefoot seemed to
protect tree trunks from rabbits and voles, messy though it may be. .
If you make the "tunnel" opening larger than about six inches square it will 
attract 'possums, 'coons
and skunks (polecats). I'm talking about cottontails, swamp hares are larger 
and rare here.  I had my
best luck baiting with lettuce or with nothing. Seems like rabbits are more 
interested in going in a
burrow like entrance than eating the bait.
They are called "rabbit gums" here, mainly 'cause hollow sweet gum stumps and 
logs were used for the
"box".
While running a bio-lab we had a problem with the tularemia microbes getting 
away from us. We had more
trouble with them "getting away" from us than any other organism.  Be extra 
careful while handling
rabbit carcasses. I'll wager you would rather put up with girdled fruit tree 
trunks than have an
infection by Francisella tularensis. Remember rabbits kick when you remove 
them from the gum, use
heavy gloves. I learned this early. Skunks..you will know you have one and 
'coons bite and both may
have lyssa (rabies). Tenga cuidado!
Doc Lisenby
Zone 7/8
Hope those afflicted with the White Christmas Syndrome are faring well.
It is bright, sunny and cool here. I'm concerned that I will get enough 
chilling hours for my apples
this year. I miss playing bumper cars in the snow. Ho ho ho! My un-studded  
truck tires are a nice red
clay color--beautiful! Expecting  a nice pecan, fig and muscadine crop next 
year.