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["Griffin Gardens" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

The anticipated damage from a higher than usual population of cottontails this year to my nursery trees seems to have been averted. The 2" x 4" welded wire exclusion fence has been successful so far, and at 4' high, should continue to do so even if the east coast stops co-opting all of our snow. The little we have is enough to show their nightly trails up to and around the fence, in what must be Alfred Hitchcock-like numbers, and when I mistakenly left the gate open a crack for two nights, I got a notion of the damage they could do if they had the chance - a Tippy Hedren nightmare.

 

The high population seems to be concentrated in this small area and I think if I could cut down the breeding population, I might be able to make a significant and long term reduction without their coming in immediately from the outside to fill the vacuum. Has anybody had any success with leg hold traps?  What about a bait for live traps?  Anything else work?

 

Dave