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Jackrabbit Overview

Last Updated: February 04, 2008 | Related resource areas: Wildlife Damage Management

Jackrabbits | Jackrabbit Overview | Jackrabbit Damage Assessment | Jackrabbit Damage Management | Jackrabbit Acknowledgments | Jackrabbit Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information



Blacktail jackrabbit, Lepus californicus (left); whitetail jackrabbits, L. townsendii (middle);showshoe hare, L. americanus (right).
Blacktail jackrabbit, Lepus californicus (left); whitetail jackrabbits, L. townsendii (middle);showshoe hare, L. americanus (right).

Rabbits and hares can damage or completely destroy tree plantings, gardens, ornamentals, agricultural crops, and rehabilitated rangeland. In winter, they strip bark from and debud fruit trees, conifers, and other trees and shrubs (Craven 1994).

Rabbits are known vectors of tularemia, which is transmissible to humans, and they may carry larvated eggs of several as carid roundworms that can produce disease if accidentally ingested (uncooked) by humans (Davidson and Nettles 1988).

Jackrabbits also damage orchards, gardens, ornamentals, and some agricultural crops, especially in areas adjacent to rangeland, and most frequently when natural vegetation is dry (Knight 1993). Jackrabbit populations show large fluctuations, and, at times of high density, damage to rangeland vegetation and competition with livestock can be severe.

Contents

Summary of Damage Prevention and Control Methods

Exclusion

Fencing. Tree trunk guards.

Cultural Methods

Manipulation of habitat. Planting of less desirable crops.

Frightening

Guard dogs.

Repellents

Ammonium soaps, capsaicin, naphthalene, thiram, tobacco dust, ziram.

Toxicants

Anticoagulants (where registered).

Fumigants

None are registered.

Trapping

Body-gripping and leghold traps. Box traps.

Shooting

Spotlighting and day shooting are effective where legal. Hunting.

Other Methods

Predators.

  • Most methods apply to all rabbit and hare species.


Jackrabbits | Jackrabbit Overview | Jackrabbit Damage Assessment | Jackrabbit Damage Management | Jackrabbit Acknowledgments | Jackrabbit Resources | ICWDM | Wildlife Species Information


More information:

other mammals, wdm overview

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