Do Rabbits enjoy the chase?

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Ted Peercy
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Do Rabbits enjoy the chase?

Post by Ted Peercy »

I had an argument with my daughter this morning(and wife). They were getting after me about these poor little rabbits being chased by my dogs. I told them that the rabbit actually enjoys the chase and they laughed at me. I bet them I could have 9 positive responses by tonight that rabbits do enjoy it. Come on guys and gals, help me out.

WSRandy
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Post by WSRandy »

I think the rabbits enjoy it! I have seen rabbits come by me, stop and turn around, twitch them ears smile and continue on their way. I honestly think a rabbit can control when and how the dogs smell them. I think the rabbits just toy with the dogs for the most part.....and when they get tired, they hide and thats that!



Hope this helps Ted!

Randy

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Bev
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Post by Bev »

Depends. The last two rabbits Rowdy and Dolly ran together didn't enjoy it too well, lol! :eek:

The rabbits Maxx and Jack run probably have a good time. :nod:

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BlueLine
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Post by BlueLine »

You have got to be kidding! Everything chases the rabbit, not just us hunters. Even while its being pursued by a pack of hounds, it still has to keep a watchful eye out for other predators. I doubt there is any fun out of trying to just survive.
Ray

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Alabama John
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Post by Alabama John »

Ted,
the rabbit enjoys the race and will run by a number of hollow trees or den holes in the ground that they could go in to stop the race, as they know well every single one of them in their neighborhood.
On some days they are tired or just do not want to run and since THEY are REALLY in charge of you and your dogs races will choose to go in a hole and to heck with you!
Rabbits seem to know when you've been bad or good and will run just right to eleviate (lower) your stress or increase it depending on their mood. In short they can control your blood pressure, heart rate, and attitude and most do not know they have that much power over humans.
In Cherokee mythology and legends, they are known as the trickster and rightly so.
Remember the Tar Baby in Uncle Remus? Your wife might, but your daughter probably doesn't.

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Post by Guest »

Either they do enjoy the chase (and maybe don't realize the impending danger), they are very stupid, or a combination of the two. At the house I used to live in, we frequently had a rabbit under our deck when we came home. The dogs - beagles and Dobermans - would sniff like mad around the deck. On a few occasions, the rabbit bolted out and made a run for the neighbor's yard. One rabbit was caught a hold of by one of the beagles once and hopped around with a limp for the next few months, but it didn't dissuade him from hanging-out in our yard. There were even times where they'd "freeze" out in the corner of our yard until a dog was almost on top of them. They'd do the same when we were out on walks, and sometimes when they ran, they bolted right towards other dogs. Squirrels, on the other hand, seem to always head from the nearest tree and work their way to a safe place. We've also had bunnies give birth in our yard. If ever there was a bad place to nest, it was a yard with dogs coming in-and-out of a doggie door all day long, but they still did it!

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kjohns
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Post by kjohns »

I think most of the time the rabbits enjoy the chase. Like its already been said, the rabbit has the option at anytime to end it by going to hole. But most of the time they don't so they can't be to worried about it. I think a rabbitt has a lot more to worry about than some beagles tracking it. Being hunted by raptors would be a pretty nerve wrecking thing, I would think.

However, I think sometimes if the rabbit sees the human, then they get worried and may not enjoy the chase anymore. But they will just head to hole and end it.

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BlueLine
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Post by BlueLine »

Maybe they really dont perfer going to holes and only do so as needed (ie when pressured or just not up to running), or maybe a hole or a hollow isnt always the best choice. I have seen smaller hounds dig them out depending on the hole.. and have seen hunters smoke them out of the hollow, no they are running to survive and most likely due to instincts prefer to run, but will use other means when that doesnt work. If I was being persued and felt I could out run or shake my persuer, I would much rather keep moving than to stop and hide. I than the rabbits are much smarter than you all give them credit for. They have to exert a lot of energy while running during the winter when food might be scarce, and they dont have anyone waiting to feed and water them afterwards.

You can learn a lot if you really watch the rabbits while hunting them. Have you ever noticed that when possible, they will avoid running through noisy leaves or will wait for the wind to blow and make noise before moving out? You can use some of the same tatics. Have you ever had a chance to watch a rabbit double back on its trail? I saw one just the other day that was ran for over an hour. He only left the cover of the tickets once during that entire time, and that was to run about 10 yards straight out into a bean field that had been cut and then turned on a dime and when straight back in on the same trail. It worked like a charm, the hounds continued to reach out in the field trying to find the trail.

In short, I think they are driven by instinct and dont have time to enjoy the chase. I wonder if enjoyment is a emotion that wild animals especially a rodent is capable of.
Ray

TonyT
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Post by TonyT »

Ted I seen a post last week where a guy had a running pen and he said the rabbits would come out when they heard him coming and he thought they enjoyed the run as much as the dogs also. while I'm here e-mail me at ronihunter@aol.com for some info on the trial in estill springs sat been trying to get in touch with you

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Alabama John
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Post by Alabama John »

Blueline & bowhunter59,

please reread Ted's original post carefully.

You've made two very observant and educational posts that I understand to mean that you agree with the rest of us that the rabbit enjoys the chase.
In a starting pen, we trapped some rabbits and in order to keep up with them we put different colored ribbons around their necks.
Lo and behold when the pups were running them, there would be a different colored ribboned rabbit come by each circle. There was a plastic pipe that we found, and we observed that one would run in one end and another would come out the other end. They were having so much fun they had to line up and take turns. We wouldn't have ever caught on as they all look alike if it hadn't been for the ribbons.
You said 9 positive, not by 9 different authors!
Last edited by Alabama John on Fri Dec 27, 2002 8:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.

bowhunter59
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dont agree

Post by bowhunter59 »

well i dont agrre i think they arent having fun they r running for there life and trying to conserve energy is why they stop only reason they dont go in a whole sometimes when ur scared to death something is fixin to get u u cant think straight.definte they r running for life not a game now ina pen might be different if u keep same rabbits for a while casuse they get used to being chased and not getting hurt in the process!
god is so good!

tnbeagleman
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Post by tnbeagleman »

Well of course they enjoy it . It's sort of like awoman saying they don't enjoy being chased alittle , oops better not go there . I really have saw them that I think did enjoy it they would give long races and pass several holes within a foot of them but keep running .Maybe this will help on your number Ted . ha ha you owe me one .

TomR

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Post by TomR »

I have watched two rabbits working my hounds together the same way three times in a row over a two year period. Both doing exactly the same thing each time as I viewed them from a tree stand. I think they enjoy it.

shotgunshorty
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Post by shotgunshorty »

I know that everybody is going to think I"am crazy but here go's. A few years ago there was a rabbit that would eat grass just out of range of my beagle that was on a chain. This rabbit never paid any atten to my dog, and after a while that great,fast,loud beagle would just lay down and sleep knowing that he could not get to the rabbit. My wife was the frist to see this and you should have heard the ragging she put on me and that dog. oh well maybe that dog was smarter then she thought.lol :P

bowhunter59
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ok

Post by bowhunter59 »

ok then i have decided the only way to know for sure if somebody wouyld call doc doolitlle he can ask a rabbit if then the rabbitt says i enjoy it i will belive it untill then i wont!!!!!!!!!!!
god is so good!

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