Rabbit Damage

[ancy]

I have had some damage done to my fruit and hybrid willow trees and wanting to know what to do know with the trees? What happened is that I don’t get out to my acreage much in the winter and really didn’t see many rabbits this fall, until today. I will take care of the rabbits with .22 and .410s, and some traps, but what are some good baits, heard apples and peanut butter. I have both live and kill traps and plan on using both. I have around 600 trees so some things aren’t going to work but any help to save them I will try.

 

[GLOBOTREE]

Carrots will work, and the Trees try and get over it, once the rabbit chews them its done. you could try an IPM Plan. Be grateful its not a beaver! now theres a real problem! they can all be beat.

 

[derwoodii]

.22 lead ipm a very good start. Depending on the damage your trees may or may not recover. I have used protective sleeves around new trees trunks to help keep off bunny's. Consider lengths of flex poly pipe, sliced along side slipped on/around trunk high as lower limbs allow. Good luck, post a pic of the damage we may be able say, grief or joy.

 

[Suhan Dane]

The aluminum insulation used on houses works well, cut to desired size and staple around trunk. Lead poisoning via Winchester would probably be cathartic but would be like painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge, once you get to the end you gotta start again, but who doesn't like rabbit stew. All the best

 

[sb47]

I was a tree farmer growing many types of oaks and pines, Ball Cypress, Cedar Elms, among many others.
I bought 3000 mixed oaks that were potted in 1/2 gallon pots.
I transplanted them to my tree farm and began watering and keeping then going till they rooted in.
One morning I cheeked my crop and almost every tree was snipped off at the lower part of the trunk.
Now these trees trunks (saplings) were no bigger the a foot tall and about the size of a toothpick.
I thought the worst but they all came back and made the most beautiful specimen trees I have ever raised.
Perfect pear shaped/ lolly pop shaped trees.
What I thought was a disaster, turned out to be a blessing.
Now I did continue to prune and shape the canopies every year to maintain the proper shape, but those rabbits did me a favor.

Next crop, I will try to replicate what happened and see if it works again.

Dennis

 

[devonhubb]

I wrap the trunks of small seedlings with tin foil in the fall. Remove in the spring after green up. Works great.