Proper Ways To Kill Rabbits

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When other approaches to rabbit removal fail, or you have a large invasion of bunnies to deal with, lethal control can be the only option you have left. As much as you would much rather take a more humane approach, preferably one that doesn't result in the rabbit’s death, even trapping and releasing comes with its fair share of risks. In fact, many animals that are trapped and relocated don't survive for long at all. There is too much stacked against them. It would be like someone turfing you out of your home. It would be virtually impossible to just pick up again where you left off in the old home, and stress seems to affect wild animals much more than we think. In fact, it can affect them in many of the same ways that it can affect humans, altering the way they think and react, eat, drink, and more. Stressed animals, which yours is likely to be if you have captured it in a trap, very rarely survive on their release.



For a long time, killing rabbits by shooting them has been a familiar method of control, but just as with trapping, releasing and killing the animals, you will need to make sure you know the deal as far as the law is concerned. You must make sure you are adhering to local gun laws, and you will also find that, despite being legal, shooting a rabbit in a highly populated human area comes with its fair share of hazards too, especially in the world we live in right now. The last thing you'll want is for half the county's police to turn up at your door because you got slightly annoyed with a pesky rabbit that keeps wrecking your back yard.

Also, the species of rabbit you are trying to trap or kill is important. Certain species are actually classed as game animals, and this means that you will need a permit suitable for trapping or killing them before you can take any action. The Eastern cottontail rabbit is one species you will need a game permit for if you live in Washington, for example, and the Nuttall’s cottontail rabbit is another. You can also add to this list the snowshoe hare. As well as requiring a permit, you are also only allowed to trap and kill these three rabbit species during the "open" hunting season (in Washington).

Of course, safety should be paramount when you are looking at shooting a rabbit. You must use your common sense. If it's legal to shoot the rabbit where you are, is it safe to do so? Can you ensure that the animal won't feel any pain, and that its death is over as quickly as possible? The aim of the game here is to shoot the animal so that it dies quickly.

Read about How to Get Rid of Rabbits.
For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How To Guide: Who should I hire? - What questions to ask, to look for, who NOT to hire.
How To Guide: do it yourself! - Advice on saving money by doing wildlife removal yourself.
Guide: How much does wildlife removal cost? - Analysis of wildlife control prices.