Grew up on the farm and had lots of cottontails running around. Over the years the coyotes have won the fight but I'm fighting back on that front. Would like to buy some regular native cottontails to 'restock' the place with some and see how they do now. Wondering if anybody knows where you could buy them?

TIA

Hmm, Im not sure if theres anywhere you could buy them and turn them out and them go out on their own and live. Heck, there may be. Good question though

just plant a garden and they will be there - they seem to appear out of thin air...

I don't know and haven't heard of anyone selling them.

I raise domestic rabbits. I once asked about cottontails, and was told that they are too wild. Put them in the typical rabbit cage, and they beat themselves to death jumping around whenever you get near. They'd have to go into a large pen with brush/grass for hide spots to have any chance. You'd have to have a roof to keep out the hawks, and there's always the worry that they will dig out. Never heard of anyone willing to go to the work to do it, although I'm sure someone has tried.

Cottontails are kind of like earthworms. You like seeing them (the earthworms), 'cause it means your soil's healthy, but you're wasting your time trying to stock them. If the environment is right for them they will be there. If it's not, they won't. The only way to populate them is to create an environment they can live in.

if you catch very young bunnies and successfully raise them to maturity, you could breed those but if you caught adults and penned them up they will freak out seize up and die

I've seen them at flea markets before. If you made a big pen and didn't handle them the little ones would adjust. Gotta have brush piles and food for them though. You can kill the yotes and cats but the hawks and owls will get them so give them a place to hide.

Lots of good points. We do have a few owls about and an occassional hawk. I was blaming the coyotes, didn't think about the sky attacks. We've got food and plenty brush in the pasture where they can hide from the airborne predators. I'll do some more looking around. Never thought of the flea markets...

Thanks for the hints and ideas..

I'm pretty sure cottontails are game animals... idk how tpwd would view u trapping them and relocating them....

better check your (our) game laws...

are you sure your not looking for live bait????