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smoking rabbits


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I thought it worth updating you on an experiment I did in the spring. Before you get too excited it didn't work - but it was interesting.

 

I netted up a set of holes and then dropped in one of those smoke pellets that you use to test chimneys. To start with the smoke just billowed out of the same hole then suddenly it sucked back in, just like a scene from Backdraft. Over the next couple of minutes a brief puff of smoke came out of all the other holes in turn. But no rabbits.

 

I tried it on another warren and got exactly the same results - it even showed up a holed I'd missed under a pile of leaves.

 

I have a theory on this which, if correct, would mean that you can't get them to bolt with smoke. I think that in a natural situation the rabbits reaction to fire would be to go deep and sit it out, rather than bolt and make a run for it. The odds of survival would certainly be better as fire doesn't usually spread down and a few feet under the ground would be quite safe, provided the oxygen wasn't exhausted.

 

I think the unusual smoke behaviour was caused by rabbits in the tunnels near the surface heading down quickly and pulling in air and smoke behind them. The smoke then just drifted along the tope tunnels leaking out of the holes.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 6 months later...

I also agree with the theory that a rabbit wont bolt with smoke

Although a keen ferreter . i thought i wud have a go anyway

i peg the warren holes with purse nets

then got a rubber glovee on stick , set it a light put it far down a hole as i could then covered the fire holewith a piece of wood then wait the black smoke will soon start to leak out of the other holes and through the nets.

but ye it proves for me anyway that rabbits ont bolt with smoke get a good female ferret down there instead then u will have tight nets all day.

thanks. :drink:

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