Rabbits
 

I bought a place in Meredith a few years ago and I noticed that haven't seen a rabbit since I've been there. Back at my house in Mass we have so many rabbits I step in their crap every time I leave the house.
Is it just the fact that they are food for all the more aggressive animals or is it just my area? I do have the town forest just behind my house.:confused:

Maybe you have smarter rabbits down there like Bugs.

We also had rabbits galore back in the 80's into the early 90's. Then a house was built across the street, and then down the street westbound. Also had houses built behind us on Lakewood. While it seems like there should still be a lot of habitat for them, but obviously it has disturbed the rabbits. Ditto with ring-necked pheasants. Haven't heard one in probably at least 25 years.

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There are plenty of houses in my mass neighborhood so I don't think it's over growth. It's seems as though their are more rabbits now than ever before but I have yet to see even one in my Meredith neighborhood. Could it be all the lush green lawns back home?
As far as Pheasants go, I haven't one seen them in over 30 years.

Are there coyotes dining on them?

Maybe, however they were a favorite prey of bobcats. I believe that habitat reduction led to decline in numbers and now they are endangered.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/wild...ottontail.html

That led to a decline in bobcats until the resurgence of wild turkeys. The bobcats have perfect skills to be turkey hunters and have made a comeback themselves. Note the recent runs on cranberry sauce.

With bobcats on the way back. not sure that Bugs future is bright.

hawks
 

I don't ever recall seeing red tail hawks growing up but now I see them everywhere. One summer we had a family of them living near us and we didn't see a chipmunk that whole summer. I'm sure they are just an appetizer to the bunny main course

There is no shortage of chipmunks at my Meredith home. They run in and out of my stone wall and tease my 8 year old Beagle. You can hear them laughing at her from inside the wall.:laugh: