Black Rabbit

Arcto

Hey.

Just wondering is it common to see totally black rabbits while out shooting?
Twice I've seen a totally black rabbit (in the same spot too....within 15 feet) while out. Each time I haven't been in a position to shoot.

Is this an escaped pet shop rabbit hybrid or is it like a black sheep thing?

Cheers!

lee70

Arcto wrote: »

Hey.

Just wondering is it common to see totally black rabbits while out shooting?
Twice I've seen a totally black rabbit (in the same spot too....within 15 feet) while out. Each time I haven't been in a position to shoot.

Is this an escaped pet shop rabbit hybrid or is it like a black sheep thing?

Cheers!

you'll see them all the time i've yet to shoot one myself. when i was in donegal we would see wild white rabbits we later found out that through the years family pets would escape and breed with the local rabbit population.

Arcto

They're evolving! :P

Ill try get him the next time I'm out and grab a pic. This will become my new mission, hehehe.

bunny shooter

Seen a few black and even a ginger was reported in my area :eek:

kenneths

funnily enough there is one field over the from me and there are mybe 6-7 ginger rabbits really strange looking.
they startle real easy so i never get a shot off
i showed them to loads of friends who wouldn't belive me.

pheasant tail

ive seen a few black rabbits in the last year,,all in the one area so they must keep to themselves,also seen a hare and it was mostly white really rare

Eddie B

pheasant tail wrote: »

ive seen a few black rabbits in the last year,,all in the one area so they must keep to themselves,also seen a hare and it was mostly white really rare

White hares are as common as muck this year due to the hard weather!
Most have probably changed back to their natural colour at this stage!

Hunter21

Nice few black rabbits on a patch of ground we lamp, we just admire them and leave them be. Think there a nice sight imo

declan1980

i was told that they're the result of in breeding

fallowbuck

i think with the result of in breeding would be more of deformed than colour just simple pets released or escaped would n take to long for rabbits to breed and mix all over the country (breed like rabbits:) ), seen plenty out lamping tipp area especially

declan1980

declan1980 wrote: »

i was told that they're the result of in breeding

A better explanation would be melanism. Kind of like the opposite to albinism where the animal overproduces melanin pigment, resulting in a black colour. If you're familiar with pheasants the melanistic breed (black) have this mutation.

Vizzy

fallowbuck wrote: »

i think with the result of in breeding would be more of deformed than colour just simple pets released or escaped would n take to long for rabbits to breed and mix all over the country (breed like rabbits:) ), seen plenty out lamping tipp area especially

No wonder all the foxes are lamp shy :):)

kildare.17hmr

i saw 2 of them last year together a few times, went out one night to see if i could get them and ended up just shooting the one, couldnt get a shot off before the 2nd bolted! havent seen it since
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fallowbuck

Vizzy wrote: »

No wonder all the foxes are lamp shy :):)

you use the lamp then, you shoot em the first time they cant get shy :P

pfizer

Arcto wrote: »

Hey.

Just wondering is it common to see totally black rabbits while out shooting?
Twice I've seen a totally black rabbit (in the same spot too....within 15 feet) while out. Each time I haven't been in a position to shoot.

Is this an escaped pet shop rabbit hybrid or is it like a black sheep thing?

Cheers!

It is the result of in breeding we have lot of them in cork

Arcto

You sure it's not chemicals from pfizers? :P

rmnrgn

I was hunting a good few years back and thought I saw a black cat sitting at the side of a hedge. It was a remote field and so I was surprised to find a cat so far from habitation. However it was soon joined by a second black "cat" which moved suspiciously like a rabbit. A few moments of observation confirmed that they were both black rabbits. I waited until they were a few feet apart and took them both with one barrel. I had never seen wild black rabbits before and took them to my local taxidermist who mounted them for me. I can still picture the evening in my minds eye every time I see them. I'll post a pic in a few days if anyone is interested.

kildare.17hmr

Id like to see that pic anyway lad.

was out for a few hours today in a spot i havent been for a while, saw another black rabbit about a half a km from where i shot the last one, didnt manage to get a shot off because of the thick bushes but there's always next weekend!

Arcto

Was out Saturday and there was only normal rabbits in the usual spot.

Ill get him soon!

I'd like to see that pic as well.

rmnrgn

Sorry for the image quality, taken on my mobile but its the easiest way to upload pix. The two rabbits were young and are forever immortalised behind glass!

cavan shooter

This topic pops up every now and again.

In relation to black rabbits it is very unlucky to shoot them be warned, the divil is knee deep in them and its not unkown for anyone who shoots a black rabbit to have serious in fact fierce bad luck....shoot them and eat them on your own head..but dont say you were never warned:D

johnnymolloy

seen two of these last night and my mate got one of them didnt see the second one until we shot the first one

kildare.17hmr

rmnrgn wrote: »

Sorry for the image quality, taken on my mobile but its the easiest way to upload pix. The two rabbits were young and are forever immortalised behind glass!

nice lookin mount lad

rocketman3

Arcto wrote: »

Hey.

Just wondering is it common to see totally black rabbits while out shooting?
Twice I've seen a totally black rabbit (in the same spot too....within 15 feet) while out. Each time I haven't been in a position to shoot.

Is this an escaped pet shop rabbit hybrid or is it like a black sheep thing?

Cheers!

i caught 1 with a dog 1 night out lamping wasn't really sure what its was. iv seen a few more around where i live.
but at least they don't get treated better cause there bl*ck:D

flanum

cavan shooter wrote: »

This topic pops up every now and again.

In relation to black rabbits it is very unlucky to shoot them be warned, the divil is knee deep in them and its not unkown for anyone who shoots a black rabbit to have serious in fact fierce bad luck....shoot them and eat them on your own head..but dont say you were never warned:D

only just got my van back today from garage plus new engine/radiotor etc and minus 1200 euro.... van broke down/died 2 weeks ago about 5 minutes after shooting a black rabbit in monaghan....... also had to be towed whole way back to cavan.. in th dark, burnt out brakes and handbrake in process.....

leave the black ones be!!!

cavan shooter

flanum wrote: »

only just got my van back today from garage plus new engine/radiotor etc and minus 1200 euro.... van broke down/died 2 weeks ago about 5 minutes after shooting a black rabbit in monaghan....... also had to be towed whole way back to cavan.. in th dark, burnt out brakes and handbrake in process.....

leave the black ones be!!!

Ouch I feel for ye, but Lads my Father is 85 and as a Lad he would say to us that there is a black rabbit in the three corner field dont shoot it or you'll have fierce bad luck, My Grand Da used to say the same, the expression used

The divil is knee deep in him