4 



FARMERS BULLETIN" 702. 



hunted losses from their depredations are usually reduced to a mini- 

 mum. Still there is danger that in years favorable for their in- 

 crease the animals may inflict serious injury to trees during severe 

 winters. 



Rabbits are protected (1915) by close seasons in States and Prov- 

 inces as shown in Table I. Twenty-eight States, Alaska, and the 

 Canadian Provinces not mentioned in the table do not protect rab- 

 bits of any kind. In the District of Columbia all shooting is pro- 



B8076 



Fig. 2. — Apple tree killed by rabbits. 



hibited except on certain river marshes. In Kentucky rabbits may 

 be taken with dog, trap, or snare at any time, and the close season for 

 shooting is evidently solely for the purpose of keeping gunners out 

 of fields and woods during the two months immediately preceding 

 the open season for quails. In Wisconsin 46 counties, mostly in the 

 southern half of the State, have no close season for rabbits. In Cali- 

 fornia only cottontails, or bush rabbits, are protected. 



