Vol. 12, No. 12 
Page 4 
6. Rabbit Management G. B. Rose 
The annual fall censusing of cottontail rabbits on the 100-acre (40-hectare) 
4-H Area at Robert Allerton Park is being continued this fall, the 14th 
successive year. Seventy-four rabbits were trapped and ear-tagged during a 
10-day period at the beginning of December. 
Several population estimates were calculated from the capture and recapture 
data. The Schnabel (short form) estimate is 85 animals; the geometric maximum 
likelihood estimate (MLE-G) is 172; and the maximum likelihood estimate from a 
regression of the logarithm of the number of individuals in a frequency class on 
frequency of capture (MLE-R) is 156. The MLE-R is considered the best method of 
estimation (MWRL 12(10) :3)- 
The Schnabel, MLE-G, and MLE-R estimates for December are much smaller (39 
to 44 percent) than the corresponding estimates for November 1969 (149, 282, and 
278, respectively). Thirty-seven rabbits were removed by hunting during November. 
The estimates of nonhunting mortality range from 24 to 35 percent. Thus, while 
mortality during October was negligible (MWRL 12(11):3)» mortality during 
November was high. 
