While I have addressed this topic before, a reader sent the above 1908 postcard. He was wondering if this ws how the Russian immigrants of the Madeline Plains conducted their rabbit drives.  There were several methods, many with common theme or driving the rabbits into a fence enclosure. The rabbits were either clubbed or shot to death.

In 1920, the residents of the Madeline Plains requested aid from their Congressman John E. Raker, to help them with the jack rabbit problem. A study sent to Raker reported: “As soon as the crops are up and making good progress the rabbits begin work on them. The heaviest damage is done in August. One rancher reported losing 100 acres of wheat last summer. They take this crop in preference to oats and rye. It was reported that 70 tons of rabbit meat [to make tamales] had been shipped to the San Francisco market. It appears that the animals cannot be killed fast enough in this region to furnish relief to the ranches.”

One of the reasons for the proliferation of jack rabbits was that in 1891 California passed a bounty on coyotes at five dollars each. Thus, one of the rabbits predators was eliminated.

On March 10, 1932 a rabbit drive was held at Milford and an observer wrote: “Blooey! and another jack rabbit bit the dust! In fact 1200 rabbits pulled this little trick as some 30 marksmen armed with shotguns blazed away continuously all day in a big rabbit drive. The drive was one of the most successful ever held in the valley. The drive started at the Harwood ranch and covered about a two-mile area. With the termination of the drive, a lunch was served to the hunters by various ladies of the community.

“Smoking gun barrels and black and blue arms were quite apparent throughout the day. Those participating were thoroughly pleased with the results and voted the occasion as most enjoyable form of hunter’s sport.”

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