Growing up, rabbit hunting was almost as big a deal as deer hunting. Old men with kennels in the backyard raised beagles that would howl daily waiting for a chance to run a scent trail. Fall would finally arrive and those old men would load their dogs into the family station wagon or a beat up pickup truck and head out of town. They usually did not need to go far as every reclaimed strip-mine, abandoned lot or overgrown field held more than enough rabbits to keep both the dogs and the hunter busy.

So what happened? Most of those old men are long gone, but why aren’t their sons and grandsons following in their footsteps, leading offspring of those backyard beagles on their own hunts? Some would say it is a loss of tradition, too much competition for the younger generation’s time, but I think the answer is far more frightening — the rabbits are no longer there.

When was the last time you saw rabbits in your backyard, running from the fence row as you flushed a pheasant, or even sneaking into your neighbor’s garden for a midnight snack? For far too many Pennsylvanians the answer is “I can’t remember.” This is why rabbit hunting has seen such a fierce decline in PA. Of course, this raises the next question “Where have all the rabbits gone?”

Although we know there has been a sharp decline in the rabbit population there is no easy answer to why this happened. There are numerous factors that play into this happening which individually would not be a concern, but when combined they spell disaster.

Loss of habitat is one of the leading causes for any species’ decline and rabbits are no different. Those overgrown strip mines have been reclaimed, paved over and turned into shopping malls and townhouses. Abandoned properties still abound, but now many have been cleared and cleaned up or flipped. There are even influencers who make a living clearing blighted properties simply for social media follows. Finally, there is the family farm. While farming is still big business in PA it has changed.

Most farmers are now using every inch of the available property, never letting a field untouched. Plus, modern farming no longer included hedgerows, brush piles or fence lines. Bottomline, nowhere for the rabbits.

Of course we can not ignore the increase in predators. Rabbits are tasty treats for a host of natural predators including fox, weasels, owls, hawks and even snakes. The last few decades have seen a decrease in hunting pressure coupled with increased protection for many of these species has resulted in a corresponding boom in local populations. Increase the number of predators and you will also see a decrease in the amount of available food. Simple supply and demand.

Now Pennsylvania is facing another threat to its rabbit population, Rabbit Henorrhagic Disease or RHD. RHD is a highly contagious disease that spreads quickly, infecting both domestic & wild rabbits, and often resulting in mass die offs. Estimates claim that RHD, for which there is no cure, can result in the death of as much as 75% of a local population.

Although RHD is common in some other states it is not something Pennsylvania typically sees as a threat. The first known occurrence took place at a domestic rabbit facility in Fayette County. The Department of Agriculture was quick to establish a quarantine zone and the Game Commission soon followed by monitoring local wild rabbit populations. However, what was thought to be a localized outbreak may now be more wild spread. Reports of dead or ill rabbits, both domestic and wild, have increased in recent months and in some cases RHD has been present.

In October 2024 the Game Commission reestablished an RHD workgroup to study the potential spread of the disease and asked outdoorsmen for help. Outdoorsmen, especially rabbit hunters, are asked to report any suspicious rabbit activity to the nearest Game Commission office immediately. Activity that would raise concerns include rabbits that are lethargic, not eating, appear to be malnourished or ill, bleeding from the nose or mouth and of course evidence of dead rabbits.

At the present time there is no solid information regarding the potential spread of RHD in wild rabbits. However, considering how easily it is spread and its growing concern among owners of domestic rabbits, one can assume that left unchecked it will eventually become a major threat to the remaining wild rabbits that call Pennsylvania home – and one more threat to the hunters that still chase them.