How do I get rid of this mangy rabbit?

Ok, I spent oodles on this 6 ft privacy fence for my backyard, and I noticed this brown rabbit sitting in my back yard today, he is the same one that kept sniffing trying to get in all last Spring and Summer; but the fence was air tight. So; someone, don't know who helped him out, as I always enter the backyard via the house, I noticed the fence was not closed properly. I went to chase him out with my broom and he runs under the shed, now what? He will eat my beautiful melon I just know it, what can I do?
joy

I suggest a 12 guage. A 410 will do the job also.

Jaywhacker, with a local police living two doors down and a Sheriff on the next block, the Humane Society would have me for breakfast. LOL He is gone though. I had my friend come over and help me get the gates open, I had them made tight for a reason and I chased the rabbit all over the yard, wound up breaking my broom til he went out the gate. I kept trying to chase him down to where he had gotten in the crack in the gate and fence where the gate hadn't been shut tightly and he kept running desperately trying to find a way out of the yard, he was scared you could tell. He finally insisting on going out the way he came in. And my friend said "now hand me a board, and it is secure now, I hope! Melons are safe for now."
joy

I'll send you a recipe for adobo, Joy. LOL. I hope you have a rice cooker.

I'm in Chula Vista (San Diego County) right now and rabbits are Enemy No. 1 of the gardener! Never thought I'd be happy to see a coyote in the hood.

Annapet: I've thought about coyote spray they sell that at garden stores and having a great time spraying that in my backyard, you can bet I'll be watching for that little bugger again though, I know when he hit that open gate I haven't seen him since. LOL Problem is, he knows where the vittles are now.
joy

Joy, I get the biggest kick out of the mental picture I get of your chasing that rabbit around the yard with a broom!! Sounds like some episode I would enact. And you broke the broom handle!! LOL Since so many of us have to be kind to animals now, may be we need to resurrect the rule of 3. I can't remember it all but it goes something on the order "one for the ..........., one for the crow (or rabbit in your case) and one to grow ". BTW, just a word of caution, If PETA (?) can go after the President of USA for swatting a fly you might want to be careful about publishing for all the world to see via the internet that you actually chased a poor defenseless hungry bunny around the yard with a BROOM, Isn't that UNUSUAL treatment? (Can't get that picture out of my mind!!!!!)

Buckshot.

Isn't PETA that group umm... what's it stand for? ...


ummm


Oh yeah! People for Eating Tasty Animals!

Qinx, you are BAD!
Emily (laughing very hard)

That thing was trembling so bad, still haven't seen him, he might have died from a heart attack after getting through the gate and away from me. No evidence of his return.
joy

Just in case the rabbit returns...would soaking overnight in buttermilk work the same way like with chicken for frying?

Moonglow: Soaking in milk? My mom used to do that with deer meat, she said it took the harsh taste out of meat, might work hey? My ambrosia melon turned out to be a cantaloupe and it had one big mushy spot on it that ruined the whole melon. But am hopeful that more will melons will come.
joy

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Keep that mangy rabbit out of my garden, but that one doesn't look as bad as the one I had seen, it's grey and flea eaten looking. LOL
joy

We had lots of rabbits in NM at one home. They ate the rose bushes, cactus, and apple trees. Somebody told us to buy alfalfa for them, and set out water dishes - Bless their hearts - they were just hungry and thirsty.

Yes, rabbits do have fleas, and can be very destructive. My husband saw one of them jump and climb over a 3 foot high stone wall to get out of the yard. I think that the rabbits in our area finally died of "lead poisoning."

gavafriend: Haven't seen the one that managed to squeeze back out the way he came in since that time I chased him with the broom, he used to hang out in my front yard; but doesn't even do that anymore, might have died from cardiac arrest though, when I think of how bad he was shaking and trying to get out the back yard. LOL
joy