A rabbit will pass up a food patch if exposure to predation is a possibility. Strip plantings 20 feet wide by 200 feet long are adequate if other needs are met. For maximum value to wildlife, plantings must be protected from fire and excessive grazing. Light grazing that would remove about one-half of the growth during the month of June is desirable in lieu of clipping. Do not graze during the fall or winter months.
Fertile soils encourage succulent new growth that is palatable and nutritious.
Thus, plantings made to improve rabbit habitat should contain a variety of seasonally palatable, nutritious foods that are grown near permanent cover. The wheat will die after the first year, but the legume should persist and furnish succulent browse for three to five years. Grazing cattle will compete directly with rabbits for both food and cover. Under conditions of over-mature forage, however, grazing can be beneficial by reducing the amount of dense vegetation. Rabbits avoid areas of dense, wet vegetation and some grazing will produce both openings for movement and some bare ground for sunning.