Bunny hunters blazing despite deadly virus

The annual Alexandra Easter Bunny Hunt bagged 7513 rabbits - almost double last year's tally.

About 180 hunters shot rabbits, possums, wild goats and even a mouse over 24 hours from midday on Friday.

Any fears the annual hunt was heading for extinction after the introduction of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus were blown away with the big total, compared with last year's tally of 3785.

Successfully defending their title, the Hare Raising Mutineers from Southland, killed 1016 rabbits at Shirlmar Station, near Tarras.

Second place went to team Trigger Happy, which shot 632 rabbits at Mount Pisa Station, near Cromwell, while third-placed team Half-Cocked killed 616 rabbits at Timburn Station, in the Lindisarea.

David Scobie of Hare Raising Mutineers won the new rabbit tossing competition, throwing a dead bunny 34.7m.

- NZPA