Rabbits caught on the hop

Photo / Otago Daily Times

It has been another terrible Easter for Central Otago pests as the 19th annual Great Easter Bunny Hunt spelled the end for more than 24,000 rabbits, hares, possums, stoats and other pests.

Hunt convener Dave Ramsay said 23,064 rabbits were shot and collected during the 24-hour hunt.

The total was significantly up on last year's 14,799 but still short of the highest recorded tally in 1997, when 23,949 were killed.

The total tally of 24,378 pests included 1152 hares, 54 possums, 54 stoats plus other sundry unwanted irritants.

This year's 39 teams beat the "pro rata" record by each killing an average of 590 rabbits, beating the 1997 average of 540.

Mr Ramsay said farmers in the area would "have to be pretty happy".

"We've had a pretty good clean-up and there's 23,000 [rabbits] that aren't out there breeding now."

He said the hunt was also a way to bring a bit of money to the community.

- NZPA