Right about now, with this year's waterfowl season coming to a close and the '08 big-game season still months away, many resident outdoorsmen and avid game hunters are looking for yet another reason to "stay in the field." Although a hand full of you will trade the cold weather, frostbite and camo wear for a warm fireplace and a pair of PJ's, the majority of us will still be out there enjoying the great outdoors. I, for one, spend several of my winter weekends playing "Elmer Fudd."

That's right. When all else fails, there's always a pesky "wittle wabbit" out there who's willing to test your patience.

While talking about one of my past "wabbit" hunting experiences, a neighbor of mine suggested that our state has very few rabbits and that it would be a waste of time for him and his boys to participate. He would later add that those rabbits which do still remain are not only unsafe to eat, but unsafe to handle. My neighbor's statement was cause for concern. I knew he had not spent enough time in the field to find our abundant population of rabbits. And while rabbits can play host to disease and parasites, his concerns were over exaggerated.

It saddened me to think that this father was going to steer his boys clear of this great hunting pasttime because of this man's lack of knowledge.

The following information are statements issued by Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources ('06-'07) that should clear up any misconception of Utah's rabbit population and/or its health.

"The rabbit hunt should be a banner hunt this year," said Dan Barnhurst, a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) conservation officer in northeastern Utah. "Every time I go out into the field, I see cottontails (cottontail rabbits) and jacks (white-tailed and black-tailed jackrabbits). I've been on patrols from Diamond Mountain and the Book Cliffs to Strawberry Reservoir, and it seems like every place I go, I see rabbits."

Boyde Blackwell, UDWR regional wildlife manager, agrees. "There are rabbits everywhere," he said. "I don't think I've ever seen so many rabbits."

According to Barnhurst, not only are there plenty of rabbits in Utah, but it's a hunt every young hunter should participate in.

"Rabbit season can be great fun, especially for kids as cottontails are usually fairly easy to find," Barnhurst said. "Most rabbit hunters use a .22 rifle. However, the .22 magnum and the new .17 are gaining in popularity. Walking the brushy washes with a light shotgun can also provide fast action for cottontails."

As for the health of Utah's rabbit population, there's always a need for precaution.

According to information taken from Utah's DWR Web site (upland game information), although hunters should take health precautions when rabbit hunting, most of our animals are safe to handle and/or to eat.

Tularemia is a disease which occurs throughout the Northern hemisphere and can be found in many mammals including hares, rabbits and rodents common in Utah! The disease is also called rabbit fever, fly fever and Ohara's disease. It has a particular affinity for cottontail rabbits. Tularemia is caused by the bacteria (Francisella tularensis). Tularemia can be transmitted to man either by the bite of an infected tick or deer fly, direct contact through the skin via dressing an infected animal, eating of contaminated flesh, or inhalation of dust that is carrying the bacteria.

Tularemia is a serious disease, if left unchecked. But don't panic! Based on statistics from around the United States, chances of catching Tularemia are slight.

Infected rabbits will not readily flush from cover. They will run slowly and can be captured easily. Infected rabbits generally cannot raise their heads and can't maneuver their front feet very well. You may see infected rabbits rubbing their noses and forefeet into the ground often. They may have irregular muscular spasms and, at times, stagger only a few feet between spasms.

Hares and rabbits act as the host for a variety of ticks, lice and other external parasites. These external parasites do not harm the rabbit and tend to be active only during the warmer months of the year.

One form of external parasite that you may encounter on rabbits is known as the Warble-fly or Bot-fly (Cuterebra cuniculi). It is actually the larval "grub" of this fly that is quite unpleasant to look at. The warble-fly larvae burrow into the flesh and can be found in the neck, spine and groin region of the rabbit. The grub lives under the skin of cottontails until it develops into an adult fly. The grub is black in color and about one inch in length. It is one-half to an inch wide, has a segmented appearance and is covered with short, black bristles. The larval grub does not lessen food quality of the meat, except at the point of contact. Remove the small area of affected flesh that was around the grub and the rest of the meat will be perfectly edible.

• Dallas John can be reached at djohn@heraldextra.com