Rabbits in the fields: Temporal, spatial, and behavioral explanations of dryland crop failure in the Great Basin, 1912–1920

Abstract

Records of dryland homesteaders in three parts of the Great Basin between 1912 and 1920 show that crop failures were common occurrences, and that failure was more often attributed to jackrabbits than to drought. These records demonstrate that most failures caused by rabbits conformed to well-defined temporal and spatial patterns, but they also make it clear that some losses can be explained only by specific actions taken by the farmers, their families, and neighbors.

Notes

1 Unless otherwise stated, this essay is based on the records of 65 dry farmers at Sahara, 57 in the Metropolis–Afton area, and 91 from Juniper Valley. These are included in homesteaders’ serial patent files, often called Homestead Patent Applications (HPAs), and in testimony and correspondence attached to the HPAs, located in Record Group (RG) 49 at the National Archives (NA), Washington, DC.