Despite a concentrated attack by 300 hunters who paid for the privilege of decimating the rabbit population, this year's Alexandra Lions Club Great Easter Bunny Hunt had the lowest tally in more than a decade - 7478 rabbits.
Team numbers were lower than usual for the 23rd annual hunt after a shortage of shooting blocks forced a ''cull'' of 20 teams, leaving 25 teams vying for bragging rights. Even so, the tallies from each 12-member team were lower than usual.
The Wabbit Warriors, a Waimate-Christchurch team, won the contest with the highest tally of 769 rabbits, killed on a block near Cromwell during the 24-hour shoot.
The lowest tally was 77 rabbits from a block at Ettrick. Hunt convener Dave Ramsay was unsure of the reason for the low tallies this year.
The weather was mostly fine throughout the hunt and blocks that had been happy hunting grounds in previous years had few rabbits this year.
''Maybe it shows the effectiveness of the farmers' own pest-control work or their poisoning programme,'' Mr Ramsay said. The winning team said it was ''fifth time lucky''.
''We've entered for five years and got third the last two years in a row,'' team captain Ben Cummings said. The team, made up of friends who were passionate about hunting, tackled the contest like a military operation.
''Planning will start pretty much straight away for the next bunny shoot - what worked, what didn't. We take this seriously and it's taken us five years to develop our techniques and hone our skills,'' Mr Cummings said.
Team member Andrew McKey said it was satisfying to ''finally knock the bastard off''after five years. The team would definitely be back to defend its title next year.
''When you head out to the block you've been given and see the land full of rabbit holes, you understand the importance of your mission.
Although it's a competition, you also want to do the best you can for the farmers,'' he said. Hundreds of people turned up to view the haul of rabbits, which was displayed in rows across Alexandra's Pioneer Park from noon on Saturday.
Stoats, possums, hares, wild pigs, magpies, turkeys and even a mouse featured in the kill.
''Facing a ferocious and dangerous beast like that, in the dark, you deserve a special prize for being a brave sod,'' Mr Ramsay told the mouse-hunter.
Second place in the event went to the Winton Wolfpack, who shot 722 rabbits, and the Taranaki Hard crew was third with 611 rabbits.
After the prizegiving, the carcasses were picked up by the Alexandra Scout Group to be composted in a pit on a rural property.
The lions club donates the proceeds from the contest to diabetes research at Otago University.
Rabbit tallies
Kills from the past 10 years
2014: 7478(25 teams)
2013: 18,027(37 teams)
2012: 10,424(36 teams)
2011: 22,904(47 teams)
2010: 23,064(39 teams)
2009: 14,799(39 teams)
2008: 15,542(35 teams)
2007: 16,121(31 teams)
2006: 12,494(35 teams)
2005: 20,201(43 teams)
Total rabbits 279,240 in 23 years.
