Sauron's Wraith Rabbit Watch - Umpteenth Update

Why don't I pay more attention to the lessons of literature? Here I was almost gloating because for almost three weeks it appeared that my nylon mesh fencing had defeated the menace of the furry little bastards.

Alas, I should have heeded more closely the words of Gandalf: Always after a defeat and a respite, the Shadow takes another shape and grows again. (That is from the Chapter "The Shadow of the Past" at page 60 in my copy of FOTR, Houghton Mifflin Co. paperback. I can't recall if it made it into the naaaasty, wicked movie version. (But that's a different subject.))

As I was helping the girls with their bath tonight, I glanced out the window and saw the Foul Bunny of Mordor go through the fence! When I dashed out, hoe in hand, he shot through yet another section like dammit. An inspection of both points revealed that the mesh had been cut (whether by biting or just pressure, I don't know).

That's it! I've had enough. Over the winter, I know I'm going to have to get more chicken wire and reenforce the perimeter up to three feet from ground level. In the meantime, I'm getting that air-rifle I've been talking about. I can get within about ten yards of the little sneak to take a shot - plenty close, even with a BB gun. (My father used to plug squirrels that were raiding the bird feeder with one.) Not only that, once I do bag this puff-tailed Junior Balrog, I'm going to stick his wee head on a stake at the entrance to the slot leading to the local burrow as a warning to any other potential pests. See if I don't.