What kinds of habitat do these rabbits need?

They live in old overgrown fields, shrub swamps, and areas of young forest: small young trees growing back thickly following disturbances caused by windstorms, fires, or timber harvests. In such dense cover, cottontails find food, hide from predators, and shelter from winter's cold. Local New England cottontail populations do best in patches of habitat 25 acres and larger that connect to other similar blocks of cover; smaller habitat patches can also help. For a non-technical guide to creating young forest, consult the Young Forest Guide published by the Wildlife Management Institute.