Worse than Elmer Fudd

I am a terrorist of rabbits. It's true. I don't mean to be; I just am. I was out the other day, mowing the orchard to gear up for thinning (about which, more later). So there I am, mowing away. The garden tractor is LOUD and I tend to assume that critters will hear me coming and get out of the way. But then I see said critters, scampering off in a panic. The poor things. As far as I know, I have no reason to scare them off. Unlike the woodchucks...