Rabbit hunting techniques?
- Thread starter CyaN1de
- Start date
We hunt Snowshoe's here; pretty easy to hunt once they turn white when there is little or no snow on the ground.
Usually wait to hunt them until after the first real cold snap.... Kills off any of the weak/sick and should kill any ticks that are hitching a ride.
Walk old woods roads and edges of farmers fields/hedgerows; they stand out pretty well when the ground is bare.
When snow covered look for their eyes.
Shoot them in the head...
I use everything from a .22LR, .410, to a tight choked 12 Gauge when they are under heavy cover.
Some guys like to run them with dogs here but from my experience you tend to get alot of bloodshot meat and broken bones when you shoot them running...
Ryan
Usually wait to hunt them until after the first real cold snap.... Kills off any of the weak/sick and should kill any ticks that are hitching a ride.
Walk old woods roads and edges of farmers fields/hedgerows; they stand out pretty well when the ground is bare.
When snow covered look for their eyes.
Shoot them in the head...
I use everything from a .22LR, .410, to a tight choked 12 Gauge when they are under heavy cover.
Some guys like to run them with dogs here but from my experience you tend to get alot of bloodshot meat and broken bones when you shoot them running...
Ryan
ArchiePerry
Regular
- Location
- Fort McMurray
I just walk until I see one, then I shoot it. Sometimes I have to walk for days.
Reason I asked is that I found a spot that was absolutely littered with rabbit tracks/droppings/etc.
Went for a walk and had 1 within 5 mins while just crashing through the new growth pine (shoulder shot with a 410, only got the hind quarters and the loins......dogs got the front end) I was thinking of going back there for more and wanted to know what methods others use.
Now, after hitting one, what are the chances others will show themselves after the initial gunshot? Slim to none? Should I go to the other side of the road and let the 1st area "relax" for a bit?
Snow galore where these Snowshoe are so they blend in pretty well and I am not very good at picking fly sh1t out of pepper yet.
Went for a walk and had 1 within 5 mins while just crashing through the new growth pine (shoulder shot with a 410, only got the hind quarters and the loins......dogs got the front end) I was thinking of going back there for more and wanted to know what methods others use.
Now, after hitting one, what are the chances others will show themselves after the initial gunshot? Slim to none? Should I go to the other side of the road and let the 1st area "relax" for a bit?
Snow galore where these Snowshoe are so they blend in pretty well and I am not very good at picking fly sh1t out of pepper yet.
first method of success is finding a spot with lots of rabbit sign, but you got that.
hunt at dawn or dusk for best results.
some guys carry a fox40 whistle in their mouth, if one takes off in a dead run, blast the whistle, and most of the time they will stop for a second allowing you too shoot.
check under low evergreens, pines, and in heavy thickets, sometimes youcan almost step on them before seeing them.
when walking down trails or along field edges, go slowly, take your time scaning and sometimes youll see them moving.
if you miss a shot, follow in his direction taking your time and really scanning the area, they dont usually go far.
hunt at dawn or dusk for best results.
some guys carry a fox40 whistle in their mouth, if one takes off in a dead run, blast the whistle, and most of the time they will stop for a second allowing you too shoot.
check under low evergreens, pines, and in heavy thickets, sometimes youcan almost step on them before seeing them.
when walking down trails or along field edges, go slowly, take your time scaning and sometimes youll see them moving.
if you miss a shot, follow in his direction taking your time and really scanning the area, they dont usually go far.
find cutline. walk cutline looking to tracks crossing aback and forth. set snares on runs. sit son on woodsroad overlooking cutline. walk back down road 50yds. Enter woodline and walk back and forth across the area in to about 100yds. weaving back and forth to drive the rqbbits out toward the snares. Those that miss the snares stop when my son whistles and he shoots the. Those that get snared squeal until we get to them or they drraw in a yote or two. Son gets them, too.
Makes it a good time for him and his excitement is contagious.
Makes it a good time for him and his excitement is contagious.
I was taught the way natives used to hunt in rabbit thick areas is walk 5 paces. Stop and listen. Walk 5 paces and stop again. Repeat till in clear area.
The rabbits defenses are stealth and speed. He will sit still hoping you will pass them by. When you stop and look around sometimes they take a prepatory step or just panic and run for it. Either way their movement gives them away. I find that they bolt for a small bit then slow to a hop or stop once they realize you aren't chasing them.
It also helps to get an 'eye' for the rabbit. Their fur is an off white, not pure white like snow and they have small black areas on them. Once we see a rabbit in the wild it is substantially easier to see the rest after that. If you shoot one, try placing it in the snow (red side down) and seeing the color variations in it compared to the snow. Your eye will have an easier time seeing them after that.
At the very least, enjoy being out in the wild and seeing some nature. I'll have to admit seeing more rabbits by the University Hospital in Edm than in the wild here lately.
The rabbits defenses are stealth and speed. He will sit still hoping you will pass them by. When you stop and look around sometimes they take a prepatory step or just panic and run for it. Either way their movement gives them away. I find that they bolt for a small bit then slow to a hop or stop once they realize you aren't chasing them.
It also helps to get an 'eye' for the rabbit. Their fur is an off white, not pure white like snow and they have small black areas on them. Once we see a rabbit in the wild it is substantially easier to see the rest after that. If you shoot one, try placing it in the snow (red side down) and seeing the color variations in it compared to the snow. Your eye will have an easier time seeing them after that.
At the very least, enjoy being out in the wild and seeing some nature. I'll have to admit seeing more rabbits by the University Hospital in Edm than in the wild here lately.
Snowshoes:
Best for me is to walk the cutlines at first and last light. Easy to walk out with a stringer full of bunnies. Never been skunked this way. Otherwise I walk the deer trails through the bush, stopping every few metres and kneel down to look under the big pines and through the gaps in the trees.
Cottontails:
I wait for the snow, then I walk the bottoms of the coulees, looking up under the chokecherries and other brush. They stand out when you look up the hills. Or I sit at the top of the coulees with my 6MM and glass the trails through the brush on the opposite hillsides, take their heads off with a bipod shot. I think I enjoy the glassing more than the fried bunny.
Jacks:
I walk the fencelines along the stubble fields. Once they flush, they usually only run 100 to 200 metres, stand up on their hind legs and look around. The 6MM takes their heads off for a nice clean carcass in the crockpot.
Best for me is to walk the cutlines at first and last light. Easy to walk out with a stringer full of bunnies. Never been skunked this way. Otherwise I walk the deer trails through the bush, stopping every few metres and kneel down to look under the big pines and through the gaps in the trees.
Cottontails:
I wait for the snow, then I walk the bottoms of the coulees, looking up under the chokecherries and other brush. They stand out when you look up the hills. Or I sit at the top of the coulees with my 6MM and glass the trails through the brush on the opposite hillsides, take their heads off with a bipod shot. I think I enjoy the glassing more than the fried bunny.
Jacks:
I walk the fencelines along the stubble fields. Once they flush, they usually only run 100 to 200 metres, stand up on their hind legs and look around. The 6MM takes their heads off for a nice clean carcass in the crockpot.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Myself I do a variation of that, I call it three step three. Take three careful steps, then wait for three minutes, all the while visually scanning the bush, don't forget to crouch & look really low. Then another three steps, repeat. If you miss one and you see it when it bolts, and you are in an area not heavily hunted, like colin455 says, they will stop and watch what scared them. If you miss him on the first initial flush, make sure you're ready for a second quick shot.
Shooting distance can vary, had a trail crossraods where one could lay in wait at 100 yards or so with a good scoped 22 LR. But for the most part, 36 yards was a long ways to right down to 4 feet off the shotgun muzzle. Last winter when the snow was deep, average range was 10-12 yards in the bush. My partner often used his trusty Ruger 10-22, & myself the O/U 20 gauge.
I hunt rabbits in the bush instead of fields/tree lines.
I build Warren's using old dead fall when I'm out then I hunt those warrens latter on.
That or I walk the tall grass. And Wait. The wait gets to them and they usually bolt. If I miss the shot I circle around and wait. They always come back, never run far.
I build Warren's using old dead fall when I'm out then I hunt those warrens latter on.
That or I walk the tall grass. And Wait. The wait gets to them and they usually bolt. If I miss the shot I circle around and wait. They always come back, never run far.
Get into the bush that you otherwise wouldn't even consider trying to walk through, and you are likely to be right in their living space.
Brutus and I found that walking into the thickest, most miserable spots, produced pretty well. Ranges were short, 10-15 yards, and in many cases they were seen at those ranges, before they would run.
I'd seen the odd one along the roadside or in cutlines at last light, but that narrows your window down to mornings or evenings. Getting into the dirty bush worked pretty well all day.
They sure do like to hold rock steady while they hope for you to go on by. The last one we got wasn't much over a couple yards away, holding solid. All you could really see of it was the eye and part of the head.
Gotta do up another round of rabbit in the slow cooker!
Cheers
Trev
Brutus and I found that walking into the thickest, most miserable spots, produced pretty well. Ranges were short, 10-15 yards, and in many cases they were seen at those ranges, before they would run.
I'd seen the odd one along the roadside or in cutlines at last light, but that narrows your window down to mornings or evenings. Getting into the dirty bush worked pretty well all day.
They sure do like to hold rock steady while they hope for you to go on by. The last one we got wasn't much over a couple yards away, holding solid. All you could really see of it was the eye and part of the head.
Gotta do up another round of rabbit in the slow cooker!
Cheers
Trev
