Rabbit hunting?

S

Smallgame2100

Moderator
How many people rabbit hunt here?
Do you sit and wait for them to pop out or do you invade where they are living and force them out?

What kind of weapon do you use to take down a rabbit?

This past weekend I went with my cousin. I used a New England single shot 20 gauge. We go to fallen trees and big piles of brush that are covered in a foot of snow.

I enjoy it, but it is not easy.
 
I have hunted brush piles and the misty mornin grass next to woods... They are much easier to shoot then. I have also shot them in front of dogs as well.
Haven't gone on a bunny hunt in 25 years though. Now I will just pick one off for a doggy treat now and then.
Brent
 
Heck, I've hunted them all kinds of ways. Kicking brushpiles with or without a pointer, driving them with dogs in pines, brushy areas, and regular forests, still hunting in an area of known or suspected bunny activity, pellet guns in the backyard, it's all good fun and you end up with some tasty grub.

Rimfire, shotgun, or pellet rifle doesn't really matter to me as long as I put bunnies on the table. Delicious critters.

If you want an even tougher hunt, be the "dog". Or better yet, have one of your friends be the "dog". Find a ravine or other low, thorny and brushy section of bunny habitat with a limited area where you think you can guess which way the rabbits will move, set up at one end, carefully set up lanes of fire (so you don't shoot the "dog"), and have the "dog" drive them to you by crashing through the shrubbery. Hard work, but you can get quite a few.
 
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my one fruitless Bugs hunting expedition was us walking around a wide open area abot 50 yards from a river, there were large piles of logs/bushes and we'd walk around.

I used a remignton 870 express and my buddy used a .22-250 howa.

it was fun though.

T
 
It has been a while,but I like walking the foothills,yucca and brush.Headpopping with a .22.
 
G'day. I spent all of my teenage years 'hunting' these animals. Started out with a single shot .22 with open sights. Tried traps, ferrets, snares, 12 gauge, the occasional center fire and even a bow (cheap recurve kids bow). Even managed to just catch (kick, club, jump on) a few. Graduated to a semi auto .22 with a scope at around 15 years of age. The .22 is the most versatile method.
You will need to develop your own style to suit your conditions. If you go out enough you will eventually learn to spot them before others. If you go out enough in the same place you will eventually remember every rock and you will call the rabbit simply because there was never a rock in that spot. You will even kill many rocks that should have been rabits. This could even give you rapid sight acquisition skills, as well as moving target practice.
Yes, I may have spent to much time out in the paddocks. My family joke that one day somebody will mine the area for Lead.
Enjoy them while you can.
 
I haven't shot a rabbit in years, but I sure shot a lot of them when I was younger. Might just have to get out and hunt them again soon. I still know the areas, and I'd imagine the places where I found them then haven't changed too much.

I usually hunt gullies in the rolling hills of the Arizona desert. I like to walk along just below the ridgeline, and toss a rock here and there into the occasional brush pile/rat nest.

The rabbits are where they are. Sometimes across the gully/canyon, sometimes on my side, or sometimes I'll kick one out of the brush piles.

What I used back then depended on what I felt like using. Might have been an open sighted .22 rifle loaded with shorts, a scope sighted .22 rifle loaded with subsonics or high velocity stuff, a .22 mag, a handgun, a shotgun, or even a centerfire rifle on occasion (I only took head shots with it).

Heck, I've even killed quite a few with a pellet gun.

Daryl
 
Love hunting bunnies. A couple of friends and I have a tradition of going out New Years day morning. Been doing it so long we can't remember how long. Started when there were just the three of us, now our sons go out with us. Usually kick brush piles and push trough thickets and kick them up for a running shot. Its always a good time walking around and spending time in the field with friends and my two sons whether we get something or not. I carry a Remingtom 1100 LT20, my sons both carry 870s. I think a 20 gauge is about the best round to hunt rabbits with. Try to spend as much time in the field as possible and learn where they like to hang out and what tey are feeding on in your area. The main thing is to just go out and have a good time.
 
I used to hunt cottontails with Beagles when I was much younger - what a blast! No hounds now so I just hunt with my brother & a buddy or two. We just walk them out of the sagegrush or still hunt them. Where we hunt they're like vermin - all over the place. Usually take 1 1/2 - 2 hours to limit out, ten rabbits each. These days we use .22 cal rifles or pistols. Bull barrel Ruger 22/45 is a hoot!

Pics: Rabbits before field dressing, Sitting rabbit before the shot
rabbitssmall.jpg


SittingRabbitsmall.jpg
 
I mostly either shoot them from my porch or just walking around the yard. I keep several acres mowed and the little pests will usually sit still hoping that I won't see them. I can almost always just walk up within 40 yards of them. I use a shotgun or a .22. Sometimes when I see them I don't even bother going to get a long gun and use whatever handgun I have on at the time.
 
i give a kick in and around the headgerows and brushpiles. its a bit tough hunting them without a dog. i saw one a month ago in a brushpile but by the time i drew a bead on it,it hopped off into a heavy pile of briars and thorns and i lost sight of it.
 
Anyone have a good little recipe for these guys? Also, what would ya pick, .22lr or 17hmr. I was reading about feild dressing and says for consumtion the cleanest shot possible is ideal to prevent any disease and such, so I dont know if that little magnum BB of a bullet would be too much.

Seems like huntin' wabbits would be a good way to get into hunting.

-Max
 
Maximus, Many like the buggers sauted and gravied and put over egg noodles or rice... I likes me a big ol' bowl of Jambalaya and use the same recipe as chicken...
Brent
 
I use a .22lr or a .177 pellet rifle for open morning/evening sittin' bunnies and a 20 gauge with 7 1/2 for pile bustin' to hit runners!
Never shot a .17 HMR but wouldn't hesitate to use it as it extends the range beyond that of a .22LR...
Brent
 
Not a hunter, but lookin to start. My question is...how quickly after shooting the rabbit do you need to clean it? Can you shoot a bunch of em and then clean em all at the end of the day?
Also...is 5.56/.223 too much for rabbit? Looking for an excuse to walk around in plain sight with my Sabre Defence and shoot at stuff.
 
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