Hunting Rabbits

[ryonker]

I have mostly bowhunted for Deer; but I decided this Winter to try slingshotting for some bunnies here in Minnesota.

I have a couple areas that are just loaded with Rabbit sign; tracks, droppings, great hiding places and of course an occassional sighting.

Here is my question. We have tried to get the rabbits moving by pushing them out of cover with three of us....shaking trees, pocking sticks into holes, stepping on brush piles. We have only had modest success moving the rabbits into shooting position...it seems most don't move at all. Our best day we saw about 5 rabbits and had 2 shots....and there must be way more rabbits than this based on the sign.

So, am I better off just sitting on a log and stand hunting for them like I would for deer?

Thanks for your help!

Rick

[Jaybird]

One rabbit can make a lot of tracks:D

[elmofudd2000]

rabbits are always near cover and watchful of predators

I have taken one with a slingshot(trumark) and several with a 20ga shotgun. Cooked in a dutch oven they are superb. What was the question again?

[pelleteer]

I don't know what type of bunnies you're hunting back there or what their habits are, but I used to have great success with cottontails by standing still in one spot (preferably in the middle of a bunch of shrubs) and blowing on the squeaker out of a dog toy or game call. Bunnies would often come up to within 20 or 30 feet, a great slingshot range (though I was using mostly a .22 rifle at the time). Of course, we used to joke that out here in the AZ desert it was hard to take more than 10 steps without stepping on a cottontail during most of the year except the middle of summer. :D Give it a try, though, as it may work in your neck of the woods as well. :cool:

[SlingShotShooter]

I used to hunt rabbit with an old beagle and my model 60 glenfield....... The beagle was good at sniffing them out and driving them right toward you.

So, am I better off just sitting on a log and stand hunting for them like I would for deer?

I don't think so, but you might get lucky seeing one come by.
Your doing it right by pushing them out of their cover. Depending on the size of the area ect... seeing 5 rabbits in one day is pretty good.

Back in my rabbit hunting days I could take out about 10-20 rabbits in one night. One time we bagged 35... Farming fields is a good place to hunt them:)

[fish]

why not use a ferret to flush them out? or as we do use a lamp at night!

[cvarcher]

You will only have shots on moving game. So if your up to that task then a mini daschund or beagle or even a jack russel will get into those brush piles. Otherwise get there earlier in the morning and really sloooww stalk.That way you will be able to get close to a sitting bunny and get a shot. They should be out feeding early.Sometimes ina warm sunny day in the winter midafternoons too.

[pelleteer]

Right around sunrise was the best time for me. My buddy and I were actually trying to call in coyotes one morning when we discovered we were surrounded by rabbits. :D We weren't sure if it was the rabbit distress call (which seemed unlikely) or the squeaker they were responding to. On a few subsequent trips I tried the squeaker and, sure enough, the cottons came wandering in to get a look.

[cvarcher]

Ive heard that early in the morning where I fly my hawk.

[statikpunk]

out here in nevada i walk really slowly through the thick brush and especially old junk piles, if you go slow enough the cottontails won't bust until you have them dead in your sites :D

oh fish, our jack rabbits here do not live in warrens like, your european hares do, they live their whole lives above ground, our cottontails do live in holes but just one or two rabbits to a hole, also not like the warrens

[pphbh]

Hi Ryonker

Do you hunt the rabbits for eating purpose or just for fun ?

Isaac