Author Topic: How's your rabbit hunting going? (Read 1217 times)

rabbithunter · « **on:** November 24, 2003, 03:17:56 AM »

Just wanted to see how the bunny killers are doin this year?? Ohio according to the DNR is at a 10 year high for rabbit populations, and we are busting quite a few bunnies. Just wanted to see how everyone else was doing.

Myk · « **Reply #1 on:** November 25, 2003, 09:32:15 AM »

The one day I was out wasn't too good. Things were holding very tight and my springer has picked up a bad habit because of a yard rabbit where he chases very quickly. Couldn't shoot one because of him, almost shot him on another. There was a few others my friend missed or didn't shoot at for some reason.

blackdirt beagles · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2003, 03:34:18 AM »

shootin' as many as we want to clean :-D

Lawdog · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2003, 01:28:42 PM »

The brush bunny's are really thick this year. Lots and lots of young ones around. With a little stalking it's no problem bring home 4 or 5 for the pot with my air rifle. Lawdog

Dogshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2005, 04:40:40 PM »

Thicker than I've ever seen 'em. We have a 10 per day limit on cottontails and I have had to stop hunting way early in the hunt every time I have been out to keep it legal. Our possession limit is 20 so I have been eating a LOT of rabbit so I can go out after more.

sawebbshooter · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2005, 11:10:35 AM »

I just returned from a shooting and hunting trip to Wyoming, where I may be the only out of state hunter pursuing only rabbits. The snowshoe has so far eluded me but I had the best cottontail hunting I've had to date. 22 on 4 hunts; 3 with a mod. 16 S&W in .32 mag and the rest with rifles and iron sights. I got my first limit of anything (10 rabbits) with a almost new Marlin ltd 41 mag with an x/s ghostring I installed the day before and a brand new handload I loaded predawn before the hunt. Trail Boss under a 200 gr. l.f.p. Minute of bunny accuracy, fast repeat shots, effective yet not destructive. Had a great hunting partner, good weather and a fine time. Had ameal cooked for me and shared the rest with 4 local friends. Hard to have a better experience.

Dogshooter · « **Reply #6 on:** November 07, 2005, 02:50:11 PM »

Sawebshooter,
I haven't been seeing any snowshoes either but I haven't been up very high hunting for them yet either. A buddy went up last week and got into them, said he'd never seen so many so I guess they are at their peak too.

kombi1976 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2005, 01:33:13 AM »

Don't live anywhere near Ohio but my bunny hunting is going well.
I shoot on a workmate's place about 20 minutes out of town.
He has a couple of shipping containers in one of his stock yards and the place is crawling with them.
Usually I head out once every 2 or 3 weeks about an hour before sunset with my 6x40-equipped Anschutz .22LR and see what I can hit.
Yesterday yielded 7.........5 tiny babies and 2 big males.
Unfortunately one of the big 'uns got back under the container before I could finish him off. :x
I guess that doesn't really count but the Winchester Powerpoints would've made it a relatively short period of pain before he headed off to join the other 6 in bunny heaven. :wink:
The fact that 2 were huge and the rest were babies reflects the fact that they've probably had another breeding cycle since we started shooting out there in late August. :twisted:
There should be another generation by about Christmas too.
As such I'm looking forward to plenty of bunny fun in summer. :mrgreen:
The only down side is that the wife won't let me bring 'em home to cook.
So my workmate saves some on dog food when we visit. :grin:
Here's a pic:

tmfreak · « **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2005, 03:26:38 PM »

havent tried rabbit hunting, any tips? i just started out when my dad let me have his .20 pc sheridan

kombi1976 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2005, 04:53:19 PM »

Well, the Fates have screwed with my hunting opportunities. :?
Mixomatisis swept through the warren I been raiding so it'll probably be at least 6 months before we see them breed up there again, worse luck. :x
And me with my summer holidays only a fortnight off now. :cry:

victorcharlie · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2005, 01:10:04 AM »

I haven't started rabbit hunting yet.....The season opens late here, 3rd weekend in November. I have been deer hunting and the hounds are disappointed I haven't filled my tags yet. We've had a very dry fall but have had some rain now so scenting conditions have improved a lot.

JeffG · « **Reply #11 on:** December 18, 2005, 07:44:05 AM »

They are yhick around here, but they are runninf; not much chance for a .22. Gonna try the shotgun this week.

markdzettel · « **Reply #12 on:** December 19, 2005, 04:53:49 AM »

I went snowshoe hunting on Saturday. My dog is performing better on rabbits than he ever has. Two minutes into the hunt he hit a good trail and kept on it for quite a while. My friend shot at the rabbit he was chasing but missed. On the way back through the bush to the truck, the hound hit another trail and that rabbit went right by my other friend. He blew it's head off at about five feet. VERY messy. Still, all the meat was saved and it was better than going home skunked! This was my first successful rabbit hunt this season. It sure was good to hear that dog tonguing.
Mark