If you're going to make a rabbit stew with your prize, use a shot that is non-lead to avoid potential lead-poisoning hazards. You can also use a bow and arrows, and crossbows are popular. 22 rifle, great at a distance, and you can also try a 12- or a 16-gauge shotgun, using 5 to 7.5 shells. Any larger, and you won't take down your quarry, you'll obliterate it.Īnother popular choice for rabbits is a. Most rabbit hunters go for a 20-gauge shotgun with an improved cylinder choke. When you're hunting small game, you need to match your weapon to your prey. In other words, you don't want to completely eradicate your prey with too much firepower. You don't want to find the right habitat at the right time of day, flush the rabbit, and take the shot, only to have your quarry disappear into a pile of fluff because you're using the wrong caliber firearm. Bring heavy-duty work gloves, as rabbit territory often teems with thickets, tangles, and thorny brush. If you're planning a hunting trip, bring along the proper equipment like a blaze orange safety vest, thick clothing, and boots. In the winter, these times of day can be especially chilly. One way to find rabbits' habitat is to go out at dawn or dusk and note where you see any rabbits disappear into the brush. They love to sit by fences and at the edges of where fields blend into forests. Since they're wary and wily, it's often easier to locate them by finding their favorite foods clover, alfalfa, and blackberry bushes are just a few cottontail favorites. Abandoned barns often provide the cover they crave, as well as hollow logs, fence rows, deadfall, or brush piles. Find a Rabbit Habitatīrambly, brushy areas that are close to their feeding areas are excellent prospective hunting grounds for cottontails. They tend to be more active during the early mornings and evenings to increase their chances of survival. Rabbits used to be more diurnal in their habits however, encroaching agricultural practices like edging borders and trimming brushy areas has reduced their habitat. One of the rabbits' defensive measures is this random pattern of running. If the rabbit is kicked up with a line of escape heading away from you, it will zig-zag in leaps to shake you. Walking zig-zag across a field can also scare up any rabbits hiding among the twists and whorls of grass. When possible, try to make noise in one part of the brush to flush the animal out in front of you. Depending on the terrain, you should try to flush it out. A rabbit's first instinct when it senses a predator is freezing and blending in with the surrounding vegetation. As with all prey animals, it has its own set of defensive tactics.įirst, the rabbit tries to hide from you. The rabbit is the quintessential prey animal-a wary, timid herbivore. By studying rabbits' defensive strategies, understanding their hiding places, and being patient, you'll be well on your way to bagging a few cottontails. You don't need a pack of dogs to go rabbit hunting you can head out on a solo hunt with a single shot and a pocketful of shells and be just as successful. It's a great way to get novice hunters and youngsters out there, especially in a season that doesn't have too many options for hunting. Rabbits are plentiful, so, if you find them, you can usually put a few away for future meals of yummy rabbit stew. The burst of brown fur out of the underbrush, followed by the fluid movement of your rifle, spurs adrenaline through your body. Rabbit hunting is a new kind of challenge, and a fun one, for many hunters. It's a different rush from the explosion of grouse hunting or the majesty of flushing a mallard at dawn, but rabbit hunting has its particular draws. After deer season closes, rabbit hunting offers up an exciting pastime in the winter months.
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