Bunny huntin 2010

[JakeGrice]

Had a good start to the 2010 season this evening. Second time out with my river raisen longbow. First time I skimmed a rabbit on the run and sealed the deal on my second trip out. First shot hit a little far back...took two hops and I put a second arrow in to silence the struggle. Lets see some small game you've got this year with your trad gear!


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[LBR]

Chasing bunnies with a bow is lots of fun--I get together with some friends for a few hunts every year after deer season closes. I'd love to do it with snow on the ground.....

What kind of points are you using? I've tried everything from steel blunts to homemade blunts to rubber blunts, etc. I keep going back to broadheads--otherwise anything less than a perfect shot usually winds up with a lost bunny, and sometimes a lost arrow to boot.

[JakeGrice]

I have used a variety of small game blunted heads that all seem to really do the trick. I've used hexheads, thumpers, hammers, and even field tips USUALLY do fine.


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[LBR]

Hex-heads are the best blunt I've ever used, but on our rabbits (cotton-tails and swamp rabbits--although rare to get in bow range of a swamper) they are dang-near useless with anything less than a perfect head shot or double-lung, and a field point is fine if you can make that shot. I'm not good enough to head-shoot a rabbit at 10-20 yds, at least not consistently.

I reckon our rabbits are just more tenacious than others--I've talked to a lot of folks that do fine with blunts and judo's. I've lost too many rabbits, and arrows, with those--shooting bows ranging from 66-80+ lbs.

[JakeGrice]

Originally Posted by LBR

Hex-heads are the best blunt I've ever used, but on our rabbits (cotton-tails and swamp rabbits--although rare to get in bow range of a swamper) they are dang-near useless with anything less than a perfect head shot or double-lung, and a field point is fine if you can make that shot. I'm not good enough to head-shoot a rabbit at 10-20 yds, at least not consistently.

I reckon our rabbits are just more tenacious than others--I've talked to a lot of folks that do fine with blunts and judo's. I've lost too many rabbits, and arrows, with those--shooting bows ranging from 66-80+ lbs.

What's the difference between a swamper and a normal cottontail?

[JakeGrice]

Last night I shot the rabbit once with a thumper and the second shot with a hexhead. You wouldn't believe the hole a thumper leaves in a rabbit.

[LBR]

Swamp rabbits are nearly twice as big as cottontails, and as the name implies they love swamps, marshes, sloughs, etc. They seem to be more wary than cottontails too--don't get many shots at those.

Chad

[JakeGrice]

sounds like a fun animal to chase with a shotgun...considering its too difficult for a bow.

[LBR]

They are just harder to stalk, and live in nastier places. Bigger targets though.

[JakeGrice]

are they similar to the size of a jackrabbit?