I hunted rabbits a lot growing up. I usually used a beagle (just one). I would hunt where there was good cover, grass, brush, and brush piles. I got a lot of rabbits right after the leaves went down into the winter, provided the snow did not get too deep for the dog. Basically, just keep beating the brush and high grass til you flush out a bunny. Get the dog on the trail and then stay put. A cottontail will (usually) make a large circle and double back on the original trail where you flushed it out, so be ready. Sometimes even a new rabbit will get flushed. But the important thing is good cover. If you have buildings and old cars and holes but little brush and high grass, there will be tracks (made at night) but nothing to be found during the day. I had a beagle that would dive in right inside the brush pile and drive them out! But even this dog could not extract them out of a small hole. Hunt with a shotgun, either 20 or 12 gauge and aim for the tip of the nose - most times these rabbits will be running. Yes, you can use a 22, but for the running rabbits, it is a tough shot. With the shot gun, you may want to pass on a running shot that is too close - wait for it to stop. Sounds like you are in cottontail country, not snowshoe hares. I hunted mostly cottontails. Snowshoe hare hunting is a bit different - they can sometimes take off in a straight line and if they double back at all it can be quite a big circle. But I got snowshoes too with my beagle - we had both cottontails and snowshoes in our area.
A way to hunt cottontails (or snowshoes) with no dog is to quietly walk in areas where you see rabbit sign right before dark. Keep your eyes open and be ready for the first good shot. The bunnies will start getting active right before evening. I have gotten some this way. And you can get these in areas with a lot of holes or buildings where a dog might not be too effective since the rabbits hole up quickly on a chase.
|
