Rabbit hunting tricks?
 

Hey, guys I'm relatively new to rabbit hunting and just wanted to ask for some advice, and pointers. I'm struggling to find many good rabbit fields, due to the county I live in is over run with coyotes. So I have to head to the outskirts of town but fields are few and far between. I have a couple proven rabbit fields but some how the little suckers evade me. I'm able to track them, look for droppings, and signs of them due to snow so I know they are there but I am unable to slip one. I spend hours in the field beating every piece of brush large enough to hold a rabbit, poking in holes, and doing whatever I can but can't seem to get one. Right now its, wet, cold (30), and the ground has a foot of snow cover. What are the best conditions to hunt rabbits? The best time of day? is there any time you mine as well stay home? Any old timers secrets? I have about 3 fields the were over run with rabbits I was tripping over them and the last 2 weeks they have been no were to be seen. I see tracks but haven't seen a rabbit. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks for your time. Michael Cogar. I also live in Southern WI if that matters, I've been told cottontail habits very on geographical locations.

How fast are you moving through the field? If you're tearing apart that much and making too much noise, you won't be seeing any bunnies, they'll scatter to the four winds. With snow cover, they know they don't have as much concealment as they might have in the grass, so they'll scatter farther.

Are you using a dog? Shotgun or rifle? How many acres are you looking at? Are you sure the track and sign are fresh?

They're not going to be in the open fields. To easy of prey for yotes, foxes, hawks, eagles, owls, etc. Gonna find them in the nastiest briar patches you can find. Hedge rows or lapp piles are also great hiding spots.

Only thing I can bring to the table, Is to keep your eye's open.

Be quiet, that means no whispering either. That's what I have learned.

Hope this helps.

Well this does not work every time by any means, but does work often enough to be worth trying...it is a trick I use often when hunting with flintlock and now and then with a .22

prowl through brush, briars whatever...rabbits like heavy cover...until you jump one...as the rabbit takes off...put your gun to your shoulder..tracking him but don't fire and don't move! Not an inch! The rabbit will run off, but if they get no sense of being pursued, often stop and look back after short runs.....and that is when you fire!

Get yerself a beagle or two

You can hunt with out dogs, just to let you know.

Beagle, beagle, beagle. There is nothing more fun to me than listening to my beagles run rabbits. If a dog is out of the question then go slow and quiet. I have seen alot of rabbits in the brush/grass that move just a little bit trying to hide. Good luck, and keep trying

Really? :sad0064:

Rabbit Box?

If you are just wanting the meat, then that is a good way to go.

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.

That's what me and my buddy do when we hunt rabbit.

If you see a rabbit running away whistle, it will make the rabit stop then take the shot.