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Know Where They Are
Most hunters will say "the great rabbit disappearance" has taken over their hunting area and it's not even worth hunting small game anymore. I'm here to tell you there are probably just as many rabbits as there ever were, but they are certainly a different animal today.
Forget hunting large grass fields, cut corn, and places we used to as kids. Think thick: older cutovers, small locust thickets, and old abandoned homesteads.
Hunt slowly. Check out small spots. Stop often. Look for rabbits scooting out ahead of you and have the gun ready--not crooked under your arm.
And come back to the same places in different weather conditions--I guarantee you'll get some shooting!
Think Small and Big, and Practice
Many hunters ask, "What size shot do I use for rabbits?" As the season begins and the brush is high and thick, use light loads with plenty of shot, number 8s and 7 ½s are good choices.
Later, when frost, rain, and snow begin to knock things down and the woods begin to open up, switch to 6s or 5s. As the woods really open (and especially if you have been hunting a while) your aim will improve. Use the 5s, or even my favorite, number 4s!
I like to use the bigger shot, as it does far less damage. Rabbits have delicate fur and brittle bones. It doesn't take much to stop them--sometimes only a single pellet. The less damage, the better if you are saving them for the table.
But you have to hit them. Practice! Clay birds, rolling soda cans--it doesn't matter what you use, but it will make all the difference in the world.
Proper Field Care
Wild rabbit is a true delicacy (some markets charge $10 or more for each one) but many hunters say their rabbits taste "wild and gamey." Well, how would a rabbit taste shoved in a hot, sweaty hunting coat for several hours?
Plan ahead. Place a cooler with plenty of ice in the back of the truck. Rabbits should be field dressed immediately and hung by curtain hooks on your belt. Or slice the rear tendon and slip it on your belt directly.
Take a few wet wipes with you to clean blood from your hands and the carcass. Keep flies away until you're moving again. Swing around to the truck for lunch or a drink, placing the morning kill on ice. It will make all the difference in really great tasting rabbit.
Don't Waste Them
Rabbits make for great eating, but many are wasted each year. What hunters often fail to realize is that every rabbit on earth is infected with something. Don't toss away a rabbit that has spots on its liver or a worm in the intestines--it's a normal occurrence in most rabbits.
Soaking them in salt water and cooking thoroughly will kill everything, so don't waste otherwise perfectly good bunnies. Cook them slowly with gravy, or your favorite sauce. They are delicious!
Secret Weapon
On almost any hunting day I can take my limit of rabbits, but I have a secret weapon--a small pack of beagles. Dogs make the difference in any rabbit hunt, and they will search out scores of rabbits that no man will ever find.
Dogs become faithful hunting partners, and they improve your shooting by bringing rabbits back head-on (this precludes shooting at the meaty back legs and fleeting white tail). Consider a beagle or two, especially if you have a youngster just beginning to hunt. You will never be sorry you got a dog to tag along.
Hunt Always
This is the biggest tip of all. Make time to go hunting and don't listen to the silly weather forecasters. When you plan a hunt, stick with it, even if you get up and it's pouring down rain.
You can always come home if the conditions are too bad, but I have had some of my greatest hunts and made some very fond memories in the pouring rain or in the middle of a snow squall. The game is there, whether rabbits, turkeys, or deer. Get out there, you'll be glad you did!
Great hunting!
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