Rabbit Hunting Technique?

[Stanm70]

Hello I am relatively new to the hunting world and my first trials were in the Long range sub category. I never really got a chance as a child to hunt rabbits so I was wondering what would be a good technique for hunting them? I live in NE Kansas I have access to plenty of land but I can never seem to spot a bunnie when I have my .22. Any suggestions?

 

[Holmes]

Stop and go. Don't move too fast lest the bunnies freeze up and let you walk right past them. Slow and erratic makes them nervous and they'll break more often. When they break, watch where they stop - and they will.

Turn around often and watch your six, you'll be surprised how many rabbits will break behind you after you pass.

Watch sloped southern exposures especially along two-tracks or defined vegetation patches. Rock piles are popular warrens. On steeper slopes pay close attention to areas just below the ridge line.

Binoculars are just as effective for bunny huntin' as they are for big game. With practice you'll become an accomplished spotter of all things long of ear. When you spot one, approach indirectly.

Last two hours of daylight is the magic time.

Rabbit hunting is terribly addicting. You've been warned

 

[medic11]

Try this. Walk away from the sun. So go out either early in the morning as the sun is rising or late afternoon as it's setting. Keep the sun at your back and just like the above post states, walk slow and stop, often. Turn around every now and then. Keep walking with the sun at your back. If he's in front of you the sun will **** near blind him and you can get pretty close. I shot one the other day at about 0830, sun at my back, in his eyes and got about 10 yds away before I shot him.

 

[Tjurgensen]

if your not worried about the hide you could always carry a shotgun. its simple enough just walk through the woods or around brush piles quietly as to not scare one up ahead of you, and take running shots. its a lot of fun. a 410 would do the best. Savage makes a really great rabbit gun: an over and under with a .22 on the bottom and a 410 on the top. 20 and 28 gauges would work too with light game loads and a full choke.

 

[farout]

Get a couple beagles and a 20 gauge. You (and the beagles) will have the time of your lives.

 

[medic11]

Another good one I like, go at night. Use a small but powerful flashlight, like a Surefire, and a pellet gun or your .22. Creep slow, stop, shine your light in a sweeping motion all around you. Look for the reflection of their eyes. Raise your rifle and take a head shot. Your bright light will usually cause them to stop what they're doing, but don't wait too long to take the shot. It's as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

I've had far more success hunting at night than during the day. Just make sure you know the terrain so you're able to walk/stalk with no light for a short distance. I usually walk about 10 yds in the dark, stop, shine my light and scan the area. If I don't see little eyes looking back at me I turn off the light and keep moving, slowly and quietly.

 

[tinkerer]

I'm so sorry, but I have to:

"Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit."

Sung to Wagner as by Elmer Fudd.

OK, so sue me for being educated.

Larry
Tinkerer

 

[basset]

Lol

 

[frostop]

Another good one I like, go at night. Use a small but powerful flashlight, like a Surefire, and a pellet gun or your .22. Creep slow, stop, shine your light in a sweeping motion all around you. Look for the reflection of their eyes. Raise your rifle and take a head shot. Your bright light will usually cause them to stop what they're doing, but don't wait too long to take the shot. It's as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

I've had far more success hunting at night than during the day. Just make sure you know the terrain so you're able to walk/stalk with no light for a short distance. I usually walk about 10 yds in the dark, stop, shine my light and scan the area. If I don't see little eyes looking back at me I turn off the light and keep moving, slowly and quietly.

Just make sure your local regs allow night hunting! In Idaho that's a no-no!

 

[Speckle55]

if there are no tracks and droppings = no Wabbits ..

you should see grazing on the shrubs etc small poplar they eat the bark .. it will be dense bush and in you need to push your way in trees to find them here , they need cover except at night you will see lots of tracks but no Wabbits find the dense bush .. bingo

Go Slow bobbing head as in taking as many anlges of a look ahead as you can then move slowly and repeat..

also

If there are no birch trees in the area, look for Aspen saplings.

In the southern foothills, Mature willows are for bedding, young Aspen (especially saplings) for feeding. Hunt the bedding areas mid day, feeding areas at first and last light. Cutting down some trees or making a pile of fresh branches for food is very effective for drawing in rabbits.

David

 

[StrutNut]

I had the most fun with a .22 in farm groves. My favorite was one that had some old machinery in the grove that i would simply climb and sit still. Within minutes they would be back out of their holes scampering around. So much fun and good eating. The other approach that we had was a bit more aggressive. Walk as mentioned above with shotguns and have at it. Bunny's can be found in a lot of places but a good wooded, thick farm grove is tough to beat.