Warning

 

Close

Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Confirm Cancel
BCM
User Panel

Posted: 1/2/2016 7:40:14 PM EDT
So I've been trying to do a little rabbit hunting this year but I haven't had much luck. The weekend before Christmas a local bar had a rabbit hunting competition and a buddy of mine asked me to come with. We had a 5 man "team" and our basic strategy was to walk the woods/treeline/whatever we were hunting in kinda like a deer drive. We got 5 rabbits in 3 hours that way and I had a ton of fun. We're doing another hunt like that in February but in the meantime I wanted to get out and do some more hunting on my own. Trying to repeat that hasn't been successful however.

The piece of public land I've been to twice now seems like a good place to find some rabbits, but I haven't seen any. I went the day before a snow storm was going to roll in, thinking they might be out feeding before the snow came and I didn't see a thing. On that trip I was by myself and I just walked very slowly/quietly through the woods following deer trails and such. I'd try to circle/come up on downed trees/brush piles to make one run but they never did. On the second trip I went a couple days after the snow storm and it had warmed up that day and was very sunny. I thought this would be good to see some activity also. I took my new dog along, he's not trained for hunting but I thought he might help me kick up a rabbit anyways(and he needed to get out and run). On that trip we weren't as quiet/slow since the snow was so loud anyways but I could see just TONS of rabbit tracks through the area I hunted previously and the new areas we went through. We still didn't kick anything up on that trip but with the tracks I was able to confirm that the rabbits are traveling in the areas I was hunting and specifically the brush piles and downed trees we were trying to kick them up out of. As far as time of day, this was about 10am-3pm.

So basically, I know the rabbits are there. I know they're visiting the micro habitats that you would expect them to be in. I just can't figure out why they're not there when I am, or I can't get them to jump. Sorry if this seems like a newbie problem but hey, I am a newbie at this. Any help would be appreciated.
Link Posted: 1/3/2016 2:45:43 PM EDT
[#1]
You see that clump of bramble and brush over there that looks out of place? Get your gun ready and go stomp that one good time with your weak -side foot. Profit repeatedly.
Link Posted: 1/3/2016 4:47:55 PM EDT
[#2]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You see that clump of bramble and brush over there that looks out of place? Get your gun ready and go stomp that one good time with your weak -side foot. Profit repeatedly.
View Quote


That's what I've been doing, but no luck. Like I said, tracks everywhere though.
Link Posted: 1/3/2016 8:12:28 PM EDT
[#3]
Get yourself a good beagle!
Link Posted: 1/4/2016 12:55:17 AM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Get yourself a good beagle!
View Quote


This!
If you've never had the chance to watch a good rabbit dog work your missing out.
My buddy has one and while he's not as fast as he used to be, he'll go into the deepest, nastiest god awful brush that even a rabbit would second guess.
Works cheap too, just needs a cheeseburger.
Link Posted: 1/4/2016 1:05:36 AM EDT
[#5]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You see that clump of bramble and brush over there that looks out of place? Get your gun ready and go stomp that one good time with your weak -side foot. Profit repeatedly.
View Quote


Heh.  Not watching where I was going, I once stumbled on a small bush.  A rabbit jumped out.  I wasn't expecting it, so my adrenaline rushed, and I put a load of #6 into that rabbit.... before it had even gone 10 feet.

There wasn't a lot left of the rabbit.  

Alright, on to more serious talk for OP.  My advice?  Get away from people, or wherever people go to have fun.  Around here, if you're near a town, the rabbits are all hunted out.  If you're near a recreation area, rabbits are all hunted out.  If you keep driving and get away from those areas, THEN you find a lot of rabbits.

I have the best luck right before/after the sun comes up, when the rabbits are out and busy looking for food.
Link Posted: 1/10/2016 2:57:49 PM EDT
[#6]
Link Posted: 1/12/2016 12:31:20 AM EDT
[#7]
In a high pressure situation, the bunnies might be sitting tight.  As in "kick them" tight.  Check your 6 frequently, as well as your 3 and 9 o'clock for creepers.
Link Posted: 1/12/2016 7:21:45 PM EDT
[#8]
Thanks for the pointers guys.

I've been doing pretty much everything that's been mentioned but I guess I'm just having bad luck.

I'm thinking I will be able to get out again this weekend and give it another shot.
Link Posted: 1/12/2016 7:29:57 PM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You see that clump of bramble and brush over there that looks out of place? Get your gun ready and go stomp that one good time with your weak -side foot. Profit repeatedly.
View Quote


That, or get a beagle.  I used to have one that was SLOW but awesome, I have stood in one spot on a stump and shot rabbit after rabbit, he would run them, and often they head back to where they were jumped, or run in a circle.
Link Posted: 1/16/2016 1:50:09 AM EDT
[#10]
Link Posted: 1/16/2016 2:10:33 AM EDT
[#11]
anything facing the sun, they like to find a place out of wind that has sun. Rock outcrops,cliffs,ledges,brushpiles,
If you can walk into a place with the sun a your back you will be facing them as they sun.
Seeing tracks,trails ,your where they have been and may still be around.
Link Posted: 1/30/2016 4:51:17 PM EDT
[#12]
If you are going without a dog, you are going to bleed to see any rabbits.

Basically, pick the nastiest looking bunch of prickers you can find, and then walk straight through it while your buddies stand around in shooting lanes.

Repeat for about 6 hours, you will shoot bunnies, be ready for grouse to fly out too.

Also, you need to go on a nice day, when the sun is out in the morning, especially if there is a break in a cold spell, they love to come out and sun themselves and eat. I never have good luck on crappy weather days. If it's sunny and warming up though, then I usually get a few.
Link Posted: 1/30/2016 4:56:32 PM EDT
[#13]
There is also the rifle method too if you are the patient type.

Find where they den holes are, and on a sunny morning position yourself where you can see as many as possible, sit super still and in cover and watch.

Eventually you will see them start to peek out, don't shoot them until they are a good ways out of the hole. Let them lay there, and keep being patient and they will keep popping out. When you are done go pick them up and call it a day.

I find this method to be a lot more boring than doing ninja moves through brush piles and bramble though.
Close Join Our Mail List to Stay Up To Date! Win a FREE Membership!

Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!

You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.


By signing up you agree to our User Agreement. *Must have a registered ARFCOM account to win.
Top Top