rabbit hunting pointers

[snowman11]

Ok, I am new to rabbit hunting. What I have done in the past was by chance rabbit hunting....that is, out hunting something else and see a rabbit.

Dont have a dog, so that's out. No snow either...so tracking is out.

So how do you do it? Do you just hope to stumble upon them while walking in good rabbit country?

Any suggestions to a newbie?

[birdshooter]

kick brush , walk edges of swamps have fun just being out.

[Huntsman27]

or brush piles, they can and do hide in some odd places. Once shot one in an old garbage can. If its thick and has areas they can hide in they will be there. One thing to always look for it their eye. When you get good at spotting them youll see the eye before the whole rabbit.

[Da-Fish]

went out today got 2 just walking hedgerows with thickets

[Mickey Finn]

When winter gets here finally. Go out on sunny days and look in open fields near their cover. They may be sunning themselves.

Look where you see alot of tracks and signs where they have been nibbiling on the bark of brush. they will make runs you can watch.

Also they sit under hardwood trees sometimes. They will be highlighted against the snow if we get any. If you look sharp and don't spook them you can take them with a .22.

Before I got a dog, These were my favorite techniques.

First chance you get, get a dog.

[snowman11]

When winter gets here finally. Go out on sunny days and look in open fields near their cover. They may be sunning themselves.

Look where you see alot of tracks and signs where they have been nibbiling on the bark of brush. they will make runs you can watch.

Also they sit under hardwood trees sometimes. They will be highlighted against the snow if we get any. If you look sharp and don't spook them you can take them with a .22.

Before I got a dog, These were my favorite techniques.

First chance you get, get a dog.

Tell me about it (winter frustration and lack of dog frustration!) Maybe my cats would chase them.

I went out today and it was just depressing. It's the day after Christmas...where is the SNOW????

I know it's easier in snow, as you can actually find tracks....but without snow, I just wasn't sure.

I've ran across them "by chance" before, but I dont have an eye developed for them....sorta like morels, my wife is good at seeing them, I'm good at locating the habitat :)

[zx10r2004]

sometime you will have to almost kick them before they come out of some brush piles.just be ready at all times because you will only have a split second to shoot because there is no snow so its hard to see them.(cottontails).

[snowman11]

sometime you will have to almost kick them before they come out of some brush piles.just be ready at all times because you will only have a split second to shoot because there is no snow so its hard to see them.(cottontails).

lol...done that too. specially with young ones. seems with some it would be easier to hit them over the head with a stick than it would to shoot them...as they simply dont want to move.

[U.P. Whackmaster]

All these have been great suggestions! Don't feel bad. Here in the U.P. we only have a dusting of snow!!!! This is nuts!!! I don't remember ever not having at least 1ft. of snow at Christmas! Anyhoo, yeah down there in the L.P. you have cottontails so look for brushpiles, hedge rows, also look for mounds that are slightly higher than the surrounding terrain. Rabbits like to get up on them for sunning and it gives them a vantage point to spot predators. If you kick up a hare/ rabbit remember they run in circles, ever widening as they go around. If you kick one up, try to get ahead of it and sit where you kicked it up, often they'll come poking along and whamo, Hasenpfeffer. Just my .02 cents.
Whack

[Jmcfarland]

I've been rabbit hunting twice in the last week. Had quite a few good runs with our dogs and have managed 3 snowshoes. Nothing better than hearing the dogs sing and getting a couple for them. White rabbits with a brown background make for easier seeing but I would love to get some snow. Could of had 5-6 by now if we were shooting them on the jump but we prefer to let the dogs run em. What fun!