Many hunters give their best efforts when seeking big game during the fall months, only to feel like all the good hunting is over at the start of the new year when deer hunting ends for many localities.
However, January and February are the traditional small game hunting months in many states and the outdoor fun is just beginning.
Rabbits are a big part of that fun and a cherished American tradition.
If you are like me and did a lot of sitting in the woods during November and December waiting for deer and turkeys (in between enjoying heaps of holiday delicacies smothered in gravy), then a brisk-paced rabbit hunt will do you a lot of good and no dog is required.
There was a time during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s when wild game was at an all-time low in America.
Some hunters in those times said, had it not been for the resilient rabbit, many people would have found nothing to hunt at all.
My father grew up during this bleak period when deer, turkeys, and geese were but a memory and he and his father had to be satisfied with the occasional rabbit (even squirrels were rarely seen).
Many think rabbits are early morning and dusk creatures, but you may be surprised to find them on a winter afternoon lounging under sparse cover that features a warm, southern exposure. (My son calls these “sunny bunnies.”)
Walk up to any likely bush, briar patch, or swath of grass on the edge of a field and give them a reasonable investigation.
Sometimes simply pausing near these potential hiding places is enough to send a rabbit flying out, or sometimes kicking at a branch or two with your boots will do the trick.
In the fall, rabbits are often in substantial brush that offers escape options to even thicker cover.
But by winter, the size and frequency of these places dwindle greatly.
In fact, I’ve found winter bunnies under low-hanging cedar branches, under our discarded Christmas tree, and even in a tuft of grass so small, you wouldn’t think it could hide a mouse.
Once you rouse a rabbit, it may run a short distance and then stop, sometimes only partially concealed under the next bush, offering you a shot or a chance to jump him again.
If you miss, don’t be too dismayed. The same rabbit may be right back under that same bush the next day.
For me, I prefer to hunt winter rabbit using a 12-gauge shotgun with #6 shells and a modified choke, but even a 20-gauge or a 410 will suffice for rabbits.
When you head out, dress warm, but be ready to shed a layer or two as you walk and generate some body heat while burning calories.
Make sure you check your local regulations and seasons and have all your appropriate permits in order before hunting rabbits.
Also, in all the excitement, don’t forget to take into account what is beyond your target and only swing on (and shoot at) rabbits that are moving in a safe direction.
The time to think about these things is before you even encounter the quarry.
So as you approach a promising piece of cover, consider the directions a running rabbit may take and whether they offer safe shooting opportunities.
And remember, stay healthy, stay safe, and have a great time pursuing one of America’s favorite game animals!
The author’s 12-gauge shotgun and one of his winter rabbits.
This unlikely patch of brush concealed a rabbit on three occasions. The key: A southern exposure and nearby escape cover.
