When I was a kid my dad used to drive around the country roads here in NE Kansas spotting rabbits and other critters in the brushy ditches. My brother and I would plink them with our single-shot 22. The best days were following a few inches of fresh snow. On one occasion we killed 25+ rabbits and a bunch of quail and squirrels. Now at age 70 and with 3 inches of fresh snow on the ground just last week, my buddy and I set out to road-hunt rabbits. We drove around for about 3 hours and killed all the rabbits we saw; ONE hapless bunny. I'm sure he'll be tasty. The rabbit population here is seriously depleted; probably because there is a hawk in every other tree. Ahh, the good ol' days appear to be gone. How about in your areas?
Rabbits in the Snow?
- Thread starter Sniper66
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Those bunnies run in cycles. Here in Wyoming the populations of cottontails and jacks are strong but I've noticed the snowshoe hares seem to be more scarce than a couple years ago.
Catch those bunnies a day ahead of an incoming storm front, too. They're out chowin' down to weather things out.
Catch those bunnies a day ahead of an incoming storm front, too. They're out chowin' down to weather things out.
SoonerMedic
Member
I've found that rabbits here in Oklahoma seem to be sparse too. Or maybe they're just faster and better camouflaged than I remember lol. Either way, I haven't been able to shoot one as they're all now living in town in neighborhoods.
Rabbits are pretty scarce here in W. PA. Me and my buddies used to hunt them in the 70's and early 80's with fair success, but now you're wasting your time unless you enjoy a long walk.
There are a bunny or 2 living on the hillside behind the house. I like hunting in the snow too, and one of my boys and I go out after a fresh snow fall. Its pretty thick, and those bunnies are fast (and smart too!). We usually get a shot or 2, but rarely connect.
Same with grouse, not many around here and generally not worth hunting. There are some up in the big woods in North central PA and I do try and hunt them there whenever I get a chance.
There are a bunny or 2 living on the hillside behind the house. I like hunting in the snow too, and one of my boys and I go out after a fresh snow fall. Its pretty thick, and those bunnies are fast (and smart too!). We usually get a shot or 2, but rarely connect.
Same with grouse, not many around here and generally not worth hunting. There are some up in the big woods in North central PA and I do try and hunt them there whenever I get a chance.
entropy
Member
That'd net you a fine here. Can't shoot within 50 ft. of the center of the road.
I could've shot a rabbit on deer opener just past legal shooting this year. Hopped right up to me, sniffed me, and hopped off.
I could've shot a rabbit on deer opener just past legal shooting this year. Hopped right up to me, sniffed me, and hopped off.
JackSprat
Member
We don't have the rabbits like we did when I was a kid..I see a couple rabbits in the yard fairly often,but don't want to kill them..Folks say it's the coyotes that are to blame for their decreased numbers,but I don't think it is,because even though we have some I don't think they are as plentiful as people think..I have seen more foxes running around in the daytime than I ever used to in the past several years.I don't know why,but I know they are hard on rabbits..I shot a big male fox from the kitchen window on my wifes birthday(June 13th) a couple years ago that I saw out in the back fields two days in a row .I think it was after fawns,because I seen a couple a day,or two earlier and they were about like long legged chiauahaus..My Dad never liked us to eat rabbit till we had some cold weather,because of parisites.He called them liver flukes.
Flintknapper
Member
Still plenty of rabbits here in Deep East Texas, though they do go through bust and boom cycles.
But in my mind....I drift back to childhood outings in Southeast Kansas (mid 60's). A pre-teen at the time, my older brother and I couldn't wait for the first snowfall. I can still see all the rabbit tracks in the fresh snow and remember the anticipation of walking up a rabbit along a brushy fence row or on the edge of a wooded lot.
Just a couple of 'kids' with .22 rifles, but we thought we were on Safari.
Yes, Sir....those were the days.
Shanghai McCoy
Member
Well Sniper66, I had a bunch on my place out here west of you, but that was this past Spring and Summer. I had hoped to "cash in" this Winter after the little sobs ate up my veggie garden. Now, as you mentioned, they seem to be thinned out by the hawks and such.
entropy
Member
While it is possible for rabbits to have liver flukes, Jack Sprat, it is much more likely for deer to have them. Simply avoiding eating the liver, gall bladder and intestines of a rabbit would greatly reduce the risk, whatever the weather.
You are far more likely to contract tularemia from eating rabbit during warm weather, though again, cooking reduces the risk. The main risk is from butchering, the francisella tularensis bacteria entering broken skin or the eyes. Many people (myself included) eat squirrel before cold weather, the risk is about the same. Simply wearing gloves while cleaning the critters cuts the risk to low.
I've eaten 100s of rabbits and squirrels...skinned and gutted all of them bare-handed. Fortunately, I've never experienced any difficulty. Might be foolish, but I do use that alcohol based hand washing stuff that I keep in my glove box. I've done that with summer squirrels. I'll keep my fingers crossed and continue my way of doing things. At age 70 I don't feel like changing at this point.
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