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Any rabbit hunters here? #7370977
10/04/21 10:11 AM
10/04/21 10:11 AM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
D
Dstone1992 Offline OP
trapper
Dstone1992  Offline OP
trapper
D

Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
I have always been an upland bird hunter and I still have a bird dog but I inherited 2 nice beagles a couple months ago so I guess I'm a rabbit hunter now. Do you guys wait for a frost before you eat them? I'm off all week and rabbit season is open so I guess ill take advantage of the situation and shoot a few.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7370996
10/04/21 10:43 AM
10/04/21 10:43 AM
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,860
Indiana
P
Providence Farm Offline
trapper
Providence Farm  Offline
trapper
P

Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8,860
Indiana
You could just enjoy running the dogs and not shoot any if you're conserved about eating them. I used to run the dogs a lot and seldom shot any. I just liked running the dogs.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371006
10/04/21 11:00 AM
10/04/21 11:00 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,065
Missouri
M
mississippiposse Offline
trapper
mississippiposse  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,065
Missouri
Use to have beagles. Enjoyed rabbit hunting over dogs. We never hunted till after 2 hard frosts due to Tularemia ( rabbit fever ).

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371038
10/04/21 11:31 AM
10/04/21 11:31 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,679
Sumner, Mo.
C
claycreech Offline
trapper
claycreech  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,679
Sumner, Mo.
I’ve got a pack. Love to beagle hunt rabbits. I never go until around Christmas, but that’s just because I’m pursuing other outdoor sports until then. The best hunting is the last month of season IMO.
That said, nothing wrong with going now. Be tough to get one shot with the heavy vegetation, but it’s all about the dog work anyway.

I’d rather eat squirrel 10 to 1 over rabbit anyway lol

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371041
10/04/21 11:32 AM
10/04/21 11:32 AM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
J
J.Morse Offline
trapper
J.Morse  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
I used to run bunnies most of the winter. I myself only had one beagle when I was real young, but friends and one old neighbor guy had great beagles. We shot Cottontails by the zillions, as well as Snowshoe Hares when we were in their baliwhack. 99% of our bunny hunts were after the rifle deer season ended and we had snow on the ground. A very few folks would run early in the season, but the vast majority ran after deer firearms season ended.


Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371050
10/04/21 11:43 AM
10/04/21 11:43 AM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,637
Oscoda, Michigan
J
John-Chagnon Offline
trapper
John-Chagnon  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,637
Oscoda, Michigan
I always hunted rabbits after many freezes. Usually Jan

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371062
10/04/21 11:57 AM
10/04/21 11:57 AM
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 605
Central PA, God's Country
PAlltheway Offline
trapper
PAlltheway  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 605
Central PA, God's Country
Rabbit tastes best in December through February here in PA. I’d eat rabbit 100 to 1 over squirrel. Beagles are a ton of fun whether you are shooting rabbits or just encouraging the happy dogs. Probably the best disposition of all hunting dogs, too. Great companions. You’re a lucky guy, and I hope you have a lot of fun.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371069
10/04/21 12:03 PM
10/04/21 12:03 PM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
D
Dstone1992 Offline OP
trapper
Dstone1992  Offline OP
trapper
D

Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
I have been running them every time it's cool enough. I just got back they ran two but they both got away it was a little warm for them I think. I might take them back out this afternoon. I'd just like to shoot a few for them before iowa pheasant season opens because I'll be up there alot between that and trapping ill be pretty busy till the end of January

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371074
10/04/21 12:10 PM
10/04/21 12:10 PM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,296
Saline county,Mo.
J
jhh Offline
trapper
jhh  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,296
Saline county,Mo.
As a kid we ate rabbits year round. Just gotta check the livers for tularemia. The liver will look like it was sprinkled with white pepper if infected with it. That said, if cooked thru, nothing to worry about.

I always figured people who waited till several frost just didn't have good dogs to show them the rabbits lol.

I make a lot of rabbit sausage during the season.

Early season I run mainly to tune the dogs up.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371081
10/04/21 12:18 PM
10/04/21 12:18 PM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,519
Kentucky
ky_coyote_hunter Offline
trapper
ky_coyote_hunter  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,519
Kentucky
Rabbit and bird dog hunters have the most varied trap collections. wink


Member - FTA
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371085
10/04/21 12:20 PM
10/04/21 12:20 PM
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,679
Newark, Ohio 83 years
Actor Offline
trapper
Actor  Offline
trapper

Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 6,679
Newark, Ohio 83 years
I used to love hunting rabbits with my beagles... I was a family tradition, before I had the dogs, when the family got together on Thanksgiving day, the men and boys would go to the field in the morning and hunt rabbits. The women would stay home and cook the turkey. The day after Thanksgiving we had fried rabbits and gravy. I think I liked the fried rabbits better than the turkey. There wasn't any "Black Friday" nonsense back then.

Those were the good old days.

Garry-


“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”

Have been trapping 77 years…
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: ky_coyote_hunter] #7371113
10/04/21 01:00 PM
10/04/21 01:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
D
Dstone1992 Offline OP
trapper
Dstone1992  Offline OP
trapper
D

Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 566
MO
Originally Posted by ky_coyote_hunter
Rabbit and bird dog hunters have the most varied trap collections. wink


Not me. I did trip a 330 that was set on dry (which is illegal here) land where we were hunting. I also cut some snares at our farm that some trespasser set once other than that I leave traps alone. As I am a big trapper myself I have had my own problems with hunters.We have ran into alot of traps over the years but have never had a problem. I can usually tell if someone is in the area by tracks and the dogs start acting much different when they smell a set vs A bird.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371139
10/04/21 01:34 PM
10/04/21 01:34 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
Scuba1 Offline
"color blind Kraut"
Scuba1  Offline
"color blind Kraut"

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
I used to hunt them with air rifles no dogs. Or run a lurcher using a ferret and nets. We eat them year round.


Let's go Brandon

"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371576
10/04/21 10:31 PM
10/04/21 10:31 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,007
WI - Wisconsin
A
AJE Offline
trapper
AJE  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,007
WI - Wisconsin
Do you see fleas on a lot of the rabbits?

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371599
10/04/21 10:56 PM
10/04/21 10:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,922
east central WI
D
Dirty D Offline
trapper
Dirty D  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,922
east central WI
Used to hunt rabbits every winter with 3-4 people. Never used dogs.
Used to drive them just like deer. Standers post at the brush piles or old woodchuck holes and the drivers would slowly walk thru swampy thick areas along creeks, fence lines or whatever heavy cover there was.
Drivers used .22 pistols in the thick stuff. Occasionally you'd spot one sitting tight within a couple of feet of you and it was pop pop you'd have one in the bag.
Posters would either have a .22 rifle or shot gun.

Used shot guns less and less every winter as they are too easy. >22's are more fun.

Usually we waited till there was snow on the ground, late Dec and hunted till the season ended.

Lots of fun a bunch of young guys and great way to spend a winters day.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dirty D] #7371671
10/05/21 01:59 AM
10/05/21 01:59 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,256
Iowa
~ADC~ Offline
The Count
~ADC~  Offline
The Count

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,256
Iowa
Originally Posted by Dirty D
Used to hunt rabbits every winter with 3-4 people. Never used dogs.
Used to drive them just like deer. Standers post at the brush piles or old woodchuck holes and the drivers would slowly walk thru swampy thick areas along creeks, fence lines or whatever heavy cover there was.
Drivers used .22 pistols in the thick stuff. Occasionally you'd spot one sitting tight within a couple of feet of you and it was pop pop you'd have one in the bag.
Posters would either have a .22 rifle or shot gun.

Used shot guns less and less every winter as they are too easy. >22's are more fun.

Usually we waited till there was snow on the ground, late Dec and hunted till the season ended.

Lots of fun a bunch of young guys and great way to spend a winters day.


x2 Never ran dogs, but we shoot a lot of rabbits. Snow is nice.

Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: AJE] #7371780
10/05/21 08:45 AM
10/05/21 08:45 AM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
Scuba1 Offline
"color blind Kraut"
Scuba1  Offline
"color blind Kraut"

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 16,150
Tennessee
Originally Posted by AJE
Do you see fleas on a lot of the rabbits?


Not really but you get the odd blow fly here and there.

[Linked Image]


Let's go Brandon

"Shall not comply" with morons who don't understand "shall not infringe."
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371801
10/05/21 08:57 AM
10/05/21 08:57 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,124
NC - Here there and everywhere
C
coondagger2 Offline
"Brat"
coondagger2  Offline
"Brat"
C

Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,124
NC - Here there and everywhere
I love running beagles, or any dog for that matter. Been doing it since I could walk with my dad

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Gotta live up to the nickname...
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371844
10/05/21 10:01 AM
10/05/21 10:01 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
I eat them year round. Wash your hands after dressing and check the liver as was said. Cooking makes them safe to eat.

In the spring get up early and pop a couple off the county road. Put their livers in a paper cup and the rabbits in a cooler with ice. Bait a hook with the fresh liver(freezing makes em too soft) If you cast where channel cats are you will catch them. Can have one for lunch and the other for supper


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: Any rabbit hunters here? [Re: Dstone1992] #7371845
10/05/21 10:06 AM
10/05/21 10:06 AM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,292
Ontario, Canada
S
slydogx Offline
trapper
slydogx  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 3,292
Ontario, Canada
I have not hunted rabbits in a serious fashion for many years... but in the warmer shoulder months (Oct/Nov and Feb) they always had fleas.


Just happy to be here.
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