Interested In Rabbit Hunting? Here Are Some Tips!

    Photo by Gary Bendig
    
    You may be interested in getting into rabbit hunting but don't know where to start. Before hunting any animal for the first time, the best thing you can do to help ensure a successful hunt is to educate yourself on the animal. Here are three tips to help point you in the right direction if you're a beginner. 

1. Find the Food, Find the Rabbit


    The first thing you want to do when trying your hand at rabbit hunting is find their food source. In the warmer months, rabbits tend to eat weeds, grasses, clovers, vegetable plants, and flowers. In contrast, during the winter months, rabbits tend to gravitate more towards twigs, buds, bark, conifer needles and will search for any greens that haven't succumb to the cold weather. If you have time to do a little recon of the area you plan to hunt, keep an eye out for these food sources, and your odds of finding rabbits will greatly increase.

2. Remember Hide and Seek?


    Hunting rabbits can be a little like hide and seek. As a mechanism for survival, rabbits tend to try to stay hidden from predators. Oftentimes, rabbits like to hide in thick brush, in hollow logs, tall grass and sometimes in or around abandon structures. This offers them the security they need to feel safe when not foraging for food. This requires you to try and figure out where they're hiding and flush them out. Walking in a zig-zag pattern through these habitats is a great way to scare them out of hiding so that you can have a chance at them but be sure to act fast, these agile creatures can maneuver very quickly.

3. Tools of the Trade


    As you know, different animals require different calibers. You probably shouldn't use a .50 caliber for game this small (unless you aren't interested in meat). Instead, many hunters prefer a 12 gauge #6 because it is simple yet effective. Personally, I would suggest not using lead if you plan on making things like stew, you wouldn't want to take the risk of lead poisoning. Other hunters prefer a simple .22 rifle for its longer range abilities and minimal meat damage. Still, other hunters prefer the good old bow. It's a bit more challenging, but if you can pull it off, more power to you.

Follow these tips and you're sure to be that much closer to a successful rabbit harvest. These creatures are a lot of fun to hunt and an even better reward when you get to taste the delicious meat rabbits have to offer. Before doing hunting of any kind check your local rules and regulations. Hunting is always a fun sport especially when you're doing the right thing!

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