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Wunnin' Wabbits

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Wunnin' Wabbits

Postby Indian Summer » 11 09, 2015 •  [Post 1]

Does anyone else here run beagles for rabbits? I love it. I'm addicted to it. After a long season of big game hunting where you get to punch a tag once a year if you're lucky it's nice to have non stop action. It's also nice when you really don't care if you miss. NOT something any of us likes to have happen with elk.

I can hunt right out the back door. I really like that and so I don't really care to shoot the bunnies back there. I do sometimes though. I'm going to start bowhunting them back there for fun and practice. This past Saturday I was back there. We got on this one rabbit. He was a big looper not a small circler. It took a long time for him to finally come hopping my way. I had my little Harrington Richard 20 gauge single shot out for a spin. I saw him coming and let him come to about 10 feet and then I scared the crap out of him when I MISSED CLEAN. :lol:

So as I was hurrying up to shove another round in he hung a quick right..... and ran right to my feet. Doh! He stopped dead at about 5 feet and I had the barrel right on him. These are the times that make me feel old. I would NEVER have done this in my younger years. I said to him out loud: "man that was a really bad move right there. I'll tell you what.... go ahead and make another loop and I'll see if I can get a crack at you when you get back" :lol: :lol: :lol: He actually sat there forever listening before he finally hopped slowly into the pile of brush right next to me where he just sat. I couldn't believe it!

When the chubby ones finally showed up off he went. He made a HUMUNGOUS loop that time. I actually abandoned my post and went to look for the dogs. But then I heard them again and realized they were still on him. I had to run back to my spot. That's the number 1 cardinal rule: Stay where you first saw him! They always come back.

Finally another 10 minutes later the dogs go by and I see Mr Cottontail coming my way. He went by at about 20 yards and... I missed him again! Does old mean blind too or what!!! Don't you know he hangs a left this time and runs right at me again. He was too close again. As he got to me I said out loud "wrong way again dude!" His eyes got as big as fifty cent pieces and he spun around and ran the other way into an old downed treetop.

Finally tweedle dee and tweedle dumb show up and as they get to where he turned I walked up and around the pile of cover. That rabbit held tight until they about stepped on him and he took of like a rocket from left to right. I rolled him at about 20 feet with a perfect lead. That was what I wanted! Shooting a bunny standing still at 5 or 10 feet is kind of pointless. Me and the dogs would much rather chase his little butt around a couple more times. Wait... I am getting old ain't I?
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Indian Summer
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Re: Wunnin' Wabbits

Postby wawhitey » 11 09, 2015 •  [Post 2]

Im sure there are a couple guys who do it out here, but ive never seen it or heard about it. Our snowshoe hare population has been booming the last few years but its an untapped resource. Dont have much interest in shooting them myself, i just like seeing them out in the woods. Thryre running all about right now with their white coats on and no snow.
Real eyes realize real lies
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