new to rabbit hunting

[youngbowyer]

I don't have a hunting license so i hunt small game(squirrels and rabbits) i have found some private property and i have the landlord's(also a hunter himself) permission to hunt small game there. Does anybody have any tips for me. I hunt right before sunset, thats the only thing i know. Have not been able to hit one yet.

[gstoneberg]

Tom,

You can hunt rabbits/squirrels just like deer.  Find the spot that commands the best view and spend a hunt just sitting and watching.  You might be surprised to see something pop out right next to you.  More likely you'll see game a ways away.  Just keep watching and make a note where they are.  The next day sit where you'll have a shot at what you saw the day before.  Rabbits are likely to show up in the same spot if you're quiet getting to where you'll stand.  If you sit still enough rabbits especially are pretty easy to get shots at.  Squirrels are tough.  I prefer to get in a tree stand and shoot down at squirrels on the ground.  Loose a lot less arrows that way.

Good luck,
George

[youngbowyer]

Thanks George. Did u get my pm? also where can i find rabbits during the day. i usually start hunting around 4 then come in for dinner at 6. then i hunt till its dark. This doesnt give me that much time. i never seem to see any squirels either. whenever im in the woods without my bow i see tons, when i have my bow, none what time are they most active?

[gstoneberg]

I did, need to look through my stuff.  I'll find you something.  Sadly, I ruined that yew stave yesterday in my frustration with getting a string on it.  It'll be a nice kids bow.  Sorry.

Rabbits bed during the day like deer do.  They find a brush pile, hole under a building, any heavy cover to sleep in.  In the winter you'll find them out when it gets cold catching some sun during the day.  These days though it's a tougher go before supper.  However, any time it is cooler you'll find them more active.  After supper they should be coming out.

Squirrels are daytime creatures.  If I were you I'd hunt squirrels before supper and rabbits after.  Squirrels are most active first thing in the morning when they seem especially bent on getting after food.  They rest midday and then pick up again in the afternoon.  Normally  animals can tell the difference in a predator's behavior when they're hunting vs when they're not, you included.  Find a spot, sit down and don't move for 30 minutes.  They'll come out.

George

[youngbowyer]

Thanks for all the info George. Just had a chat with my mom and after i explained to her why i wanted to hunt she agreed to possibly letting me get my license. Sorry to hear about that bow. I'll sure send you another piece. The piece of wood i was talking about is much better quality yew, i'm sure you can make a bow out of it. I have another piece, it's only 48 inches though but its dead straight with only a few pin knots. I'll send you some pictures of what i have lying around.

[youngbowyer]

I heard that rabbits can be affected with tularemia during the summer. how likely is this and how can i safely handle the carcass and know if a rabbit is infected with tularemia?

Thanks

[gstoneberg]

I'm not an expert, but what I do is watch their behavior and then check the liver when I clean them.  If you see anything out of the ordinary, pitch it.  I've only seen one rabbit in my life that had white spots on the liver.  I've pitched one because he was acting so weird.  You might want to call your state biologist.  That person is a great resource.  They can also tell when the whitetail rut is in your area.

Good luck,
George

[Justin Snyder]

I don't have a hunting license so i hunt small game(squirrels and rabbits)

We have to have a license to hunt small game, check your local laws.

I only hunt rabbit in the winter because they have to many parasites in the summer.

[youngbowyer]

I don't have a hunting license so i hunt small game(squirrels and rabbits)

We have to have a license to hunt small game, check your local laws.

I only hunt rabbit in the winter because they have to many parasites in the summer.

The property is basically my backyard, in fact it is a part of my backyard

[Justin Snyder]

I don't have a hunting license so i hunt small game(squirrels and rabbits)

We have to have a license to hunt small game, check your local laws.

I only hunt rabbit in the winter because they have to many parasites in the summer.

The property is basically my backyard, in fact it is a part of my backyard

Most game laws still apply to private property on game animals large and small. If you can't hunt deer there without a license, chances are you can't shoot rabbit without a license or out of season.

[youngbowyer]

o well

[JW_Halverson]

Try rattling small whitetail antlers.  You may get a shot at a jackalope, but chances are all you will see are the does.  Commercial hunting has nearly wiped out the bucks.

[gstoneberg]

Most game laws still apply to private property on game animals large and small.

This is certainly true.

If you can't hunt deer there without a license, chances are you can't shoot rabbit without a license or out of season.

Out of season will be illegal, I certainly agree. 

Hunting your own land does have benefits but if varies from state to state.  Some states allow landowners and their children to hunt small game for free and may provide free or reduced cost big game tags when they hunt on their own land.  However, there may be other requirements.  For example, in Nebraska in 1994 you had to own 20 acres before you qualified for landowner deer tags.  So, the acreage we bought was 21 acres.  In a year or 2 they changed that to 40 acres...O well.  There can also be distance rules that can stop hunting, such as you have to be more than 300' from a residence, or 100' from a road, stuff like that.  Also, some states have licenses for small game and tags for big game with different rules and requirements for each.  I'm still learning Texas hunting rules.

I recommend you take a hunter safety course Tom.  They will cover the laws in detail and what you learn will help you in your hunting.  Some states, like Nebraska and Texas, require it before you can buy your first hunting licenses. Check out your state's fish and game department.  Some states have hunter mentoring programs for kids that need an adult to hunt with.

The bottom line is that you need to be legal and safe first, then have fun. 

JW is right, the buck jackalope are in serious decline.  I have not seen an antlered field mouse in quite some time as well.  Very sad.

George

[youngbowyer]

is this jackalope thing a joke? i thought it was just a myth

[JW_Halverson]

Nope.  Serious as a heart attack, which I will immediately suffer if I should ever see a decent buck jackalope.