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Post by 161 on Jan 2, 2010 23:52:53 GMT -5
I filled my last doe tag yesterday so after I cleaned the Savage and put everything away I went rabbit hunting. You guys up north are going to laugh at me but it was cold here today. -13 in the morning 3 degrees by the time I got out.
Saw 7 during a 3 hour hunt shot at 6. Only missed one, it stopped about 20 feet from me and I tried to hold off so just the edge of the pattern would catch him. But I guess I held to far, missed all together. Hit the other 5. I was using my old Stevens 20 ga. 311 SXS improved cylinder and modified with 26 in barrels. Gun has two triggers and it take a little bit to get use to the long hard pull. But it was fun getting the old gun out again.
Saw a couple roasters but they were way to far ahead when they got up.
161
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Post by tar12 on Jan 3, 2010 8:26:30 GMT -5
Sounds like fun to me!
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Post by 161 on Jan 3, 2010 9:50:38 GMT -5
They taste good to.  |
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Post by ET on Jan 3, 2010 16:33:13 GMT -5
Absolutely a laugh and a 1/2 when there out and more than 1 busting out from cover or brush pile. ;D Have never doubled yet. Even missed a few singles deciding which one to shoot.  Ed |
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Post by ozark on Jan 3, 2010 16:57:28 GMT -5
We have about three inches of good snow here. From my window it looks like what we used to call a good tracking snow. The morning after a tracking snow fell we used to get .22 rifles and rabbit hunt. Often tracks would be so thick that following a specific trail was impossible.
We looked for sitting rabbits and when found dispatched them for the pot. They constrated with the white snow and by carefull observation several could be collected in a morning hunt.
They were fine eating but a fear of getting rabbit fever caused us to stop cleaning and eating them. Using beagles on a fresh snow is also a great sport. We often had and used .22 semi automatics for rabbits. I have taken a few on the run but normally they stop for a better shot if the dogs are not pushing them. Haven't heard of anyone around here eating rabbits in years, is rabbit fever still a danger when cleaning rabbits?
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Post by ET on Jan 3, 2010 20:15:36 GMT -5
Ozark Okay I had to find out about rabbit fever because I’m not familiar with this term. Here’s what I found so far; (Scroll down page) www.righthealth.com/topic/Rabbits_Illness/overview/adam20?fdid=Adamv2_000856I’ve shot rabbits numbering in the high hundreds and eviscerated/cleaned them with bare hands and knife. A simple rule we always used if an unhealthy rabbit or one with what appears like lumpy sores usually on the feet we would not them take home for consumption. We would include them in our limits of rabbits for the day. Our rule back then was simply if it was not healthy in appearance it was not considered edible. Something new learned again with an Ozark Posting. Ed |
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Post by 161 on Jan 3, 2010 21:37:44 GMT -5
I've never owned a beagle but had the chance to hunt with one pair once that I think were just fantastic. I'm sure that was the most fun I've had in the field. They were the short little miniature ones, they had a work ethic like I never seen before. I had coon hounds years ago and love listening to a dog run track. These little guys sounded like they were two hills away. Then they'd pop out of a brush pile right next to you. Hope I get a chance to go with some beagles again.
161
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Post by youp50 on Jan 4, 2010 19:26:56 GMT -5
Well now, learn something every day. There is now a vaccine for rabbit fever. Had that one time, I cleaned an infected hare with out gloves on. It wasn't really a good experience. Here is what is happening to hounds up here lately. www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=395570 |
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Post by tar12 on Jan 5, 2010 14:38:12 GMT -5
I raised and trained beagles for years.I had a pair that we would routinely kill 200 a year with.I have seen every type of malady that they can be stricken with.Worms of all sorts! I skinned a bunny out one day to discover a type of worm that lived just under the skin.It looked like a giant larvae...gruesome looking dude!We always made it a point to discard anything that looked abnormal.If it was not the right color it was discarded.
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Post by 161 on Jan 6, 2010 7:56:56 GMT -5
tar12
what was you favorite shotgun ga., shot size, load, choke?
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Post by tar12 on Jan 7, 2010 18:00:31 GMT -5
tar12 what was you favorite shotgun ga., shot size, load, choke? When I was younger it was a shootem up Ithaca semi-auto.12 ga.followed by a fox B 20 ga. and now I pack a Browning Gold BPS with the invector choke tube system chambered in .410. It took me a long time to figure out it does not take much to kill a rabbit!LOL! ;D I usually shoot the mod. choke with high brass 6s. |
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Post by ozark on Jan 7, 2010 18:37:32 GMT -5
I enjoyed owning and hunting Beagles for many years. For several years here in my area Beagles were the only dogs legal for deer hunting. They did a good job moving deer but the deer soon learned that they didn't present a real danger and never got pushed hard.
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Post by 161 on Jan 7, 2010 20:49:33 GMT -5
I have a Remington 870 Express 28 Ga. I like to use also.
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Post by 161 on Jan 11, 2010 13:34:41 GMT -5
It was -16 when we left the truck Saturday morning. We shot two but don't really know if it was worth it.
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Post by tar12 on Jan 11, 2010 16:15:23 GMT -5
It was -16 when we left the truck Saturday morning. We shot two but don't really know if it was worth it. -16? Have you had a mental health evaluation lately? ;D ;D |
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Post by 161 on Jan 11, 2010 21:51:24 GMT -5
It was -16 when we left the truck Saturday morning. We shot two but don't really know if it was worth it. -16? Have you had a mental health evaluation lately? ;D ;D I may be do for another one.  |
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Post by youp50 on Jan 12, 2010 4:34:30 GMT -5
IMO your mental health will be better if you outside and go do something like rabbit hunting. Going shack happy is not really happy time at all.
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Post by tar12 on Jan 13, 2010 6:43:36 GMT -5
I was just kidding you! We use to go rabbit hunting no matter what the conditions were,be danged! I remember many a time we came in with our backsides dragging from walking and stompin brush all day! ;D
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Post by 161 on Jan 13, 2010 7:54:37 GMT -5
It's suppose to be in the 30s today I might slip away from work early if I can. Seen some good looking timber yesterday.
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Post by 161 on Jan 30, 2010 22:02:26 GMT -5
Went out again today at about 2:00 in the afternoon hunted until sunset had 5 in the bag an missed 5. Started having misfires on the first barrel with Fiocchi shells. Light primer strikes on both barrels. They must have hard primer, I put some old Sears shells in a it worked fine. Tore it apart an cleaned it tonight anyway.
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Post by 161 on Feb 3, 2010 7:43:14 GMT -5
Two more Sunday afternoon Gun worked fine.
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Post by 161 on Feb 4, 2010 20:38:41 GMT -5
Two more tonight. Only two I saw. Haven't seen a pheasant for weeks.
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Post by ET on Feb 4, 2010 22:33:00 GMT -5
With all that rabbit blasting the pheasants can hear you coming. ;D
Pheasants are probably in thick cover with this weather. Try tall grass area, thick hedgerows or edge of swamps with cattails. Time to do some hiking, stomping and kicking.
Good Luck
Ed
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Post by 161 on Feb 5, 2010 8:23:05 GMT -5
Pheasant season closed Jan 10th. So I'm not really looking for them.
A question for you dog guys. My new dog Guss the GSH is what I've been shooting all these rabbits with. I think it's giving her practice pointing and she will still work a pheasant when that season re-opens. I know a lot of people would discipline a dog for pointing a rabbit but I really don't care if I shoot a bird or a bunny. Since there are no pheasants in the area am I harming my new hunting buddy for pheasants? She and my little Jack Russel are having a ball together as well as me.
161
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