Spotlighting for Hares

Foxman

New member
I've been having no luck lately with rabbits of any description during the day, so last night I decided I would try to get something by spotlighting.
I grabbed my brno .22 and some new ammo I'm trying, and the light and the dogs.... and the ute (pickup).
When I finally had everything sorted, we headed off, and about 100yds from the house, I saw two nice rabbits in the light.
I tried to get closer to them, but they seemed to disapear.
Not to worry.
Just up the road, we picked up a hare ( jackrabbit) in the light.
I took a steady aim, held the cross hairs right on his head, squeezed the trigger.... and missed completely.
Saying some obsenities, I reloaded and tried again ( stupid hare hadn't moved), and yet again to miss.
I was real angry now, so next shot I held on his chest, squeezed the trigger and at last I got him.
I let the dogs out to find the carcass, which turned out to be a nice sized one.
After I dressed him, we set off again, and after a while came across another hare, making a swift get away about 100 yds away.
When he eventually stopped, he was about 150 yds away, and the shot would really stretch the little .22.
And would yu know it- I missed again /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Onward we went, and hares and rabbits were pretty scarce, while kangaroos were everywhere.
Eventually we saw another rabbit, behind a tree.
Naturally, I missed.
I was getting really annoyed by now, as I knew I wasn't wobbling, so we headed home, seeing a few rabbits which I didn't get.
Today I decided to check the scope, and it was shooting about 2 inches out, so atleast it wasn't my bad shooting to blame....
I'll try to get out again tonight if the wind dies down... maybe I'll be able to hit something now I have a sighted in gun...
 
We can't hunt rabbit at night here. I have a little tactic I use cause I don't have a dog. I learned it right here on PM from a couple of guys that hunt rabbit. Ones from alaska,his name is Rimmfiremat, and the other guy is Grinr.
He's from New Brunswick, Canada. I was having no luck at all and posted a couple of threads. We kicked it back and forth untill I findlly got it. In fact I don't think a dog would work hunting this way.
I dont know if you like eating rabbit but I love them. The first one I actually got I cooked over an open fire and it tasted bad. I got another (snowshoe hare)and looked up rescipe on the web. That one taste a little better but was'nt very good. I called my mother. She has a cookbook from the mid-1800's. It said to soak them in heavily salted water overnight. I did that on my next rabbit and made a stew. It came out SOME good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif It was like a nice turkey stew.
My wife even eat it. No gamie tast at all. I'm gonna try soaking, then boil, then barbicue with some nice sauce next time. My rabbit hunting season starts in 14 days and I cant wait. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Now getting back to hunting rabbit. The hare up here are big as a small dog. 10-15 lbs.
I tryed hard but I still could'nt get it in my head what these guys were telling me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
I went back and read them again. It was so simple I could'nt understand. Simple /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have no idea what it's like were you live, never been there. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif Here what I've learned.
Fine a water source. Pond, stream or a brook.
Look for the thickest cover around it.
crash right in and drop right down on your belly and look carefully.
Them critters sit right there. they won't move till you shoot'm /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
They sit like a house cat. next to a bush or under a fall'n tree. the one thing that gives them away is that big eyeball. Up here they turn white in the winter.If theres no snow on the ground they stick out like a lightbulb.
Good luck. I hope this helps. I use a shotgun with #4 buckshot. It saves me the problem of picking shot out of my teeth or swallow some. They usually catch 2 or 3 pellets and pass right thru them. You get to here what a wonded rabbit sounds like. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Happy hunting. Joe
 
we spotlight for rabbits and hares a lot on our ranch. hunting in the day is hard, because the hares look like rocks and you need to look carefully to distinguish them. but night hunting is a little easier since you can see the bright eyes and sometimes, the red ears.

last saturday, after some failed night coyote hunting, we decided to take a few hares and rabbits. the night was very dark, which helps when hunting i think, because the hares will come to the light. we actually have had hares run under the truck, and last saturday we killed one less than 1 yard from the trucks tire. if we had let it run she would have passed under us.

we use .22 rifles, but with open sights. i think its easier to shoot a .22 without a scope, because sometimes you need to aim high or take shots at running targets, and with a scope, its difficult to know how high to aim, at least for me.

good luck next time!!
 
I'm glad to see someone is interested in this thread.
Good to meet you Mex3d.
I wish I could spotlight'm but thats the law here. Thanks for taking the time to type your reply out.
I only use one finger to type and It took me a hour to reply to Foxman's post. You made it worth the effort. Skin those rabbits and soak/m in salted water overnight. Your friend
Joe
 
I hope to head out this next weekend with a couple of friends again... new place too, I'll see how I go, welcome to PM mex3D
 
thanx for the welcoming =)

btw we went to out ranch yesterday. we were planning on shooting, or at least calling some coyotes, but we had full moon, so we decided not to call to avoid educating the dogs to the calls. so i took my 13 yo brother and my 14 yo cousin rabbit hunting. my father ran the spotlight, and both kids got the .22s. since my brother was using my .22 i ended up shooting with the air rifle. we hunted about an hour and a half, and at the end, we killed 6 hares. i killed just one with the air rifle, both 22s were completely unloaded without hitting the hare. thats 20 shots total, and 4 of mine, of which i hit the hare the first 3. it was jumping around and moving a lot, and since they dont have much experience, they emptied their guns without hitting it. it was cool making fun of them, shooting 10 shots each and missing. however they did kill the other 5, 2 of which i also hit, but they had to finish them both. we had some good action, 2 great running shots, and specially very good time together. thats what i enjoy the most, spending time with my brother and father, even if we dont kill a thing. of course its always better when you kill something, specially now that we have like 6 dogs in the ranch....

good luck to everyone, and happy hunting!!!
 
Aaaaah yes,white wabbits on bwown gwound!!Lotta fun with a .22rf.To quote my buddy Joe"They's glowin' like Javex jugs!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Woodcock,glad to hear things are working for ya. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Foxman,why not just shoot roos instead? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gifI think that would be a blast(no pun intended)Kinda like XTREME Rabbit Hunting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
I do shoot the roos, but its only semi-legal (ok, illegal if you will) and they don't give you much sport... oh, and they stink like... well stinky old roos.
I used to keep the dogs fed entirely with roos in winter, but in the warmer months the carcass is fly blown about 10 minutes after you hang it up...
 
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