# darn rabbits



## fergs back (Oct 29, 2008)

I am new to hunting, just started this year really, but how can I miss sooooo many darn rabbits. I know that with time comes experience, but damn. I have been hunting yesterday and today and jumped 7 total. Fired 12 shots. And killed zero rabbits. Anyone have any advice on how to practice. I am a pretty good squirrel hunter and mostly get them on the run, but this seems different. Any advice would help.!:S


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## roughrider (Dec 22, 2006)

get yourself a good rabbit dog


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## Mamps (Feb 3, 2008)

My 2 cents...
Make sure you lay down on your gun when looking down it. A lot of the times one (especially when I first started hunting rabbits) will look over the bb at the end of their gun and shoot. This will make you shoot low.
my dad always would laugh at me because I would lay down on the gun so much that my cheek would be bruised after every hunt.
The little things are so fast that we try to follow them and put our gun in the general area.

If this fails, try trapping them...sorry, bad joke


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

having a dog will not help with shooting...

go to a clay range and see how your shooting, try to shoot instinctively as you would in the field


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Wait til you get the chance to hunt doves, or better yet, grouse in heavy cover.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I am not the greatest trap shooter but I will manage fairly well on the bushy tails. However, I have to admit that I missed more than my share in my younger years so I would say that practice is the best advice. Try getting some clay targets and a hand thrower as well to practice on moving targets. Then you can find something to roll across the ground to shoot as well, something like an old bicycle tire with something strapped in it. (Okay that was one of our bright ideas as youngsters but you can use your own imagination.) Keep in mind that shooting a shotgun is more a matter of pointing the gun than it is aiming. You will usually not be able to get the bead sitting on the target but rather sweeping through it.

Also, you didn't mention what type of choke you were shooting in your gun. If you are jump shooting rabbits at fairly close range (out to 20-25 yards or so) then you should be shooting with an improved cylinder if you have it or at least a modified choke. If you happen to be using a full choke then you are shooting a very small pattern at the rabbits (not to mention they will be very torn up if you hit them).

I hope some of this helps. Rabbit hunting can be a ton of fun to do. I know me and my buddies put in a bunch of hours in the fields.

Good luck!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

M.Magis said:


> Wait til you get the chance to hunt doves, or better yet, grouse in heavy cover.


You really want to humiliate him don't you? I know I got a lot of exercise in on grouse in my younger years as well. And I sure didn't hurt the population much.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

bkr43050 said:


> You really want to humiliate him don't you? I know I got a lot of exercise in on grouse in my younger years as well. And I sure didn't hurt the population much.



I think I dented the local tree population, but certainly not the grouse.


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## rbthntr (Apr 8, 2008)

what size shot are u using what ga. gun and what choke

i love to bunny hunt (hints the name rbthntr rabbit hunter) i use my grad dads Remington 870 12 ga with a full choke barrel and use 4 or 6 shot to kill them on the run. i take a lot of shots in thick cover so i like a heavy shot

never had any problems untill a few weeks ago when i found a bunny sitting still and blew his back half off 
this was in aggravation because i jumped 6-8 bunnys and my buddys dogs wouldnt run any of them 
its still early lots of season left 

good luck


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## Crawl (Apr 14, 2004)

Everyone gave great advice. You might want to use a more open choke like skeet or cylinder. You would be suprised on the range you have with these chokes! I never shoot more than 35 yards away with skeet and it is my favorite choke foe doves,good luck! Jason


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## Imfowl55 (Dec 24, 2005)

definetly go with the improved cylinder,and i would recommend shooting high brass shells over the cheap target loads,helps in heavy cover. i also use a fiber optic sight. got out over the weekend and managed 12 bunnies with the help from some buddies, believe me we all had our share of misses


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I strickly use a Ithica double, dual triggers, 26" Imp Cyl on the right barrel and modified on the left. Five shot is all around shot size that will cover dense cover and open area.


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## fergs back (Oct 29, 2008)

Wow guys thanks for all of the input. For some of the questions on here: I am using a Remington 20ga with a modified choke. I use 6 shot shells for mostly everything I hunt (I only hunt small game for now). For the one poster that mentioned that I put my face flat on the gun to aim, that is exactly what I have caught myself not doing. I see the rabbit and pull up and shoot. I never really do take aim with my ball. This is different from when I squirrel hunt since most times I am pointing up and have the extra time to aim at the target. I will try to use a tire to see about hitting a moving target though I am sure that the tire will not juke left to right like those rabbits do. As for the dog I have a pretty good one. He is mostly a house dog but loves to get his nose to the ground. His only fault is he chases the rabbits which makes it more difficult than it already is to hit them since I have to watch for hi at the same time. He is now retired after today by the way. One very close call. Can't afford that mistake, my woman would kill me. Again thanks for all of the input guys, I will try some of it all and get back to you soon on my first, if any, rabbits.

Also let me know if my shell and choke selection are good for the hunt. My dad seems to think so. He says rabbits die real easy if you just hit em........Easier said than done I guess.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I would say you are right on with your gun/choke/shot selection. As everyone said just practice more.

It sounds like you may be just jump shooting the rabbits as opposed to using the dog to run them. If this is the case I suggest that you do leave the dog behind then. If you are trying to jump shoot with the dog right on their tail it could lead to a bad accident. If your dog truly has a nose for the rabbits you may want to let him/her run a few and she if she brings them back around. If you are fortunate enough to have this then you will get much easier shots when they come easing back in to the area. If he gets on the track then just get in an area where you can see some openings in the area where the rabbit was jumped. Unless the dog runs the rabbit too fast there is a real good chance it will come right back in your lap.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

....bkr43050...You read everyones minds...choke/shot size makes a big diff...Same as hunting with a good dog and jumpshooting...Always had two or three good Beagles when I hunted rabbits...Makes a big diff. on the outcome...Dosn't take much to kill them ...if you hit them...
...Crazy Wabbits....C.L....


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I know someone mentioned using a full choke barrel but I would not recommend one for rabbit hunting unless you were targeting them out at 40 yards on a regular basis.

I have done plenty of both the dog hunting and jump hunting and each can be enjoyable however I now enjoy letting the dog do all of the work.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

> I know someone mentioned using a full choke barrel but I would not recommend one for rabbit hunting


And that same person also shot off the back half of a sitting rabbit. Gee, wonder why?


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## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

Seems like over the years, the better I get at shooting trap, the worse I am at hitting rabbits. Birds up in the air are no problem. If rabbits could only fly.
I think two hardest shots are comming right at you, shoot at the ground about a foot ahead of the rabbit. And running straight away, shoot at the top of their ears. I alwasy seem to shoot over the ones comming at me and hit the others in the ass destroying the hind legs.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

Ive got a good dog that runs bunnies and birds, only prob i have is theres no place close to go. Anyone wants to go sometime let me me know. I live in New Carlisle.


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## CRAPPIE LOVER (Feb 11, 2007)

...Troy Dave...You are right about clay birds...it is not like shooting at a bunny zig..zagging...while jumping up and down while giving you an angle shot ... not the same ...hunted bunnies for 30 years it just comes with hunting them...no one can kill every one they shoot at....if you did they would call it killing and not hunting...EVERY BUNNY IS DIFFERENT....C.L...!&#37;


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## stumpsitter (Jul 3, 2004)

It's easy to come unraveled when a rabbit jumps up right by your feet, but you usually have more time than you think. Get your gun up, take a breath and aim.


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

I think trap shooting helps becauser it gives you a feel for your gun try shooting the clays as you are hunting dont throw the gun up until after you you see the bird then you can apply this to the rabbits if you can throw the gun up and get the bead on it quicker this might help too. Just a thought and my opinion it seems to help me.


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## hunterm (Apr 22, 2004)

open choke, Imp or skeet, #7 1/2 shot.. 20 or 12 gauge. for jump shooting, you have time, mount gun smoothly(something you can practice with empty gun at home), keep head down and swing through, when the barrel passes the rabbits nose shoot. If they are running straight away, clear their ears and shoot. Dont point at the tail, you'll miss or blow the best part to pieces...

When I was young and my reflexes were quick, I remember my uncle yelling "wait", "wait", "wait" NOW!!!! BOOM. We were hunting in old pastures where you could see rabbits out 15 to 20 yards from where they jumped. 

I only hunt with a dog now and the rule is "don't shoot on the jump". They dog will bring them around and it is much safer.

Hope that helps.


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