Rabbit in Myles standish?

[JasonC]

Anyone have any luck hunting rabbit in Myles standish state forest? I'm pretty new at it and thinking the fields near Squanto would be good on a sunny day with snow on the ground?

Tx!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marlin1]

Do you have a dog(s)?
Best bet is with beagles, but there are rabbits there. the snow is good for seeing areas where they are active.
Walk slow, and shoot fast.

 

[JasonC]

Unfortunately no dogs just big boots I was kicking the bushes with today. Saw tracks no rascals though!!! Crane reservation or any other good spots/techniques? Many tx!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marlin1]

Look for green briars, thick enough to tear you to shreds walking through them, these provide good cover. Once found, walk through them.
Stop frequently and scan the ground, looking for rabbits or rabbit eyes. They will sometimes sit tight and let you walk by. If you do see one it will likely explode from its position. Alternatively they will come into sight when you are in a tangled mess.
Small patches in open areas can sometimes hold a rabbit but largely you should look for big patches of briars.
My favorite quarry is rabbits, hunted them for years with and without dogs. Money spent on rubber boots and good tough pants to protect your legs is money well spent. A good hunting jacket that also protects you is also good. Look for ones with the washable pockets on the inside around the waist.
Rabbits will start to pair up at the end next month as/if the weather warms a bit, and they will be out and about. #6 shot in an improved or straight cylinder is a solid bet for a gun.
Crane is big, too big for my taste but there is conservation land all over the cape where briar lined trails exist. Rabbits can be found in scrub oak and around rock walls, hedge rows etc, but I like briars. If your legs arent bleeding and cramped at the end of the day, you're doing it wrong.
Best of luck

 

[Wadcutter]

I've found the more pressure they get the more nocturnal, or maybe crepuscular, they become.

Note that you can hunt them until midnight (make sure the land you hunt is open after sunset). You can't use artificial light, but IR is ok.

 

[45collector]

If your legs arent bleeding and cramped at the end of the day, you're doing it wrong.
Best of luck

Troooooof. Even during deer season we push through some of the worst pricker walls you've ever seen and one would think "What the hell could possibly be hiding in the middle of all this?" But holy crap have a lot of deer been spooked out of a tangle like that. Rabbits crawl under it, deer jump clear over it, and us poor slobs tear through it and get all f*cked up. Gotta love hunting the Cape.

 

[JasonC]

Hey guys thanks for the tips much appreciated!! Going to go find the worst local briar patch I can and put on my Kevlar suit!! Are they more active in sun vs rain/snow/clouds? I seem to see them more on sunnier days?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marlin1]

A warmer wet day is best with dogs as the scent stays down long. Sometimes too long, ref: nocturnal rabbits.
For kicking brush I don't know if it matters. They like the sun just like most animals, but that sun can draw them out of cover to play.
I liked cooler days when kicking rabbits in brush at least when you get heated up you can cool off some. Its hard work.
The trick is to move kinda slow and stop every three steps or so and look and listen. Two or three guys increases your chances of seeing and shooting a rabbit.
Alternatively, if you have the patience you can stalk an active area and just sit and wait. Perhaps you'll catch one on the move.
After you shoot one be sure to clean it quickly. Id say anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, (somebody will tell me I'm wrong) Carry it in you jacket pocket until you are ready.
There are a few ways but I always has good luck cutting the feet off,and making a nick in the skin around the neck, then just pull off the fur. Once skinned open it up carefully and remove the guts with one motion from the neck down using the blade of your knife. Cut off the head and rinse if you can or rub in the snow to cool it down.
Braised rabbit in pieces, with garlic, potatoes and fresh parsley is awesome. ( and the only way to cook rabbit in my opinion) With luck you can find some wild mushrooms to add to the pot.
Good luck!