Swamp rabbit!

[TCMonts]

Hey, you gonna give us some load data?

 

[Cody2306]

Hey, you gonna give us some load data?

I use 90 grn ffg 1 overshot cards then a .690 patched roundball from my cylinder bore for the pigs.
And 3 dams ffg and 2-3 overshot cards then 3 dams #5 shot and 1 over shot card for small game out the modified barrel

 

[TCMonts]

I've used similar loads for rabbit hunting in my own Navy arms branded DP. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz. square loads of copper plated #5 with plain card wads. I really want a double cylinder bore maybe in a 20 Ga. , they just seem so versatile.

 

[Cody2306]

I've used similar loads for rabbit hunting in my own Navy arms branded DP. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz. square loads of copper plated #5 with plain card wads. I really want a double cylinder bore maybe in a 20 Ga. , they just seem so versatile.

That's exactly why this shotgun is my go to at the moment. I'm new to actually hunting so I don't want to miss any opertunities I come across within proper season.

 

[Cody2306]

I've used similar loads for rabbit hunting in my own Navy arms branded DP. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 oz. square loads of copper plated #5 with plain card wads. I really want a double cylinder bore maybe in a 20 Ga. , they just seem so versatile.

I have a 10 guage dixie shotgun as well I have un shot because currently I'm in love with this 12 ga and it does everything I need it to. So am currently in the process of trade with a buddy that can put the 10 ga to work on some ducks.

 

[TCMonts]

I have a 10 guage dixie shotgun as well I have un shot because currently I'm in love with this 12 ga and it does everything I need it to. So am currently in the process of trade with a buddy that can put the 10 ga to work on some ducks.

Imagin that, I also have a Cabella's branded DP 10 that I haven't shot yet. I think its supposed to be modified/cylinder. Want to try that cylinder bore with about 8 or 10 .375 round balls since 4/0 buck is supposed to be .375.

 

[Cody2306]

Update us in that one!!

 

[toot]

The best hunting ever is running White (Varying Hare} Rabbits with a pair of Beagles, Here in Massachusetts season opens October 20th and runs until February 5th. Great thing about Whites is they do not hole up like a Cottontail. Now because of Coyote predation their population has dropped off to a point it is difficult to train Beagles. I do hunt Eastern Coyotes but it is a waste of time trying to hunt them with a Muzzleloader.

many years ago I used to hunt them in the LAURAL THICKETS near swamps. the dogs would catch them, the Haires sunning them an a sunny spot, and the chase would be on. GOD, thoes were the days!

 

[toot]

No sir. From my understanding there are cotton tails, swamp rabbits ,and jack rabbits.

I did not that? so my post would be SWAMP rabbits? as my post noted. laurel thickets, in swamps.

 

[toot]

Only snowshoe hare is legal in Maine, no open season on cottontails. Snowshoes are larger but terribly dangerous.

I sure hope that he has a good dental plan with those choppers?

 

[SOLANCO]

Impressive canines on that bunny.

Is that the vicious attack rabbit that went for the throat in Monty Python's "Holy Grail"?

 

[toot]

I think it is !

 

[Rawhide67]

Hunting rabbits or birds with a dog is a blast, fun to watch the dog even if you don't get a shot. Having said that, I've managed pheasants and cottontails with dogs. Never even got close to a hare. Like biting a ghost.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Nope. Texas jackass rabbits are a whole different critter. They're mostly hind legs and big ears, and when they get up to speed they can cover a lot of ground mighty quick! A friend of mine up in West Texas used to hunt `em riding cross-country standing in the back of a moving jeep. ( That ol' boy could shoot! )
I had the pleasure of hunting Snowshoe Rabbits (Varying Hares)
in northern New Hampshire once with a local group of muzzleloading hunters. It was an annual event they called "The Bunny Blunder" It staged out of a hunting camp close to the Canadian border in February. Snow was deep and and all the local hunters had snowshoes, and somebody loaned me a pair. Their hunting style was to form a line of hunters and beat across open spaces and brushy areas to flush the bunnies. There were 6 of us that day and they put me on the left end of the line. I was carrying my .50 Leman. Sure enough, half-way into one open area the guys on the right end of the line jumped a big white rabbit, which started running diagonally across the open area headed towards the far tree line. The line of hunters ripple-fired from right to left and that dang rabbit gained about 5 mph with every shot that went off. Finally I was the only one left with a load in the barrel and the bunny was almost to the tree line. Somebody was yelling "Shoot, shoot!" so I ups the Leman and made a snap shot. Down went the rabbit in mid jump, all in a tumble. I paused to reload and another shooter got to him, picked him up by the hind legs, and hollered, "I don't believe it! You hit him in the head!"
Now, o'course I hadn't shot for the varmint's head, I shot just ahead of a running rabbit and got lucky, but I just grinned and said, "Well yeah. I didn't want to ruin the meat." Somebody asked what load I was using and I said "Ninety grains of FFg and a patched .490 round ball." which was the truth, and they all looked at each other and one of them said, "You're shooting round ball?" I said, "Yeah. Of course. What are y'all shooting?"
Turned out they were all using shot loads.
We had a pot of stew on the back of the camp stove back in the cabin. I dressed out my rabbit and chunked him up and added him to the stew, which made it Elk and Rabbit Stew,
about half and half. One elk tenderloin and one whole rabbit.

 

[Cody2306]

Nope. Texas jackass rabbits are a whole different critter. They're mostly hind legs and big ears, and when they get up to speed they can cover a lot of ground mighty quick! A friend of mine up in West Texas used to hunt `em riding cross-country standing in the back of a moving jeep. ( That ol' boy could shoot! )
I had the pleasure of hunting Snowshoe Rabbits (Varying Hares)
in northern New Hampshire once with a local group of muzzleloading hunters. It was an annual event they called "The Bunny Blunder" It staged out of a hunting camp close to the Canadian border in February. Snow was deep and and all the local hunters had snowshoes, and somebody loaned me a pair. Their hunting style was to form a line of hunters and beat across open spaces and brushy areas to flush the bunnies. There were 6 of us that day and they put me on the left end of the line. I was carrying my .50 Leman. Sure enough, half-way into one open area the guys on the right end of the line jumped a big white rabbit, which started running diagonally across the open area headed towards the far tree line. The line of hunters ripple-fired from right to left and that dang rabbit gained about 5 mph with every shot that went off. Finally I was the only one left with a load in the barrel and the bunny was almost to the tree line. Somebody was yelling "Shoot, shoot!" so I ups the Leman and made a snap shot. Down went the rabbit in mid jump, all in a tumble. I paused to reload and another shooter got to him, picked him up by the hind legs, and hollered, "I don't believe it! You hit him in the head!"
Now, o'course I hadn't shot for the varmint's head, I shot just ahead of a running rabbit and got lucky, but I just grinned and said, "Well yeah. I didn't want to ruin the meat." Somebody asked what load I was using and I said "Ninety grains of FFg and a patched .490 round ball." which was the truth, and they all looked at each other and one of them said, "You're shooting round ball?" I said, "Yeah. Of course. What are y'all shooting?"
Turned out they were all using shot loads.
We had a pot of stew on the back of the camp stove back in the cabin. I dressed out my rabbit and chunked him up and added him to the stew, which made it Elk and Rabbit Stew,
about half and half. One elk tenderloin and one whole rabbit.

Awsome story!

 

[bushytail]

Congratulations! Nice way to start the year out.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Thank you, gentlemen. That's Cody and bushy, for the folks who don't know. T'was the truth. For every really great shot I've made over the years, there have been a bunch of misses so it's fun to tell folks about the good `uns.

 

[toot]

I thought that a WABBIT WAS A WABBIT!? they are all WASKELLEY WABBITS!

 

[Texas Gil]

My first hunting trip was hunting swamp rabbits in eastern NC. The guy who owned the 3 beagles set it up for me and a buddy when we were both about 10.
No guns allowed so we were given heavy sticks as clubs. The idea was to club the rabbit when they were jumped and passed close by. We got 3 rabbits that day. All had run into a hollow tree base to hide. We had to fish them out using a strong limber twig. Pushed the forked end up the tree hole, twisted it to snag the rabbit fur and pull him out. A quick karate chop to the back of the neck killed the rabbit. Took all day but it was a exciting first hunt for 2 young boys. The dogs were awesome!
These were swamp rabbits that were smaller than the cottontails and lacked the white tail markings.

 

[Andrewmtnman]

My first hunting trip was hunting swamp rabbits in eastern NC. The guy who owned the 3 beagles set it up for me and a buddy when we were both about 10.
No guns allowed so we were given heavy sticks as clubs. The idea was to club the rabbit when they were jumped and passed close by. We got 3 rabbits that day. All had run into a hollow tree base to hide. We had to fish them out using a strong limber twig. Pushed the forked end up the tree hole, twisted it to snag the rabbit fur and pull him out. A quick karate chop to the back of the neck killed the rabbit. Took all day but it was a exciting first hunt for 2 young boys. The dogs were awesome!
These were swamp rabbits that were smaller than the cottontails and lacked the white tail markings.

Thats an impressive way to wear out a couple of kids. Lol