What can you hunt when it's not time to hunt deer? Every hunter has a personalized routine that they resort to once deer season comes to a close.
Some resort to coyote hunting to keep predators out of their whitetail territory, and others will hide out until the winter weather settles down and spring gets a little bit closer. Although these are both excellent ways to keep your shooting skills sharp for the next deer season, one type of hunting is often forgotten and should be considered during these hard winter months: rabbit hunting.
Hunting rabbits can be as equally productive as any other off-season hunting. Not only can it provide you with some tasty meat for the dinner table, but it is fast-paced, fun, and satisfies that itching trigger finger.
However, these little guys can be tricky to locate, so you first must understand where they hide. Today, we will tell you where to find rabbits and give you four tips on hunting them successfully.
Where They Hide
Rabbits are mostly found where they locate food sources or cover for thermal and predator protection. This makes it crucial for hunters to locate areas with dense coverage, such as thick brush, oaks, or dense woods.
However, rabbits have been known to tolerate human activity, causing them to hang out in brush near dwellings, barns, and small wooded areas.
In the winter, rabbits tend to burrow into thick piles of leaves, brush, or shrubs for necessary cover. If trees have fallen or been destroyed, you can almost bet that rabbits will most likely hang out here. However, from time to time, on a warm, sunny winter day, you can catch rabbits out soaking in the sun near south-facing slopes.
All in all, the three areas to look for are:
- Areas with human activity
- Sufficient coverage
- Lack of predators
Now that you have a general idea of where they hide, here are four strategies to help you better hunt for rabbits.
4 Strategies for Hunting Rabbit
Ready to test your skills and stay sharp during the off-season? Follow our four tips for hunting rabbits.
1. Target Sunny Slopes When the Weather Allows
Although rabbits are primarily active during the early morning and late night, they can't help but move on a sunny day following a cold front.
Therefore, watch the forecast and predictions on your HuntWise app to keep current on the weather that might be coming. On these sunny days, rabbits will often move at midday, especially on sun-drenched south and southwestern slopes. This can be an ideal time to hunt rabbits.
2. Locate the Thick Covered Areas
One of the main reasons rabbits have become nocturnal is that they lack coverage to stay hidden during the day. Therefore, the best place to locate these furry animals will be within the dense vegetation of your land.
Search for brush-filled hollows, overgrown shrubs, corners of fields, and areas with tall weeds and trees. Many of these spots offer crops, fruits, and other food sources as well, making it not only a place of coverage but also a food source.
3. Try Using the "Zig-Zag" Approach
When approaching rabbits, the best way to kick them out of hiding is to use the "zig-zag" approach.
This will alarm the animals and allow you to bag some rabbits. Then, as you get them moving, you'll need the last tip to end your hunt successfully.
4. Shoot Quickly
Out of all the game you can hunt, rabbits are not one to lollygag around. You will not have the time you might have to line up your shot when hunting deer or turkey.
Make sure you have your shotgun at port arms when you are in ideal coverage and zig-zagging. You must be ready to shoot at any moment, as once you kick them up, they will zoom around quickly.
