Rabbit hunting, just curious

[RUGER]

Just got to thinking about it and wondered if anyone else grew up like me.

We never had "rabbit dogs" but we had dogs all my life and all of them would chase a rabbit if they saw it.

I loved to rabbit hunt when I was growing up but I had to just walk and kick them up.

Easing down fence rows, through the garden (grown up in the winter) and kicking clumps in the fields.
Back then the combines weren't as good as they are today and they left "clumps" of stuff everywhere.

Used a Winchester 37A youth 20 gauge with an improved modified cylinder.
Worked good because you had to get on 'em quick when they flushed.

Good times.
I figure very few hunt that way anymore.

Anyone else do it growing up?

 

[Cuttin Caller]

We rabbit hunted like that . Never did have rabbit dogs.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Dad always had at least a dozen beagles so I grew up taking them out by the house after school and such. Its always been very taboo to jump shoot in my hunting group. I could care less if anyone jump shoots around my dogs but the older men I hunt with get downright mad

Ive hunted a few times just kicking around, I just prefer the dogs.

 

[rabbit hunter]

Yep, enjoyed it as a kid. Not too many growed up fence rolls anymore with rabbits. Got in the beagles in the early 80's, and love it.

 

[jb3]

Yep. Grew up walking fence rows and such with my Mossberg 20ga bolt action with a poly-choke. Still have the gun.

 

[stik]

grew up walking the railroad tracks shooting whatever was in season. mixed bag usually consisted of a couple of rabbits, several squirrels and even a quail or 2 back then. never had a hunting dog of any kind.

 

[easy45]

Thats still how I mostly hunt them, don't own any dogs and everybody that I know that owns any never ask me to go

 

[sneakboxer]

I started kicking brush with a single shot 20ga. Now i kick brush with a 20ga SxS. Someday i might get me a dog...

 

[Hawk]

Just got to thinking about it and wondered if anyone else grew up like me.

We never had "rabbit dogs" but we had dogs all my life and all of them would chase a rabbit if they saw it.

I loved to rabbit hunt when I was growing up but I had to just walk and kick them up.

Easing down fence rows, through the garden (grown up in the winter) and kicking clumps in the fields.
Back then the combines weren't as good as they are today and they left "clumps" of stuff everywhere.

Used a Winchester 37A youth 20 gauge with an improved modified cylinder.
Worked good because you had to get on 'em quick when they flushed.

Good times.
I figure very few hunt that way anymore.

Anyone else do it growing up?

You jump rabbits and flush quail.
Yep I did the same. Would do it now but there ain't any to jump.

 

[JohnnyBond]

It is real fun in the Hachie bottom when it is flooded ......

Find the ridges and they are usually several on each one ...good times for sure

 

[basset]

Going tomorrow for the first time ever with dogs, used to shoot rabbits with a 22 when I was in high school forty or so years ago but haven't since. One of the guys on our lease has lined up six beagles and their handler, we'll see how it goes.

 

[outlaw78]

i hunt that way now,most of my hunting leases ar between 8-24 acres,with to many roads around for dogs,not that i have any for hunting,i doubt dixie and rumble would even go into a thicket unless they thought a peice of jerky or one of their toys were in there,now that i think about it the only good thing they have done since i have had them was chew a guy up that jumped our 6ft privacy fence while only my wife was home so in that reguards they are the best and get treated like the best,back to wabbit huntin,i like just being out there,i mainly do alot of scouting during tis time and if i see one ill shoot it.ir your following dogs you miss alot of other stuff while focused on the dogs,just my opinion

 

[rukiddin]

I have never intentionally went rabbit hunting without dogs, seems kinda pointless to me. I have jumped rabbits while doing other things and shot them, but never just went. For me rabbit hunting is all about the dogs, can't have beagles without rabbit hunting and can't have rabbit hunting without beagles. JMO.

My mom and dad gave me a 8week old half beagle half lab mix when I was 11 years old for christmas. Everyday after school and on weekends we would go out in the woods or in the grown up field beside their house and just walk. He lived to be 15 years old, and would smoke the hair off a rabbit. I've hunted with hundreds of beagles since then, and some very good ones, but to this day, he was the fastest dog and had the most line control of any dog I have ever seen.That dog would rather run a rabbit or tree a house cat than eat.

I do understand though if you have never been with dogs and dogless is all you've ever known.

 

[basset]

Didn't go at all, dog owner cancelled due to weather. Trying again in the morning.

 

[basset]

Had a nice walk, didn't see any rabbits, fun to get out there and watch the hounds work though.