Small Game

Click for a fried rabbit recipe

There's no doubt about it: chasing rabbits is fantastic sport. Hunting cottontails may lack the sudden explosiveness of quail hunting or the mesmerism of a green-timber mallard hunt at dawn, but it has an immeasurable allure all its own.

If you carefully pick the coverts you visit, you can be fairly certain you'll bag at least a few rabbits, making each day a success. Thus, rabbit hunting is a great way to introduce youngsters and novices to hunting. Chances of gathering enough rabbits for several tasty meals are excellent as well. And whether you hunt with or without dogs, you'll find rabbits offer an exciting challenge.

Rabbit hunting isn't a complicated sport. It can be as simple as a quiet walk with the ol' single-shot and a pocketful of shells. Or it can be a precise outdoor ritual with packs of beagles, planning to decide who will hunt where and the specialized equipment many hunters take along. There are many ways to hunt rabbits and lots of habitat types where rabbits are found. Perhaps that's why rabbit hunting is so popular.

How to Find Rabbits

Blaze orange hunting clothing is a must for safety while hunting rabbits in the field.

Some places, naturally, are better than others for rabbit hunting, and it's not hard to locate the hotspots. Cottontails usually are found in areas with good cover adjacent to their favorite foods -- grasses, clover, broadleaf weeds, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, garden crops and the buds, twigs and bark of small saplings and bushes.

Look for cottontails around small fields bordered by woods, brush and briars; along drainages and fence rows where vegetation has grown up, in recently cleaned timber clear-cuts, in brush-piles on freshly cleared land sites, in densely covered power line and railroad right-of-ways and other places providing hideouts and nearby forage. Favorite cover includes blackberry patches, briars, honeysuckle, thick grass and weeds and even rolled hay bales, abandoned farm machinery, irrigation pipes and culverts.

Browning BPS Field Pump-Action Shotgun

One good way to scout for cottontails is driving rural roads at dawn or dusk, using a county road map to mark where you see rabbits. It's a simple matter to locate rabbits later, because they'll be in cover nearest to where you saw them. Most of these places are on private land, but many landowners allow hunting if asked politely.

Tip: All you'll need for rabbit hunting is a shotgun, shells, blaze orange hunt clothing for safety and maybe a game bag to carry the kill.

How to Gear Up for a Successful Rabbit Hunt

Browning Safety Overlay vest for Adults

Good marksmen with excellent stalking skills can bag plenty of rabbits with a .22 rifle, a pistol or even a bow and arrow. But most hunters find a light, quick-handling shotgun most effective in overgrown, close-quarters rabbit habitat where snap shooting is common. A 20-gauge shotgun with an improved-cylinder choke is one of the best choices, but almost any shotgun, regardless of gauge, action or choke, is adequate to hunt rabbits. As far as shot sizes, 6s and 7-1/2s are both good choices for cottontails.

Briars and thorns can make hamburger meat out of unprotected skin, so it's wise to wear thick clothing when rabbit hunting. It's amazing how much a pair of vinyl-faced canvas field pants can bolster a hunter's courage and success. A durable canvas upland hunting coat with a game bag for carrying rabbits makes plowing through chest-high stuff easier, too, and a heavy pair of gloves will help protect the hands. Because brush is often so thick that hunting partners are tough to see, it's wise to wear highly-visible, blaze-orange vests like the RedHead Blaze Cap and Vest combo, blaze orange hats like the Cabela's Lightweight Meshback cap or stocking caps like the for added safety.

TIP: Watch video: The Effectiveness of Blaze Orange in a hunting situation

Hunting Rabbits & Bunnies With Beagles

Hunting rabbits with beagles can be an
exciting experience for young hunters
and veterans alike.

Some things go together so perfectly that when one of the elements is missing, the whole thing seems out of kilter. One such combination is rabbits and beagles. It's possible to hunt rabbits without dogs, but it's tough to hunt them as well.

Two things make the beagle/bunny coterie so appealing. First is the rabbit's instinctive habit of circling. Rabbits have a small area they call home, and they don't like to leave it. So when flushed from cover, ol' longlegs is likely to sprint away, leaving the dogs far behind, then slow down until it feels threatened again, when it once more easily outdistances the dogs. But somewhere out yonder, usually not more than a couple hundred yards, Br'er Rabbit begins turning back to the area where he initially hopped out.

The hunters follow the chase by listening to the baying of the dogs, and that's the second big thrill of this sport. The hullabaloo of a beagle pack hounding a rabbit on a frosty winter morning is the kind of music angels will play for hunters who make it to the Happy Hunting Grounds.

Before long, the beagle music starts back the hunter's way, and he climbs up on some high ground to watch and wait. With luck, he'll soon catch a glimpse of the quarry running, maybe hopping, depending on how far back the dogs are. When the time is right, the gun comes up and another tasty rabbit is added to the bag. Usually. Sometimes the music is so enthralling the hunter doesn't want it to end, and he stands there, cradling his gun, just taking in the magical sights and sounds.

TIP: Read: Rabbits and Beagles: Tips From an Expert Hunter

How to Use the Hunting Method: Walking Up Rabbits

Of course, not every rabbit hunter can afford the luxury of a pack of beagles. Walking up rabbits is the most basic hunting method.

Methods differ from hunter to hunter, but if there's a sure-fire way for the "walk-'em-up" hunter to get a rabbit to forsake its tight-sitting, hope-that-human-doesn't-see-me custom, it's using a similar plan. Like other well-camouflaged critters, the rabbit can't stand to be out waited. A pause in the hunter's motions makes it a nervous wreck.

Walking Up Rabbits Works This Way: Enter a good location and begin walking through it very slowly. Ten paces, then stop for about 30 seconds. Then repeat the process. The sound of the approach may flush some rabbits, but often as not, it's the silent period that does the trick. Apparently the rabbits think they've been spotted and decide to make a run for it.

When hunting with a partner, it's best to be about 50 feet apart, walking abreast. Move in staggered succession. One hunter moves up about 10 feet and waits; the other hunter walks 10 feet, waits, and so on, alternating until the cover is worked. Occasionally, turn around and view the area just walked. Rabbits that didn't fall for the freeze trick often will break cover when passed.

TIP: Steps to Prevent Rabbit Fever

Rabbit Shooting Tips

Learn to snap shoot. Rabbits in heavy cover seldom offer more than an instant in which to make your shot. There's no time to swing through your target. You have to locate the dashing rabbit, shoulder your gun and shoot all in one motion.

On the rare occasions when a rabbit bolts across open ground you'll do well to ponder your shot, but not very long. On pass shots, swing through the body and beyond the head, shooting just as the bead clears the rabbit's nose. When your target is running straight away from you, don't draw your bead on that cottony-white tail. Instead, swing through the rabbit, centering your shot just beyond the head. The result is a fast kill and undamaged meat.

Victorinox Rabbit Knife

It pays to be ready for a cottontail's fleet rush from cover. Rabbits are adept at making their move when you and your partners are chewing the fat and let your guard down. Don't prop your gun over a shoulder or cradle it in your arm. Keep your firearm in the ready position, with your trigger hand on the grip and your index finger on the trigger guard. You'll miss too many shots if you parade around like a soldier with your gun pointed at the sky.

The real magic of rabbit hunting is its simplicity. It takes some work for rabbits, but it's not as hard as for some other game animals. There's no need to build blinds or stands. It's not imperative to be out at daybreak, and fancy, high-dollar equipment isn't needed. Just find the rabbits, and the fun comes naturally.

How to Field Care and Cook Rabbits

Few wild game meats are as delectable and versatile as rabbit. The flesh is delicate, white and lean, with just a hint of gaminess. It can be cooked in every conceivable way, from simply fried, baked or roasted to stews, casseroles and pies. The taste is comparable to that of chicken, and recipes for the two are interchangeable.

Wear disposable rubber gloves when dressing rabbits to avoid the possibility of contracting tularemia or other diseases cottontails occasionally carry. Use a sharp knife like the Victorinox Rabbit Knife to skin and gut the rabbit, and remove the feet and head. To prepare the rabbit for cooking, cut the forelegs from the body at the shoulder, and then cut and remove the hind legs at the hip. Separate the rib section from the loin and you're done.

Here's a great fried rabbit recipe to try:

Fried Rabbit Recipe

Rabbit, cut into serving pieces
1 hot pepper
4 slices of garlic cloves
1 cup of milk
2 slightly beaten eggs
Flour
1/2 cut shortening
Salt and pepper

Parboil rabbit in a pot with enough water to cover it. Add the hot pepper and garlic cloves.
When the rabbit is tender, remove from the heat and drain off the water. Combine milk and slightly beaten eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip the rabbit pieces in the egg mixture, dredge in plain flour seasoned with some salt and pepper, and fry the pieces until done to taste in shortening heated in a skillet. Serves 2.

Hunt Safely in the Right Shade of Blaze Orange

Region

United States

Tags

Rabbits

Recipes

Cooking tips

5 Reasons to Hunt Squirrel & 12 Practical and Essential Hunting Tips

Gerald Almy — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 17:27:16 +0000

5 Reasons to Hunt Squirrel & 12 Practical and Essential Hunting Tips

Gerald Almy Fri, 01/25/2019 - 11:27

Category

RedHead ThermaCELL TrueTimber Mosquito Repellent with Refill

While their popularity has slipped in recent years with the rise in deer and turkey numbers, many sportsmen still pursue gray and fox squirrels, especially as deer seasons wind down in winter. Squirrel seasons extend through February in many states, and others hold seasons in spring and summer as well. It’s easy to see why this small game favorite still draws thousands of hunters into the woods each year.

So Many Reasons Why Squirrel Hunting is Popular

Unlike deer hunting, where you might go days or even seasons before bagging your quarry, bushytails offer excellent chances for success every day you venture out.
They can be pursued with a variety of tactics to suit your hunting preference, from sneaking slowly through the woods to stand hunting near a hickory tree, from floating rivers in a canoe or jon boat to hunting with dogs.
Squirrels are widely available throughout the country and offer an excellent quarry for teaching hunting skills. Like introducing a youngster or newcomer to hunting safety, how to handle a gun and learning to good marksmanship. And don't forget patience!
Squirrel hunting seasons are long for example, Missouri's squirrel hunting is from May to February. Each state, county or region will be different. Check your states hunting regulations for hunting season details.
Squirrels are delectable and if handled and cooked correctly, offer some of the finest wild game eating. Serve them barbecued, fried or simmered slowly in a hearty Brunswick Stew.

Tip: 5 Easy Squirrel Recipes

12 Practical and Essential Hunting Tips for This Quick-Moving and Scurrilous Small Game Quarry

1. Don't Expect to See a Whole Squirrel Every Time

Be alert. You won't see a whole squirrel every time you search for game. Look for an odd hump in a branch, a twitching tail hanging off a limb, leaves shaking in a treetop or movement on the forest floor.

2. Squirrels Are Abundant Where the Food Is

Find the edible vegetation of the forest. Look for edibles such as acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts, pecans, and walnuts. Then concentrate on areas that have the most massive nut crops in a particular year.

3. Look for Other Foods Squirrels Feed On

Cornfields can have productive hunting along their edge if they border hardwoods with nuts that also attract squirrels.

Don’t neglect the other foods squirrels also feed on such as fruits and berries as well as crops such as corn. Search along the edges of cornfields where they border mature oak forests. Those areas offer the double attraction of corn and nuts—a squirrel buffet!

4. Listen for Squirrel Talk

While you’ll often detect your quarry with your eyes, use your ears as well. Squirrels make lots of revealing calls that give away their location to the smart hunter just like a turkey gobbling or an elk bugling. Listen for their sounds such as cat-like meowing, muffled barking and the most easily detected call--angry scolding when they sense danger or an intruder.

5. Be Alert for Other Giveaway Squirrel Sounds.

Besides their vocalizations, squirrels make lots of different noises as they go about their daily lives that can alert you to their location. Listen for the sound of shaking leaves and rattling branches in trees as they jump from one limb to another or the rustling of leaves as they scamper through the woods searching for acorns. You might also hear the sound of sharp teeth crunching on a nut or the pitter-patter of shell fragments falling to the forest floor.

6. Call the Game and Try Squirrel Calls

Hunter's Specialties Squirrel Call

Try squirrel calls like the Hunter's Specialties Squirrel Call. Hunters love to call the game, from rattling in bucks to bugling for elk. Try some of the squirrel calls on the market, and you’ll find they help you locate your quarry and also bring it out in the open. Tap, shake or squeeze them to produce alarm barks or mating squeals. Both sounds can incite vocal responses or movement from squirrels, giving you a chance for a shot. If you forget your call, try this trick: tap two hickory nuts together or shake a few small rocks in your hands.

7. Where to Focus Your Search for Squirrels

During the mornings look for squirrels lower in tree trunks and on the ground searching for food.

During the fall, early in the morning look for squirrels in low branches of trees and also on the ground gathering nuts and searching for grain, berries or fruits. From mid-morning to mid-afternoon, look higher in the tree tops for squirrels heading back to their dens for a midday nap. Late in the afternoon, focus on lower limbs again and on the ground. In the winter, the warmest midday hours are often best.

Some states offer a spring squirrel-hunting season, usually in May and June. Hunting squirrel during the spring requires a different approach. First squirrels don't move much during the heat of the day. Focus on hunting early morning shortly after sunup 2-3 hours. Find areas protected from the sun or hunt on an overcast day. Scan the trees for active bushytails, but do not forget to look eye level or the ground. When feeding, squirrels will search the ground for buds, seeds, berries such as mulberries and insects.

Spring temperatures can be dangerous for hunting. Don't overdo it and always stay well hydrated. If you're hunting with a squirrel dog, remember to bring along extra water and a bowl. Also very important, heat will affect your dead squirrels. Field dress them right away and put them on ice as soon as you can.

Tip: Learn how to field dress / skin a squirrel with this step-by-step picture guide.

8. Be Patient After You Shoot the First Squirrel

If you’re stand hunting in a prime area, don’t jump up to retrieve the first squirrel you bag. Just mark it carefully with a tree, stump or other landmark and wait. In a few minutes, other squirrels in the area will calm down and start moving again. A few barks on a call will help lure them back out. After you’ve downed two or three squirrels and the activity cools off, go claim your prizes and move to a different area.

9. You'll Be More Successful Using the Right Hunting Gear

Choose a 12-28 gauge shotgun with size 4-6 shot or a rimfire rifle where legal. Camouflage hunting clothing or at least dull colored clothing helps you avoid being detected. Also, wear a hunting vest or coat with a big game pouch to hold both squirrels and a hearty lunch. In the fall to keep your feet warm, be sure to don a sturdy pair of insulated, waterproof boots.

ForEverlast Snake Guard Shields

Clothing in the spring heat requires other precautions. Besides the biting insects such as mosquitoes, chiggers and flies or gnats, ticks are abundant and carry serious diseases such as Lyme disease. To fight these pests, wear appropriate clothing. Use insect repellents like RedHead TheraCELL Mosquito Repellent on your clothing as well as your skin. Wear high boots such as snake boots as protection from areas that my inhabit venomous snakes. Snake guard shields or snake guard chaps also add production.

Tip: 12 Great Ways to Fight Mosquitoes and Ticks From the Skin Out

Tip: What You should Know About Ticks and Lyme Disease

10. Move Slowly When Still Hunting Squirrels

Pace yourself move slowly much like you would pursue deer. Pause often and do most of your scanning for the game and listening while you’re standing still. Once you’ve scoured an area with your eyes and listened intently, move forward 50-100 feet or so. Then pause again and search the new spot.

Tip: As you still hunt through hardwoods, stop and listen as you scan for your quarry. Sometimes you'll hear them before you see them.

Hunter prepares for a float trip. This is a very rewarding and exciting way to pursue squirrels. Always wear a flotation device and carry a change of clothes in a waterproof container.

11. Plan for The Best Time for Stalking or Still Hinting Squirrels

The best time is after a light rain or snowfall, or on a damp morning with heavy dew. These conditions allow you to walk silently. If there’s snow, you can actually track squirrels. On the other hand, if the woods are dry and crackly from lack of rain or snow, still hunting can be tough. Try another tactic instead.

12. Try Float Hunting Squirrels for Excitement

An exciting way to take squirrels is by float hunting. You can use a canoe or jon boat. Wear a flotation vest for safety and bring a landing net to retrieve squirrels that fall into the river. Have one hunter do the boat handling from the rear while the person in the bow watches for squirrels along the bank or scurrying up and down the trees along the water’s edge.

No, a squirrel scurrying across a limb won’t bring the adrenaline rush of a trophy buck stepping out of the brush. But when deer seasons close, and right through spring and summer in some states, they offer a great way to get outdoors and cure those “cabin fever” blues. Give them a try and see if you don’t agree.

Region

United States

Tags

Squirrels

12 Tips for Rabbit Hunters

Keith Sutton — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 06:00:00 +0000

12 Tips for Rabbit Hunters

Keith Sutton Tue, 02/20/2018 - 00:00

Category

Although most rabbit hunters bag a few cottontails or swamp rabbits on each trip afield, certain techniques can bolster your success. These 12 tips should help you better enjoy the experience of rabbit hunting this season.

Tip: For beginning rabbit hunters, check out the tips in Rabbit Hunting 101 here

1. Try the Leapfrog Hunting Technique

Rabbit hunting is a great way to get afield and put some good-tasting meat on the table.

As farming operations and urban development encroach on prime rabbit hunting areas, large contiguous blocks of hunting territory are harder to find. This has caused many rabbit hunters to abandon the traditional method of hunting all day in one large swath of brushy territory. Instead, many now opt for "leapfrogging," where hunters cover one brush patch or overgrown fence row in an hour or so, then drive on to another rabbit hideout. By leapfrogging throughout the day, hunting first one spot then another, chances are good you'll locate more rabbits.

2. Farmers Will Know Cottontail Concentrations

Savvy rabbit hunters know that farmers are an invaluable aid for finding cottontail concentrations. Since they work their land daily and see rabbits regularly, farmers know where huntable populations are likely to be. Most are eager to keep cottontails thinned out so they don't cause crop damage.

It's a simple matter to cultivate your own contacts in farm country.

Remember these hunting etiquette rules:

Ask permission before hunting, every time you visit.
Follow all rules the landowner asks you to abide by, like passing up shots
at the coveys of quail he's nurturing.
Leave everything just as you found it, and always take time to thank the farmer personally.
Offer to share your game, and follow up with a thank-you note and a token of your appreciation.

Make these easy-to-follow guidelines part of all your farm visits, and you'll always have prime rabbit lands on which to hunt.

3. Do Sunrise & Sunset Scouting for Hunting Sites

Driving rural roads near dawn and dusk is another good way to find potential hunting sites. Cottontails are most active early and late in the day, especially along the fringes of fields and roadside cover, where briars and thickets provide sanctuary near favorite feeding areas.

Drive slowly, and note any spot where you see several cottontails. Then inquire at nearby homes for the name of the landowner so you can request permission to hunt.

4. Wear Protective Clothing While Hunting

Most good cottontail thickets have one thing in common -- thorns. Whether you're hunting behind dogs, kicking up rabbits yourself or retrieving downed game, some type of sticker will be clawing at your ears, fingers, thighs and other tender parts. Wearing protective clothing can do wonders to make your trips afield more enjoyable and less painful.

Blue jeans are preferred by many rabbit fans, but offer little protection. A good pair of briar-busting breeches with thorn-proof material covering the front should be considered essential equipment no matter where and how you hunt. I suggest hunting chaps like the Cabela's Upland Traditions or a good pair of brush pants like Cabela's Instinct Prairie Runner. It also helps to wear a briar-resistant hunting coat, gloves and some type of hunting cap with flaps that can be pulled down over your ears.

5. Remember the Blaze Orange

A good pair of thorn-proof material covering the front is essential.

A buddy of mine often describes dense rabbit cover by saying, "You couldn't see a blaze orange rhino in there." In some locales we hunt, this is darn near true. Cover is so thick, you can only see a few feet. For this reason, we wear hunter orange hats and bodywear on every trip.

Tip: Watch video: How Effective is Blaze Orange? Hunter-ed.com video shows a true comparison of the various blaze orange color types for hunting in the field.

Safety should be the foremost consideration on all your rabbit hunts. Remember the orange rhino, and make hunter orange clothing a must for everyone in your party.

6. Shotguns & Shotshells

When stomping for cottontails in thick cover, use a shotgun with an improved cylinder choke and No. 6 or 7-1/2 shotshells. Since cottontails jumped in thick cover usually are close and moving fast, a wide, yet sufficiently heavy, shot pattern is needed to put a rabbit down without excessive damage to the meat.

When hunting cottontails with beagles, you may want to switch to a modified or full choke. A pack of dogs will push rabbits across fields and woodlots, and the shots you'll make are usually farther than those presented when you flush rabbits yourself. Use the tighter patterning choke and increase your shot size to No. 4s or 6s.

7. Icy Weather = Hot Rabbit Hunting

Cold, miserable days often provide the best gunning. Rabbit fur has poor insulating qualities, so rabbits are forced to take shelter from the weather, making them easier to find and less likely to flush wildly.

To find bad-weather bunnies, think like a rabbit. Where would you go to escape the cold if all you had to wear was a light jacket? Hunt places that are sheltered from wind and open to warm rays of sunshine, then move to other locales offering protection from adverse conditions.

8. Look for the Rabbits Eyes

Stalking rabbits as they sit in their forms is great sport, especially when hunting with youngsters not yet adept at bagging running rabbits. The trick is to spot the rabbit before it spots you. Considering the rabbit's superb camouflage, this can be tough.

Old hands at this endeavor have a rule: look for their eyes instead of their whole bodies. A rabbit's round, dark eyes look out of place against the crisscross of cover, and are easily spotted by a hunter who walks slowly, carefully examining all brush and weeds. You may overlook rabbits huddled in their forms, but you'll also bag a few at close range after spotting the eye.

9. Watch Over Your Shoulder, Rabbits Can Circle Behind You

In isolated patches of cover, a cottontail may head directly away, disappearing from sight, then circle well behind the hunter. Others sit tight until the gunner passes, then squirt out behind.

Look over your shoulder every few minutes, and you'll glimpse some of these renegades before they make good their escape. Snap shooting is a must, so be careful to identify your target before shooting.

10. Stop-and-Go Hunting

Look for cottontails and swamp rabbits in brushpiles, honeysuckle patches, fallen treetops and other forest cover.

A veteran nimrod taught me a rabbit hunting technique that has proven very effective over the years. It's based on the idea that rabbits are highly nervous animals, and suspense is something they can't handle very well. It works this way. Enter a covert and begin walking very slowly. Walk ten paces, then stop for at least a minute, then repeat the process. The sound of the approach is sometimes enough to make cottontails flush, but it's just as often the silent period. Apparently, the rabbits think they've been detected and decide to make a run for it.

11. Look for Woodland Rabbits

Most hunters think of thickets and field edges as the places to go for a rabbit race. Some fail to realize woods harbor rabbits, too. Look for cottontails and swamp rabbits in brushpiles, honeysuckle patches, fallen treetops, cane brakes and other forest cover. Because such areas usually receive less hunting pressure, they often hide extraordinary numbers of rabbits.

12. Take a Kid Rabbit Hunting

To get the most out of your next rabbit hunt, take a kid with you -- a son, a daughter, a niece, a nephew, a grandchild or maybe a neighbor's child. It was in the cottontail fields most of us were trained as young hunters. We may have dreamed of deer or more exotic game like grizzlies and lions, but with cottontails, we learned the crucial basics about hunting, nature and ourselves.

Share these things with children. Share the fun and excitement, the triumphs and disappointments, the barrage of wonderful sensations experienced on a rabbit hunt. Our heritage of hunting is a priceless treasure. Do your part to pass it on.

Region

International

Tags

Rabbits

Tips How to Hunt Crows and How Crow Hunting Helps

Heath Wood — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:11:06 +0000

Tips How to Hunt Crows and How Crow Hunting Helps

Heath Wood Thu, 02/15/2018 - 10:11

Category

Hunter's Specialties H.S. Strut Pro Line Mouth Crow Call

During cold winter months it is easy for hunters to get cabin fever and to develop a high anticipation for the upcoming spring turkey season. Other than predator hunting, there really isn’t much to hunt during the months of January, February, and March, unless one was to take up the sport of hunting crows. Yes, some people eat crow however it is not really an item that is popular on the menu.

Crow hunting is one of those sports that is fun to do with friends. On the majority of crow hunts that I have been on, I’m reminded of the similarity to hunting ducks out of a blind. Stories are told of past hunts as are jokes and a lot of shells are shot in one day. Other than being a fun time, there is a reason for hunting crows. Several farmers will say that they are a destructive animal, crows will dig seed out of the ground, will eat in farmers cornfields and the pecan trees in the southern states tend to be one of a crows favorite meals. If that is not enough of a reason to manage this bird, I found an interesting fact on crowbusters.com which is a information site for crow hunters. It states that crows are known to affect the duck population, taking an average of 110 to 120 eggs off of the nest in one year. They will also attack baby ducks, bunnies, and squirrels. With all of these facts, it is easy to see why the crow population needs to be managed by hunters.

If you're new to hunting crows, here are a few basic tips to get started.

1. How to Call Crows & Crow Calling Techniques

Calling crows can be fairly easy if done right. There are two main sounds that will bring crows into shooting range. The first sound being that of several crows gathering together. This sound will be an exciting sequence of crows gathering over food, other crows, or something that causes a lot of attention. All of this noise creates curiosity which makes more crows come to investigate. The second sound is of a fight. Like with any other living creature, a good fight always brings in a crowd. The sound of a crow/hawk fight, crow/owl fight, or the sound of crows fighting amongst themselves are all great sounds that cause attention, as well as curiosity.

As for how to make these sounds, there is hand calls such as the Hunter's Specialties H.S. Strut Pro Line Mouth Crow Call, this type of call is made by blowing air into a plastic reed which makes multiple sounds of a crow. There are also other hand calls such as an owl hooter or hawk call that can be used along with a crow call to make a wide variety of sounds. The easiest way to call crows is by using an electronic call such as the FoxPro Patriot Electronic Game Call, which has the ability to play several different sequences of calls such as Crow Gathering or Crow Hawk Fight. For the more serious hunters there are electronic calls designed specifically for crow hunting that have two large speakers that allow the sounds to reach out farther. One of those calls is the FOXPRO Snow Pro Digital Game Call.

No matter which type of call is being used, the result is most likely to be the same. Once a calling sequence begins, a response will happen quickly. On most of my hunts, I tend to have crows around me within the first minute. Keep calling until crows stop responding, then move to a different area, which may only be a hundred yards away and continue by doing a different sequence of calling.

Tip: Find FOXPRO Snow Pro Digital Game Call at Cabela's here

Tip: Although it is possible to call crows anytime of the day, the best time is early mornings, and late evenings. Check local game laws for seasons, as well as shooting hours.

2. What Are Crow Decoys Used For?

Flambeau Foam Crow Decoys

Answer: If someone were to ask me to give one tip that would make them a more successful crow hunter, my advice would be to use decoys. On the majority of set ups, if decoys are not in place crows will respond to the sounds, yet they will not come into gun range. Crows are a visual animal, if they do not see what they are hearing, they become skittish and will not commit to the sounds. The ideal decoy set up is to place 3 to 4 stationary decoys such as the popular Flambeau Foam Crow Decoys, along with 1 to 2 decoys that have some type of motion, for example the Mojo Outdoors Motion Crow Decoy. It is very important to have some type of movement in the decoy set up. In my personal experience, my success rate tripled when I began using motion decoys. On several occasions when I didn’t have them, crows would respond but they would land in nearby trees, only to watch for a minute then lose interest and leave. Movement is the key to convincing them that the situation is real.

RedHead Owl Decoy

Another decoy set up is to use 3 to 4 crows along with an owl decoy such as RedHead Owl Decoy. When adding an owl and using the fighting sounds it becomes a more realistic environment, thus making crows fly into shooting range to join the comotion.

3. What's the Best Gun for Crow Hunting?

Answer: When crows come into a calling sequence they will most likely come flying in at a fast speed, and circle the decoys many times. Very rarely will they ever land unless it is in a tree several yards away to observe from a distance. This fast action is why a shotgun is the most commonly used weapon of choice. Usually hunters will use a 12 gauge, 20 gauge or a .410. These types of firearms combined with a lighter shotgun shell load creates a wide group of pellets that make for easier knockdown power. Hunters can use lighter loads such as Winchester Texas Heavy Dove and Quail load shotshells, or some like a heavier knockdown power such as Winchester Super-X Hi Velocity Waterfowl steel shotshells.

Tip: Just like waterfowl, doves and upland birds, a crow is a fast moving target. Practice by shooting clay targets before hunting to make for a more accurate shot.

Even though calling crows can be fairly easy, there a few things that will make a hunter more successful. Crows have incredible eyesight so good camouflage is a must, especially when it comes to gloves as well as a face mask. The hands and face, if not covered can both be easily visible to an approaching crow. Using an eye catching decoy set up prevents crows from spotting hunters as well as triggers their curiosity. The last tip I have is to be a good shot, even though the main purpose of hunting is to have fun, we all know that it is not much fun to be known as the hunter who shot a case of shells but didn’t carry anything home with them. All in all crow hunting is a great way to spend time with friends and family in the outdoors while doing our part as conservationist.

Region

International

Tags

Four Summertime Critters Worth Your Time. Let’s Go Hunting!

Bass Pro Shops 1Source — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 20:02:05 +0000

Four Summertime Critters Worth Your Time. Let’s Go Hunting!

Bass Pro Shops… Fri, 08/11/2017 - 15:02

Category

Bushnell Elite Long Range Hunter Rifle Scope

Heat, humidity, mosquitoes, powerful thunderstorms – not the conditions that make many folks think, “Let’s go hunting.” However, if you just need to get out and apply your predatory skills … and burn some powder … summertime hunting opportunities do exist. In fact, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had that you’ll have nearly to yourself!

Hunting Coyotes

Pursuit Predator Light Kit

Coyotes are a challenging and rewarding hunting opportunity whenever you decide to go after them. Those whitetail fawns, young game birds, and nesting waterfowl will thank you, too. Nearly without exception, coyotes have no season and no limits. However, you may need a license, so be sure to check the regulations where you decide to hunt.

Primos Alpha Dogg Game Caller Combo

Summer hunting of coyotes is different than any other time of the year. However, even though food is plentiful, the use of calls that mimic feeding opportunities can still bring in the ‘yotes. It’s estimated that whitetail fawns may comprise as much as 80 percent of the coyote diet in spring and summer, so fawn distress bleats can be highly effective.

Because they have pups in the den and are in their family groups, coyotes are especially territorial during the summer … and they are highly vocal to let other coyotes know the boundaries of those territories. This helps the summer hunter in a couple of ways. First, you can scout by getting out in the countryside at dusk and dawn and listening. You can also use coyote calling to bring in animals that are defending their territory from an unknown intruder.

Whether they come to your call because of hunger, curiosity, or territorial defense, it doesn’t matter as long as they show themselves in range. In any case, you’re going to need a good electronic predator call with an ample supply of calling options. Check out the FOXPRO Hi-Jack Electronic Game Call System and the FoxPro Shockwave Caller, both are sold at Bass Pro Shops.

Many areas allow you to hunt coyotes at night which is an advantage because it’s when they are most vocal. A spotlight with a remote switch mounted to your firearm makes night hunting for predators possible. The Pursuit Predator Light Kit kicks out 600 lumens to more than 300 yards range.

Hunt Hogs in Summer

Wild hogs also offer year round hunting opportunity. Hunting them in cover is even more challenging in the summer because the vegetation is so thick. You’ll need to approach very close to see them. In the heat of the day, hog stay deep in shadows and dense cover to avoid the heat. Nearly all feeding and movement happens at night.

The way to hunt hogs, especially during the warm months, is to bait an area and set up an elevated stand nearby. Use varmint hunting lights, night vision, or thermal imaging optics to take them when they come in.

Yeti Tundra 125 Cooler

The meat from small to mid-sized wild hogs is delicious and should not be wasted. However, handling the meat in warm weather requires diligence and special considerations. It all starts by having a really good cooler on hand. Most well-known of the premium coolers is the Yeti Tundra 125 Cooler, but another option is an actual powered portable refrigerator/freezer. When you shoot a hog, get it gutted, skinned, cut up, and into the cool as fast as possible. You’ll enjoy the results for months to come!

Tip: Beginner to Intermediate Level Hog Hunting

Summertime Pigeon Hunting

Dove decoy luring in pigeons

If you’re a wingshooter at heart – especially one who likes high-volume, no limits shooting, but without traveling to South America – summertime pigeon hunting is a great close to home option. Feral pigeons are one of the most underrated and overlooked hunting opportunities in America. For those who are into waterfowl hunting, the similarities are tremendous – except for the fact that you can hunt pigeons year round, and there are no limits.

Cabela's Northern Flight Mobile Elite Layout Blind

Most feed lots and grain mills will be especially happy to have you come and shoot the birds they consider “flying rats”, but of course you must ask for permission to hunt.

Depending on the location and situation, waterfowl hunting gear including layout blinds much like the Cabela's Northern Flight Northern Elite Layout Blind and spinning wing decoys like the Lucky Duck Lucky Dove HD Motorized Dove Decoy work well for hiding from and luring in feral pigeons. Tip: Hand painting dove decoys to a darker gray color is a great way to build a core spread for hunting pigeons. Then as the shoot progresses, you take some of your downed birds, prop them up and add them to your spread.

It’s not uncommon to shoot 100 or more pigeons in a single hunt, but the birds become wary quickly and it gets as challenging as any public land duck hunt very fast!

Hunting Prairie Dogs

The western and prairie states offer fantastic summertime hunting opportunities for prairie dogs. Ranchers need prairie dog populations controlled to manage the damage they do to both hay fields and grazing areas. If hunters don’t do it, they will find other methods to control prairie dog populations.

The fun and challenge in hunting prairie dogs is in long-range precision shooting. With the right equipment and a good bit of skill, it’s possible to take prairie dogs at 400, 500, 600 yards and beyond.

Tip: Varmint Hunting: Are You Ready for Summer Shooting?

Besides a good small-caliber rifle and a big supply of ammunition, the most important equipment for hunting prairie dogs are top-quality optics. You need to be able to clearly see the rodents that are no more than 12 inches long at those extended ranges. Binoculars such as the Cabela's Intensity HD Binoculars, a quality spotting scope like the Cabela's CX Pro HD Spotting Scope and high-magnification rifle scope are all required gear for successful, efficient prairie dog shooting.

As much fun as hunting coyotes, hogs, pigeons, and prairie dogs is on their own, they’re also great practice for big game, small game, and bird hunting when the seasons begin rolling around in September and beyond. So get out there and HUNT this summer!

Region

United States

Tags

How to Skin Squirrels: Step by Step Picture Guide

Bass Pro Shops 1Source — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 19:33:36 +0000

How to Skin Squirrels: Step by Step Picture Guide

Bass Pro Shops… Thu, 10/20/2016 - 14:33

Category

Print the Field Dress Squirrels Step by Step Guide

All furred game – big or small – should be opened up to begin cooling as soon as possible after it’s taken. In the case of hunting small game, like squirrels, it makes sense to skin and gut the animal completely right away. Especially with squirrels, the sooner you get to them, the easier they are to clean.

Gear for Field Dressing and Skinning Small Game Animals:

Gerber Folding Blade Knife

Tools you'll need to process squirrel with links to purchase in case you need to restock your field dressing kit.

Game Shear Multi-Tool

1 medium sized folding blade knife
1 pair of game shears
1 solid work surface in the field for example a tree stump or rock
6 pair latex field dressing gloves
1 ice cooler with ice Gallon-sized Ziploc bags

Field Dressing Gloves

STEP 1: Prep for Field Dressing the Squirrel

Begin by laying the squirrel on the work surface, belly down. Lift the tail with your non-cutting hand and with a sharp knife, make horizontal cut through the skin that extends on to the rump on both sides.

Tip: 5 Easy Squirrel Recipes

STEP 2: Break Tailbone

Pick up the squirrel in both hands and break the tailbone, but be careful to not tear or cut the skin above the tail.

Tip: How to Still Hunt Squirrel as Deer Season Winds Down

STEP 3: Begin Skinning

Using the knife, begin to skin up the squirrel’s back creating a flap of skin about two inches wide still connected to the tail.

STEP 4: Loosen Hide

Make a small cut under the skin down the top of each back leg to begin to loosen that hide as well.

STEP 5: Continue Skinning

Continue to skin that flap up the back to about two and a half or three inches from the first vertical cut. Pinch and lift up the skin at the point you located on the breastbone.

STEP 6: Use Your Muscle

Now comes the part that takes a little bit of muscle. Lay the squirrel on the ground on its back, and put the heel of your boot on that flap of skin below the tail. The base of the tailbone will catch on the inside of your heel.

STEP 7: Pull Skin Off Front Legs

Get a firm grasp on those hind legs and pull slowly straight up! Keep pulling until the skin comes off around the front legs and right off the head.

STEP 8: Pull Skin Off Hind Legs

Grab the squirrel around the body behind the front legs with your weak hand, and with your strong hand grasp the skin beneath each rear leg and pull it toward you and off the hind legs.

STEP 9: Cut Off Head & Remove Feet

Next cut off the head if it is still attached, and then you can quickly remove the feet if you have a game shears with you.

STEP 10: Gut Squirrel

To gut the squirrel, pinch the meat at the underbelly and make small slit with the knife to open the underbelly.

STEP 11: Cut Through Chest

Use your fingers to make the opening larger. Then with your knife blade turned up and being careful not to cut any entrails, cut the squirrel open all the way up through its chest.

STEP 12: Pull Entrails Out

Get two fingers in front of the membrane in the chest cavity and pull the entrails all the way back and out the rear of the squirrel in one motion.

STEP 13: Rinse

If you have water available rinse the cleaned squirrel inside and out.

STEP 14: Put On Ice

Put it in a plastic bag and get it on ice as quickly as possible.

Region

International

Tags

Cure Winter Boredom With a Squirrel Still-Hunt

Gerald Almy — Mon, 04 Jan 2016 22:12:44 +0000

Cure Winter Boredom With a Squirrel Still-Hunt

Gerald Almy Mon, 01/04/2016 - 16:12

Category

Easing slowly through the hardwood river bottom, I froze mid-step. The bark of a scolding squirrel rang out from the treetops. Scanning the woods around me, I finally spotted him—halfway up a nearby white oak. Slowly raising my shotgun, I aimed and fired. The scolding ceased, and I was one squirrel closer to a hearty stew.

January is one of the cruelest months for hunters. Deer season is winding down or has already finished. Turkey hunting is still months away. Bears have hibernated, and sometimes a hunter may feel like joining them and sleeping until spring.

Break Out of the Rut

Squirrel hunting, however, can be at its best this time of year. The lack of foliage on the trees allows for better visibility and cold temps don’t stop bushytails from venturing out for a winter snack. The thought of squirrel stew is enough motivation to get me out of the house, while fast shooting and steady action subdues the onset of frostbite.

If I’ve seen good activity in a particular area I may take a stand there and wait for the game to come to me, like a classic deer hunt. After the long days on stand waiting for whitetails, however, I’m usually interested in pursuing a more active approach. This means still-hunting.

It’s invigorating to move quietly along a hardwood ridge—searching for the twitch of a tail, the odd oval form on a branch, or the sight of these acrobats jumping from one tree to another. I’ll often hear them before I see them—scurrying through fallen leaves, chewing on a nut shell, or chattering to their companions.

Arm Yourself Accordingly

Shotguns or .22 rifles are both suitable for still-hunting. I let the habitat, game regulations, and proximity of nearby homes and highways make the decision for me.

I use shotguns with an improved cylinder or modified choke, depending on how far my typical shots will be. I typically opt for size 4, 5, or 6 pellets in high brass loads.

For rifle hunts, I prefer a .22 LR. I’ve found that hollow point rounds are the most effective and a variable scope in the 3-9X or 2.5-10X range usually does the trick.

Stalk Prime Cover

Oak and hickory forests are naturally great choices, but stalking near the edge of cornfields can be another good option. Squirrels venture into the harvested crop field for leftover grain and they’ll use the cover of adjoining woods to find food and shelter.

I work slowly, pausing often to scan the ground, tree trunks and over-hanging branches. I listen carefully for the tell-tale rustle or chatter of a nearby squirrel. If nothing shows after a few minutes, I’ll move ahead 20-50 yards—quietly— and scan again.

If an area looks particularly good I may even sit down for a ten- or 20-minute stretch in case a bushytail is present, but simply hunkered down or on the opposite side of the tree. This doesn’t always pay off, but it works often enough to be worth trying.

Be a Fair-Weather Hunter

I try to time my hunts for days with low wind and some sunshine. I avoid the coldest, bitter days. If I do hunt these, I’ll get out during the midday hours when the temperatures are at their warmest. Squirrels will be most active during these times.

That suits me just fine. January mornings with sub-freezing temperatures can be a bit rough to take, especially after weeks of long days on deer stands. But by 8 or 9 a.m., the thought of stalking a squirrel sounds like just the ticket to help fill out the remainder of a long winter’s day.

Region

United States

Tags

Squirrels

12 Tips for Solo Rabbit Hunting Success

Gerald Almy — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 22:30:57 +0000

12 Tips for Solo Rabbit Hunting Success

Gerald Almy Thu, 12/10/2015 - 16:30

Category

As the blur of brown fur exploded out of the brush pile, the shotgun seemed to leap to my shoulder on its own. A quick squeeze of the trigger and my first cottontail of the day was in the bag.

You don’t need a pack of award-winning hounds to enjoy rabbit hunting success. I jumped that cottontail by simply kicking it up. You do, however, need to understand the feeding, resting, and travel patterns this great winter quarry exhibits. You’ll also want to know the best tactics for jumping them and getting good shot opportunities.

Here are 12 insights that will up your odds for rabbit hunting success this winter:

1. Think Small

Concentrate on small farms and overlooked public hunting parcels. These places tend to be neglected by other hunters and usually have more cover than larger farms that use modern edge-to-edge agricultural practices. Look for places with brushy ditches, overgrown fence rows, and fallow fields.

2. Hunt Abandoned Property

Old dilapidated barns, farm machinery overgrown with weeds, broken-down sheds—all tend to attract rabbits. Poke around them and you may bag a cottontail or two that comes scampering out.

3. Target Sunny Slopes on Cold Days

While rabbits move mostly early and late, one exception is on sunny days following a cold front. Under these conditions, they’ll often move at midday, especially on sun-drenched south and southwestern slopes.

4. Hunt Early and Late

Years ago, rabbits moved often during daylight hours. As clean farming practices, planting fescue, and removing brushy edge cover degraded their habitat, they increasingly began moving more at night and at dusk and dawn. The hunter who gets out at daybreak or hunts the two hours before sunset will jump the most game.

5. Find the Best Vegetation

Some of the most reliable plant types to focus on include patches of greenbrier, blackberry, honeysuckle, sumac, and plum. Edges of cultivated fields with corn, soybeans, clover, and rye are also worth checking out.

6. Hit the Thickest Cover

The reason rabbits have become nocturnal is because of lack of cover, so it stands to reason that the best spots to find them are areas with dense vegitation. Search out brushy hollows, overgrown hedgerows, corners of fields, and areas with tall grasses and weeds. Railroad rights of way, clear-cuts, and fallow fields are all worth trying. Many of these spots offer tender forbs, fruits, and other food sources besides the cover they provide.

7. Watch for Sign

Keep an eye peeled for rabbit droppings—round small pellets left in piles of a dozen or more. Also watch for cottontail runways—trails they clear in their home areas for quick escape routes.

8. Work into the Wind

When possible, this approach pushes your noise and scent away from the quarry and allows you to approach closer before it flushes.

9. Zig-Zag Through Cover

The best approach for bagging rabbits is to work in a zig-zag or weaving pattern through the cover, rather than walking in a straight line. This erratic movement tends to alarm the quarry and can kick them out of hiding.

10. Take a Sudden Pause

This is a trick I use on grouse, woodcock, and pheasants, too. As you move through the cover and approach a good-looking area, stop suddenly and stand still for up to half a minute or more. Often this flushes rabbits that become unnerved by the silence and think they’ve been spotted.

11. Shoot Quickly

Carry your shotgun at port arms when in good cover to be ready for snap shots. Rabbits aren’t going to lollygag around when they bust out of a briar patch. Point at the rabbit quickly, lower your cheek to the gun, track the fleeing cottontail with the barrel, and pull the trigger just as the barrel moves ahead of the quarry.

12. Use the Right Choke & Shot Size

Typically hunters use too tight of a choke for rabbits. An open barrel is best for shots of 10-25 yards. Improved cylinder works well out to about 35 yards. There’s little use for modified or full chokes, because you’ll rarely see a rabbit farther out in the thick cover they inhabit. Sizes 4, 5 and 6 shot all work well.

Cottontail hunting offers a great way to enjoy the outdoors after deer season closes. Keep these 12 suggestions in mind and chances are you’ll be well on your way towards bagging the main ingredient for a hearty rabbit stew.

Region

United States

Tags

Rabbits

Solve Squirrel Frustrations with Sawmill Gravy (Hunting Tactics & Recipe)

Josh Wolfe — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 22:18:53 +0000

Solve Squirrel Frustrations with Sawmill Gravy (Hunting Tactics & Recipe)

Josh Wolfe Mon, 11/30/2015 - 16:18

Category