Safety while hunting rabbits out on a FSR

[FourOhs]

Reading Allan's Almost got shot today thread got me pondering my recent outings.

I've been going up an FSR not too far from my place, after rabbits. I've been doing a combination of hiking and driving, mostly driving. This is my first year hunting, so I'm absorbing all the constructive feedback/advice I can get.

I've generally been looking for rabbits on the shoulder of the FSR. When I come across one I look at the whole sight picture. Not just, "Can I clearly see the rabbit?" and not just "Is there a person/car behind my shot?" but also, "What's behind my shot that I can't see? Do I have a shot that doesn't travel down the road or over a rise in the road or off the mountainside into thin air?"

I've passed up several shots so far simply because there isn't a safe way to make the shot. When I shoot my target is still on the shoulder, but if I can't manoeuver myself so that I'm shooting into the ground or a bank or hillside behind my shot, it's a no-go. Sometimes I can climb the opposite bank to get a shot aiming down from 8-10' above. Basically, I have to imagine taking each particular shot as if no rabbit was there. Would it be safe to pull the trigger right here, right now in that direction?

Anyway, my point is, I think I'm doing enough to be safe and to keep other users of the FSR I'm on safe too. But, I'm also open to constructive criticism of/improvements to my approach to safe hunting.

[Doe.Deer]

I am very new to rabbit hunting (this is my first year!) ... I don't think I would road hunt rabbit. I would just slowly walk and have the gun ready. By the time you see it, slow down, grab your gun, get it out the window/get out of the vehicle to stalk it or shoot it... alot of time has gone by. If you know the area I would walk the road. You can hear other vehicles and maybe others doing the same thing?

Let me know how road hunting rabbit goes for you. Hopefully you can get some squirrel too! Is that common to road hunt rabbit??

[Glenny]

Reading Allan's Almost got shot today thread got me pondering my recent outings.

I've been going up an FSR not too far from my place, after rabbits. I've been doing a combination of hiking and driving, mostly driving. This is my first year hunting, so I'm absorbing all the constructive feedback/advice I can get.

I've generally been looking for rabbits on the shoulder of the FSR. When I come across one I look at the whole sight picture. Not just, "Can I clearly see the rabbit?" and not just "Is there a person/car behind my shot?" but also, "What's behind my shot that I can't see? Do I have a shot that doesn't travel down the road or over a rise in the road or off the mountainside into thin air?"

I've passed up several shots so far simply because there isn't a safe way to make the shot. When I shoot my target is still on the shoulder, but if I can't manoeuver myself so that I'm shooting into the ground or a bank or hillside behind my shot, it's a no-go. Sometimes I can climb the opposite bank to get a shot aiming down from 8-10' above. Basically, I have to imagine taking each particular shot as if no rabbit was there. Would it be safe to pull the trigger right here, right now in that direction?

Anyway, my point is, I think I'm doing enough to be safe and to keep other users of the FSR I'm on safe too. But, I'm also open to constructive criticism of/improvements to my approach to safe hunting.

Sound good to me. Safe hunter.

[E.V.B.H.]

I am very new to rabbit hunting (this is my first year!) ... I don't think I would road hunt rabbit. I would just slowly walk and have the gun ready. By the time you see it, slow down, grab your gun, get it out the window/get out of the vehicle to stalk it or shoot it... alot of time has gone by. If you know the area I would walk the road. You can hear other vehicles and maybe others doing the same thing?

Let me know how road hunting rabbit goes for you. Hopefully you can get some squirrel too! Is that common to road hunt rabbit??

You would walk a lot, road hunting is common. You also can't shoot squirrels or out the window for that matter!

[M.Dean]

When you've got idiots that call them selves "Hunters" driving around swill'in back a 24 pack of beer and shooting every bloody thing they see, including all types of logging equip, signs, mail boxes, and on and on, they certainly don't give a sh** about shooting a rabbit on a blind corner of a road! We need more CO's, we need harsher fines for drinking and driving well hunting, and anyone caught doing any of these crimes should lose there dam license for life! Why not, it's not like there out there because they love the sport!

[scoutlt1]

I am very new to rabbit hunting (this is my first year!) ... I don't think I would road hunt rabbit. I would just slowly walk and have the gun ready. By the time you see it, slow down, grab your gun, get it out the window/get out of the vehicle to stalk it or shoot it... alot of time has gone by. If you know the area I would walk the road. You can hear other vehicles and maybe others doing the same thing?

Let me know how road hunting rabbit goes for you. Hopefully you can get some squirrel too! Is that common to road hunt rabbit??

Really???? Please review the hunting regs.................

[FourOhs]

OK, guys, he made one mistake. He's been corrected on that and he solemnly promises he will never, EVER shoot out the window of his vehicle, right Doe.Deer? Frankly, he was the one who says he doesn't road hunt, preferring to walk.

Doe.Deer: I'm brand new to hunting, and decided to start small before going out with a long-time hunter friend to try for my first deer this season. I've put a couple rabbits in the freezer so far. And, yeah, I tend to be erring (if you can call it a mistake) on taking too much time setting up my shot: I've missed a few opportunities due to being too slow. And for now I'm just fine with that.

I have done some walking along the same road and, yes, it's a very nice walk. But I've been finding that the early evening "happy hour" when the rabbits come out isn't even an hour long and to cover enough road to see more than a rabbit or two you can't be taking your time like you would when stalking through the bush for deer. That's not to say there's a rush to blaze down the road to take pot-shots at anything with long ears, but the time when they're out is pretty limited.

[HarryToolips]

^^^^^^You got it, rabbit evening happy hour I find is short...however, I'm seeing quite a few in the morning, right til 10 am sometimes...OP your doing a good job by the sounds of it to be safe...

[FourOhs]

^^^^^^You got it, rabbit evening happy hour I find is short...however, I'm seeing quite a few in the morning, right til 10 am sometimes...OP your doing a good job by the sounds of it to be safe...

Thanks. Morning does sound like a good idea. I think I'll see if I can talk my wife into an outing this Saturday morning. It won't take any work to convince my 5yo. He's all in favour of me bringing home more rabbits for the freezer... even wants to see them when they're all cleaned and ready to go in. It started with fishing this spring and eating what we caught. He's really starting to connect the whole timber-to-table/field-to-fork idea and he's only five.

[albravo2]

4-0s, you're doing everything right. Especially taking your 5yo. Good times. Then add grouse and you're set for years of fun.

The days fly by, trust me. Tomorrow grouse open here and my 16 yr old son will be out with his bow. We started fishing together when he was 5, now he's putting food on the table.