[2023] Rabbit Season - Tips and Tricks?

[Woodchuck Dan]

Hey folks, New hunter here in Kootenay region 4-17.

I am very excited after practicing shooting 1-2X a week since November that hunting season is around the corner. I have been using the start of the snowshoe hare season to practice still hunting and in general just spending time in the woods around dawn and dusk, listening, trying to understand how things operate better.

I actually had a deer/elk circle around me tonight unseen just as I was losing shooting light. It got downwind of me and within 20 feet before bolting into the woods. (Got my heart rate up to 120 for a moment that did.)

I have a couple specific questions about hunting snowshoe hares:

1. Since I am still hunting, I walk a few feet, sit and listen, walk a few more feet, repeat. I have been experimenting with calling rabbits by rubbing a piece of Styrofoam on my sunglasses to mimic the sound of a rabbit in distress. Would you recommend this?

2. I am in the Slocan Valley and have been trying logging roads at different elevations. I am finding very little sign and in general steep grades to navigate. Do you have any thoughts about High/low, near water vs. dry? I realize that I will most likely have to cobble this information together from trial and error - advice is appreciated.

Would appreciate input on the above questions - also if you are hunting rabbits, how things are going for you this year, what strategies you prefer, anything related really.

Cheers

[Gianni2507]

Got the first couple Rabbits for the season 3 days ago, but honestly they're hunted here just like grouse. Driving Logging Roads, for Grouse all day, for Rabbits at dusk.... I love the Idea of Hunting them on Foot, but the Animal Density (or lack of density) makes it pretty unsuccessful compared to driving.

[Redthies]

I’ve only ever specifically hunted rabbits in winter after a fresh snow. Not surprisingly, I got nothing the couple of times I tried it. I’ve yet to ever see a rabbit while walking alone, but plenty while driving or walking with my 3 Weimaraners. The ones I’ve seen while driving FSRs here in the west Koots have all been above 2500’.

[MOOSE MILK]

Call em in with two leaves of fresh lettuce, just rub em together and wait patiently.

[Woodchuck Dan]

Got the first couple Rabbits for the season 3 days ago, but honestly they're hunted here just like grouse. Driving Logging Roads, for Grouse all day, for Rabbits at dusk.... I love the Idea of Hunting them on Foot, but the Animal Density (or lack of density) makes it pretty unsuccessful compared to driving



I’ve only ever specifically hunted rabbits in winter after a fresh snow. Not surprisingly, I got nothing the couple of times I tried it. I’ve yet to ever see a rabbit while walking alone, but plenty while driving or walking with my 3 Weimaraners. The ones I’ve seen while driving FSRs here in the west Koots have all been above 2500’.


Yes so I covered around 17 KM of ground just outside of the Valhalla range and found one rabbit who eluded me. Still nice to see one after three days of searching.

Honestly I do so much driving living rurally doing even more recreationally is not super appealing. However I am super behind on firewooding so it will be nice to do that around dusk and just bring my rifle along - should get lots of time in on the FSRs in the next month.

I was thinking it would be a lot of fun to get a fat tire E-bike and take that through logging roads looking for rabbits. Of course if I had that kind of money I would by a motorcycle. :roll:

I did actually manage to find a flat cut block filled with a good amount of spruce. There is a rabbit colony there as I found around 10 + holes. I'm going to try to go back there at dawn and see if that is a productive strategy.

Another thing I'm considering it taking the trapping course and setting up snare lines as you can use specific gauge wire without a trap line license. I like being in the woods in the winter time and that would get me up into the mountains regularly. I am lucky I can walk into the backyard and be on crown/in the mountains in less than 10 minutes. However I'm unsure if you are able to set snares within the tenure of someone else's trap area - there's a woodlot and a trap line area back there already.



Call em in with two leaves of fresh lettuce, just rub em together and wait patiently.






Do you think that dressing up like elmer fudd would also help?

[Gianni2507]

Yes so I covered around 17 KM of ground just outside of the Valhalla range and found one rabbit who eluded me. Still nice to see one after three days of searching.

Honestly I do so much driving living rurally doing even more recreationally is not super appealing. However I am super behind on firewooding so it will be nice to do that around dusk and just bring my rifle along - should get lots of time in on the FSRs in the next month.

I was thinking it would be a lot of fun to get a fat tire E-bike and take that through logging roads looking for rabbits. Of course if I had that kind of money I would by a motorcycle. :roll:

I did actually manage to find a flat cut block filled with a good amount of spruce. There is a rabbit colony there as I found around 10 + holes. I'm going to try to go back there at dawn and see if that is a productive strategy.

Another thing I'm considering it taking the trapping course and setting up snare lines as you can use specific gauge wire without a trap line license. I like being in the woods in the winter time and that would get me up into the mountains regularly. I am lucky I can walk into the backyard and be on crown/in the mountains in less than 10 minutes. However I'm unsure if you are able to set snares within the tenure of someone else's trap area - there's a woodlot and a trap line area back there already

Yeah my approach is usually the same.. whenever I'm on a fsr anyways I pack the .17 for when an opportunity arises. Love the E-bike Idea, I tried the same with a pretty quiet 4 stroke Motorbike, but it still seems to be too loud to be sneaking up on them :D

Did you see the rabbits in your cutblock? Around here when you see a ton of holes somewheres it's the local gopher colony trying to undermine the whole backcountry...

Trapping sounds super interesting, I never looked into it how hard it is to get a license and a trapline? Or trapping close to someones existing line?

[boilerroom]

I'm new to hare hunting but went out last week for 2 days and got 7. Definitely early morning and before dusk were best. What I have learned is that hares don't dig holes (rabbits to that) they just make a small depression. I was in Region 8. I found them high and low, usually when an fsr levelled out with some willows and grass on the shoulders. Good Luck - BR

[MichelD]

They are hares.

[MOOSE MILK]

How long is the hair on a rabbit's back?


About three seconds!

[Bigdoggdon]

Snowshoe Hares, and rabbits in general have a digestive system similar to birds. They require Gravel to assist them in digesting their food. In the morning and evening you will find them on the edges for forest roads picking up gravel.

Just drive the roads mornings and evenings and keep a sharp eye out along the road edges. They might spook if you get too close so don't try to get closer than 50 yards, although 70 would be better. Sight in your .22 for that distance, I use a 17HMR, reaches out to 100yds easily and accurately. I've found that anything heavier (.222 Rem or .223 Rem) is just too much gun.

Went out on the evening of the 3rd and got 9. Was out again tonight and got another 3.