August 1st.
Opening Day.
The weather was...
Warm.
We left the house around dinner time after I got home from work. Alli turned ten this year, so we got her a youth license to get her out hunting. I got her a tripod to help her hold up the rifle as it's still a little heavy for her. We started cruising the logging roads through the evening to catch unsuspecting long ears graveling up along the edges of the road. The first couple that we saw managed to run off before we were able to set up for a shot, but the third one we saw stayed in place. I stopped the truck about 70 yards out from the hare. We got out, leaving the doors open as a shield to hide our nefarious intentions. I quickly set up the tripod and looked/listened to ensure there was no other traffic coming. Once I was sure the coast was clear I put the magazine in the rifle and set it on the tripod. Alli pushed the bolt closed on the 17HMR and leaned in for her shot. I was trying to get my phone set up for a video when Alli shot. She hadn't heard me say "hang on a minute while I get my phone ready". I saw the rabbit do the "high kick" that animals do when chest shot. and then he stumbled off the road. We started walking forward and found him crumpled up on the other side of the ditch. Alli's First Snowshoe Hare Down.
It wouldn't take long and she would get another chance to add to her tally. We saw another Hare graveling at the side of the road about 80 yards out. We got set up, this time I got the video started. She fired, her shot looked like it splashed the gravel in front of the rabbit. He was wounded and confused, hit by shrapnel and small rocks. I told her to shoot again. She went to cycle the bolt but the round got hung up a bit in the chamber, I reached out and helped her close the bolt. She fires her 2nd shot and I hear a solid smack that is actually audible in the video. "There you go, that's a solid head shot" Second hare down.
A Happy Hunter.
Once we got home we got them cleaned up for the freezer. We saved a rabbit's foot for good luck. I put it through the food dehydrator to preserve it.
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Re: Alli's 1st and 2nd Rabbits
Originally Posted by wetcoastwillie
