Rabbits/hares?

[mainbutter]

I'm hoping to take a few rabbits this year. The land I usually hunt north of the cities by a good long drive has never been good to me for spotting anything with long ears.

I know next to nothing about rabbits or their habits (see what I did there), anyone want to give me some tips or point me to some good information about cottontails or snowshoe hares, and possibly some suggestions on at least what parts of the state they inhabit?

[TRZ II]

I used to get several Hares a year but have not seen one in 3 or 4 yrs around Moose Lake. I think thier cycle is down and the snowless winters have to take a toll on them too. THey are big critters with good meat, I miss them!

[Cheetah]

I was able to find a bunch of hares north of Duluth (N of Island Lake Reservoir) on public land last fall while chasing grouse. We did not have a dog, just three guys walking through the woods with shotguns.

The hares are sneaky, sometimes they sit tight until you are almost on top of them. Very hard to spot them when standing still. Other times they would stay just out of range or in the thick stuff, or try to sneak back between us so we couldn't shoot. I think we shot 5 hares, had another 5 or so sneak away, and zero grouse.

[erikwells]

Cotton tales hunt around a grove of trees next to an active working farm. My experience is these area hold the cotton tales because they like the co=ver and any spilled feed. You have got to find someone who will trust you enough to hunt close to buildings and sometimes livestock. Not so much my cup of tea anymore but it is nice to have some rabbits to put in the crock pot with squirrels on superbowl sunday slow cooked all day in mushroom gravy. I'm hungry got to go.

[Gordie]

We hunt them in the groves in the southern part of the state. We set up like deer drives for them with posters and drivers we use shot guns for weapons and its a hoot. nothing like a good ole fashion rabbit hunt to get the blood pumping.

Getting permision seems to be easier than getting it for pheasants and if asked about pheasants we usually say that were after rabbits and if a bird flushes ita bounus.

Look for groves with brush piles and old machinery and hunt those spots kicking the brush piles and other hiding places will send rabbits o the run.

[KidMoe]

Isn't there something about hares and rabbits carrying a parasite in their fur? I've always been told not to handle rabbits, hares, or squirrels until after a frost because it kills off the parasite.

Is there any water to this old tale?

[erikwells]

KidMoe, I cannot speak to the specific species of mite/flea that they get but it is in their fur. That's why a lot of old timers I know wouldn't hunt rabbit until we had a hard freeze and snow on the ground. A lot of the old timers liked to skin the rabbit out stretch the fur on a piece of board and rub salt or Boraxo on the underside and dry. I plan on teaching my sons now 5,7 and 9 how to do this too. However if we get early season rabbit with mites/fleas we will not be bringing it into the basement to dry.

That's my entire .02 worth.

[Cheetah]

Yep, they usually have fleas.