6 replies to this topic

[Air Rifle Hunter]

I wasn't planning on going out this past weekend, but my hunting buddy gave me a call on Friday and asked if I wanted to go out rabbit hunting on Saturday. Since I hadn't planned anything I decided to go.

We got out to our location around 5:30am and within 5 minutes I bagged myself a Jack Rabbit at 41 yards. Then we drove down the road a little bit further looking to see if we saw anything else else that we could track a little easier. We saw a few and I gave my buddy a few chances, but he missed his shots at a few jacks. About 45 minutes later I was walking down a trail and decided to walk through the brush and spotted a cottontail. It was at 33 yards and I took the shot and down it went. See the photos below:

.25 Marauder with Jack Rabbit and Cottontail:


Jack Rabbit and Cottontail (Close up):


I got a few more shots at a cottontail and a couple of more jack rabbits, but didn't connect with any of them. I saw a couple of really big jack rabbits that looked similar to Antelope Jack Rabbits, but wasn't sure if that was what they were because they are supposed to mainly be in the Arizona, New Mexico area and not in California. All I know is that they didn't look like the Black-Tailed Jack Rabbits I've been hunting. They were bigger and much grayer.

Hopefully next time I'll get a few more.

[talled]

Nicely done! Do you eat the ones you get? I'm thinking about hunting them up this way-- I'm wondering how much meat you can get off of them.

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Thanks.

I do eat almost everything I hunt (except ground squirrels... yuck!). The Cottontail meat is more like chicken, but sweeter to me. I just soak them both in a brine of water, salt, apple cider vinegar and some soy sauce for a day or two and then cook them however I like.

The Jack Rabbit meat is much more like beef in coloration and has a stronger flavor, but I still like it. If I didn't think I'd eat it, then I for sure wouldn't be hunting or shooting the Jacks. I make shredded Jack Rabbit sandwiches by marinating the meat in my favorite marinade of the week and then slow cook it for about 6 hours. Then I shred it apart and make myself a nice, hot sandwich. I've also made a Jack Rabbit Chile Colorado and fried jack rabbit too. I'm the only one in my family that will eat the jack rabbit, but my wife will eat the cottontail meat.

As far as how much meat you can get off of them, the Jack Rabbits have a good amount of meat on them. You'd have to get two or three good sized cottontails to equal the amount of meat you'll get from a jack rabbit.

[screwwork]

Good job on the rabbits ARH.
I think I have said this to you before right..

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Thanks, and yes, I think you might have said it a few times before.

[Thumper Dunker]

Way to go. Black tail jacks can get pretty good size . I like the looks of that rifle.

[Air Rifle Hunter]

Thanks Thumper.

I took my standard Marauder rifle stock and reshaped it, cut out the area below the comb and then coated it with black truck bed liner. My goal was to lighten it up and also give it a non-stock appearance. I like the way it turned out, but it does get hot when I'm out on hot, sunny days; which it seems like all the days I'm out on lately are hot and sunny.