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HUNTING COTTONTAIL RABBITS

Though seen as shy and cowardly, rabbits figure keenly in our imaginative world. They are a staple in children's literature, toy shops and cartoons, though the story of real-life rabbits is less alluring. It is the most abundant, hunted, and widely distributed small game animal on the North American continent. It has a grayish brown body and weighs about three pounds. When a rabbit feels he is in danger, his first defense is to freeze, a position he can hold for up to ten minutes. His second defense is to bolt and run, at speeds of 18 to 20 MPH, leaping about five feet per bound. Snow helps the hunter by increasing the visibility of the cottontail. With the white background of snow cover, the rabbit is easier to harvest. Any shotgun from a 20 to 12 gauge will do the job. A rabbit can be affected by many diseases, so it is wise to wear throwaway plastic gloves when skinning the animal, and never feed raw rabbit meat to your dog.

Tue, 30 May 2000 12:10:15 -0700