Shot my first rabbit at about age 5 with a single shot .22 rifle. Have shot quite a few in the decades since. Have never used a dog. Gotten them by walking through or near likely habitat and looking closely for them sitting. Don't remember ever using a shotgun. Did the archery route for a while. Learned pretty quickly that arrows are too expensive and bent too easily. Been using handguns almost exclusively since late teens - mostly .22; but also 9mm and others.
My tip is to try to figure out where they are and then try to spot them sitting. As I believe someone else said, their eye is what one usually notices first. Having someone else with you walking other side of fencerow or cover makes it more fun and productive.
