|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515 |
Had A guy come in the shop last week, who had been over to Eastern Oregon, jack rabbit hunting.
He said there were LOTS of rabbits out.
Anyone hear of a Jack Rabbit population explosion? similar to the late 60's ?
Thanks! Virgil B.
Last edited by vbshootinrange; 10/22/15.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,707
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,707 |
Not jackrabbits but here in eastern Montana we've had an explosion of Cotton tails
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 22,869 |
Vbshootingrange: The Jack Rabbit population is much higher than the last several years here in SW Montana but the Cottontail Rabbits are just everywhere. Cottontails are as densely populated as I have ever seen. My partner and I were doing some early morning Deer/Elk scouting a few days ago and in less than 200 yards of travel on a dirt track we counted 15 Cottontails scurrying from and across it. We literally slowed to a crawl to keep from running them over. I counted 6 of them at once in my yard about 1 month ago. I think I am down to 2 now though as the Owls have been roosting/hooting in my trees at night of recent. Its also been a "good" (bad!) year for Pack Rats and Mice in these parts. Mild winters? Hold into the wind VarmintGuy
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515 |
Thanks for the information!
Might have to make a trip over East to check 'em out!
Virgil B.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,532
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,532 |
I noticed the same thing with cottontails in north central Wyoming this year. Rabbits under every piece of sage. Way more than the exact same area last year. Only saw 2 Jacks so can't speak to them.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
From the area just above north central Wyoming... Saw zero jackrabbits...
Last edited by ingwe; 10/31/15.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,474
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,474 |
Ingwe
Buncha good eatin ya got there.
Did you walk those up, or with dogs?
Out west I am guessing no dogs, BUT then . . .
Last edited by LouisB; 10/31/15.
Some spelling errors can be corrected by a vowel movement. ~ MOLON LABE ~
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,707
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,707 |
You could really stack them up around here if you drove around and stopped at every auto gate to shoot them. Hmmmm rabbit pot pie
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
No dogs, you walk them up....after a fashion.... They usually spend their days underground here,in the evenings they pop up and head out for the night. Those in the pic, and a dozen others, I took in a two hour period one evening by walking the edge of oil service roads in the sage....in this country... a few of their compadres from the same evening...
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
You could really stack them up around here if you drove around and stopped at every auto gate to shoot them. Hmmmm rabbit pot pie Made a couple big wabbit pot pies the other night! Yummmmmmmm!
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,532
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,532 |
I should have thought to bring a 22 to pop a few after the antelope tags were filled. I've never seen them that thick anywhere.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
|
Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
I was gonna head down to Wyoming to shoot a few but they wanted $20 a day for Non-res. small game, then they had a limit of 10 on bunnies. I was literally within 5 miles of Wyoming,with no season and no bag limit on bunnies....
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78 |
"The first shot, is worth all the rest"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78 |
Got a few more this weekend:
"The first shot, is worth all the rest"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 24,338
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 24,338 |
Had A guy come in the shop last week, who had been over to Eastern Oregon, jack rabbit hunting.
He said there were LOTS of rabbits out.
Anyone hear of a Jack Rabbit population explosion? similar to the late 60's ?
Thanks! Virgil B. Heard any more about Eastern Oregon jacks? Was this Harney or Malheur County?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,844
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,844 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,118
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,118 |
I recently made a trip to the Oregon desert rabbit hunting. The population was down from 20 years ago, but up from recent years. Not plentiful, but not scarce. Hunt around the haystacks for concentrations of jacks early in the morning.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515
Campfire Outfitter
|
OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,515 |
Thanks guys!
The information I got was for Silver Lake/Christmas Vally.
Got to get over and check 'em out soon.
Virgil B.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,118
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,118 |
Thanks guys!
The information I got was for Silver Lake/Christmas Vally.
Got to get over and check 'em out soon.
Virgil B. Last time I stayed at the motel in Christmas Valley it was full of hunters. Coyotes learn quick!
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,597
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 15,597 |
THE CHAIR IS AGAINST THE WALL. The Tikka T3 in .308 Winchester is the Glock 19 of the rifle world. The website is up and running!www.lostriverammocompany.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,719
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,719 |
Looks like a super year there Mackay!! Enjoy!!
Molon Labe
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,524
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,524 |
I have seen more here in North central Wyoming then I have in previous years.... Half the few that I shot had something seriously wrong with them, skinny and did not even run off after jumping them. Around Wright Wyoming in around the mines this last summer(SEPTEMBER) there was what could be described as a holocaust on the roads. Literally piles of jacks every where....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,284
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 24,284 |
Jacks are plenty, but cottontails are at an all time high...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 7,913
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 7,913 |
...and I have not seen a rabbit in Maine or NH in 10 years...there are still some snowshoe hares around but they are even way down.
Our population crashed in about 1993 and never recovered...just too many coyote, owls, eagles, feral cats to ever let the population come back again...
Great hunting guys...enjoy it...
Bob
If you can not deal with reality, reality will deal with you....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78 |
"The first shot, is worth all the rest"
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 840
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 840 |
You could really stack them up around here if you drove around and stopped at every auto gate to shoot them. Hmmmm rabbit pot pie Made a couple big wabbit pot pies the other night! Yummmmmmmm! Jack Chili is great! Just have to cook it a long time to get it tender and pull it from the bones.
When I no longer have the right to protect my own person or property...my person and property have become public property in common.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,147 |
Humm... sure gets a guy to thinking. I have family in Northern UT (Ogden), Southeastern ID (Burley & Mud Lake), and North Central WY (Gillette).
I might have to plan a road trip. I surely remember the days in the late 70's and all the critters we harvested in the Mud Lake area. Seems to me like 4 of us took over 500 bunnies in one day.
Great times as a kid. All the mink ranchers were there collecting the bunnies to feed to the mink.
James Pepper: There's no law west of Dodge and no God west of the Pecos. Right, Mr. Chisum? John Chisum: Wrong, Mr. Pepper. Because no matter where people go, sooner or later there's the law. And sooner or later they find God's already been there.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,844
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22,844 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 78 |
"The first shot, is worth all the rest"
|
|
|
664 members (16Racing, 1234, 163bc, 06hunter59, 09wingates, 77 invisible),
2,656
guests, and
1,216
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,187,612
Posts18,398,407
Members73,817
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|