Rabbit Hunting

[bigchinner]

I have done some hiking recently and honestly haven't seen much cottons around. I think mostly due to low rainfall. I was out at Bolsa Chica Wetlands and it was crispy. I know it's not a hunting site but basically it's been like that. Only saw one cotton tail at San jacinto WA while hiking. One in SBMts. near Mentone in the mountains and dirt road. They usually startle people but darting around but not much.

[alks207]

Jackrabbit is technically hare, but yes there is no limit or season. It gets really bad rap, primarily because, like certain fish (bonita, mackerel etc...), people don't handle it properly then say it tastes terrible. That, or they find its just easier to go along with the general consensus that it's trash meat. Either way I'm fine with it as more jacks are left for me to shoot when it comes down to it. ��

[bigbossman]

Jackrabbit is technically hare, but yes there is no limit or season. It gets really bad rap, primarily because, like certain fish (bonita, mackerel etc...)

My dad used to take me fishing on the Redondo Pier for Bonita. What a good time we would have! We would gut them, remove the "blood" meat on the bottom, and bake them whole in the oven with lemon. Tasted just like tuna to me. I even used to make "tuna fish" sandwiches out of the leftovers.

Thanks for sparking some good memories!

[Jusgunn3]

There are tons of cotton tails at our duck club in the valley but no one hunts them. Makes we wonder why…

[bigbossman]

Well, my guess....... during the beginning of rabbit season, ducks are nesting/brooding, and the club is cleaning up/getting ready for the upcoming duck season. During duck season, the club probably doesn't want hunters wandering around in the open ground shooting critters when other folks are brushed up/in blinds trying to shoot ducks.

Again, just throwing a dart.

[pacrat]

"alks207" said;

Jackrabbit is technically hare, but yes there is no limit or season. It gets really bad rap,

I can't recall how many thousands of each we as a family have eaten. Yes jacks get a bad rap. And YES, old jacks are dry and tough. That's why I let them run away unmolested. OLD cottontails are tough too. But young of both are much more succulent.

Realistically both varieties are rather tasteless on their own. Like chicken.

Best when seasoned and batter fried. Or par boiled, and grilled with seasoning and sauce of choice.

Duck clubs are excellent environment for both. We used to score limits of cotton bunnies and "young" jacks at Wister. Between "sundown", end of dove shooting time. And 1/2 hr after sundown for wabbits. Potted many during dove time also down in the IV.

Jacks live in open environs because their survival depends on their speed. So yeah they get tougher as they age.

Tails aren't runners. They are "hiders". Preferring heavy brush and thickets. And don't stray far from cover when they forage.

JM2c observations from hunting and eating both for 60+ years.