# Need help and advice on finding Jacks



## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

Hello,

I'm a father that lives in SLC county that doesn't mind to travel a couple hours to find Jack Rabbits. I want to share this experience with my son but I have been out three times with him and we have been skunked each time. 

I have tried places that worked well for me in the past and I have also gone well of the beaten path to what would appear to be good areas. I have seen areas where I can tell either bunnies or jacks have laid in the soft weeds and I have even seen tons of fresh rabbit pellits, but I just dont get what I'm doing wrong. We have tried following ravines / washes, following fences, checked groves of trees, walked through the brush and still nothing. We have tried going early in the morning or late in the evening and still nothing. 

I'm not asking anyone for their special spots but maybe some advice on where to go and technique would help immensely. I really don't want to disappoint my son the next time I go I would like to be prepared and and I would like for him to at least get to shoot at one.

Any advice / help would be most appreciated. If any of you don't want to share your tricks of the trade with everyone you can contact me directly through my username jgoff

Thank you again.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I just follow my wirehaired dogs. They know how to find rabbits a lot better than I do. Usually there will be bunnies somewhere near small desert water sources like ponds, wet mudholes, or guzzlers.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Give it a couple years and we will have a Jackrabbit season. Heck we have one now for Prarie Dogs :roll: 


-DallanC


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

In my observation (take it for what its worth), when people say they want to go shoot some jack rabbits somewhere near SLC, they almost always head to the West Desert somewhere between Toooooooleeeee and 5 Mile Pass. So my suggestion is to head out beyond the weekend warrior stuff. That area gets hit so amazingly hard year after year that I will be amazed if it ever returns to its former "glory." The problem with this area is also that the pressure is so strong that jacks get up and run long out of shotgun range, so you will need a rifle of some sort (preferably something that can reach out farther than a .22 LR).

I honestly hunt that area myself and have shot only about 5 jacks in that area in 2011. But when I have headed to areas that are frequented far less by SLC hunters, sightings go up. Sooooo, my point being West is fine, but bust out Google Maps and try and find a place within reasonable driving distance that is farther than 1 hour away.

Sounds like you know terrain pretty well, so I dont have any big suggestions there. But I dont know how fast you are moving. Dont forget to stop for a moment periodically, they get nervous and make a mad dash for safety when they dont know where you are. If you have a dog, bring it along. They tend to kick up a lot of rabbits in my experience since they cover so much more ground than you or I.

Man I hope that didnt sound preachy!


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

BTW- welcome to the forum. If you stick around and make some good contributions, I might just be willing to take you and your son out for a bunny hunt


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

No preaching at all, I can use all the help I can get. I'm not afraid of driving two hours or to the Nevada border but I don't know any areas out there. Thank you for the suggestions.


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

Bax, when you say head west are you talking about past Vernon and Faust?


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

jgoff said:


> Bax, when you say head west are you talking about past Vernon and Faust?


Yeah. Maybe take a nice drive toward Fish Springs.... and go before light


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

From what I've seen, its worse the farther out you go. I've been all the way out to Callao, over to Lyndall, back up through Mona. Its terrible. I've seen more heading east, from Thistle on down towards Scofield to Price.


-DallanC


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## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

jgoff said:


> Bax, when you say head west are you talking about past Vernon and Faust?


Ill save you the time... dont go anywhere between vernon and eureka. Went out a couple weeks ago on a perfect day for rabbit hunting and didnt see anythng, not even signs that rabbits are in the area. But my sources tell me the rabbits are thick down near delta.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

South is the direction I would prefer to go as well Dallan. The only problem is, the area I like to go is a good 4.5 hour drive


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

Thanks for the info, where is it legal to hunt around delta? I'm only familiar with the town, but I know that their is a stream that heads from another town north east down to delta.


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## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Go North of Clear Lake..... The foothills around there, I have been told by a fairly reliable source that they got into Jack Wabbits. Even though it's fun to shoot, it's a loooong haul for the things.


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

Than you for the help guner I will update this weekend!


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## flyfisher20 (Aug 5, 2011)

No matter where you go I would recommend getting a few more guys to go with you. If you can get five guys spread out 100 yards or so you are a lot more likely to scare up some bunnies.


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## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Just have some Carrots along  :lol:


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## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

+1 on the vernon through eureka statement. I've frequented that area for many years and have never seen it this bad. I'd look into going somewhere else, I've also heard there's a bunch near delta.


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

I hit delta today, I saw one huge Jack in 3 hours of walking foothills near water. The jack was at the top of the hill and it was an impossible shot for me. It was raining and snowing so I don't know how that affected the hunt, but there were signs if life everywhere. Is jack hunting in winter during rain normally bad?


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## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

jgoff said:


> I hit delta today, I saw one huge Jack in 3 hours of walking foothills near water. The jack was at the top of the hill and it was an impossible shot for me. It was raining and snowing so I don't know how that affected the hunt, but there were signs if life everywhere. Is jack hunting in winter during rain normally bad?


Its best to wait until the day after the snow hits. They hold tight in the stormy weather and then you can expect them to be out feeding the next day.


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## jgoff (Jan 17, 2012)

Thanks for the tip! Here is a link to a great article I found last night on hunting rabbits in winter I thought I would pass it along. http://www.gameandfishmag.com/2010/09/28/hunting_rabbits-hares-squirrels-hunting_gf_aa126702a/


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