# Cottontail opener mistake?



## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

The wildlife calendar shows cottontail rabbits opened on 8/6 but the guidebook still says 9/2? Anyone know if the 8/6 is accurate? I only ask because those cute little fellers make me drool.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I would wager it is 9/2 with the rest of the small game.


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## wagdog (Jan 6, 2009)

Jedidiah said:


> The wildlife calendar shows cottontail rabbits opened on 8/6 but the guidebook still says 9/2? Anyone know if the 8/6 is accurate? I only ask because those cute little fellers make me drool.


I did the same thing man. I'm just going with what the guidebook says for 9/2.


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## Amy (Jan 22, 2009)

Jedidiah said:


> The wildlife calendar shows cottontail rabbits opened on 8/6 but the guidebook still says 9/2? Anyone know if the 8/6 is accurate? I only ask because those cute little fellers make me drool.


Good catch, Jedidiah! The 8/6 calendar date was a mistake on our part, and 9/2 is correct. It's been fixed now. Thanks for asking about it!


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## ns450f (Aug 28, 2018)

Speaking of cottontails, they are every where here in southern Utah but every time I shoot one it is covered in little bugs. I think they are fleas or something. What do you all do to get rid of the bugs before you skin and gut them. I have tried waiting a few hours for the bugs to leave the rabbit but they do not leave. Also, what's your favorite way to cook them


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

That is one reason that I usually don't hunt them until there is snow on the ground. 

Other than that just skin them as soon as you walk up to it, all the fleas come off with the skin. 

I like to dredge them in flour and then brown them in a skill it. Then once the meat is browned I'll pour some cream of mushroom soup over the meat and turn the heat way down low. Then in a couple of hours they are ready to enjoy. 

You can skip the soup if you like and just let them simmer on low heat until done, almost as good.


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## ns450f (Aug 28, 2018)

Critter said:


> That is one reason that I usually don't hunt them until there is snow on the ground.


Haha, that must be my problem because there usually isn't any snow on the ground where I would be hunting them. Either way I plan on doing more bunny hunting this year. There are so many of them around St. George. I can usually bag 1 or 2 a trip using my recurve and it is a ton of fun.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Just skin them out when you get to them. After you have done a couple you should be able to skin one in less than a minute.

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## Narient (Jan 9, 2011)

I knew a guy that carried a large bag with some sevin dust in it. He'd throw the rabbit in there. Give it a good shake and then take it out. Voila! Everything's dead... I never thought he was right in the head though...


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## Jedidiah (Oct 10, 2014)

*skillet. 

There have been fleas on the rabbits I've shot even after the first freeze but a whole lot more before the freeze. I'll also always shoot them and let them lie for 10-15 minutes. The dog does not come rabbit hunting before a few good freezes have hit.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

We took a couple young boys out one Xmas day after they both got shotguns from Santa. They headed a different direction than their dad and I and we got back to the truck before they did.

I saw them walking up the road holding sticks that had rabbits attached to them. When they got to the truck I asked them what were the sticks for? Both of them said that there were bugs crawling off of the rabbits and onto their hands. Their dad never did show them how to clean them right after they shot them, but to their defense their dad used to wait until he got home to clean them until I started hunting with him


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