# cottontail



## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

i am just wondering if anyone else has gone after any cottontails i went out today and i have never seen so few rabbits even in this heat i have seen more than i ever saw today i am just wondering if anyone else is seeing decent numbers


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

I've seen alot of cottontails this year. The jack population seems to be way low this year..


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Varied for me, seen a ton some places and very few in others.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

everywhere i went so far i have seen nothing but jacks and this has never happened to me before


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Shot a cottontail yesterday but that was the only one I saw. Also saw several jacks. Debating on whether or not to try eating him, or just give it to my dad like always.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

Bax* said:


> Shot a cottontail yesterday but that was the only one I saw. Also saw several jacks. Debating on whether or not to try eating him, or just give it to my dad like always.


at least some people are seeing some i was going to try smoking some i heard that there good smoked i normally dont hunt for them cause i havent cared to eat them but now that i want to try i cant find them it figures


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## hunter_orange13 (Oct 11, 2008)

We made a good stew with one last year. It was kind of chewy but it was real good! MMM!


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

I don't eat jacks. With cottontails I soak them in vinegar overnight and then I soak them another night in salt water to pull some of the vinegar out of the meat. The acids in the vinegar break down the fibers in the meat so they are not chewy.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Cottontails are great eating IMO. They may be a little chewy but they're wild game, you can't expect them to be like factory chicken. I've tried eating jacks too, they have a bit more of a wilder taste than most probably like but if you give them a good marinade or brine most people wouldn't know, my father in law once passed off a couple of jacks to his friends in a dutch oven as cottontails and nobody knew the difference! I've also eaten a couple of those huge black-tailed jackrabbits, when I brought a skinned one home my wife thought I had shot a dog! They are pretty wild tasting but you can't tell me the pioneers and Indians didn't survive lots of harsh winters on them. 
By the way, the Indians wouldn't hunt rabbits until the snow was on the ground, which I think is good advice as it helps you avoid fleas and tularemia.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

I saw one jack rabbit almost two years ago....

Al Hansen shot it... :|


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Pumpgunner said:


> Cottontails are great eating IMO. They may be a little chewy but they're wild game, you can't expect them to be like factory chicken. I've tried eating jacks too, they have a bit more of a wilder taste than most probably like but if you give them a good marinade or brine most people wouldn't know, my father in law once passed off a couple of jacks to his friends in a dutch oven as cottontails and nobody knew the difference! I've also eaten a couple of those huge black-tailed jackrabbits, when I brought a skinned one home my wife thought I had shot a dog! They are pretty wild tasting but you can't tell me the pioneers and Indians didn't survive lots of harsh winters on them.
> By the way, the Indians wouldn't hunt rabbits until the snow was on the ground, which I think is good advice as it helps you avoid fleas and tularemia.


You (and the indians) are right Pumpgunner. Don't hunt Cottontails until there is snow on the ground. Nothing like a cold clear bright winter day with snow on the ground to get them little critters out and sitting at the edge of their hole. Fun,fun fun hunting! Plink, a .22 shot right in the head!


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

BPturkeys said:


> Pumpgunner said:
> 
> 
> > Cottontails are great eating IMO. They may be a little chewy but they're wild game, you can't expect them to be like factory chicken. I've tried eating jacks too, they have a bit more of a wilder taste than most probably like but if you give them a good marinade or brine most people wouldn't know, my father in law once passed off a couple of jacks to his friends in a dutch oven as cottontails and nobody knew the difference! I've also eaten a couple of those huge black-tailed jackrabbits, when I brought a skinned one home my wife thought I had shot a dog! They are pretty wild tasting but you can't tell me the pioneers and Indians didn't survive lots of harsh winters on them.
> ...


.22 mag is the way to go, that extra range is great!! 
Although I will hunt them soon as it is legal!!


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