Steve Merlo: Modern air rifles are ideal for hunting cottontails
| Thursday, Jun 24 2010 05:14 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jun 24 2010 05:14 PM
With cottontail rabbit season starting July 1, hunters will need a valid 2010/2011 hunting license in their immediate possession while chasing the great-eating bunnies. El Nino's effect this wet year has sprung plenty of rabbit-rearing grasses, affording plenty of cover to ensure decent litter survival in the warrens.
Found nationwide, cottontail rabbits are fine sport for both old and young. Defined as resident small game by the DFG, cottontail can be taken with rifles, shotguns and archery, but my favorite way of dispatching the bunnies is with an accurate, scoped air rifle. New advancements in airgun technology have created high speed guns capable of delivering .177-caliber pellets at more than 1,600 feet per second. Considering that most standard and high-speed .22-rimfire rifles leave the barrel at under 1,500-fps, one can see the advantages of high-speed air.
Another great thing about air rifles: they can be used to take resident small game in season, including quail, pheasants, chukars, wild turkeys (.20-caliber and larger only), Eurasian doves and squirrels, while all other rifles, including centerfire and rimfire, are stictly taboo.
Cottontails love heavy cover, and only venture out to feed on the succulent greens that make up most of their diet. With that in mind, hunters can slowly negotiate and stalk the edges of brush piles, rock formations, abandoned houses, fencelines and anything else that provides even a modocum of protection from predators and find plenty of shooting. Using a rest or shooting sticks, head shots allow the shooters to salvage all of the meat, which tastes an awful lot like quail, if only they grew so large. Stealth works here, because the tiny bunnies can get people-smart in a hurry.
Our family enjoys baking our rabbits in onions, garlic, sour cream, butter and rosemary, but fried rabbit still ranks as one of my favorites. I also like to stew them slowly, adding veggies and other ingredients until the meat falls off the bones. We also like to debone the bunnies, cut them into bite size pieces, smother them in barbecue sauce and and bake or grill until done.
Cottontail season extends through January, 2011. The limit is five per day. Jackrabbit season runs all year with no limit, however, a valid hunting license is required to hunt. Some people refuse to eat any rabbits during the summer, but the old wives' tale simply does not hold water because rabbits are in much better shape now than ever. What matters is that the rabbits are skinned and gutted and the meat is quickly refridgerated to protect its delicate flavor.
New hunting products
I'm always looking for new products that outdoorsmen can use to make their hunting burdens a little easier. I never advertise any hunting products unless I feel that product is a world-class addition to the norm that will save people time, money and work and also enhance their overall hunting experiences. Here are several that fit the bill:
Instant Air Rifle Accuracy: I had a recent bit of a problem with my air rifle not shooting where I wanted it to because of a hard-to-pull trigger. Charliedatuna.com cured that problem in a hurry by selling me a new trigger for my hard-shooting Gamo. (About $32) Taking all of 3 minutes to install, the new trigger allowed me to easily shoot sub-minute groups at 50 feet, which is a very, very, very good thing. The new installation, available for most air gun models and calibers, gave me a dream, centerfire-like trigger. The nice, crisp letoff completely overshadowed the once awkward and heavy pull before the minor "operation." It has made all the difference and the "wascally wabbits" will pay dearly, I asssure you.
Crooked Horn Outfitters still a winner
Deer season, beginning in the next few weeks, can mean long, tough hikes and anything that saves the nimrod energy, time and weight is always appreciated. For instance, the first time I used Crooked Horn Outfitters Bino-System, I was thoroughly sold on the way the support worked on my binoculars and I knew it was a winner.
Using the ingeneous shoulder harness, my "hunting eyes" were firmly supported against my chest, were always at my fingertips and have never gotten in the way, even when I was shooting. The system has now become a world-wide, must-have winner in most hunting circles
Since then, I've bought several more of owner Lennis Janzen's products, including his Bino-Shield cover for binoculars, his Ammo Pouch centerfire ammunition holder and his Horn-Wrap tag and license kit, the latter loaded with everything needed to tag big game animals while keeping the inside tags and paperwork clean and dry. The inexpensive kit even includes a pen and a secure strap-on fixture for antlers to prevent tag loss.
Recently, I discovered that Crooked Horn Outfitters has not been content to sit on its past laurels. Janzen's new Trail Light concept clips and locks onto a Bino-System, shirt pocket, pack or hunting vest and then brightly illuminates the hunter's path without ever getting in the way. Small and compact, with rotating bulbs, the Trail Light allows hunters freedom to use their hands for other necessities while heading for the early-morning blind, treestand, climb or nighttime jaunt.
Crooked Horn also offers a plethora of other quality-made products, including waterproof packs, shooting sticks, archery cases, scabbards and scope covers. I highly recommend its products and don't be fooled by the cheap imitations that have shown up.
Insect shield clothing
Here's another product I like the sounds of, but have yet to try it out, though I do like the idea. Nothing ruins an outing faster than a horde of biting or stinging mosquitoes, flies, bees or other insects, and this may be just the answer we've all been seeking.
Good for at least 70 washings, Insect Shield clothing is supposed to work as well as regular liquid insect repellants, though it doesn't smell, itch or get greasy and is very comfortable to wear. I've read quite a bit of on-line hype about the product, and because my wife and I hate any insect interference while we're hunting or fishing, and also hate gels, ointments, greases, sprays and other repellants, we're going to give it a try.
The reasonably-priced products are available in pants, socks, shirts, bandanas and hats, and if they work as advertised, will revolutionize the insect repellant business world-wide.
We'll let you know in a future column, or, if someone else has already beat us to the gun, please let me know how well Insect Shield works.
