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Author Topic: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington  (Read 4406 times)

Offline 71Shovelhead

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cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« on: December 31, 2023, 08:28:04 AM »
Looking for place to hunt cottontails in Southwest Washington. I don't have dogs so it will have to be spot and stalk. The days of driving around and shooting them off the side of the county road has come and gone.
The places I used to go have become overrun with Coyotes or turned into housing.

 

Offline furbearer365

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2023, 08:39:22 AM »
Looking for place to hunt cottontails in Southwest Washington. I don't have dogs so it will have to be spot and stalk. The days of driving around and shooting them off the side of the county road has come and gone.
The places I used to go have become overrun with Coyotes or turned into housing.



Sounds like an easy one......switch your focus to coyotes.  :chuckle:

Offline GWP

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2023, 09:20:42 AM »
We were hunting Yotes for pelts during the 'heyday' in the 70's in Montana. You could actually make some money on them back then. I have no idea what they are worth now, but I am under the impression no hides bring what we were getting back then.
Grandfather had a large mink farm there and did well in the 60's.

I know of one area in Ewa that had a lot of rabbits probably 7-10 years ago. Long walk to get to them, but they were plentiful and within hand gun range. I think there is a wolf pack running around there now though.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2023, 09:26:21 AM by GWP »
Cuterebra are NOT cute!

Offline 71Shovelhead

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2023, 11:50:46 AM »
FB365,
problem is coyote doesn't taste like rabbit. mange makes their pelts worthless.

Offline 71Shovelhead

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2023, 02:43:04 PM »
Thanks H399.
I know the politics of our wildlife management and where rabbits like to be and how to hunt them, what I don't know is a place that currently holds a huntable number of rabbits that I could check out.


Offline hunter399

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2023, 02:48:35 PM »
Thanks H399.
I know the politics of our wildlife management and where rabbits like to be and how to hunt them, what I don't know is a place that currently holds a huntable number of rabbits that I could check out.
Plenty public land north bound.
Last rabbit I seen was at dark,last days of rifle deer.
That sucker was completely white already,no snow.
Again sorry,I'll fix it the best I can.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2023, 02:56:26 PM by hunter399 »

Offline Goshawk

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2024, 10:32:19 AM »
Thanks H399.
I know the politics of our wildlife management and where rabbits like to be and how to hunt them, what I don't know is a place that currently holds a huntable number of rabbits that I could check out.
Plenty public land north bound.
Last rabbit I seen was at dark,last days of rifle deer.
That sucker was completely white already,no snow.
Again sorry,I'll fix it the best I can.

If it was white, it wasn't a rabbit. It's a hare.
You'll never get a Big'un if you keep shooting Little'un's.

Offline Goshawk

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2024, 06:03:00 PM »
Looking for place to hunt cottontails in Southwest Washington. I don't have dogs so it will have to be spot and stalk. The days of driving around and shooting them off the side of the county road has come and gone.
The places I used to go have become overrun with Coyotes or turned into housing.

Did you ever get any good leads on Rabbits? I've a couple of spots in the Kelso area that after two days of brush beating have yet to yield anything, and that's with a dog!!!  One spot along the Cowlitz River usually is good for at least a few chases, but today nothing but coyote and cat sign; NUTS!
You'll never get a Big'un if you keep shooting Little'un's.

Offline metlhead

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2024, 02:19:51 PM »
Knock on doors. Any large farms with fencerows should have plenty of bunnies. Got a boat? Check out Cottonwood Island. Seen beagle guys running it.

Offline Threewolves

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2024, 10:29:30 AM »
Make friends with hunters that have beagles. Been a while, but they just wanted to run their dogs. They were shooting at  rabbits with sling shots just to keep them moving.

Mostly hunting any places with broom brush with gravel roads. The rabbits would be about 20 feet in front of the dogs. JBLM and skookumchuk areas

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Offline pianoman9701

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2024, 11:24:48 AM »
There are some over at Shilapoo hunting area. Just be aware there will be ticked off goose hunters.
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Offline Goshawk

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2024, 05:49:11 PM »
There are some over at Shilapoo hunting area. Just be aware there will be ticked off goose hunters.

Thanks for the lead, but I sure wouldn't want to mess up someone's waterfowl hunting day with a barking dog and a belled hawk.
Sounds interesting enough to check out. Thanks again.
You'll never get a Big'un if you keep shooting Little'un's.

Offline CastleRocker

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Re: cottontail hunt in Southwest Washington
« Reply #12 on: November 26, 2024, 09:27:01 AM »
Used to have a buddy with two beagles, was a blast, and the only time I've ever got a limit of Cottentails.   Nowdays I wait for snow, and go to the state land up out of 12 mile.  I use a 22 pistol, and just hike around, and track them in the snow.  I use my binocs to glass them up under the little trees out in a clearcut. Not the most productive way, but it's kinda fun.
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