[PAUplandHunter]

I am hunting tomorrow for NJ's rabbit opener. Anyone ever eat early season rabbit? Hopefully I'll shoot a dozen and post my pics...

 

[Clinton County]

Good luck! We will be watching for the pics!

 

[Rabbit Runner]

Go get em
We will be out next weekend in NY and the week after in VT.
Just get the meat cooled and it will be fine.
Don't carry around an unskinned rabbit for 5 or 6 hours on a 70 deg. day and expect it to taste good.

Time to run some hounds !!!

John L

 

[timberdoodle]

The season for rabbit, hare and jackrabbit, which opened September 26, remains open.

The cottontail is one of New Jersey's most popular game species. They prefer a variety of cover types, so hunting efforts should be directed to areas where fields, woodlots and hedgerow intersperse. A hound, typically beagle or basset, is not essential but increases the likelihood of success and adds to the overall enjoyment of the hunt. Number 6 fine shot is a good choice. Descendants of hares and jackrabbits introduced during the mid-20th century may still exist in small numbers, particularly in Hunterdon/Warren counties.

The daily bag limit is four cottontails, 1 hare and 1 jackrabbit. There is no season limit. Firearm hunting is prohibited November 6 on those Wildlife Management Areas designated as Pheasant and Quail Stamp areas. Hunting hours are 8:00 AM to ½ hour after sunset on November 7 and thereafter from sunrise to ½ hour after sunset until the season concludes on February 15


????

 

[PAUplandHunter]

I started hunting around 3:30. It was about 90 degrees and buggy. I am glad we carried a lot of water. We got about 4 chases. I shot a buck rabbit. It was extremely hard to see them considering the thick summer conditions. This was my first time hunting so early. It was fun and I'll do it again.

 

[treed74]

Wont some of them still have warbles? I won;t eat one with a warble, and they are gone after the first good frost.

Too hot to hunt rabbits in 90 degrees, like it nice and cool and the dogs don;t wear out so fast.

 

[dukethebeagle]

from the MICHIGAN DNR website:


There is little doubt that the warble can have a debilitating and possibly fatal effect on some animals, particularly young ones. It has been suggested that warbles may actually depress cottontail populations during years when the incidence of parasitism is high and infections are heavy. This parasite is of no public health significance and properly cooked meat from infected animals is safe to eat.
Now you can eat them

 

[timberdoodle]

 

[Rabbit Runner]

Tom

You crack me up !!!!

John L

 

[timberdoodle]

Have a great season John & Jane don't drink too many warbles!!

 

[PAUplandHunter]

The season for rabbit, hare and jackrabbit, which opened September 26, remains open.

The cottontail is one of New Jersey's most popular game species. They prefer a variety of cover types, so hunting efforts should be directed to areas where fields, woodlots and hedgerow intersperse. A hound, typically beagle or basset, is not essential but increases the likelihood of success and adds to the overall enjoyment of the hunt. Number 6 fine shot is a good choice. Descendants of hares and jackrabbits introduced during the mid-20th century may still exist in small numbers, particularly in Hunterdon/Warren counties.

The daily bag limit is four cottontails, 1 hare and 1 jackrabbit. There is no season limit. Firearm hunting is prohibited November 6 on those Wildlife Management Areas designated as Pheasant and Quail Stamp areas. Hunting hours are 8:00 AM to ½ hour after sunset on November 7 and thereafter from sunrise to ½ hour after sunset until the season concludes on February 15


????

DO you know if anyone ever shoots any jackrabbits or snowshoe hare in NJ? I guess there are snowshoes in the NW part of NJ, but jack rabbits?

 

[timberdoodle]

This is a jack rabbit (european hare) from Hunterdon Co.

If ya shoot one shoot it late in day as they are quite heavy carrying them around in your game pouch!!

The Tewksbury Foot Bassetts used to come up and chase them with hounds. quite a site to see! You can look them up on the net.

There are some jackrabbits in Hunterdon Morris Somerset counties that I know of; there maybe other pockets throughout the State.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1129420/index.htm

 

[Clinton County]

I always thought they weren't good to eat, jackrabbits that is. Are they?

 

[timberdoodle]

I just shot that one with a camera. never would shoot them as they were not plentiful. The word was they were extremely tough from the few I knew who did take one or two. It was they who told me to shoot em late in the day!

 

[PAUplandHunter]

Here is my hunt pic..I finally figured out how to post pics...We ate the rabbit...it tasted good..no problem with the meat..

 

[timberdoodle]