I only had one serious chance to end my personal drought today and I didn’t take it. It wasn’t because the rabbit was to close and I wanted the shot to be "more sporting" though I will tell you that. And it wasn’t because the rabbit was to close and I didn’t want to ruin the meat. And I will tell you that. But the real reason was that I wasn’t sure how big the shot pattern would be at four to six inches and I couldn’t figure out how I would explain to you people how I managed to shoot myself in the foot. Not that it would surprise most.

The doubts I had about "the other side of the road" hunt on Brown Road were quickly erased as I stood in the calf high briars watching a trail where I suspected the rabbit being run would come. At least, one of the rabbits. Five minutes into the hunt and we had multiple rabbits going. The pack was burning up the trail, but still no sign of the rabbit. Hearing a rustle, I looked down at my feet to see a rabbit crawling through the calf high vines and briars only a few inches from my boot. The eye rolled up at me and widened slightly as it dawned on him that “it” wasn’t a stump.
By the time the gun came around and a foot saving decision to hold fire till I had a more “sporting” shot was made, he was out of sight behind a hump and gone.
Why, no.
Why would you think I didn’t shoot because of shock at the sudden appearance and indecision after missing the last several shots including some that were ridiculously easy instead of me giving the rabbit a sporting chance..
The dogs turned and continued to run the rabbit they were on.

Cuz’s Boy and I jockeyed for position across a thin strip of planted pines that was clean with nary a limb on the pine straw. Cuz’s Boy was at my 2 o’clock at the far right corner when I saw the rabbit in the clear directly in front of me. When I took my eyes off him for a sec, he completely disappeared. I directed Cuz’s Boy to the spot where I last saw him. Nothing. Cuz’s Boy and I called the dogs over from where they had lost the trail. Nothing.
As we worked our way to the left edge, Cuz’s Boy gave a yell and a point…with his finger, the .410 pump dangling in his left hand. “There he goes.” I turned to see the rabbit making a mad dash into the briar and vine bed where I had saw the first rabbit. How did that rabbit hide in the open from two humans and four dogs (remember multiple rabbits going)?

For the morning “we” got 6
Tommy 3
Lenny 2
Brag 1
Rimfire well you know I don’t keep up with such.
After a souse-meat lunch, we couldn’t buy a rabbit. Finally, along about 3:30, we left for Crawford. The "we" in this case was Tiny, Lenny, Cuz's Boy, Brag and myself. Cuz and Rye wimped out. Something about a hockey game Cuz was supposed to take his wife to and Rye said he was riding with Cuz.

The dogs jumped not far from the truck and took eight of the dogs took off on a race that was in the thickest tangles I’ve seen in a long time. Lady, Cu'z dog by way of Uncle NoPass, was busy running one by herself.
At times I could see the top of the dog’s tails only yards from me, but of course never the rabbit running around under the cover. No, one didn’t try to hide next to my foot thinking it was a stump. At least I don’t think so but he had to have passed close on several different occasions. Finaly near dark, the dogs lost the trail near a beaver pond. Brag and I tried to lead them out but the dogs scented a rabbit and were trying to work out the trail with me urging them to come on. I had no wish to be in those tangles after dark. I finally had to go back and tote Judy for a good ways before setting her back down. The sun was setting as we rolled through the gates, leaving both the Crawford property and Rabbit Season 05-06 behind us.