Thursday, February 06, 2003


Brag and I had looked forward to Sunday’s rabbit hunt since the last one on that property. It was on the last day of last year’s rabbit season that we bagged 18 rabbits being run by only 2 dogs, Judy and Fat Maggie.

Judy, belonging to Cuz, by way of Uncle NoPass, is one of the best rabbit dogs around. Short legged with a kind of terrier head setting on a low slung body, she had the sweetest disposition except when it came to rabbits.

Then the Attitude presented itself. Fat Maggie looks like… well, like Fat Maggie.
She is cursed with a nose that is too good and a body that is to slow. She is also showing some age. Here lately she has been back trailing a lot and barks continuously like she is trailing. The best way to tell if she’s lying is to watch for Judy. If Judy goes to her, she’s telling the truth.

Brag and I put on our chaps waded into the nearly impenetrable tangles behind Maggie and Judy. Judy was soon in hot pursuit while Maggie lagged father and father behind till it sounded like she had left the track for another one. One of the young Bucks with us nailed him after multiple shots.

You can often tell the age difference between shooters by the number of shots. Most of the older shooters with semi’s seem to only fire one or two shots versus the twenty-early thirty something emptying a five shot magazine at a dodging twisting bunny like it was a video game. Most older shooters seem embarrassed if it takes two shots. Different perspectives, I suppose.
Ok, I’m profiling with a grain of truth. I have to say though that I‘ve done my share of multiple misses. Back when I was a young buck. Now, I only miss twice since I’m using a double barrel.

I didn’t get hot till in the afternoon. I gave Cuz’s son, a rabbit foot that Cuz had given me sometime in the past so I could, maybe, hit a rabbit. I had hung it on my vest. Now, giving it back, I told him to tell Cuz I wanted one that worked.

I was standing on a small firebreak with a Gator on either side of me, thick brush in front of me and briars behind me when I heard some thing and looked down. A rabbit had hopped out into the firebreak only a couple of yards from me. Instead of bolting for the briars and safety, he flipped back in the direction he had came from. I never put the gun to my shoulder. I just twisted the barrel and fired a single shot. In front of two Gators full of witnesses.

A few minute later, Brag jumped a rabbit out of a briar patch and it came by me juking left and right moving at warp speed. The Fox 16ga touched my shoulder on target and I rolled him…in front of witnesses. Again. How sweet.

The third one collapsed in mid leap for the safety of a briar patch as Brag looked on.

Final score: 10 rabbits/3 mine

Looks like those rabbit feet aren’t any luckier for the rabbits than they are for me.