Rabbits and Squirrels

[Santiago]

This season I plan to focus on small game hunting in southern NY. I just picked up my first .22 and I can wait to get out there. Any don't plan on using dogs for the rabbits but I wanted to see if anyone had any tips or advice for southern NY small game hunting. 

[EspressoBuzz]

Put the .22 away and get a .410 bore or 20 gauge.

[BKhunter]

I went rabbit hunting for the first time last year and didn't use dogs we walked all day and only saw one.... I had a 22 and he moved into thick brush. Listen to espresso above if I had a 20 gauge I would have hit him on the run but the 22 wouldn't shot into the brush....I plan on getting back out there this year. I might bring the 22 for squirrels in September but never again for rabbit. Squirrels be very quiet and move very slow sometimes even just sit and look into the trees rabbits without a dog your going to have to trample on the thick brush piles and hope to jump them out. Good luck hope that helps.... I'm still trying to learn myself.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ants]

If you're not using a dog, then definitely go with a shotgun over a .22. As a kid I had good luck, kicking out rabbits , by stomping through brush piles and thick stuff on the edge of wet areas. Ponds or swampy areas. 

[kpkot]

I dont use a dog for rabbits. I have a shotgun. I jump on brush piles and walk thick thick cover. Usually do quite well, sometimes two or three are in one brush pile.

[kpkot]

I dont use a dog for rabbits. I have a shotgun. I jump on brush piles and walk thick thick cover. Usually do quite well, sometimes two or three are in one brush pile.

[Santiago]

Thanks for all of the advice. I have a 12 gauge and after some research I hear #6 shot should be good. BKHunter where did you hunt rabbits last year?

[BKhunter]

I was up in columbia county on a farm up there. I walked the edges of the crop fields and any other thick piles I could find in between fields.

[Elmo]

I don't use a dog. Unless you want to call Shawnhu a dog. We take turns. One guy pushes while the other waits. It's like a deer drive.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DirtTime]

I am not a big fan of the .22. Rabbits run and so will squirrels. I agree with using a shotgun. A 20ga is great, but a 12 will be fine. Use #6 or #5 shot.

[GreeneHunter]

Absent of Child labor Laws ... I used to use my son to walk around the trees when we were Squirreling !

[Jaeger]

Interesting!  Most replies here are directed to Rabbits.  What about the squirrels guys?!!

 

They are fun too, and taste great.  

 

In the early season with the leaves on the trees, I'd go with a shotgun.  After the leaf fall, they are more skittish and the reach of a .22 is helpful.  But only if you're a good careful shot.  Those bullets can travel a long ways.

 

My first hunting was mostly Squirrel on long Island with a shotgun.  More access and less competition on public land.

 

I'm hoping to get out a few times this year with Schatz, and let her chase them up the trees for me.

 

Good luck!

[Paula]

I use 410 for both rabbit and squirrel

[Elmo]

12 gauge for rabbits, 22 for squirrels. Rabbits will run so there's really no way around the shotgun. Squirrels, I just hate picking out pellets. 22 double lung or head shots makes cleaning up a lot easier. You'll lose some squirrels during the fall because they won't give you a clear open shot or they're not sitting still but hunting isn't always about getting the kill every single time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Two Track]

Shotgun for rabbit and squirrel, especially since the closest area for me to hunt is no guns until Nov, the next area (Stewart) is no rifles -period.

 

7 1/2 or 6's are good for rabbit and squirrel, and if pheasant is around, 6's do well for them too.

 

Head-shots are great if you can get them, 

 

Just don't shoot a rabbit 10 feet away  or less with 7 1/2's.  makes a big hole and a bloody mess to carry around.  Not enough distance to allow the shot spread out at all.  At least that wasn't my rabbit, that was my dad's bloody messy to carry out.

 

My sister was our dog for rabbit hunting, until she realized she was just there to kick the brush for us.  She really couldn't shoot anyway and was too young to hunt at the time.

[BKhunter]

Honestly you can sit in your tree stand and see tons of squirrels and just plink them with the 22....lots of fun and tasty......Rabbits I will never again take the 22 as I said above shotgun from here on out.

[DirtTime]

Question. Do you have a days when you just hunt squirrel, and other days just rabbits? When I small game hunt I stay on the lookout for rabbit, squirrel, grouse. and other game in season at the same time. Hence why I prefer a shotgun of at least 20ga. A Shotgun is universal. 

[Skillet]

There's a lot of days I'm out looking specifically for squirrels. If I'm in a new area where I might jump a bunny, I take the model 12. Most of my good squirrel spots don't really have rabbits tho, so I take the 22 most often. I like being able to still hunt the squirrels & take long shots. If carrying the 22 costs me a rabbit, I'm ok with that.

[bowslinger]

if you can find one get a combo gun

 

[BKhunter]

I have a circuit judge that holds 410 slug/shot and can also chamber 45 long colt.... Nice little ranch gun.... While small gaming you can drop in either the slug or long colt for yotes or any other pesky critters

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Two Track]

These days rabbits are just if the opportunity is there.  The coyotes and foxes  seem have reduced their numbers around me.  Only see one two after dark. in a month's time during season.

 

Growing up (not in NY) small game we hunted was rabbit, dove, and quail.

 

Since moving here and not really see rabbits while out hunting in first two seasons here, I look for squirrel and pheasant.

[skeron]

Look for tall grass. In the fall/winter when it dies down you'll find rabbits hiding in them. Also any old apple trees will hold them around. Went last year on a couple of public spots in Delaware close to the Sullivan border for the goof. As I walked around rabbits and grouse both flushed. No dog jut me and a 12 gauge. Got 2 rabbits and one grouse...could have had more but I kept missing the gouse and got to lazy to look for more rabbits.

[turkeyfeathers]

I've had good success by jumping on brush piles for bunnies and using the shotgun but probably more success on cold sunny days with the .22. Bunnies will be out sunning themselves in "bunny brush" .  

Squirrel hunting minus leaves on the trees has always been a .22 and head shots. Watch that you have a backstop  when shooting up though.

[Deleted]

Congrats on your new rifle Santiago. What specifically did you get?

 

Hunting with a beagle is my favorite way to hunt rabbits, but I've done a lot of hunting without one too.

 

I used to do quite a bit of still hunting for rabbits with a .22, once there was snow on the ground. I'd sneak around in good cover, and try to spot them sitting. It's fun, but I got more shooting opportunities by kicking them out of brush piles, blowdowns, and and other heavy cover, and shooting them on the run with a shotgun.

 

Like some of the others said, two or more people hunting together, driving, or walking side by side in good cover, produces too.

 

My favorite way to hunt squirrels has always been to sit quietly on a beach ridge, or along the edge of a cornfield somewhere where they're feeding. I pay close attention to where they fall when I shoot one, but stay where I am. Any others that are around, will get over the scare before long and go back to feeding.

 

Good luck, and have fun.

 

 

 

 

[EspressoBuzz]

On Long island it's only shotgun or air gun and the squirrel season starts two months later, but Westchester is also shotgun only. I get more service out of my .410 on L.I. and only use the 20 gauge for turkey. Since the air gun rule change that allows for hunting with a over 600fps air gun I use the air rifle much more very late in the rabbit and squirrel season on L.I. IF, you make time to learn the rules L.I. can be fun to hunt, and I can be out in the field in 30 mins or less!