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The Etiquettes of Rabbit Hunting

by Von Locklear :: Featured: September, 2002

1. The hunter must have all required hunting licences and permits.

2. Do not turn dogs out in close proximity of another hunting party. For example, By Saying, “Well sir, I had planned to hunt here all summer. Now look! Somebody else beat us here. I am still running and hunting my dogs here regardless of what they say or what happens. ” This usually results in the ruin of both parties’ hunts for the day and cause’s ill feeling toward another party.

3. Do not plan a hunt with friends or be invited to a hunt; then invite or bring several folks that do not have dogs and not accustom with hunting dogs, but just want rabbit meat. Most folks that do not have dogs misunderstand that hunting is a grave training time for young dogs. For example, once on a hunt there where several people who did not have dogs, but came to the rabbit hunt. They were invited by only one of the four hunters that was in the group and the other hunters were upset, but decide to hunt anyway. Five minutes after the drop of the tailgate the best dog had been shot. The dog had jumped two rabbits at the same time the meat hunter shot the rabbit on the jump, he missed the rabbit and hit the dog three feet behind the last rabbit. The dog just made it back to the truck to be reloaded. After weeks of treatment the dog healed, but was shy when others except the owner entered the woods. Two hours into the hunt any game that moved got shot: doves, squires, quail and foxes. That was the worst hunt that I have ever been on in my life.

4. Do not go hunting in a location where you know some hunters train and condition his/her puppies and dogs. For instance, a fellow hunter and friend stocked the woods behind his house by buying rabbits from people that had running pens and raising his own rabbits. After one hunting season the rabbits were gone. The hunters, cats, birds and stray dogs ended what was the best starting pen without the wire that I know and the rabbits have never recovered years later. If you must hunt in your friend’s backyard be kind and only harvest one or two rabbits. Will you welcome groups of hunters in your backyard sanitary for a full day’s harvest of rabbits?

5. Please keep the area you hunt clean so if you do not own the land the owner will not have complaints about hunts on the land and then place no hunting signs to keep people off and from asking to hunt their property.

6. You must have fun and keep the legacy of rabbit hunting around for years to come.

In closing, the etiquettes of rabbit hunting will help keep making the hunts more enjoyable for all that participate.

Von D. Locklear