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Shorty and the Biggest Buck Rabbits!

by Randie & Miriam Jones :: Featured: January, 2002

Wow, I thought I had seen BIG Rabbits before. There is one spot that one of my hunting partners (Don Hannah) and myself were blessed with to actually hunt this year that holds the BIGGEST BUCK RABBITS I have ever seen. These Rabbits weigh at least 15-20 pounds, almost as big as our hounds. All the years I have been hunting I have never seen any this big! We were invited to hunt this 65 acre area by some old friends down in West Point, Georgia. The land sets adjacent to a Railroad Track, so I was skeptical about hunting that particular area.

The following day I loaded my best hound (Shorty) and went to walk the land over just to see what it was like. Pulling in to the gate off the road you can get a good lay of the land, so I sat in my truck for a few moments to check it out . Picture if you will, 65 acres of pasture land that is over grown, very few trees, and 2 ponds fenced off by barbwire fencing. To the north of the property is the railroad track, and swamp bottom. To the west is swamp bottom. To the south is more pastures and to the east is the road. I thought out loud as I open the dog box for Shorty,, just don't see how a place like this could hold any Rabbits, but you will let me know won't you old man? We walked along the fence lines hoping to jump a Sager where the land makes a drastic change from a nice hay field to a wet marshland. I decided to go straight through the middle. It was hard hunting the big thick grass clumps accompanied by sage and briers, but in no time Shorty had one up and running! The rabbit made a rather large circle and then cut right through the middle. I thought to myself, "definitely not a sage Rabbit, it has got to be a swamper!" I positioned myself along a long brier head, next to a wet area and hoped to get a shot. Shorty was in rare form this day-- guess scenting conditions were great. There were hardly any checks and by the sound in Shorty's voice this track was hot and he would bring him by soon. Well, after another circle or two the rabbit left with Shorty in hot pursuit! I mean he just left! Shorty went clean out of hearing and it was a good 10 or 15 minutes before I heard him again. He had finally turned him and was bringing him straight to me. I knew the Rabbit was way out in front of Shorty so I got my gun on ready. By the way,I hunt with a .410 Gauge single shot.
I could hear Shorty chopping on the track harder than I'd ever heard. The rabbit was very close. My heart was pounding as it does each and every race at hunting season. I saw the rabbit coming! I thought "man he's big". Right through the brier head he came. I'd already decided my shot just the other side of the brier head where there was an opening enough to get a clean shot. BLAM! I rolled the rabbit. Thinking I had got him I turned and watched old Shorty bringing the track on. He was dead on the line as usual and chopping away. Shorty got to the spot where I shot the Rabbit and kept on going. I shouted out loud, "no way I missed that rabbit."

I saw him flip and even saw hair fly, but Shorty kept on going. After another 45 minutes of running I cut Shorty off and headed for the truck. I couldn't wait to get home and call Don to tell him about this place. He didn't believe a word I told him. No way a Rabbit is that big he says. I told him to pick me up at 7:00am the next morning and I would show him.

The next day we turned out at the same spot. The first two rabbits Don completely missed--yes I ragged him about missing the same way he does me. The third rabbit, old Shorty got up and I knew this one was mine. After a short time I got a clean shot and the same thing the Rabbit kept going. But this time Don was there to back me up. BLAM,BLAM,BLAM... I heard his sweet 16 gauge ring out. I shouted, "did you get him?". Don asked, did I have a crane in my pocket. He said we'd need one to get this rabbit out of here. As the day went on we got 3 more Rabbits and had a great hunt.

This is one place I'll never forget! I only took one rabbit home but God knows I had a great time. Truly, these are the BIGGEST BUCK RABBITS I have ever seen.

Until our next hunt,

Keep on running and may God bless.