Takin' my nephew out for some jack-rabbit huntin' tomrrow. Can't wait as it's been a couple months since I've hunted anything. Taking my ol' Winchester 12ga. pump and a couple boxes of #4. And, my snake-chaps. Rattler's are going bonkers right now. Maybe I'll get a couple skins for my hats.

Stay tuned....man, I can't wait!

I was hiking a CA trail near your local and met a rattlesnake on the trail. I jumped back and he coiled up rattling!! Boy was he loud. The only good thing about the encounter is he continued to rattle as he slithered so I knew when he was gone! Next hike I was on ALERT!

Hunt safely stovepipe!

Told ya bout them rattlers man... they are THICK out here.

Oh I so got some Jack's sunday... woot! Stay tuned fer a story.

Got to the spot 0730. Jack-a-Bunnies galore on patrol. Easy to pick them out with the low sun shining through their ears but, they were on to any movement and boing!
Gone.
If I'd had my .22lr I could have sniped some that were out of range for the pop-gun but, we ain't allowed to hunt Jack's with same for some reason, shotgun only.
So I scouted and walked trying to flush some stragglers and got a few runners but I missed them or let them go due to the distance and cover. My nephew also could not make it after all, he was gonna be my flanker so... that kinda put the kibosh on the AM hunt.

Tried a couple of other spots and connected once. Then, took a break and waited for the heat to come on and chase them into shadier spots.

Went to spot #3, found a stand of Joshua trees with some clearings between cover. The temp was going over 90* by now and the sun was straight up. They were all out of the heat by now and holding well. The spot looked promising and I hoped my strategy would pay off.

Got one to bolt about 2 mins. in, nice right crosser. First round I saw the shot column hit the dirt and he was smack in the middle at 40y or so. Kept pumping and increased the lead swinging and pumping 'till I was out. I know I got him but he kept on trucking. Found him in the flats about 50y from the hit. The #4 did it's job but these things are so fast they keep on trucking lest ya break a leg or get a bean-shot.
I was in a good spot and was getting runners to bolt at 30 and 40y so I was able to connect some more, miss and let a few go out of range/behind cover.

Let that spot settle down and headed over to spot's 1 and 2 and they were on to me then, and I was pretty done by then, too.

All in all a great little hunt and the action was pretty good for a while.
Pretty challenging in cover, especially w/o a flanker. With a partner or two we could have really cleaned up.

The quail were mocking me as well. Darting all around, pit-pitting, calling, running all over.
Gotta wait 4 more months for them...man they look good too with all the rains we've had.

This may sound a little odd but I was pretty happy to be using my Winchester Defender 1300, not a field gun, I know, but I wanted to use something different and I have not had that gun out since I think 1989 or '90 and I've never hunted with it that I can recall.

I made a magazine plug from a plastic coat hanger center section that limited my tube to 2 so I'd be legal.
It looks a little odd carrying a pop-gun with a 12" tube and a mag the same length, almost like a short O/U.

Ya also need to REALLY mind that muzzle, for obvious reasons as you can end up looking down your own bore w/o too much trouble. Pay's to pay attention. Safety first!

The choke is fixed cylinder bore and I was using ancient Federal Hi-Power hi-brass #4 loads.
This thing handles like a cut off broomstick. Man, is it fast. The action is super slick too and pumps better than anything.
The gun is almost 100%, sans bluing getting faded from the pump slider.
It's flat awesome in the tight stuff.
I've had this puppy forever and it's probably the first one I'd grab (w/ my 1911) if things went really bad as it holds 8 rounds and shoots 3" slugs. Nice to have on a camping trip.
It carries a bit butt-heavy w/ only 2 in the tube, and the wrist is a little thick, but overall it's pretty light at 6.5# empty.
It's a real treat to shoot, too.

Here's a couple shots of the Jack-popper with some of them hi-brass #4 rounds, a new Pelican torch that uses AA battery's, and an NRA knife.
And- a representative ear from a Jack.

Good hunting guys and gals!

- kevin.

Old school Defender w/ goodies....

What, no comments/questions about using an old school, wrong-tool-fer-the-job, corn cob pumper onna wabbit hunt?

I shot Sporting Clays with a double, rabbit-ear, coach gun with 20" barrels so who am I to knock your choice?!? By the way, I didn't score so well but I had fun!

I got tired of picking shot out of my meat so switched to 22lr for hunting rabbits. But you say that is not allowed in CA?

Stovey old mate...well done on a great day of hunting.

Mate, it makes no difference if'n ya use a "corn cob pumper" or an "artillery piece"...if it achieved the aim, and ya had a good time, well mate...that's all that matters. Hey, don't fergit Gelan huntin' and head shootin' bunnies with his 45.70 BLOOPHER.

Seriously though mate...a shotgun is a shotgun is a shotgun. They all do pretty much the same thing, its just that some excel in areas where others don't.

Bit of a shame about the .22LR mate. Nothing better than sitting back with a pocket full of sub-sonic rounds, sniping a rabbit warren or hide...magnificent fun and sport.

Cheers, Vince

Stove, when you want to have fun, do the same trip again but now with rounds you loaded yourself with blackpowder. Remember: same volume blackpowder as shot. And for wadding you take 3 or 4 pieces of toiletpaper, depending on the hight you need to make a nice starcrimp.

You will discover how difficult this is. I don't use a pump, I use a double barrel shotgun, always shoot twice and then just wait till the clouds are gone to discover I missed again. I'm not alowed to do this very often because my dog starts making jokes otherwise

And that's what I miss in your story: where's your dog? When you don't have one, your nephew should. When not, he can always play dog himself and learn to appreciate dog-work.




Remember you were fishing for comments?

Aloysius wrote:

I use a double barrel shotgun, always shoot twice and then just wait till the clouds are gone to discover I missed again.

Visions of Elmer Fudd are dancing in my head!

Vince wrote:

Bit of a shame about the .22LR mate. Nothing better than sitting back with a pocket full of sub-sonic rounds, sniping a rabbit warren or hide...magnificent fun and sport. Cheers, Vince

It's strange, the law says we can only use shotgun. Makes no sense to me. I could head-snipe these guys w/ a .22 pretty easy for an ultra-clean kill.
I still getta kick outta Glen and the 45-70.

Aloyisus- No dog. No nephew either. Maybe I should change deoderant?
I've heard of some using begals out here. Never used a dog for hare. How do ya keep from shooting the thing by accident if it's chasing a bunny and hot on it's arse cutting in and out of weeds?

Stove, I can see your problem... you have difficulties hitting a rabbit but you might shoot your dog... in that case you better let your nephew play dog, at least he can shoot back

Now serious: when you have a good dog, he (or she) will point your rabbit, you can push it out or your dog can do that for you (depending on what you teach him) and then he should stop (or go down or sit) till you shoot your rabbit and order him to get it for you.

All this is not going to be possible with the first dog you train, you yourself have to learn from your dogs first before you can become friend and master, but the reward will get bigger for each dog you train...

Ah, OK, so it's like birding...they point, bunny scoots etc....

Dog had better be stealthy out here...these Jack's are super wise and don't hold well. But, again, never used a dog for same so I could be wrong...

I also just rechecked my local laws. I can use a .22lr north of the county line I normally hunt right on. So- AM session's are gonna include the scoped .22lr for sniping when they are milling around then the pop-gun can come into play for the afternoon stuff on the southern side.

Yippeee!

Elvis wrote:

Stovepipe try a box of 36grm #3s they are just the ducks nuts on bunnies and have better range. just my humble opinion and my favourite load by far.

Took yer advice...but in steel, can't get lead here in that size. Super fast at 1550 FPS. 7/8oz, 20ga. gonna give them a whirl in my old school 20ga pumper non-plated barrel Saturday. Should work a treat at intended ranges. Checked my choke too- ok for steel. Let ya know how it goes.

Makin' some room for trophy ears on the mantle tonight.