Way too big shot unless you're after jack-rabbits (hares in the UK) Nothing ever bigger than #6. Preferably 7 & 1/2 shot.
Sustainability of Rabbit populations
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Way too big shot unless you're after jack-rabbits (hares in the UK) Nothing ever bigger than #6. Preferably 7 & 1/2 shot.
Pretty good BBQed too. Also in a real (as in the original with rabbit and squirrel, rather than chicken and pork) Brunswick Stew.
Too much. #4 knocks them down and the fewer pellets are easy to find. 7.5 is far too many, too small & too little shock value.
Yeah I killed god knows how many rabbits and squirrels with a 410 and later a 20 gauge before I was old enough to handle a 12.
I never had a problem with either of the smaller shot sizes. There's a reason #6 is labelled and sold as rabbit & squirrel shot (and is the most used size down here at least) 7 & 1/2 is normally sold as a higher speed bird shot but it's been my go to choice for all small game for over 45 years.
Yeah I killed god knows how many rabbits and squirrels with a 410 and later a 20 gauge before I was old enough to handle a 12.
I never had a problem with either of the smaller shot sizes. There's a reason #6 is labelled and sold as rabbit & squirrel shot (and is the most used size down here at least) and #4 is sold as duck & goose shot (or it was until the ban on lead shot for waterfowl forced bigger sizes of steel shot to keep the same lethality) We don't have grouse in the south.
7 & 1/2 is normally sold as a higher speed bird shot but it's been my go to choice for all small game for over 45 years. Not so heavy as to destroy a bobwhite but plenty of oomph to knock down a high flying dove or squirrels and most rabbits (a little light for big jackrabbits but we don't really have those here)
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Are you sure you (or whoever dresses out your rabbits) are removing both gall bladder and all glands properly? and easing the urine out of the tract before handling? The only time I've ever had a bitter taste from them is when they've not been done correctly. I find it a pleasant, mild-tasting and often sweetish meat...................
I've usually experienced an "aftertaste" but only with domesticated rabbits, and even then, like you, I've found it sweetish rather than bitter.
Cooked up in a stew with red wine, Portuguese style, benefits the after taste beautifully; most game has an after taste, one of the reasons its usually cooked with strong flavours (and why its got to be cooked with allot of care, over cooked/dried out game isnt pleasant)
I hope our local bush-bunnies do well without any interference on my part.
My preference is to watch a pair of adult lynx supervise the play of their kittens.
10 minutes by the clock. I have a very good idea where the den is in a very steep forested hill-side.
I hunt nothing within 1/2 mile of there since I've seen them twice. Those old adults could well be dead and gone by now.
Sure hope that the den continues to be occupied.
My preference is to watch a pair of adult lynx supervise the play of their kittens.
10 minutes by the clock. I have a very good idea where the den is in a very steep forested hill-side.
I hunt nothing within 1/2 mile of there since I've seen them twice. Those old adults could well be dead and gone by now.
Sure hope that the den continues to be occupied.
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