# Hunt rabbit with pointer/flusher?



## ACRAthens (Nov 6, 2012)

I harvested a deer on a new 100-acre family land in Monroe this Saturday and scared up a number of cottontails while stalking. I've been wanting to learn more about rabbit hunting for a few years now and have not yet had the chance to get out in the field.

I'm looking for someone in the area who might want to come hunt the family land one morning and rustle up some cottontails. I'm especially interested in learning from those that hunt with one dog - more like a "walk and jump" method using pointers or flushers. I'd like to tag along to see how its done and ask some questions.

If you think you might be interested, please let me know.

Thanks!


----------



## Nitram4891 (Nov 6, 2012)

ACRAthens said:


> I harvested a deer on a new 100-acre family land in Monroe this Saturday and scared up a number of cottontails while stalking. I've been wanting to learn more about rabbit hunting for a few years now and have not yet had the chance to get out in the field.
> 
> I'm looking for someone in the area who might want to come hunt the family land one morning and rustle up some cottontails. I'm especially interested in learning from those that hunt with one dog - more like a "walk and jump" method using pointers or flushers. I'd like to tag along to see how its done and ask some questions.
> 
> ...



Not a lot of people here will use their pointing dogs for fur but it is common in Europe.  You don't rely on the dog running the rabbit like with beagles, but rely only on the dog jumping/pointing the rabbit and you being able to shoot it immediately.  

Good luck finding someone!


----------



## namrettes (Nov 6, 2012)

Find someone with a Brittany. They are whats known as flash pointers. They will usually flush instead of point. Most of them dont know the difference between a rabbit and a quail anyway. LOL


----------



## GLS (Nov 6, 2012)

namrettes said:


> Find someone with a Brittany. They are whats known as flash pointers. They will usually flush instead of point. Most of them dont know the difference between a rabbit and a quail anyway. LOL



You must be  confusing Brittanys with whatever you have.


----------



## TailCrackin (Nov 7, 2012)

namrettes said:


> Find someone with a Brittany. They are whats known as flash pointers. They will usually flush instead of point. Most of them dont know the difference between a rabbit and a quail anyway. LOL



good fur dogs....they love cotton rats!


----------



## ACRAthens (Nov 7, 2012)

Thanks for the input, guys. 

I'd really like to hunt over a Brittany sometime. Where I live there aren't m/any quail anymore but there sure are a number of rabbit. I couldn't keep a pack of beagles for the cost and the lack of space/time. I'd sure like a dog that could do a little of all things.


----------



## ACRAthens (Nov 7, 2012)

Nitram4891 said:


> Not a lot of people here will use their pointing dogs for fur but it is common in Europe.



Thanks for this info. Do you know what dogs they generally use??


----------



## GLS (Nov 7, 2012)

There might not be the quail like there used to be, but there are enough woodcock to make it worth your while and enough public land in your area to pursue them.


----------



## TailCrackin (Nov 7, 2012)

All jokes aside...both my pointers and setters will point a rabbit if they come across a bedded one that holds tight. 

 They are usually flagging and looking down at the ground with a less than intense look on their face.  I can usually tell when they are on a rabbit and yes we have shot several rabbits over the old setter.  

I usually do not encourage it over the younger pointers but I don't think it would create problem if I did shoot some.  Its mainly a safety issue as we often have multiple dogs on the ground at once while quail/woodcock hunting so we avoid shooting at fur on the ground...tough to tell where the other dogs are at in thicker cover.


----------



## Nitram4891 (Nov 8, 2012)

ACRAthens said:


> Thanks for this info. Do you know what dogs they generally use??



My grandfather in France has used Griffons, Britts, and different Setters.  Where he hunts though is mostly hedgerows between fields.  When a rabbit gets flushed out of the thicket into a field it's a lot easier shooting (if the crops are gone).   I think this will be much more difficult in non agricultural areas because you will have a hard time seeing the rabbit and dog safety will also be a big issue.


----------



## Setter Jax (Nov 8, 2012)

Nitram4891 said:


> My grandfather in France has used Griffons, Britts, and different Setters.  Where he hunts though is mostly hedgerows between fields.  When a rabbit gets flushed out of the thicket into a field it's a lot easier shooting (if the crops are gone).   I think this will be much more difficult in non agricultural areas because you will have a hard time seeing the rabbit and dog safety will also be a big issue.



Growing up in Indiana in the farm belt we hunted the same way.  Down the fence rows, and along the woods.  Back then there would always be 10 to 20 feet along the woods that the farmers didn't farm and was in natural grass.  We would flush quail, pheasants and woodcock and the occasional rabbit. Dogs didn't really bother the rabbits all that much, they were looking for birds, but they would kick them out in the open. Best time to rabbit hunt in Indiana was right after you got a light snow the night before, just a couple of inches to cover the ground.  You could track them right to wear they were holding up. You didn't need dogs. It was great fun.


----------

