Jackrabbit Safari (no rabbits) but took some pics!

[Lost River]

So last night was our turn to host the feral gang of little girls in the neighborhood who roam free and run around screaming their heads off, and jabbering at a level that you would think they were trying to talk over the sounds of fighter jets taking off, but nope, it is just their normal level. For a quiet person like myself, it is like someone hitting my head with a hammer over and over..

By this morning I was ready eat a Glocksickle..

The shrieking started before 7am.

I did not even say a word to anyone. I went and grabbed a backpack, a couple of guns, and said fuggit, I am out!

The weather was crappy, blowing, and a mix of wind and rain. Pretty much about the most miserable weather you would want to go outdoors in.

It sounded outstanding as compared to being inside my house! So I drove deep into the high desert, to a little honey hole that normally is good for some winter time Jacks when the weather is super cold. The weather was not really cold, temps wise, but the wind had a pretty nasty bite to it, so I was hoping maybe a few big Jacks might be out and I could chase them around for a while and get some exercise.

I brought along my little .45 Flattop, and a Colt AR in case a big desert dog decided to show it's face.

While tromping through some high, old growth sage I ran into some snares that someone had set a while back.

https://i.imgur.com/SKboQeK.jpg

I was surprised to see signs that anyone had passed this way, as it is not a well traveled area.

[Lost River]

I saw a fair bit of sign, but it was a few hours old, most likely in the pre-dawn hours, but I broke out the .45 and started working my way through the deep under brush in hopes of jump shooting some jacks. When the weather gets cold, this can be some fun action.

https://i.imgur.com/at2rfl2.jpg

Found a somewhat recent badger hole.

https://i.imgur.com/FlgsfqR.jpg

No fresh tracks around the badger hole in the last 24 hours though.

The jacks have been feeding on the underbrush pretty heavy, as it is obvious they know a storm is coming.

[SeriousStudent]

And I thought that my neighborhood was the only one beset by roving packs of yard apes, howling at the top of their lungs.

I hope you were successful in your rabbit hunt.

[Lost River]

I explored around a little spring I know. There were no shortage of tracks. Mink or Martin (I am not sure which) tracks, coyote, deer, etc. Lots of animals in the area have been using the spring, but nothing wanted to show their faces today.

https://i.imgur.com/WuXsGC2.jpg

[Lost River]

And I thought that my neighborhood was the only one beset by roving packs of yard apes, howling at the top of their lungs.

I hope you were successful in your rabbit hunt.

My only success was not losing what is left of my sanity, which for me was plenty good enough!

[Duces Tecum]

And one day you'll marry them off . . . and miss them sooo much.

[Lost River]

I did hear some Song Dogs talking so I walked about 1/2 mile up to a ridge. Normally in the mid day they don't talk, so I was a bit surprised, plus in the wind it is hard to hear them unless they are fairly close.


https://i.imgur.com/C7KdZKa.jpg

I did not bring any calls, so I mouth yipped a couple challenge barks just to see if I would get a response, and very much to my surprise, I did get a single response.

I think the fact that the wind was blowing must have helped:rolleyes:

I did not dare make any more barks or yips as getting a response was pretty lucky. I snuck up over to a ridge that overlooks a basin to see if I could catch a 'yote in the open, but no luck.

https://i.imgur.com/jmtcQP0.jpg

[Totem Polar]

You shooting some lighter bullets out of that Ruger SA? I notice the rear sight is cranked up a bit—sort of like my .44 special with 200 grainers.

[Lost River]

Somewhere out there in the wind and the snow, the Jacks taunt me and the coyotes watch safely from a distance!

https://i.imgur.com/S4JwYo3.jpg

My feet and fingers were numb, but there were no little girls trying to outdo each other with their ear splitting screams.

It was just me and my Tinnitus:rolleyes:

[Lost River]

You shooting some lighter bullets out of that Ruger SA? I notice the rear sight is cranked up a bit—sort of like my .44 special with 200 grainers.

Yep,

I was playing with some 185s SWCs. I actually need to reconfirm zero with it again, and get it set for 200 grain SWCs. It is a really fun, comfortable shooter with the 185 and 200 grain SWCs pushed by Clays.

[Totem Polar]

It is a really fun, comfortable shooter with the 185 and 200 grain SWCs pushed by Clays.

I bet that’s right.

[Bigghoss]

Great stuff as usual. I really need to get a flat top .45 convertible. I don't even own a single action at the moment. :(

[Lost River]

A .45 or 9mm convertible can make for hours of fun. I really like shooting my old uspsa loads through this one. It is my Goldilocks load. Just the right blend of weight and power.

4.3 grains of Clays with a 200 grain SWC is soft shooting in a gun like this and is accurate.

I have been toying with 185s a bit but need to put them on paper some more first. If they print nicely for the gun I may load a few ammo cans full in the future.

If I ever run across an inexpensive 9mm cylinder, I intend to grab it for my Taffin gun shown with my .45 here:

https://i.imgur.com/ZTwW5Ol.jpg

Having a 9mm cylinder for it would be pretty awesome for the times when I run out/low on .38 ammo. :cool:

[Poconnor]

That 357 looks like you were hunting Ridley Scott’s space Aliens. The ones with acid for blood

[Lost River]

The Mandalorian and I were working..

It's complicated.

:cool:

[UNM1136]

There used to be a Forrest Dervice nursery a little ways from here. My best friend's dad worked there. Once there was snow on the ground we broke out the 12 gauges, and the .22s and went hunting the wabbits that snacked on the saplings. My .22 was a Ruger single action. The rule was the cotton tails came home with us, and the jacks got left because they too tough and inedible. (Patrick Smith at Kifaru has changed my thinking on that.) The jacks were left to feed the raptors. I still remember shooting a jack with the gauge and leaving it. (Due to the nursery's mission we given a special dispensation to kill jacks and not eat them.) An hour later we found that rabbit in a tree, being eaten by a red tailed hawk.

Anyway, my favorite weekend breakfast was chicken fried wabbit, with pepper cream gravy, and pancakes. A little gravy got on the pancakes, no biggie. A little syrup on the bunny bits, no big deal.

I got my oldest daughter huntin bunnies and I wounded one with my new .22 suppressed SBR. Brat the First gave the bunny a head shot before I could finish the lecture on wounded game. She wanted to take chicken fried bunny bits to school to impress her friends...all my kids are rabbit eaters now, and with two golf courses in my patrol area, each with tons of rabbit I really want a wrist rocket or a high end pellet gun....

pat

[Chuck Whitlock]

That 357 looks like you were hunting Ridley Scott’s space Aliens. The ones with acid for blood

I used to have a 150- Security-Six that looked like that. Wish I still had it.

[WDR]

I've been on a couple walkabouts out in the desert since the snow started flying, and I have yet to see a single live jackrabbit this winter... Even in my usual honey-hole spots that always hold a few, I've not seen any at all. Starting to wonder if its a down year, or if I need to drive farther, and tromp farther into the boonies. I really want to pop a few rabbits with my 60-10.