Nothing New Under The Sun??

Vernon Holt

Gone But Not Forgotten
A rabbit hunter in Missouri has discovered that fleeing cottontails can be stopped in flight with the use of an owl hooter.

He hunts without the use of dogs. Upon jumping a rabbit, and as it flees thru cover, Ed Stewart uses his mouth to hoot like an owl. The rabbit stops and listens in attempt to locate the owl. The hunter has his 22 ready for the shot and drops the rabbit.

His rationale is that the Barred and Great Horned owl are the number one predator of the cottontail rabbit. This being the case, rabbits have developed an inborn fear of owls that is extreme. His fear of owls is greater than the fear of man. Being jumped by man and being threatened by an owl the rabbit forgets the threat from man and centers his concentration on locating the owl.

Ed stresses that the concept will not work when a rabbit is fleeing across an open field, nor will it work when a rabbit is being chased with hounds. Again, it works best when the rabbit is fleeing thru light to moderate cover. I should add, as he did, that just as no calling system works 100% of the time, neither does this concept. He does however often feast on delicious fried rabbit, thanks to this method of hunting.

Some of you that have a yearning for fried rabbit, brown gravy, and hot biscuits might just try this concept on Georgia Cottontails. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Vernon
 

GeauxLSU

Senior Member
Now Mr. Vernon,
Though I appreciate the humur in your post and there are a few folks here that I would love to have film of standing in the middle of a field hooting their heads off at a fleeing conttontail, don't you think that your prank is just a little bit cruel? ;)
Seriously, I bet it would work. Quail will (supposedly) hold their ground at the sound of a hawk screech so why not rabbits at an owl hoot? ::huh:
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
 

broadhead

Senior Member
Siwwy Wabbit!!!!!!

Interesting tactic.
Who's (sorry for the pun) going to be first to try it and report the results? :shoot:
 

Handgunner

Senior Member
Why not???

I've heard of stranger things happening...
 
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