Rabbits and birds

[Clay]

Do any of you take rabbits while bird hunting? Or is this a bad habit to start?

[jimbo&rooster]

I shoot alot of rabbits over my labbut will probly hold off shooting rabbits over my GSP, more so from personal preferance than anything else. I know that there are several guys on here who do shoot bunnies.
JIm

[gittrdonebritts]

I take rabbits any chance i get I have not had a problem with it But i won't do it until over a young dog until they have pointed birds and I want to get my dogs steady too so they don't chase ol roger rabbit and put themselves in danger. here in Illinois birds are often scarce so rabbits help fill the empty space in the game bag if you look at my PP link for my Jill dog you'll see the first 2 rabbits i shot over her in her 2nd season afield.

[birddogger]

I take rabbits any chance i get I have not had a problem with it But i won't do it until over a young dog until they have pointed birds and I want to get my dogs steady too so they don't chase ol roger rabbit and put themselves in danger. here in Illinois birds are often scarce so rabbits help fill the empty space in the game bag if you look at my PP link for my Jill dog you'll see the first 2 rabbits i shot over her in her 2nd season afield.

+1 and they are delicious!!!

Charlie

[Mountaineer]

Good Lord, No...would not dream of doing such a thing.

I did shoot some jumped rabbits in Scotland with pointers down but I ran it by the dog handler and he gave me the ok if the dogs weren't involved.
The bunnies were working on the landowner's pine plantation and it was his wish.

[ezzy333]

I shoot them over a dog once it is pointing birds and it points the rabbit. Absolutely no reason not to unless you don't like to eat them or you are trialing your dog.

Ezzy

[birddogger]

I have never had it to have a negative affect on a dog yet.

Charlie

[gittrdonebritts]

The only negative I can see is what Ezzy said about a trial dog might not want to encourage a competion dog on rabbits, be kinda funny to bag a rabbit in say a NSTRA trial hahahaha

Charlie you southern IL boys have a decent wild bird pop don't you ? at least thats what i heard ?

[birddogger]

The only negative I can see is what Ezzy said about a trial dog might not want to encourage a competion dog on rabbits, be kinda funny to bag a rabbit in say a NSTRA trial hahahaha

Charlie you southern IL boys have a decent wild bird pop don't you ? at least thats what i heard ?

You normally wouldn't have to worry to much about rabbits in a NSTRA field IMO.

Yeah, the birds seem to be making a little bit of a come back in the last few years. Getting permission to hunt can be a real challenge though.

Charlie

[Mountaineer]

I guess some folks are real hungry for food or trigger slaps these days.
Can't imagine being on a ruffed grouse hunt and pup points or up jumps Mr. Bunny and booms away are heard in the aspen.
Or when walking a field of switch or CRP for pheasants trying to be quiet.
I guess it eventually falls to what is most valuable to any person on the day.
May be why bowhunters are more inclined to shoot straying or lost dogs today as well...the dire need to tap or release.
With bunnies...it is only for food tho.

[birddogger]

There are just a few people who can't stand for anyone to diagree with them. Who in the h@#$ cares whether or not another person shoots a rabbit? I have even shot them on occasion when I was bowhunting!!! :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

Charlie

[Ron R]

I guess some folks are real hungry for food or trigger slaps these days.

Good Lord, No...would not dream of doing such a thing.

I did shoot some jumped rabbits in Scotland with pointers down

So mountaineer, your answer is YES YOU DO SHOOT rabbits on occasion while bird hunting :roll: .

May be why bowhunters are more inclined to shoot straying or lost dogs today as well...the dire need to tap or release.

That statement has ZERO to do with the harvesting a rabbit while birdhunting :roll: . I would hope to think that you would agree.

The only negative I can see is what Ezzy said about a trial dog might not want to encourage a competion dog on rabbits,

All I own are trial dogs and I would/do not hesitate to shoot a rabbit over a broke dog, ofcoarse not a puppy early in training for obvious reasons.

[Ron R]

I have even shot them on occasion when I was bowhunting!!!

BRAGERT . BTW, You may want to start birdhunting with your bow.........You surely could not do any worse .

[Mountaineer]

...

I did shoot some jumped rabbits in Scotland with pointers down

So mountaineer, your answer is YES YOU DO SHOOT rabbits on occasion while bird hunting :roll: .

Yes, I asked first and the host was wishing it done.
The dog handler wanted to keep the host happy as well...therefore his cavaet.
Other than that time, have I? ...nope.
For the reasons I last gave...for myself.
I have shot a rabbit while squirrel hunting but as with slinging arrows at deer that is a bit off the mark.
It seems that folks wanting to argue or being unhappy with any posters comments can fall on both sides of a line.

As far as the dog-killing bowhunter comment...I was just doing the math.
No regrets at all.
Have a wonderful New Year.

[Ryman Gun Dog]

Gentlemen,
When our Versatile dogs are in the woods without the Setters we shoot when in season, Grouse, Turkey, Rabbit, WoodDuck and Squirrel, that is what a Versatile dog is bred to do, hunt different kinds of animals and birds. My Setters are Grouse dogs but my Versatile dogs get to hunt most every small game animal and bird.
Especially this year when my mountain friends need to fill their freezers very badly, things are tough here on the mountain right now. Yep our Versatile dogs put lots of different game and birds in the freezer here in Potter County. I do understand those who only hunt Grouse and other game birds with their dogs and I respect their
way of thinking, I hope they respect our way of life also.
RGD/Dave

[ezzy333]

I guess some folks are real hungry for food or trigger slaps these days.
Can't imagine being on a ruffed grouse hunt and pup points or up jumps Mr. Bunny and booms away are heard in the aspen.
Or when walking a field of switch or CRP for pheasants trying to be quiet.
I guess it eventually falls to what is most valuable to any person on the day.
May be why bowhunters are more inclined to shoot straying or lost dogs today as well...the dire need to tap or release.
With bunnies...it is only for food tho.

I understand the hungry part as we only shoot things we eat. If you don't eat it or use it, don't kill it.
Having trouble connecting the shooting of a rabbit to the dreaded bowhunter though.

Ezzy

[ACooper]

Unless you are planning on running trials with the dog, I wouldn't worry about it in the least. Though normally when I am hunting with other people I make sure they know not to shoot rabbits in front of the dogs, and that is only because I dont want the dog shot.

[Clay]

The reason I was asking is because of a lack of wild birds in my part of TN. I didnt want it to confuss the dog. Im in the process of deciding about getting a dog and know I will be seeing as many rabbits as birds.

[A/C Guy]

I regularly shoot rabbits. Since the dogs point the rabbits, why not reward them for their part? As stated, a versatile dog hunts feathers and fur.

[birddogger]

.
It seems that folks wanting to argue or being unhappy with any posters comments can fall on both sides of a line.

True, but the tone of a post is pretty obvious when little snide remarks are made that are obviously directed toward one person, and especially when a subject from a totally different thread is rehashed, which has absolutely nothing to do with the current topic.

Charlie

[birddogger]

Gentlemen,
When our Versatile dogs are in the woods without the Setters we shoot when in season, Grouse, Turkey, Rabbit, WoodDuck and Squirrel, that is what a Versatile dog is bred to do, hunt different kinds of animals and birds. My Setters are Grouse dogs but my Versatile dogs get to hunt most every small game animal and bird.
Especially this year when my mountain friends need to fill their freezers very badly, things are tough here on the mountain right now. Yep our Versatile dogs put lots of different game and birds in the freezer here in Potter County. I do understand those who only hunt Grouse and other game birds with their dogs and I respect their
way of thinking, I hope they respect our way of life also.
RGD/Dave

Great point about the versatile dogs. Nice post!

Charlie

[Mountaineer]

....True, but the tone of a post is pretty obvious when little snide remarks are made that are obviously directed toward one person, and especially when a subject from a totally different thread is rehashed, which has absolutely nothing to do with the current topic.Charlie

As far as the rehash....dead dogs and the attitude that gets them there are never a dead subject ...to me.
To re-comment also...I don't care about other hunters of any game in the slightest when compared to a dog, any dog....I especially do not care about bowhunters who make it clear that SS&S is the way to go.
It may not be in your world...but come to Ohio.
It happens...too often.
Believe it or not.
And topics on most BBs are free to go in many directions....that you, or I, dislike the direction one heads or veers, should matter little.

As far as shooting pointed or flushed rabbits....I would never consider it with a birddog down(my own :roll: ).
That someone else does is up to them.
All it would take in an imperfect world is for the dog, even the supposedly perfectly trained dogs(aren't they everywhere?), to start a short chase after a rabbit that the pup or even older dog thinks would please his owner.
Was a versatile dog mentioned by the OP?...one can pick and choose the thread direction I guess.
Remember, the OP does not have a dog according to a later post, may in fact be new to dogs, or pointing dogs, or.......you think shooting rabbits is still top advice?
My God!
In many places that short chase, that one mistake, that one time when control is not perfect, that one time when attention is not total and that one time may find a pup crossing a road or to a place he should not be.
Not everyone hunts big covers...many hunt very small coverts in fact, where a happy dog after a bobbing tail may end badly.
Your world Charles may be perfect, your world may never have accidents or some of the bowhunters, or gun hunters, acting as idiots but...it happens.
You want to pick a perfect spot to gun a bunny with your birddog down...go ahead.....I hope that the world still spins for you...likely it will.
I would rather take the pains to limit, at least a little, an action they may yield more than a sunday dinner of rabbit.
Much the same reason I don't shoot a porky, or a raccoon, or a skunk or a coyote that appears in front of a dog by accident or by a point of the day.
I don't live in the perfect world where everything turns out sunny and I or pup can never put a foot wrong.
Bully for you that you do.
Consider looking past your own created scenarios to a question or opinion to what the real world may offer up for others.

After that...the best advice to the OP is in the breed or type of dog that would best serve him.
But, that may make too much sense...just shoot bunnies if the dog is perfect.

[gittrdonebritts]

....True, but the tone of a post is pretty obvious when little snide remarks are made that are obviously directed toward one person, and especially when a subject from a totally different thread is rehashed, which has absolutely nothing to do with the current topic.Charlie

As far as the rehash....dead dogs and the attitude that gets them there are never a dead subject ...to me.
To re-comment also...I don't care about other hunters of any game in the slightest when compared to a dog, any dog....I especially do not care about bowhunters who make it clear that SS&S is the way to go.
It may not be in your world...but come to Ohio.
It happens...too often.
Believe it or not.
And topics on most BBs are free to go in many directions....that you, or I, dislike the direction one heads or veers, should matter little.

As far as shooting pointed or flushed rabbits....I would never consider it with a birddog down(my own :roll: ).
That someone else does is up to them.
All it would take in an imperfect world is for the dog, even the supposedly perfectly trained dogs(aren't they everywhere?), to start a short chase after a rabbit that the pup or even older dog thinks would please his owner.
Was a versatile dog mentioned by the OP?...one can pick and choose the thread direction I guess.
Remember, the OP does not have a dog according to a later post, may in fact be new to dogs, or pointing dogs, or.......you think shooting rabbits is still top advice?
My God!
In many places that short chase, that one mistake, that one time when control is not perfect, that one time when attention is not total and that one time may find a pup crossing a road or to a place he should not be.
Not everyone hunts big covers...many hunt very small coverts in fact, where a happy dog after a bobbing tail may end badly.
Your world Charles may be perfect, your world may never have accidents or some of the bowhunters, or gun hunters, acting as idiots but...it happens.
You want to pick a perfect spot to gun a bunny with your birddog down...go ahead.....I hope that the world still spins for you...likely it will.
I would rather take the pains to limit, at least a little, an action they may yield more than a sunday dinner of rabbit.
Much the same reason I don't shoot a porky, or a raccoon, or a skunk or a coyote that appears in front of a dog by accident or by a point of the day.
I don't live in the perfect world where everything turns out sunny and I or pup can never put a foot wrong.
Bully for you that you do.
Consider looking past your own created scenarios to a question or opinion to what the real world may offer up for others.

After that...the best advice to the OP is in the breed or type of dog that would best serve him.
But, that may make too much sense...just shoot bunnies if the dog is perfect.

Seems like your getting awful upset about a whole bunch of nothing to me.

[birddogger]

Rabbits are scarce around here and I get the opportunity to treat myself to one or two rabbits a season. I hardly think that qualifies as being hungry or trigger happy, as was stated, or putting my dogs in danger. I am very capable of being responsible for my dog's safety. Since it is an imperfect world, [although you sarcasticly state my world is perfect] maybe we shouldn't shoot birds either because accidents can happen there too, because of low flying birds, an imperfect dog [even though you sarcasticly say my dogs are perfect] jumping up in the air trying to catch a flushing bird. Perhaps we shouldn't even carry a gun because we could accidently shoot ourselves or another hunter.

Bully for you that you do.
Consider looking past your own created scenarios to a question or opinion to what the real world may offer up for others.

This, among many of your other comments, are intended to be sarcastic and confrontational. I know it and you know it, and this is not the only thread where it has happened.

Charlie

[birddogger]

I have even shot them on occasion when I was bowhunting!!!

BRAGERT . BTW, You may want to start birdhunting with your bow.........You surely could not do any worse .

Now cut that out Ron, you know when I miss, I always have a good excuse!!

Charlie

[Mountaineer]

Lowering of risk is not a difficult concept to understand.

I can recall some remarks jsust as those you accuse me of, Sir.
Check yourself.

I will place you on the Ignore list.
Might help everyone.

[birddogger]

I will place you on the Ignore list.
Might help everyone.

Agreed, I will do the same.

Charlie