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Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 17, 2006, 08:31 AM:
If anyone is intersted in shooting a few thousand jack rabbits, give me a call. I took the kids out last night from about 6pm till 9pm, before dark and shot over 80 with 22s. I have no idea what a guy with a centerfire could do in a day. I have never seen the numbers like this. It has been really hot and dry, so anywhere there is water they are congrgated like fleas. We didn't even make a dent in what we saw last night and never got more than a mile or two from the house. If you crossed the whole ranch you had better have a trailer on just to haul ammo.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on July 17, 2006, 08:54 AM:
Holy Frijoles! I bet your gonna have some really fat coyotes this week!
$20.00 says that in no less than 30 min. after reading this post, NASA will be putting in for time off! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Rich (Member # 112) on July 17, 2006, 09:06 AM:
Well let me see---------widespread drought + one water hole + lots of tasty jackrabbits =? I think Cal won't need his howler in order to locate the coyotes. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 17, 2006, 10:21 AM:
Loco, you wouldn't? ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
I like hunting and I also like shooting. PD's and jacks can't be considered "hunting", but it's for damn sure fun.
You wanna' take a ride up? Don't sweat the gas. You provide the munchies, I'll provide the transportation. Deal?
Posted by varmit hunter (Member # 37) on July 17, 2006, 10:49 AM:
Cal, sounds like great training for the kids.
I would love to get out there and hire Dave as my personal running jack Rabbit shooting instructor.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 17, 2006, 12:21 PM:
Yep, I may have Lonny and Nasa coming, but was hoping Dave would bite too. He could get enough video here in a week to make four or five varmint safari videos. (kind of like some of the texas guys with coyotes) I got to shooting quite a few running shots with the 22 just out of boredom with the sitters. I went to town and bought a case of 17 HMR and will start whittleing on them with that also.
[ July 17, 2006, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: Cal Taylor ]
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on July 17, 2006, 12:30 PM:
Cal, I remember a drought in 1980 and the jackrabbits migrated from all over the desert to Mudlake, Idaho. They were appealing for help in the news media. We were going to drive up and help with the problem but they required a non resident license. Some enterprising fellow organized a drive and wound up clubbing a bunch of them to death and they loaded them on refrigerated trucks and shipped them to Bangladesh.
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on July 17, 2006, 01:05 PM:
Seems like a bumper crop of 'em all over the West this year. I have not seen them quite as thick as it sounds like you have them Cal, but thick enough that I wouldn't drive more than about 90 minutes to get in all the shooting I want on them. Started last winter, actually - I saw more of them, in more places, while out calling, than I have seen in probably close to 20 years. Only found time to go out and shoot them one day though, and let my Son do most of the shooting (pic below).
Rich, I remember the Mud Lake infestation well. My Dad took me up there probably 10 times over two winters and let me burn up a boxcar of .22 ammo on those jack rabbits. We didn't take part in any of the organized drives, but I still remember the footage on the local news from them.
Here's a happy LGA, on his first jack rabbit hunt last winter:
- DAA
Posted by Jack Roberts (Member # 13) on July 17, 2006, 06:38 PM:
They are thicker than normal around here this year. I am seeing them out in the middle of the day.
Jack
Posted by Doggitter (Member # 489) on July 17, 2006, 06:51 PM:
Dagnabbit! I would SO like to be able to help you too. I've only gotten into them real thick once and man I had a ball.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on July 18, 2006, 09:27 PM:
Sooo T-squared What time are we leaving Friday?
Call me! Hey Cal', will a plain ol' ordinary Remington .243 with a short barrel be okay?
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 19, 2006, 02:18 PM:
.243!?!?!? ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Danny, save that for when they attack! We're talking volume here. You'd burn up $50 worth of ammo in the first 15 minutes. .17's and .22's will be the workhorses. Save the larger CF's for 300 yd. hero shots. This is going to be hand to hand combat, lol.
I'm pulling out at 8AM Fri. That's 335 miles so I don't want to be sleeping in late. Weather forcast is dry, clear, high 80's.
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on July 19, 2006, 02:45 PM:
Make sure you guys have enough fun for me too. Probably be some months before I get time to go out amongst the jacks.
- DAA
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 19, 2006, 02:56 PM:
Dave, it sure would make it more fun if you could be there!
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 19, 2006, 07:39 PM:
You guys could be successful with anything from bazookas down to good sized rocks. Caliber is not important, but the amount of ammo you can afford and bring is. Like I said we shot over 80 just with 22s. Never took a shot over 60 yards or so. My boy (12) is getting dialed in and deadly. The next evening I took the 17 HMR and shot 36 in a row out to 150 or so before my first miss, and I never missed again after that. And with a 20 mph wind to boot. That gun almost makes it too easy, but the 17 HMR easily has to be the ultimate jackrabbit gun of all time. No runners or squealers, just dead rabbits, with some amazing back flips on the head shots.
Posted by RagnCajn (Member # 879) on July 20, 2006, 09:50 AM:
I went on my first Jack Rabbit shoot a few weeks back. Bought a 17 HMR and let my son ride on the tool box as I spot lighted. He had a blast. The 17HMR worked great. You know it is all about shot placement.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 20, 2006, 11:07 AM:
Hey Cal. I've got a bottle of Patron here that says your personality intensity would hardly be noticeable. I hope you're around for a lab test.
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on July 20, 2006, 11:33 AM:
I got a question. Now its got nothing to do with morality or anything, just my ignorance. We dont have any jacks to speak of.
Is there a reason to shoot these things? Destructive? Or just for fun? Kinda like prarie dog shooting?
Just curious. From the outside lookin in, it would seem that if you had a good hole of rabbits, it would make for better coyote hunts. And, maybe take pressure off the lambs?
Just curious.
Posted by RagnCajn (Member # 879) on July 20, 2006, 11:50 AM:
Same as groundhogs. They are destructive to the farmers crops. I was invited to help a farmer out in the area we were shooting.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 20, 2006, 12:03 PM:
Andy, Normally I'm not a rabbit shooter or a prairie dog shooter, but they have gotten out of hand! 5 jacks = 1 sheep or antelope.
5 sheep or antelope = 1 cow calf pair or AUM. When there are literally thousands of jacks, you get the picture. The cottontail are at their worst also. I have hundreds of them around my house, and now they are starting to die off, so every day I get to search out the source of the stench and pack it off. I can't do a damn thing about the cottontails as they are a game animal and have a season.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 20, 2006, 12:11 PM:
When there are drought conditions the rabbits are drawn in to the areas with the most forage. When that happens to be a ranchers alfalfa, crop, or grass sections, the results can be devastating, physically and financially.
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on July 20, 2006, 12:17 PM:
I get the picture. Thanks fellers.
Have fun!!
Cal, that would get old....
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on July 20, 2006, 12:30 PM:
Andy, I just shoot them for fun, and for the practice, myself. There is no question that they can be very destructive when present in good numbers though. Here is a short video clip that Blaine took winter before last, that shows the kind of density Cal is dealing with. When they get that thick, it ain't healthy for anything.
- DAA
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on July 20, 2006, 12:34 PM:
HeHeHe, yeah, I got that tape Dave. Thats a bunch of rabbits for sure.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 20, 2006, 01:26 PM:
Andy, it's fun for the first 90 minutes or so. Then for the rest of the day, it's work. But at least it's work you can enjoy!
If each gun isn't getting at least 20 per hour, we're not giving the rancher what he needs.
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on July 20, 2006, 05:44 PM:
It seems it's not just Wyo. that has high rabbit numbers this year. the p-dog town I shot two weeks ago had a bunch of cotton and jacks running around, more than I've ever seen in one place at one time any ways.
You guys have fun up there. Wish I could join ya, BUT I have other partys to attend this weekend!!
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on July 20, 2006, 06:36 PM:
Hey RagnCajn. Welcome. I'm glad to see you here.
I know you are going to feel at home here.
Where did you and your son jacklight jacks? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by RagnCajn (Member # 879) on July 20, 2006, 08:19 PM:
Thanks for the welcome Rich. I see a lot of names I have come to respect in my 1.5 years of reading forums.
We went to Pampa TX for a PD shoot, then to Midland TX for the Jacks. I think we were a little late in the year for both stops. They were all very spooky. I am making plans for another trip next year. Gonna try to get there around early June. This farmer supplied me with a map of many thousand acres. He just wants them shot. I think a group hunt next year could be worked out with a few phone calls.
Posted by Brad Norman (Member # 234) on July 20, 2006, 08:36 PM:
Calvin - You're not really gonna let all of these guys come blast jack rabbits in the same area I'm gonna be bowhunting antelope in a few weeks are you?
Geez! I need to find new friends!
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 20, 2006, 10:44 PM:
Relax, Brad. We won't be spookin' lopes. Or the jacks either, for that matter. We don't chase 'um, we just shoot 'um. Kinda like long eared Pdogs.
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on July 21, 2006, 04:50 AM:
Hey Brad, maybe you can get these guys to poke a 17HMR bullet in a big buck for ya, might deflate one lung and slow him down enough for ya to get close with the bow
I'll be going after the speed goats in a few weeks down here too!! Good luck!!
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on July 21, 2006, 06:38 AM:
Cal',
Shall I bring my fillet knife and de-boning get-up?
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 21, 2006, 07:46 AM:
Brad, I can suggest some other outfitters for you if you wish!
Loco, I have plenty of knives!
Posted by Brad Norman (Member # 234) on July 21, 2006, 07:52 PM:
I'll stick with you Cal.
If you guys are up there now, let me know what the antelope look like. I hear the antelope have grown some impressive headgear this year.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 22, 2006, 09:20 AM:
The rabbit hunters are going great guns. They hunted last night and in three hours were over a hundred. I talked to them early this morning and they had racked up another pretty good pile. There is spent brass and carcasses littering the plains everywhere.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 23, 2006, 04:18 PM:
Brad, based on what we saw, you will not be disappointed! Cal set aside 3-4 sections and told us to go to work. We saw huge herds of lopes just in those sections. Loco and I saw one buck that could reside in the books. Big boy with a really impressive curl in his horns. His buddy would be a wallhanger in anybody's house!
We also saw many sets of twins. Not sure if that's common or not. Lots of grass and water. Very healthy looking animals. Many of the does were almost tame, as they wouldn't move (much) as we crawled past them at about 5mph. The fawns weren't quite so confident, lol.
Another thing we saw. We watched a small herd of about 6-7 cross a field and come to a fence. All of them dropped and crawled under the barbed wire, as is typical. Except the first doe. She jumped that fence as easily and cleanly as a whitetailed deer! Never saw that happen before.
The place WAS infested with rabbits, both jacks and 'tails. It's pretty much just the 'tails, now. There were three of us shooting; Loco, Claimbuster, and myself. Danny and I decided to keep a written record of kills. It was difficult to remember to "Write that down!!" because the action got so fast, at times.
Loco and I rode together and Jim went solo. We only caravan hunted on Sunday morning. We should have done that all 3 days. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Body count. Friday nite we only hunted from 6:30PM to 8:30PM. Danny and I tallied almost 80. Jim had about half that.
Saturday we hunted from 9AM to 11AM, then again from 5:30 to 8:30PM. Danny and I had 95 on paper for the day, but we think we forgot to jot down about 20-25 because the shooting got so furious at times neither of us wanted to stop and keep score. Claimbuster said he got about 72 for the same time period. Afternoon temps were low to mid 90's. No animals were moving in that heat!
Sunday morning we went out from 6:00 to 8:00AM. We re-hunted the sections where Jim had hunted the 2 days prior. Danny and I killed exactly 39, and we didn't get Claimbuster's morning count.
So the grand total for Loco and I alone was 214 in 9 hrs. To give you an idea of how thick they were, that works out to 1 jack "killed" every 2 minutes! We only counted "belly up" as a confirmed kill.
We used HMR's, .22, and .22 Hornet only. Some of the kills were spectacular! Many aerials, 2-legged sprints, an absolutely unbelieveable tail chase, 200+ yd. kills with the .17 HMR, and some screamin'/hootin' 150+ yd. running shots that made us both very proud! And to top it off, Loco was shooting a brand new rifle he had just picked up the day of the trip. He got it dialed in in record time. We challenged each other to head shots only and over 60% were. We were giving them lobotomy's at close to 200 yds. And any "doubting Thomas's" were escorted out to the dead zone for close-up confirmation. It was one of the most fun trips I've had in decades.
Cal, thank you very much for inviting us out. Oh, and sorry about all the litter. At least it's bio-degradeable!
[ July 23, 2006, 05:34 PM: Message edited by: NASA ]
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 23, 2006, 04:34 PM:
Nasa, that simply just isn't possible. Ask any expert, antelope don't jump fences. Even though I have watched them do it my whole life, I have been repeatedly assured that they can't or wont. So I beleive that it is simply an optical illusion when you think you see one jump, you really don't, due to refraction of light from the white on the belly.
Posted by yuccabush (Member # 582) on July 23, 2006, 04:38 PM:
LOL I have watched a couple of antelope jump fence also. It is not a common sight but it does happen.
[ July 23, 2006, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: yuccabush ]
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on July 23, 2006, 04:47 PM:
Isn't it funny how that myth still exists? I still hear it all the time,and when I add that maybe they don't like to jump fences,but they sure as hell will, Ive seen it, I get that "your bullshittin'" look:)
Posted by Brad Norman (Member # 234) on July 23, 2006, 07:15 PM:
Nasa, thanks for the report. You've got me chomping at the bit to get up there!
I emailed Calvin a picture off of the video we shot while antelope hunting last year. It clearly destroyed the myth.
Calvin, if you still have that picture, can you post it? I'm too computer illiterate to post pictures on here.
Glad ya'll had a great time!
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on July 24, 2006, 08:31 AM:
Cal',
Thank you, thank you, and ... Thank you!!! I too had a most spectacular trip. Your wife seemed like a really neat lady. It was fun to see her come out to saddle up the horses that you had just saddled. You guys looked like a couple of love birds. When she saw her work already done and made googly eyes at you and then you blushed bright red. LOL Sage was extremely polite and very kind to us. I'd love to go shooting again and let the boys get to shoot together.
Jim it was a pleasure meeting you and TOM, I really enjoyed spending time with you. The trip was an opportunity of a lifetime!
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on July 24, 2006, 08:47 AM:
Loco, lets get some things straight. First of all, I don't blush, ever. You are imagining things. I was just mad because she didn't get there and saddle her own damn horse. She made googly eyes because she knew she was in deep trouble.
And another thing, I have spent several years convincing her that flowers are silly and a waste because they just die. I had her convinced and then you guys bring her flowers. Do you have any idea the damage you have caused? You have reversed years of training. Good grief man, if you are going to post misinformation like this, and cause trouble on the home front, I am going to have a hard time ever asking you to come back.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 24, 2006, 09:49 AM:
Cal, I bet you have a warm and tender side that conflicts with your manly image? I tend to believe Danny's version....
Good hunting. LB
Hey, I want to compliment you on your hospitality!
Posted by claimbuster (Member # 904) on July 24, 2006, 11:07 AM:
Cal, you can blame the idea for the flowers on me. I used to bring them home myself once and a while and found the grief wasn't worth it. The last time I tried, the first words out of her mouth were, "OK, how much did you spend on a rifle this time?" A guy tries to do something nice and look what happens! You never know what a guy is going to think when three young, athletic looking studs (especially NASA and me) give flowers to another man's wife.
Yes, I too saw several optical illusions, must have been the heat. As far as an antelope report, your hunters have quite a field to pick from. All of us were shooting small caliber (quiet) rifles and the antelope didn't seem to pay much attention to the shooting. If anything, the opposite was true. Many of them were so snoopy that they would walk towards where I was and I had to pay careful attention as to where they were at any given time.
NASA never did well in math, my count on Saturday evening was 79. In 180 minutes of shooting, and counting in my misses, the barrel on the 17AH was getting pretty warm. It was PD shooting quantities.
Cal, once again thanks! NASA, thanks for inviting me. Good to meet you Danny, let's do it again. To all of you who passed up this opportunity, shame on you!
BTW, I'm new here. I am a recent emmigrant from PM.
[ July 24, 2006, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: claimbuster ]
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on July 24, 2006, 11:20 AM:
I believe Loco's version. And I'll bet $20 that Cal blushed again when he read it!
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 24, 2006, 11:26 AM:
Leonard, I'm here to tell you that Danny is just throwing up a smokescreen about Cal. Not a word of it is true. He's hard. He's mean. His temper has a very low flashpoint. He has zero patience with anybody, and he has a corrosive personality. I happen to know this for a fact, because a friend of mine named Froggy told me. And he wouldn't make up a thing like that!
Posted by claimbuster (Member # 904) on July 24, 2006, 12:44 PM:
I don't know for sure, but I think there is another part of the conversation that should be known. You know after she found out that Cal had saddled her horse she looked at me and said if he keeps this up she may just keep him around a little longer.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on July 24, 2006, 12:52 PM:
I gotta admit, Ol' Loco painted a completely different picture of Cal than what I had imagined... I gotta agree with Cal on one point though. It can take years of hard work to train a good wife and for you guys to break the rule of NO flowers is really unforgivable. You let guys like that hang around and pretty soon their asking if they can help with the dishes or vacuum.
It sounds as if you boys had one heck of a good time. Good for you. I sure would have liked to come over that way and help thin some jacks. To much work, to many miles and not enough time. That was mighty nice of you Cal to offer up some of your varmints for strangers to shoot.
Serious question for all you jack rabbit guys. Do jack populations follow cycles or is it more weather related to numbers rising and falling?
I have alway heard in these parts that grouse have cycles. From my experience an early green up followed by a dry hatching season and you'll have more grouse than you know what to do with. Cold wet long winters and wet-cold springs and grouse can be tough to find.
Whats the story with jacks?
[ July 24, 2006, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: Lonny ]
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 24, 2006, 02:43 PM:
quote:
That was mighty nice of you Cal to offer up some of your varmints for strangers to shoot.
Strangers?
On Thursday, February 23, 1995 the Sixty-eighth Session of the Carson City, Nevada Senate Committee on Finance was called to order. On the agenda was the annual budget for Predatory Animal and Rodent Control.
Making the presentation was Steve Fairaizl, Assistant State Director, Animal Damage Control Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Excerpt: He explained that jack rabbits run in population cycles of about 10 years; that is, every 10 years the population peaks and crashes.
Up to 2 years ago or so the jack rabbit and coyote populations were very high, but the jack rabbit population has crashed and the coyote is now forced to prey on the only other food supply available, which is livestock and people's pets. This accounts for the more frequent encounters with coyotes in urban areas.
Responding to Senator O'Donnell's question regarding whether a problem exists with respect to mountain lions, Mr. Fairaizl said there very definitely is a problem. He said the mountain lion population is probably at an all-time, record high due to abundant breeding as well as immigration from California. The mountain lions are very adaptive predators, and increasing
numbers of them are encountering people in urban areas, Mr. Fairaizl stated.
Senator O'Donnell asked if the PARC committee's activities dovetail with those of the wildlife agency in terms of issuing hunting tags. Mr. Fairaizl indicated there is not a correlation between the agencies in this regard. He said the PARC entity operates essentially on a depradation complaint basis and does not engage in preventative predator control, which is the responsibility of the Nevada Division of Wildlife.
[ July 24, 2006, 02:55 PM: Message edited by: NASA ]
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on July 24, 2006, 02:53 PM:
http://wildlifedamage.unl.edu/handbook/Chapters/pdf/1ewdcgriffiths.pdf
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on July 24, 2006, 03:58 PM:
Nasa, I guess what I meant was that Cal extended the invite to guys like me whom he has never met. To invite people who he had never met, to come shoot jacks on his property is really a trusting thing to do.
Thanks for the jack info guys.
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 24, 2006, 04:11 PM:
I gotcha'. But we're all "family" here aren't we? Just because we all haven't met FTF doesn't mean we aren't all "in each other's jocks", right?
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on July 24, 2006, 04:38 PM:
LOL Nasa. Good one.
I guess being in each others jocks is better than snapping each other on the ass with a wet towel.
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on July 24, 2006, 06:13 PM:
Sounds like you guys had a blast! Heck, challenging each other to head shots, why not, that target isn't much smaller than a young pd anyways!!
You guys should've picked 'em all up, probably enough meat there to feed a hundred hungry people that are starving,......somewhere. Haven't ya heard of the "hunters feeding the hungry" program.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on July 24, 2006, 08:45 PM:
It was awesome TR! With lots and lots of shooting, you get lots and lots of death variety. LOL
Lots and lots of "bang flops" but my personal favorite was the "Boingidee Boingidee Boingidee Bang Boingidee Flop" Tom invented that one. He also invented the "Dead Bush With Ears Un-Flop" and the "Reverse Mohawk Between The Ears Flop".
Crazy darned thing though. Not once, I mean not once did the rabbits seem to mind being made dead. I mean, If you shot Pedro the jack, Juanita the jack would take a look at the mess and then go right back to eating grass. Really inconsiderate and selfish little creatures really.
edit: because I mispelled boingidee
[ July 24, 2006, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Locohead ]
Posted by claimbuster (Member # 904) on July 24, 2006, 10:02 PM:
Hey Loco, I think we now know why the phrase "dumb bunny" was coined. As you said, you could blow Pedro into oblvion and Juanita would continue eating when she was only 2-3' away. Maybe Juanita and Pedro had been together for a long time. Some what like my house.
I didn't know that you guys had come up with all those cute phrases. Oh well, that is the price I pay for going it alone. I, at the time was OK, with "ALRIGHT" and "OH SH*T".
Posted by NASA (Member # 177) on July 25, 2006, 08:58 AM:
Some of those jacks sitting out at around 200 yds were totally in denial. We'd take the shot, and ........ nothing. "Did you get him?" "He's still sitting there." "I know I hit him." "Then why is he still sitting there?" "Oh-oh, look! One ear is drooping." TILT!!! "Whoo-hoo, write that down!"
[ July 25, 2006, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: NASA ]
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