Operation Jackrabbit

Time and location classified

It had already been a long patrol when we finally spotted him. We’d been riding for hours in the new Yamaha Viking patrol vehicle. We’d had some contact, a few hotspots here and there. Those were always over quick, we’d bail out of the vehicles, engage the targets, and confirm our kills when possible.

Near the end of our patrol, things got exciting. Our driver called out that he’d spotted a fast-mover to our right in the sage. It was hard to see, but I saw just as the target went to cover behind a bush. I put a round from my M&P into the bush, then we exited the vehicles and went into pursuit with just out handguns. My driver and I split wide, left and right and approached the target’s last known position so we had clear fields of fire. Right as I was about to call it off, he popped up and started running. Since he was clearly still a threat, we both engaged with handguns, dropping the target after 10 rounds at about five yards. The target took multiple hits from our 5mm pistols to drop. The one that finally dropped him took out his spine.

IMG_20140706_163510

It was a bad day to be a bunny.

11 Comments

  1. While hunting coyotes in NW SD in 2006 a jack rabbit popped up running at 4-5 yards. Nailed it straight off with the .204 Ruger, Hornady V-maxes and a scope set on 20-power. No idea how I did that. I’ll always remember the lungs blown completely out, intact, laying next to the wabbit.

  2. Uhh, did you just say that you shot at a bush because there was a rabbit behind it? Great. Gotta love the “know your target and what is behind it.” That’s how hunters shoot other people or things they don’t intend. Shooting at bushes and such. Shoot at rabbits, not at where you are “sure he’s hiding.” Now, don’t trot out “the bush was too small for a person to be behind.” It’s not the point. The point is to be a safe hunter. Safe hunters don’t shoot at bushes.

    1. Thanks for the safety lecture! I’ll make sure the next time I write a joke post to run it past you so I don’t offend your tender sensibilities.

      Lighten up, Francis.

      1. Sadly just what I expected. I don’t think I have yet to see you admit a mistake or error in judgement to any post from someone pointing out a mistake on your part. You find a way to either do what you just did, claim it was a joke and people to need to lighten up, find some other way to attack the submitter, or use some odd explanation that makes you out to be right using information you didn’t supply the first time. Joke post or not, you are writing an article about hunting rabbits that includes unsafe hunting practices. If you to be some great member of the “gun media” you need to make sure you’re not promoting bad behavior. Time not to lighten up.

        1. Many times the things we do as Kids with a Devil-May-Care attitude turn out to be the same things when we grow into Adults. Many times can be fatal as a child and as a adult

        2. You know what really gets me? Being lectured by internet safety Nazis who weren’t even there.

          I’ll make sure to say 20 Four Rules while praying towards Gunsite for forgiveness.

    2. I killed Bugs’ Bunny in 1980 in Lucern Valley. But he was in-between 2 Sage brushes when he jumped short after toying with me over the Fire Break for 2 hours.. A snap shot recochet in front of him putting him down. He had the Classic bugs bunny look of Oh! Oh! just before I nailed him.

Comments are closed.