We’re in for a few more cold snaps, I’m sure. A nice bowl of chili is great when the temperature outside is struggling to get to positive digits, but even better is a hot rabbit stew.
I’m afraid some of those impending arctic blasts are going to hit us after the rabbit season closes, though. Rabbit season in Wyoming runs through March 31, so if you want to be able to whip up a rabbit stew in April or May, you’ll need to stock up now. The daily limit on cottontails is 10, and the possession limit is 20. Keep in mind that the possession limit is all the cottontails you have – including those in the freezer. But you only need one or two for a good stew, so this shouldn’t be much of a problem.
There are a lot of rabbits out there again this year, too, at least everywhere I’ve been. There may be some places where the rabbit population has taken a downturn due to tularemia or other diseases, but so far, they seem to be doing pretty well. This in turn leads to a higher population of coyotes and foxes, so if you get out in the field to hunt rabbits, and you have any interest in hanging some pelts, too, you might want to be prepared for predators, too.
Rabbit hunting is looked down on by a lot of people, though, because it gets a rep as a kids’ activity. And yes, it’s a great way to introduce young hunters to the sport. They generally don’t have to walk very far or carry heavy gear, and the rifle used for rabbit hunting isn’t going to knock them on their backsides. But the same things that make it fun for kids make it fun for adults, too. It’s a good excuse to get outside, see some country, and shoot a gun. What more can you ask for?
And when you get some, you can eat them. As I said, nothing tastes better, in my book, when you’re snowed in and it’s freezing outside, than a bowl of rabbit stew.
