Old School small game hunt 4 for 4

Decided to hunt small game today,I hit a small brair patch,fence row,harvested corn field plot. It takes maybe 3 hours to cover with my beagle Bella. She jumps a rabbit within 5 minutes,about 20 minutes later bugs pops out,and gets rolled by my little 20 gauge semi.  I decided to hunt the fence row,Bella's tails in high gear but no barking,at the end there's a lone hickory tree, I see two squirrels scrambling up to the top. Bella leaves the area and is out in the corn stubble. She jumps rabbit number two,this buck rabbit runs big,while waiting the two squirrels show me parts of their heads,two quick shots and down tumble the squirrels. About 40 minutes later Bella stops barking,I start heading for her and she opens up again. She's almost on top of me when out squirts bugs number two,a quick no aim snap shot connected. It was a very lucky or very good shot however you want to look at it.lol Well that how my hunt went 4 for 4. I'm 64 and haven't shot a squirrel with a shotgun since I was 14. It's way more fun with a .22 wow 50 fringing years. I'm and old man.lol  My wife did not appreciate a sink full of small game. She said this reminds me when you where young and brought home all those rodents.lol What are you going to do with them?lol Some things never change. 

Good deal Tuna!

We used to give all our rabbits to a neighbor who cooked them for his annual Super Bowl party. When he bought a bar and moved the party from his house to there, he could no longer serve the wild game due to food service laws.

From that point forward, we chunked them up, coated with seasoned bread crumbs, and deep fried like rabbit nuggets.

I have eaten a squirrel in probably 40 years. My grandmother would make squirrels pot pie with them.

I had a squirrel in gravy dish two fox squirrels cut into 5 pieces,dredge in seasoned flour and fried in a little oil, simmered a big diced onion and drained oil and added 1 can on cream of mushroom and celery two can of water and a can of dry white wine.. I cooked it with the lid on till done. Remove the lid and add bisquick drop dumplings put the lid back on till dumplings where done.Was quite tasty but got head shakes from my wife.haha She wouldn't touch it. Frozen the rabbits for later. May have to try to get a couple more tree rats they have been very active the last two days but I've not been out. I saw 8 crossing the back roads yesterday and 5 today. 

Yes I soak them overnight in salt water in the refrigerator,then rinse in  cold tap water. Either freeze or cook them. The salt takes out the blood clots from the shot,if it to ugly I'll just cut it out. Both squirrels didn't have any BB's in them. I've always shot a 20 gauge with improved cylinder for bunnies and pheasant over my bird dogs. I've killed a ton of bunnies with just a couple pellets in them. 

Took little Bella out 2-4-17. Cold this morning waited till.10:00 am hunted a sunny briar covered hillside, 5 minutes into the hunt out squirts a bunny heads down a valley and crossed a two lane double yellow line road. My biggest. concern is always my dogs safety after getting her safety away from the road the hunt continues,Bella's quickly strikes up number two bunny after quite a long run the Big buck finally comes back,bang chip shot. One nice healthy bunny. After about a half hour bunny number 3 exists a brair patch and the chase is on. This rabbit did quite a few tricks but wonder dog was on a mission. After a nice 35 minute run bugsy showed himself,bang the little 20 spoke again. Another big buck rabbit.2 for 3 not a bad 4 hour hunt. Definitely not like the old days but still just as much fun.

Never made hasenpfeffer. But I had fun on a cold sunny day. No ice fishing got to do something. I never hunted this spot but drive by it every day. Turned out about as good as any. Need more spot to hunt the little rascals. Bella makes all the difference,I'd never consider hunting rabbits without a dog. Fun times.
 

great day with a good friend and a great dog. thanks for the day big t. lucky i had some snacks for the dog lol 

thank god for my chaps or my leg would be gone

8 rabbits on Friday...
 
0 on Saturday...Too hot - only hunted a few hours

^