Chinese New Year was celebrated earlier in the week and 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit on their lunar calendar

Chinese New Year was celebrated earlier in the week and 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit on their lunar calendar. This year should be focused on relaxation, quietness and contemplation, according to those who follow this tradition.

My wife is from the town of Westville in far northeastern Oklahoma. She said when she was growing up that there were several families in the area who raised rabbits for a food source. She had some for dinner one evening while visiting a friend’s house. Although I didn’t know my lovely bride back then, I visited my great grandparents quite often in the nearby town of Watts. Memories of hunting cottontails with my Papa Duncan were some special times to me. We used whatever beagles were handy to go with us and it was always a treat just watching the dogs work.

Small game species of squirrels and rabbits were once regular table fare when we lived a more rural lifestyle. How many meals were provided by a youngster out in the woods with an old .22 or shotgun? Hunting for rabbits is another great way to introduce youth to the sport of hunting. The pace is slow, the game plentiful and the rewards are untold. The next time you have a few hours to spare, take a child or friend and introduce them to something that will last a lifetime—safe and ethical hunting.

There are three species of rabbits in Oklahoma. The cottontail weighs two to four pounds and is generally grizzled tan, brown and gray with white or light tan on the feet and underside. The underside of the tail is white. Preferred habitat is edge cover, brush, creek buttons, briar patches, thickets and swamps. Its diet includes herbaceous vegetation in summer and bark and twigs of woody vegetation in winter. Two to five litters are produced during the February to September breeding season. The cottontail inhabits the entire state.

The swamp rabbit weighs four to six pounds and has shorter, sleeker fur than the cottontail but is basically the same color. Its preferred habitat is marshes, floodplain forests, sloughs and other areas of standing water. The swamper eats mainly grasses, sedges, shrubs and tree bark and twigs. Peak mating season is from mid-February to September with three to five litters born to each female yearly. The eastern one third of the state, with scattered isolated populations, is included in the swampers range.

The black-tailed jackrabbit is found statewide but is more common in the western regions. It is generally the largest of Oklahoma’s rabbits weighing four to seven pounds. The coloration for the jackrabbit is buff-brown above with white on the underparts and ear tips and the topside of its tail is black. It prefers green vegetation for its diet and is particularly fond of alfalfa and other crops. Habitat ranges from sparse brushland to open plains to irrigated croplands. The jackrabbit’s mating season is from January through September having one to four litters, with up to six young per litter.

Rabbit season in Oklahoma opened in October and ends March 15. Cottontail, swamp and jackrabbit season runs statewide, except, there is no open season on jackrabbits east of Interstate 35.

Review the ODWC regulations before going afield. Take the time to introduce someone to small game hunting. The memories will be rewarding.

Contact Kilgore at jkilgoreoutdoors@yahoo.com