Cottontail season runs until February 28 so don’t put your shotgun or .22 away yet.

Chukar and gray partridge, snowshoe hare and cottontail rabbit hunts are still underway across Utah. If you’re just getting into hunting—or you’re an experienced hunter who’s ready for a hunt that’s not too strenuous—the cottontail rabbit hunt might be the perfect hunt to choose.

Cottontails are found across Utah. The terrain in which they live is fairly easy to hunt. And when you find a pocket of rabbits, you should be in for a good shoot.

“Cottontails are fun to hunt,” says Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “And you don’t need a lot of equipment to hunt them.”

*Terrain*

Robinson says rabbits typically live in two places in Utah—areas that have brushy, dry washes with lots of tall sagebrush or rabbit brush in them, and areas that have lots of rocks and rocky outcroppings.

“Cottontails usually hide under rocks or brush,” Robinson says. “Sometimes, they’ll even hide in burrows. Draws that have tall sagebrush or rabbit brush in them also have loose, deep soil that the rabbits can often find burrows in. Rabbits will also hide under large rocks, or they’ll hide in the crevice of a rock.”

Unlike jackrabbits, which can elude predators by outrunning them, cottontails need the help of broken terrain to stay hidden. That’s why you’ll usually find cottontails in hilly areas rather than on flatlands.

Cottontails feed early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Between those times, you’ll usually find them resting and sunning themselves near or under brush that isn’t far from a good hiding spot. If they’re using a rock to hide under, they’ll often sun themselves on a flat piece of rock.

*Cottontails in Utah*

Cottontail rabbits experience a 10-year population cycle: after topping out, the population declines for about five years. Then, after bottoming out, the number of rabbits starts climbing again. Right now, the rabbit population in Utah is at the top of the cycle.

Robinson says areas covered with sagebrush in Box Elder, Tooele, Juab and Millard counties are popular and good places to hunt. “These areas are fairly close to the Wasatch Front,” he says, “and they can provide good hunting.”

If you’re looking for a hotspot, though, Duchesne and Uinta counties—in northeastern Utah—are the places to be. “Rabbits in both counties are doing exceptionally well,” Robinson says. “In fact, the number of rabbits in both counties is near a record high.”

As you’re deciding which area to hunt, you might want to choose an area you can visit frequently. “Rabbits aren’t everywhere,” Robinson says. “If you choose an area that you can visit often, you’ll learn which parts of the area hold rabbits.”

*Best times to hunt*

Robinson says early morning and late afternoon are the best times to hunt cottontails. “That’s usually when the rabbits feed,” he says. “In order to feed, rabbits move away from their burrows and into areas where it’s easier for you to see and pursue them.”

*Tactics*

One of the best ways to hunt cottontails is to space the hunters you’re with several yards apart and then walk in a straight line through the area you’re hunting.

Cottontail rabbits have excellent hearing, so make sure you move slowly and quietly. As you walk, pay close attention to areas where rabbits might be feeding or resting, such as near sagebrush plants or rocky outcroppings.

Robinson encourages you to wear hunter orange. “Orange won’t scare the rabbits away,” he says, “and wearing hunter orange makes it easier for other hunters to see you.”

*Rifles or shotguns*

Small-caliber rifles, such as the popular .22 and the newer .17, are excellent firearms to hunt rabbits with.

Shotguns are also a good choice. Use shot shells loaded with No. 6 lead shot.

“Rifles are best if you plan on stalking rabbits and then shooting them before they move,” Robinson says. “If most of the rabbits you see will be flushing and running away from you, shotguns are a better choice.”

*Other equipment*

In addition to a small-caliber rifle or a shotgun, you’ll need the following to hunt rabbits in the winter:

• Warm clothes. Wear your clothes in layers so you can remove clothes as the day gets warmer.

• Waterproof boots.

• A backpack that includes extra shells or bullets, drinking water and high-energy snacks.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DWR