There are basically three ways to hunt bunnies: pushes, still hunting/jump shooting, and with hounds. You may hunt rabbits however you wish, in whatever parties you wish, with as many hunters and hounds as you wish.

Cottontail rabbits are exactly like whitetail deer on a much smaller scale. They have a core area of about four or five acres, and a familiar territory that may extend in a radius several hundred yards beyond that core. The core area contains food near bedding areas which afford cover and security. In late winter, rabbits yard up just like deer do, so you can often find great concentrations of them in one or two core areas.

1. Still hunting involves walking through the thick cover of typical bedding areas such as thick briar patches, overgrown ditches or wide fence rows, and finding them in their "sets" or getting shots off after they jump.

2. Pushes require standers along the edges of bedding areas while drivers wade through them for jump shots.

3. Hounds keep rabbits on a constant move through their familiar territory, which they do not exceed except under very special circumstances, in the hopes that a strategically positioned archer will find a shot while the rabbit moves through.

Rabbits are creatures of the edge, just like whitetails, and will run roughly the same routes over again when a hound pushes them through their familiar territory. You will learn quickly to recognize these areas—bottlenecks of cover, edges of briar patches—and where to position yourself for a shot.Rules of engagement:

*No broadheads allowed. Blunts and field points recommended.

*Whenever you see a rabbit moving through cover, yell out his position to alert other hunters.

*Whenever you jump a rabbit, holler out to your party before shooting, "There he goes." Anyone yelling "Tallyho" will be sent back to camp to wash dishes.

*If you are hunting in a group with hounds, after you have shot mark the exact escape route so the Master of Hounds can put beagles on the scent quickly . If you are still hunting, give the rabbit a few moments of rest and then continue stalking him in the direction he headed.

*When you are trying to position yourself ahead of pursuing hounds, be respectful of other archers already on stand and do not encroach on their territory.

*Whenever you see a rabbit moving through cover, yell out his position to alert other hunters.

*Consider wearing a hunter orange vest or cap or sash.

*Heavy cotton duck pants or cordura nylon chaps will save your pants and legs from briars.

*Always have a few judos on hand to take advantage of stump shooting opportunities.

*If you shoot at a rabbit pursued by hounds and miss, wait for the hounds to pass beyond the shot before retrieving your arrow so you do not muddle their tracking efforts.

*If you impale or anchor a rabbit but do not kill him outright, do not chase him. Stand and shoot him again while you wait for hounds to close upon him, jump him and catch him.

*Rabbits do not require heavy poundage equipment but do require accurate shooting. In case Mimesius is a bit off the mark with weather predictions it is suggested to bring bow of a weight that can be handled easily while wearing bulky clothing.

*Errant arrows are difficult to locate in rabbit cover and beagles do not have the patience to wait for you to look for them. It is suggested that you use brightly colored fletching on your arrows. This will be the one and only time in which Cliff will be allowed to use feathers that are not natural gray barred or goose fletch.