Deer hunting season is often the “main event” for hunters, but there’s plenty of other small game animals you can hunt during spring to keep wild game on your table and hunting equipment in your hands.

Rabbits

Rabbit season is a long one in Minnesota. It started on Sept. 17 and will run until Feb. 24, so you have a couple more weeks to hunt this small game. The Minnesota DNR’s page on rabbit hunting indicates that rabbits gravitate toward forests and prairie grasslands for their habitats but can also be found in grassy wetlands, cornfields and orchards. They prefer to hide behind thick cover, so look for areas with thick brush piles and lots of thorns or briars. The danger of the thorns will help protect them from predators, so they will tend to hide behind these areas.

The main strategy in hunting rabbits is to flush them out from wherever they’re stationed. You’re going to have to get as close to the brush pile you think they’re in as possible to make them move because they’ll likely wait you out until they have no choice but to move. The Minnesota DNR notes that they also tend to stay in a concentrated area about the size of five football fields. After you flush them out, they’ll probably circle back to where they started, so be prepared to go back to point A.

Raccoons

Raccoon season in Minnesota lasts until March 15, so you have even more time to hunt this nuisance animal. According to the Minnesota DNR, they have a wide range of habitat including prairies, woodlands, and cities. They tend to live inside trees or under buildings. These animals are best hunted by putting out traps and waiting for them to take the bait. Their reputation for being “trash pandas” is accurate and they will eat anything they can get their hands on, so the food you put in the trap shouldn’t really matter, as long as the smell is enough to attract them.

Small Game in General

Whenever you’re hunting small game, it’s important to remember that you’re going to be aiming at a much smaller vital area, meaning it’s even more important than ever for your shots to be accurate. You should use equipment that is specifically designed for small game. If you use bullets or broadheads that are too big, you risk damaging the meat. Using smaller equipment will help ensure that you can use the meat for your dinner table or donate it, keeping the harvest ethical.

Make sure you follow your state’s guidelines for whether you need to wear an item of blaze orange clothing on your small game hunts.

Bucket Backpack

Our Bucket Backpack will make your on-foot small game hunt easier. It’s a five-gallon bucket with backpack style straps that make it easy to carry during your pursuit. When you’re ready for a break or when you’re waiting out your game, use the attached 360-swivel, padded lid to create an instant seat wherever you are. The exterior pockets and interior bucket space will allow you to carry your harvested game and all your accessories at the same time.

Whichever small game you decide to hunt, you can keep meat on your table and continue to enjoy Banks Outdoors products while you do it.

What small game do you hunt during spring? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

 

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