Thread: Rabbits jumping really high

Last night helped a mate clear some rabbits from his farm and I shot at one and it did the funny little straight up jump that they do sometimes when shot at.

Typically do they do this when hit or frightened?

I though I hit him, but he bolted and never saw it again. It had a really odd fur so would like to try tan the hid if I got the chance.

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Too low normally, to high and they tend to pause before bolting or just look around at their luck

That would make sense. I guessed the distance wrong and I was trying for a really clean shot.

Oh well. Try again next week.

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Yeh I'd guess it was low or in front of it. Love the little back flips you often get from a brain box shot though.

Have hit them in the ear lug occasionally and that sure does make them launch in to the air.

Have Shot the same rabbit at a later stage and found a small 22 size hole through the ear.

Flying dirt from a low shot will get them jumpimg.

I tagged one through both ears just missing the head. Deafened the thing basically, it ended up with two neatly aligned holes through both ears and I walked right up to it thinking it was dead. Took me a while to click to what had happened, that rabbit got unlucky and lucky - followed with a charmed life for a couple of years with the little girl of the farm treating it like royalty hand feeding it and dressing it in dolls clothes etc etc. Lasted a couple of years after that. So they do do some weird things from time to time.

love it some neat stories guys great reading yes land a projectile alongside some animals and they can go skyborne

I have shot the odd one that had the distinct thud sound that ran off like lightening fast for a 100 meters or so then stop dead.
On close inspection they had been shot through the heart.

Shot countless but one stands out , long head shot and it literally jumped like a pole vaulter over a 5 bar gate , picked it up completely dead

When rabbits do a "funny little straight up jump" after being shot at, it's often a reaction to the sudden noise or disturbance rather than being hit by the bullet. This behavior is more of a reflexive reaction to perceived danger rather than a sign of injury.

If the rabbit bolted after the jump and you didn't see it again, it's possible that the shot missed or only grazed the rabbit, causing it to flee. Without a clear indication of a direct hit or a follow-up shot to confirm the kill, it's challenging to determine whether the rabbit was injured.

In terms of the odd fur you noticed, it could be due to various factors, such as molting, disease, or genetic variation. If you have the chance to tan the hide of a rabbit you successfully hunt in the future, it could be an interesting project to preserve and utilize the fur. Just be sure to follow proper tanning procedures to ensure a quality result.