With today's struggling economy hunting is again finding its niche within our society. It is becoming more and more evident that the art of hunting as a source of easing one's grocery bill is becoming more popular and will continue to do so as economical troubles continue. For this purpose I surmise that there exists a generation of would-be hunters that have no idea where to start. This is the dummy proof guide to finding game close to home.

Most every guide I ever read on hunting cottontails simply suggest that they are an abundunt species that like brushy areas near water. That is true in many instances, but I have waded in the gnarliest brush known to man near water for miles and did not see a rabbit. Even though brushy areas do hold rabbits and they do need a water source, there is an intangible that is not factored if one simply walks to a brushy creek and starts kicking briers in search of those pesky little rabbits.

Rabbits are prey! They are a food source for many types of predators all winter long. So in order to find rabbits you must identify a spot with what I refer to as an absolute. What is an absolute? An absolute hiding spot free from predators.

Where do I spot an absolute?

Without a doubt there are two key spots that make absolutes, and if you can find both you will find more rabbits then you can harvest in a season.

Abandon structures or dumps provide key habitat for hiding and nesting cottontails. What hunters need to look for is dense grown up structures where rabbits can absolutely get away from predators. My favorite spot for example is an abandon sawmill. The old piles of saw dust make for easy and hasty digging for the rabbits. The large piles of slabs make safehavens for rabbits and their young. The thick and newly grown brush provide rabbits with a food source for winter and forged routes throw -off insuing predators long enough to loop back to the absolute.

Another example of structural absolute is farm dumps. Though not a practice of today's farmers, it is not uncommon to find a large gully filled with reminents of 1950's farm waste. Large deep piles of trash and metal protect rabbits from predators.

Some brush piles large enough and deep enough will support a rabbit family. I have a certain stretch of fence row that I have been hunting since I was old enough to pack a shotgun. The fence row is close to a mile long, but year after year all the rabbits come from the two brush piles that are absolutes. They may not come out of them directly, but the path of the rabbit indicates they are relating to the structure. And upon observation there is no predator that could possibly dig them out of those enormous piles of rotting wood and green briers.

So when hunting look for structural absolutes and you will find rabbits nearby.

So what could be better then structural absolutes when hunting rabbits? How about environmental absolutes! Environmental absolutes are described as a place where rabbits tuck into places where predators will not pursue them. This phenmenon is usually found near housing developments, or active sawmills, factories, and such. Any place that there is enough human activity to ward off predatory animals, yet brushy enough to hold rabbits. Woodlots between subdivisions, fence lines close to barns and houses, basically any brushy area where a lot of human activity takes place nearby. Some of these are boderline urban and rural environments, so be smart while hunting and do lots of homework. In my area a lot of subdivisions are sectioned off of existing farms. Woodlands close to these housing developments usually hold rabbits. The key is finding ones that hold rabbits, yet do not disturb the neighborhood. A beagle chase through the local neighborhood tends to make people a little unfriendly (unfortunately I sppek from experience). But for those of you locked into a urban life and seek hunting experiences this could be the ticket to many fun and exciting evenings with no gas expense. Simply consult the land owner for permission. Most farmers are not partial to small game hunting;deer hunting may raise a different response.

So if mathmatical deduction has not yet led you to determine the very best honeyholes let me fill you in. If you can find a spot with environmental and structural absolutes together, you have found a honeyhole.

It is possible to find scattered rabbits throughout random brushy spots, but the most productive spots will have either one or both a structural absolute or an environmental absolute. An absolute hiding place from predators will produce steady and long lasting hunting environments for generations.