Hunting for Jack Rabbits in the 1930's




This photo is from a long time ago, probably in the late 1930s - back when I was a kid and my dad (the guy in the middle, my uncle John Bluvas on one side and friend Harry Hotovec on the other) and his buddies were dedicated jackrabbit hunters in rural Nebraska. In the 1930's hunting was a necessity, the depression was over but money was scarce. Rabbits, pheasants and ducks were plentiful and free.

Gas was something like $.25 or less a gallon and our old Model T Ford didn't use very much....great gas mileage. Dad would get his little group together and they'd leave early in the morning for their favorite hunting spot about 10 miles away. They'd hunt for whatever came across their path....and was in season. Dad was a stickler for obeying the law....no pheasants or ducks out of season. However, rabbits were another story....they were fair game all the time.

Jackrabbits are distant cousins of those "cute" little rabbits that hop around the yard, eating your plants and veggies...their tame cousins would show up at Easter time dyed pink, yellow or blue. Jackrabbits are the big mamas....and we ate a lot of them. Usually fried or in rabbit stew.

I believe they would be on the gourmet food menu now.