I am not a good hunter. I have always wanted to try it but never had the opportunity or someone to teach me. Deer hunting is a dream. So, teaching myself to hunt is my only option. That being said, below is my first successful hunt in my life. I used my little pocket 22LR a Taurus PT22. I carry that gun with me almost everywhere. How many can say their first kill was with their carry gun? But I digress. I don't participate much because frankly I don't know what I am doing. I am convinced Fish and Game aee lying to us about game in the desert, or I got the last 2 rabbits, as my second successful hunt was with my 6.5in Ruger Blackhawk 41... but it kind of blew up the rabbit. Anyway, here is the story:

So, I finally was able to go out again. Being the summer and sun rise coming up early, I left the house at 5am. Sunrise was due in 20 minutes... just enough time for me to get to Four Peaks road and find a spot.

I have my Taurus PT22 which I carry everywhere, my 41 magnum, and a box of 50 reloads I have been trying out. 215 hardcast swc under 20.5 grains Ramshot enforcer.

So I find my spot... get out of the car with my 41 ready. Start walking the desert... slowly... navigating around the plethora of cactus... going down one ravine and up the other... I see a hawk flying and land on a Saguaro cactus a few yards away. Other than that all is still except for the bugs being annoying... finally I turn right... figure I can go up the hill and see what's on the other side... remembering a friend said sometimes they can't hear you when you do that...

I get to the top of the hill and there are some cactus patches... a cottontail jumps out and scampers up ahead. 1st sign of any life outside of a rabbit taunting me just as I turn off the highway. So, I briefly go to my 41 but decide... it is really close... I better try my edc. See what happens. Sure enough I get into a clearing in the patch of cactus and about 10 ft in front of me is the cottontail hiding in another cactus. I line up my small sites and fire... missed! I stay still as it scampers to my left into the open... as I watch it stops about 18 feet away... so I line up again... one more shot and send a 38 grain hp through him. In about 10 seconds he stops moving. No expansion that I can tell... but completely pass through. Entered right behind the left rib cage and exited right before the other front leg on he right.

So my first successful kill was with my edc .22lr from a pocket pistol.