Find fallow fields, with some agriculture lands nearby. Seek areas with some woods, creeks, ponds or rivers as a general habitat. Then key in on "edge" areas. This is my dominant tactic if I'm just walking rabbits up. Granted, this is harder work than hunting with dogs. But the enjoyment that comes from a brisk walk on a cold winter day is very rewarding, especially if you're getting occasional shots at rabbits. Old fence lines, old home sites, edges of grain fields and sunny hillsides on a cold day are favored places to stomp up cottontails. Two hunters walking together can be very effective in this manner. Sometime one will push through heavy cover while the other waits to take rabbits slipping out ahead. The obvious safety precautions of knowing each other's position are paramount, of course.

There are some outstanding areas for rabbit hunting in the Lowcountry, with Hampton County being an excellent choice. I first discovered the great rabbit population in this area when turkey and deer hunting. Fallow fields, tangled wads of briars adjacent to Lowcountry swamps and agriculture fields combine to make this county a prime place to hunt.

While not particularly noted for rabbit hunting, The Webb Wildlife in the Hampton County area does allow rabbit hunting and is actually a very good public area for this. As with all WMAs, for the various small-game species, check the specific regulations before going; but the many food plots that may be primarily intended for deer and turkeys will have residual benefits for other small-game species as well.

Another large area location that can provide good rabbit hunting opportunities is the Sand Hills State Forest. This 46,000-acre tract is in Chesterfield and Darlington counties. Both of these counties are very productive in terms of rabbit hunting. This large public-land opportunity certainly gives you plenty of elbow room. While talking small-game hunting at Sand Hills State Forest, there are some hotspots within this WMA that offer outstanding squirrel hunting as well.

In addition to the public-land opportunity for rabbits, the terrain in this two-county block is ideal for rabbits. I'd strongly advise checking with farmland or property owners that may also provide you with access to some outstanding hunting.

Quail hunting is the final small-game species we'll cover for this season. Much of the best quail hunting land across the state is highly managed for this species. Access to prime quail hunting is probably more difficult to find on public lands and the other three species we've discussed. The opportunities do exist, but they require more work to find.

One thing that I've learned along the way is that land that seems to be very productive for turkeys is often good for quail, too. This can be especially true if the land is occasionally burned using prescribed fire as a wildlife habitat management tool. With that in mind, you may be able to home in your search on pubic lands and WMAs in your area where this occurs.