Hunt Small Game When Deer Seasons Close

January 1 was the last day of Michigan's deer season. The three-month season was gone in the blink of an eye. All that practice and preparation for the hunt either paid off or it didn't. Maybe you filled your tags. Maybe you missed your opportunity. But one thing is for sure: deer season is done in this neck of the woods, and it's a long wait until it starts back up again.

So what is there to do?

One of my favorite things to do is hunt small game. After all, small game hunting was the first kind of hunting that I did. Small game seasons are usually long and extend beyond deer seasons. I use this time to keep my woodsmanship and shooting skills sharp. It's also a great way to fight off cabin fever during the long winter months. Here are my top three favorite small game guns.

SINGLE SHOT H&R .410 SHOTGUN

Whether you're shooting squirrels on the limb, or rabbits on the run, the shotgun is the sure thing to putting meat in the crockpot. The reason I like the .410 over other gauges is because they are lighter and more maneuverable. It doesn't take much to kill a thin-skinned rabbit, so the .410 is up to the task. It also has lighter recoil if youth are hunting with you.

RUGER MARK II OR III .22 PISTOL

The versatility of this gun is why it's my favorite. I've used this pistol on squirrels and fast-moving rabbits. Don't think for one second you are shorting yourself in the accuracy department. These Ruger pistols are incredibly accurate. When the brush gets thick, toting a long gun through the briars gets cumbersome. That's where a pistol shines. I use good ammunition like CCI Mini-Mag or CCI Velocitor ammo. CCI has some of the most reliable .22 ammunition on the market. When you're taking shots at a running bunny, the last thing you need is a jammed handgun.

BENJAMIN MARAUDER .22 PISTOL CARBINE

This is where things might start to sound a little strange, but this little gem is incredible. The Marauder is a PCP (precharged pneumatic) air rifle. Some of my best small game spots are in some areas that are surrounded by houses. Cracking off loud guns isn't always the best idea. That's where this quiet and extremely-accurate pellet gun rises to the task...not only for squirrels but also for catching rabbits sunning themselves on the edge of brush piles. This airgun has plenty of punch to dispatch game out to 40 yards. (Stay tuned for a full review on this gun coming in a future blog post.)

So when deer season is over and cabin fever sets in, small game offers plenty of thrills and gives hunters the opportunity to get outside.