1960 Jack Rabbit Hunt (with Pic)

rabbithunter110 · Post by **rabbithunter110** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:33 pm

Those are some pretty big bunnies!

Rick G · Post by **Rick G** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:40 am

Guy's, this past saturday 1/13/07, I had the pleasure to hunt with the man who took this photo. Ralph Calasimo, along with his 22yr old grandson, Mike, drove from Canada, through an ice storm to meet us for a cottontail hunt. Hunting with us was Tom Serra, (Sam Serra's brother), John Serra, (sam's son), Tony Serra, (nephew & guide) and Carl M.

Ralph and Tom, now both 70yrs old, had more pep and step, than someone in their 30's! We harvested 6 in bad conditions, and had a great time! After our hunt, we returned to Tony's house for food, and one of the best video's Ive ever seen. Ralph, put together 3yrs of hunting 1956 to 1959 on tape. Although no sound back then, I recorded him as he told us all about what we were watching and who.

He has agreed to do an artical with me for TAB, along with some great pictures of years past. I will also do my best to get this tape in production as it has some of the best film footage of kill shots ever seen to date! This day will stand out as one of my best beagling experiences! Note: these guys wrote the book on ball busting!

Sadly, there are only 3 left from those days. Ralph and Tom are in better shape than I, but Sam Serra, is very sick. He is taken care of by his wife, Jean, and his son's Johny and Sam, along with their families.
To see him in his youth on this video, made me know just how hard core sportsmen these guy's were. Talk about hard as nails! I guess thats why it is so important to me to make sure this crew and all of there adventures is known of for generations to come! They just dont make them that way anymore.
So to all you rabbit hunters, lets keep Sam Serra and his family in our prayers, and give thanks to these guys for keeping a great tradition alive and well for their children, grand children, and great grand children. Oh ya, and a new adopted nephew from Smokes Creek!

mayhem78 · Post by **mayhem78** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:52 pm

Rick,

Great story!!!!!!! Can't wait to read this article. I would die to see that footage from the 50's.

Cannonball08 · Post by **Cannonball08** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 12:24 am

Posting these pics for Rick,

From left to right: John Serra, Tom Serra, Mike Calisimo, Ralph Calisimo, Carl M.,& Tony Serra.

Rick G, with weekends total harvest.

mayhem78 · Post by **mayhem78** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 9:56 am

Looks like Max & Magic wants some more!! So what's the score now between The Hunters and Max?

Rick G · Post by **Rick G** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:50 pm

Max 3.5, Hunters 8.....I hear those guys are spending weekday's at the range!, Max is working on the jump, swoop and snap routine!..lol

Carl M. · Post by **Carl M.** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:02 pm

I just want you guys to know what a pleasure it was to hunt with this crew. Ralph and Tom are treasures from a bygone era , they were a blast . I can only hope that one day I will have stories like theirs to entertain my sons , nephews , and grandchildren . Combined these guys have been hunting rabbits for like 100 years , and you should have seen the smiles on Rick and my faces when on the way back to Tony's house Tom told us that we had the finest pack of hounds he had ever had the pleasure of hunting over (huge grin). It was a tough day it stormed the night before and the rabbits were sitting real tight , with a ton of standing water, but the dogs managed to stay on the rabbits well enough for us to harvest 6 out of the 7 rabbits jumped . Rick by the way you forgot the other statistic U.S. 5 - Canada 1 , Oh say can you see LOL .

Rick G · Post by **Rick G** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:40 pm

Carl, first you start a fight with my Southern buddies, now picking on the Canadians...Your killing my puppy sales!!! And by the way...that blue shirt makes you look chubby!!!! LOL

JovanJ · Post by **JovanJ** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:56 pm

those rabbits are the size of my dog rocky hahahahaha