It had been too long since I took to a snow-covered forest in pursuit of cottontail rabbits. So when Jim Low, the recently retired writer from the Missouri Conservationist, asked if I wanted to go kick some brush for bunnies, I excitedly agreed.

"There's no need to go too early," Jim said. "Let's meet up around 10 in the morning and hunt for a few hours."

This was music to my ears. After countless forays into the predawn darkness of the white-tailed deer woods over the last few months, the idea of sleeping in, and having breakfast and coffee before venturing out on a hunt sounded perfect. Turns out it was.

Small game hunting, specifically rabbits and squirrels, is a sporting tradition suffering serious decline. With the excitement of a trophy aspect eliminated from the equation, small game hunters are left to find highlights in the experience of hunting and the enjoyment of table fare collected from their efforts. Advertisers aren't too interested in promoting these oldest of outdoor traditions and therefore new hunters often lack exposure to the overall...