writing what you don't know

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They say to write about what you know. Just as important is not to write about what you are completely ignorant of. Do some research or look like a total idiot. This was triggered by a description of rabbit hunting in a story not on this site. The protagonist was hunting rabbits over bait from a blind with a shotgun. When a rabbit came in sight he carefully waited to take a clean shot when the rabbit was fully enguaged with the carrot. If this doesn't have you rolling on the floor laughing you have never been a hunter and know nothing of rabbits.

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Rabbits

Daphne Xu's picture

I admit I'm not a hunter. I also admit that I know quite little about rabbits. My impression is that they're always hopping around.

I have my own gripes, of course -- primarily about science ignorance and illogic in general. I've also been burnt by airing my gripes -- here, twice. The second was recent, and resulted in the sequence of comments in the first (years ago) being deleted. "Don't get even, get creative." Maybe maybe I will.

-- Daphne Xu

Rabbits

mountaindrake's picture

Get a beagle and a small bore shotgun. Almost forgot a small game hunting permit.

Have a good day and enjoy life.

Don't say things you don't know about.

You can write on a subject if you avoid the facts. I can write about flying a Black Bird as long as I don't talk about vehicle specifications and performance limits. I can write about having a Baby if I don't get too specific. Sometimes, even having experienced severe trauma, like rape, you can't write about it because you can't remember a thing about it.

I'm working on a Dragon/human story. I wouldn't even try to write about in Battle Sword handling. I can't write about Combat, or killing.

I'm curious...

Rose's picture

Did the protagonist vaporize the rabbit with the shotgun?
I remember when I hit a deer with a Peterbilt pulling empty doubles. I stopped on the shoulder, and looked at the ruined hood on my tractor, As I owned the Pete, I wondering how much this was going to cost ($4500 back in the '90s. I'd hate to see the bill now). I walked back to where I hit the deer and couldn't find it. I knew it was dead, as I ran over it with all thirteen of my right tires. My only conclusion was that I vaporized Bambi.
I'm afraid if the protagonist was too close with the shotgun, It would have the same effect.
You're right. sometimes, people who don't know any better talk about things such as this and make themselves look really bad.
Thinking themselves wise, they made themselves foolish.

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Hugs!
Rosemary

The best way to catch a rabbit

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

...is to hide behind a tree and make noises like a carrot.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt

What

mountaindrake's picture

Do you mean stand behind tree ring bell and shout 12:00 o'clock and all's well.

Have a good day and enjoy life.

I know about wascally wabbits

laika's picture

Some of them is cwoss-dwessahs:

.
GENDER-BENT BUNNY
Laika Pupkino 2020

“I guess I'm supposed to lie here, am I? Hoo-boy! Me on a psychiatrists couch, who'd a thunk it? Well Doc... Can I call ya Doc? I guess so, wit those degrees on the wall. Oxford, Univerity of Heidelberg, Anaheim Asuza and Cucamonga Junior College, you must really know your stuff! Anyway. It's about this thing I do. I dunno if you;d call it a fetish or what, I'll leave the diagnosticatin' ta you. But I'm never really happy, I never really feel like myself unless I'm all dolled up and feminine. Like the song goes, I enjoy bein a goil. And I'm comin ta hate more and more runnin around like a nekkid boy bunny. It just feels wrong! And it's feelin' wronger and wronger every day...”

“It didn't start dat way. For years I thought I was doin it for a laugh. To hoodwink dis chump who was giving me grief all the time, by the name of Elmer. Elmer Fudd, always after me with dat big ol' blunderbuss he carries around like he's compinsatin' fer sumthin'...

I'm a pretty good quick-change artist, and when he would be chasin me, I'd grab a conveniently placed dress or a nice skirt and blouse, some cute shoes and pretend to be some dame. It fooled him every time. But he wasn't the one I was really foolin. I'm startin ta see that now. I'm confused, Doc. Or maybe
I'm not confused. Maybe I'm just a coward. Me who could face down a charging bull, an abominable snowman, hunters, cannibals, Martians in Roman helmets, every sort of danger without breakin a sweat. Maybe I was throwin myelf into these dangerous situations ta prove that even though I present kinda androgynous sometimes I wasn't no goily little sissy-bunny. And to distract myself from and avoid what I was really fearing. Myself. My real self...”

“But fer all these wacky adventures I kept havin---I went to the moon once, did I tell ya that?---it always got back to Elmer. It was like a dance we did. Pretendin to hate each udder but never able to stay away. You said it Doc! We was both in denial.

“I kept on fightin him, even after he tried to reconcile. He gave up hunting, apologized, and gave me those lovely tapes of classical music. Vivaldi, Haydn, Mozart. I never took him fer a classical music fan but he's not the total maroon I took him for, I'm seein that now. Under that gruff and corpulent exterior lies a beautiful soul, the heart of a poet...”

THE PSYCHIATRIST NEVER SAYS A WORD, BUT BUGS TALKS ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF THEM, ANSWERING ALL HIS OWN QUESTIONS, EMBRACING THE GIRL BUNNY INSIDE

“By gosh, Doc! You've really helped me understand who I am. All that defensive sarcasm, my smugness, that blithe attitude toward everything, pretendin' I don't give a damn about nothin was masking a fear of any real commitment, keeping me isolated. I see now it was all just me being in denial about the girl bunny I am, that I always knew I was. I'm gonna stop pretendin' Doc. From now on call me Bonnie! Bonnie Bunny! Even though I haven't aged since 1938 I know life is too short to live a lie...”

“And my war with Elmer. Dat was another lie. I was pathetic, Doc. So afraid of rejection I masked my love behind a thousand acts of hostility and violence. I only hope that he can forgive me, and least let me tell him how much I love him! And if he'll have a used-to-be-boy-bunny for a girlfriend, I'll be the sweet and loyal goil a man like that desoives!” he gets up, “You can keep the rest of your fifty minutes Doc, I got things ta do! My life, my real life starts now. I'm so happy I could kiss you, but there's only one man I want to kiss from now on!”

As the door closes behind Bugs Doctor Kookinheimer turns toward us. He pulls his beard down revealing it was only attached to his face by an elastic band. The face is none other than Elmer Fudd. He says: “Say what you will about ACME pwoducts, their subwiminal message tapes weally do the twick! Uh huhuhuhuhuhuhuh...”

>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
THAT'S A FIRST DRAFT I WROTE IN 2016
BUT NEVER CLEANED IT UP + POSTED IT...
(AND IF I WAS GONNA SHOOT A RABBIT I'D USE A PELLET GUN.
I KNOW THAT DROPS THEM WITHOUT ALARMING THE NEIGHBORS
WHEN MY SISTER IS PROTECTING HER VEGETABLE PATCH.
BUT ME I'D RATHER HAVE THE BUNNIES AROUND...)
~hugs, Veronica

Rabbit Bait? Money of course

BarbieLee's picture

Money is a universal bait. It works in all situations on all critters, two legged and four. For smaller critters I usually hang a dollar with a clothespin attached to fishing line tied to a tree limb. Coyotes and such can be lured in with a twenty. Deer and larger game take a hundred. I don't know how one would lure in an elephant since they stopped printing thousand dollar bills???
Be sure an yell out, "Bang, yer dead." when you pull the trigger on your cap pistol. They don't always play by the rules and run off after being shot.

True story, I shot a rabbit with a 410, When the dust cleared, he jumped up and ran off. That was the last time the 410 ever left the closet. From then on it was daddy's 12 gauge, 22 or larger caliber rifles.
hugs hon
always
Barb
Life is meant to be lived. Not worn until it's worn out.

Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl

Try

mountaindrake's picture

You could try a bank bundle of tens.What was in the 410 cartridge rock salt you need #7 shot or heavier Oh and remember that the smaller the # the heavier the shot.Personal choice is my 410 six shot revolver 3"mag and #4 shot dead rabbit unless they are in the garden 22 call bolt action with 7 power scope hasenpfeffer for dinner.

Have a good day and enjoy life.