Watch Out For The Puddy Tat

Spent most of the day hanging out with an old buddy of mine. He's lives just outside the city of Temecula, where the pavement gives way to dirt. It still takes a half mile of dirt road to reach his spread: a few acres with a nice house he built himself along with a few out buildings.

Sitting outside and talking, we notice a few cottontails hopping through the yard. (the place is loaded with bunnies, mostly cottontails). His cat, named Puddy, takes off, chasing a bunny, and her pursuit fails.
I mention "Ya know, after all these years I've never made a rabbit hunt. Can you believe that?"
He couldn't believe it.
Another bunny tears through the yard...
Puddy goes after it, failing again.
"Hey, you got a rifle handy?"
He disappears into the house and returns a few minutes later with a .22 semi, handing me some bullets, explaining all he had left was .22 shorts, so I would have to manually feed, one shot at a time.
I glance at the rifle: Belgian Browning. Clean and smooth. Cool.
(For those that don't know, this is not a cheap rifle, and valued by those that have them.)
Ed is a legendarily frugal cheapskate. I could tell you stories that you would not believe, but his frugality is why he's a millionaire. So tight his ass whistles when he farts. The type of millionaire who takes his girlfriend out for the half-price deals, or uses a coupon at McDonald's (on the rare occasion he eats out).
Like I said, stories you would not believe. He has lived the DIY lifestyle since he was a kid.
"What you doing with this? I know damn well you didn't buy it."
Ahh... he's had it since the 70's, picked it up at a pawn shop for $75.
"It's about $500-600 now, maybe more. If you decide to get rid of it, talk to me first."

He tells me to take a few rabbits, and we'll cook 'em tonight, swearing on his ability to stew up a rabbit.

I press a load into the chamber, pull down on a bunny about 25yards out...
POP!
The bunny runs off.
Missed.
I got ready again, looked down the barrel...
POP!
Once again, shot too high.
"OK, Ed... next one is dinner."
No rabbits in sight, so I snuck around the shed, kept low and waited.
A few minutes later, a bunny steps out...
POP!
The bunny flops and spasms. Squeee... squeee...
And lays still.
I pick up the fallen bunny and walk back toward the patio.
Laying him down, "Gonna get my knife" and turned toward my car, parked about 15ft away.
Reaching through the window, I grab my knife and turn around...
Just in time to see Puddy dragging off our dinner, through the yard, down the slope, across the road, and into some brush.

Ed was laughing his ass off.

We'll be getting together later this week for a rabbit hunt (and dinner).
And locking Puddy in the garage.