Steve is a great guy. I don't know him well, it's been years since I talked to him, but if he's impressed with your bird, I'd say you have a good one. I've never hunted on Whidbey, but my son and his family live there and I go over for the grandkids birthdays. I see rabbits all over the place.
I'm about 50 miles north and west of Spokane in the Huckleberry Mountains.