Still not well, but a superb shot!

[Phantom 631]

Hey guy's

 

Promissed myself I would be up for an early start today, so set my alarm for 06:00

The problem was though that I still felt (still do) so fecking ill, I kept hitting the snooze button, then after an hour of the beeper going off every ten minutes Lesley made me hit the off botton and I returned to sleep until about 09:00

 

Eventually I decided I MUST get out with my gun or I would crack up. So I Got my gear together, pumped up the S200 back to 180 bar and for the 1st time, it was fecking hard work I'll put that down to me being ill

 

Left home at about 15:00 and arrived 15 minutes later.

 

Plonked my gear on the bench outside the caravan and loaded and cocked the rifle. I completely forgot to check zero this time (I'll put that down to me being ill as well).

 

Saw some Corvids over the far side of the paddock, but decided as today is the last day of my trial at the cemetery, I would go have a gander round there first.

 

Following the fenceline I got to the point I to enter the cemy. As I stopped, a good sized bunny saw me and gave it legs I shouldered by baby and followed it through the scope in the hope it would stop at some point within range. Not a chance! It scarpered under the fence into the old ladies garden next door to the cemy where it did stop only a few feet away from the wire fence (I'd swear it was as if it knew it was safe there! ).

I will admit to being a good boy and resisted the second stage squeeze!

"Come into the paddock you little :censord: then I'll have you" I said out loud

 

I scanned the cemetery and there was no sign of any bunnies wanting to play with the shiney 16 grainers.

So I went back to the paddock, I saw that the Corvids were gone and there was one lone bunny at the far end of the paddock.

It was just laid there enjoying the sun light, about 5 feet from the public footpath and A63 duel carriage way.

 

Decided to give it a go, but bugs was a good 70 yards away from me, with the sun behind me and no cover, this was not going to be an easy stalk. I thought for a moment and came up with two options.

I could follow the fenceline to the end of the paddock and try to slowly move up to it, but that would expose me to all and sundry driving and walking past.

 

I made my mind up to use the second option. I would cross straight in front and hope that the bunny wouldn't bolt when it saw me. Another problem was that the wind was blowing from behind me directly towards the cotton tail. Splashing a few drops of Shootmore over my shoulders and legs to help disguise my scent, off I went across the field. I stopped three times to check if bugs was still there and he was.

I passed my main Warren Marker and I looked towards bugs, he was still laid there and all of a sudden I had an idea for a bit of cover I had another marker, in the form of a very old traffic cone indicating the outer limit of my comfort zone from my favourite sniping point across the warrens.

Making my way across the field I made it to a point where the bunny was hidden by the cone and I crouched down and stalked ever closer. I got to about 30 yards from the cone and cautiously dropped to the ground. I knew the bunny was only yards behind this cone and there was a perfect backstop behind the bunny in the form of a 6 inch wide fence post if I moved to the left. If I'd moved to the right there would have been nothing to use as a safe backstop.

So moving with my feet and elbows I made my way to the left about 18 inches and lowering the bipods legs by two clicks so I could stayed as low as possible.

 

The view through the scope was sweet, I was directly facing bugs and I could see, the fence post directly behind him, his nose was twitching but his ears were down and he seemed relaxed.

 

Placing the crosshair directly between the eyes; I brought my breathing under control, I blocked out the sound of the heavy traffic and as with all these face on shots it was just him and me, nothing else mattered I was in "the zone". First stage came to the end, I stopped my breathing just at the end of the exhale and let the shot go.

My concentration was so intense I saw the pellet impact against the bunnies forehead and I heard the crack.

Bugs didn't seem too bothered by what had just hit him, he just rolled over to his right and didn't even kick his legs.

 

I then became aware of the noise of the traffic again so getting up I walked over to collect my prize.

There was not a drop of blood to be seen and I wondered if the pellet had actually struck the head and been deflected away because of the angle. Could bugs have been knocked unconsious?

I couldn't feel a heartbeat, nor could I see any breathing but I decided to pull the kneck as I didn't want the possibly unconcious bunny comming round.

 

Upon close inspection I could see the hole in the bunnies head and a ridge running up the skull under the skin.

 

I made my way back to the caravan to put the bunny in my bag, get my gear and then get set up so I could begin sniping over 3 warrens.

 

As I got set up it began to rain.

The rain wasn't too hard so I got laid up inside my two poncho's that were fastened together by the poppers.

This proved to be a good idea, until the downpour really began I decided it wouldn't last long and there was Davy going on about bunnies comming out in the rain, so I decided to stick it out

45 minutes later I was soaked to the skin, the wind was getting up, the rain was not slowing and I decided to call it a day.

 

But I'll be back (hopefully) tomorrow for more.

I've kept the guts and head to use as Corvid fodder I'm determined to get my first Corvid this week.

 

 

Heres the Trophy Pic

Entrance Wound:

POI n relation to eyes:

Many of you know I have a facination with Ballistic Projectile Wounds, so I opened the skin across the head so see the damaged caused. As I did the pellet fell out. Now bearing in mind the 16 grain FX had approximately 8 ft/lbs of energy when it impacted the skull, there was enough kinetic energy there to seperate and raise nearly an inch of skull before it came to a halt.

You can clearly see the physical damage to the brain. With the .22 pellet transfering all that kinetic energy into such a small area, the bunny was definately dead before it even began the roll onto its side.

 

Don't view this if you happen to be squeamish:

 

 

 

 

Phantom

[stealthy1 3,964]

If you want to lure the corvids its better to leave the guts just hanging out the rabbit, looks more natural that way, looks like your rabbit could do with a couple of paracetamols

[Phantom 631]

Cheers for the tip Stealthy

 

I'll try that if I manage to bag another one in the morning (assuming I can get out of my pit).

 

Phantom

[stealthy1 3,964]

  On 13/12/2009 at 23:11, Phantom said:

Cheers for the tip Stealthy

 

I'll try that if I manage to bag another one in the morning (assuming I can get out of my pit).

 

Phantom

 

Also works better if the rabbit has mixi, dont know if the corvids can tell the difference or not, but when its your main food source I should think they can

[davyt63 1,845]

hi tony

a cracking post and pics.and a nice clean kill!

i really dont know how you got so wet tony when im out and it starts to pour down, i just chuck my poncho over me and sit it out,going on the tinternet while its passing

you have to be doing some thing wrong "you didnt put! to much shoot more on did ya!"

well done buddy

 

regards

 

davy

[wuzzy 0]

nice shooting there fella, but sounds like you need to knock up a permanent hide

[Countrykid 1]

Well done!

I wish I had a nice rifle like that,but I can't afford it-gotta stick with my crappy 100 quid .22

I have some nice permission with quite a few rabbits and squizzers and also corvids/pheasant about.

But I need a silencer and bipod.

[Phantom 631]

  On 14/12/2009 at 16:43, Countrykid said:

Well done!

I wish I had a nice rifle like that,but I can't afford it-gotta stick with my crappy 100 quid .22

I have some nice permission with quite a few rabbits and squizzers and also corvids/pheasant about.

But I need a silencer and bipod.

 

CK,

What Rifle do you have?

 

My springer (my favorite is a .22 less than 100 quid rifle, that many people say is crappy ) is an SMK XS19 and its been responsible for quite a few head shot bunnies out to 35 yards.

 

Phantom

[Phantom 631]

  On 14/12/2009 at 12:47, wuzzy said:

nice shooting there fella, but sounds like you need to knock up a permanent hide

 

Yeah I could do with a permanant hide there.

Somewhere I have one of those fishing half dome shelters that I am thinking of using. But I reckon the nags would eat the thing! or I'd have some fecking schoolie set fire to it

May give it a try at the weekend if I can find it.

 

Phantom

[Countrykid 1]

  On 14/12/2009 at 18:07, Phantom said:

  On 14/12/2009 at 16:43, Countrykid said:

Well done!

I wish I had a nice rifle like that,but I can't afford it-gotta stick with my crappy 100 quid .22

I have some nice permission with quite a few rabbits and squizzers and also corvids/pheasant about.

But I need a silencer and bipod.

 

CK,

What Rifle do you have?

 

My springer (my favorite is a .22 less than 100 quid rifle, that many people say is crappy ) is an SMK XS19 and its been responsible for quite a few head shot bunnies out to 35 yards.

 

Phantom

 

 

 

 

 

BAM XSB44 I think it is.

And a 4x32 smk scope.

I need a better scope atleast.

But as my shot isn't too steady i need a pcp so i can get a bipod!

Edited December 14, 2009 by Countrykid