Almost a hat trick

[Phantom 631]

Managed to get out to the Paddock the other evening for a couple of hours

 

Just me, my pellets and my Baby, dressed in her Kassner crown and her little Ultrafire with the home made red filter. Took a poncho to lay on and my portable back stop which I placed exactly 30 meters (ohhh look at me going all metric!) from the breech.

 

Looked around and boy did it look different! The Caravan is just a pile of ashes and the metal chassis, the good horse box has gone and so has the valuable stuff. The second Box that was used as a feeder was still pretty much as it was yesterday but the hay inside has been torched as well. The guy who gave me the permission has gone, but luckily he hasn't actually revoked the permission, so I figured as I still have it in writing and I have agreed to do him a favour, I still have written permission to be there

 

I Zeroed the gun at the new range; but I must admit it was fairly hard going! The wind picked up and changed direction almost every shot Got there in the end though!

 

I tried to do the 10 pellet pile up for Stealthy, but in those conditions, I didn't realistically stand a chance!

Best I could manage was a four into one nugget and a couple of two's

Next time the weather is more favourable I'll have the ten (Best Wayne from Waynes World impersonation) "Oh yes...., I Will have.... The Ten..."

Anyways enough of this fancyful day dreaming back to my documentary.

 

As I lay in ambush for the first unsuspecting Cotton Tail, I saw a HUGE FAT Woodie alight onto a branch of the tree almost directly in front of me and only a meter or two behind my Zero :cool: So me wanting to get my first taste of Woodie, before my permission is revoked (wich it will be eventually unless the landowner signs me a new permission form).

Crosshairs on its head, then down just a touch, 1st stage up, second stage, click phutt crack as the pellet destroyed a twig and Mr Woodie takes to the air with great haste

 

Later on, I'm browsing around the paddock, when I see 2 youngsters playing over at about 50ish yards (Bang goes the metric!) so I decide Its gonna be a slow crawl over and a well deserved slap O' lead in the noggin for those Juviniles.

 

As I turned and picked up my rifle, I slid down the length of the poncho and began my crawl over the depression in the ground and up to the crest of the next undulation. I peeked over to where the bunnies were playing and DAMN they've gone. Surveying the land for signs of a pair of ears, I cought a glimps of a white tail scuttling into the warren of the embankment. I hung around for about 20 minutes, but as I was laid in nettles and getting stung on the legs, I decided they'd have to wait for their chance to become my next Bunny Vindaloo. So I stood up and made my way back to the poncho, got settled and as I scanned the fenceline between me and the cemetery, theres a kit, making the last of the evening rays of Sun.

Drawing my scope around, I planted the intersection of the reticule just behind the eye and took up the 1st stage, bugger he hopped off over to a nice green set of shoots in the ground and began to munch.

Without letting the 1st stage return I moved to crosshars over and they settled just about where they had been originally. I exhaled and gently squeezed the scecond stage,releasing the hammer with a click, followed insantly by the phutt as the AAF pellet left the barrel and slammed into bunnies noggin with an almost silent crack.

Bunny rolled over and waved frantically with its right hind leg for a couple of seconds before lowering it slowly, telling me that my skill as a marksman was up to the job today.

 

As there was nothing else in the area at that time, I wandered over and picked up my small prize and returned to my ambush point.

 

Not long after I could see a fair number of jewels that shone brightly when the red filtered torch sweeped over them. Sadly they were in the thick stalks and low bushes in the unused allotments area. Although I could have taken a shot or two I decided against it as the wind had picked up again, gusting from left to right making already difficult shots just too tricky to pull off in my opinion.

 

Almost an hour passed when I noticed a 3/4 grown hop out of the tall grasses and into the paddock. It immediately dissapeared unto a depression and all I could see was the tips of its ears.

Waiting patiently I kept my eye to the scope with the mag lowered to cover the entire depression and it worked, I saw the bunny hop out to the right a minute or so later. As I cranked the magnification up bunny hopped over towards the gate eventually settling to feed on fresh growth right in front of the hay feeder on the fence. I knew this was about 45ish yards so placing the crosshair where I wanted the pellet to hit I took up 1st stage and then using my left hand that was in the form of a fist under the butt of the gun, I relaxed my hand until the crosshairs were almost to the top of bunnies ears. The wind died down before the next gust and I let the next shot fly and the bunny keeled over, twitching for a few seconds before comming to a complete stop.

 

Leaving bunny number two where it lay, I again brought the muzzle round to sweep the area there were still jewels in the long grass but alas, nothing I could get a clear shot at.

 

I decided that I wanted to have a wander around the boneyard, so letting half an hour pass without another bunny daring to enter the paddock, I wandered over and retrieved my second bunny of the evening. I took it back to the 1st and laid it out next to the other and went over to the cemy.

 

My 1st chance of getting a shot there came just as I had entered through the fence. It was a glowing pair of eyes in the filtered light Not that far either and as this part was sheltered from the wind with the orchard, I raised my gun and let the shot fly,a bit of a dull thud and the vanishing eyes as the pellet skimmed over bug's head and came to rest in the Earth behind it I'd missed my hat trick.

Continuing my wander round the cemetery, I could see much more damage caused by the expanding bunny population but not another bunny was to be had that night

 

Moving back to the paddock I'd had enough! I was cold and decided it was time to retire from shooting for the evening.

 

Got back to my sniping point and immediately I noticed there was only one bunny where previously there had been a brace I guess Mr Charlie Fox has been doing the rounds this evening He had taken only the smaller of the two a Doe, although I wish he'd have taken the larger of the two which was a Buck.

 

Sorry no pix this evening! The one I took is displaying as 'unrecognised file type' even though its a jpeg and it's showing up as 0Bytes so its obviously corrupt

 

Phantom

[venomviper 129]

hi ya buddy

well great write up and weldone on the shooting side buddy your baby and you have done it again what did you use for the red filter ?

regards

shay

[Phantom 631]

Thanks Shay,

 

I used a red filter from an old black and white photograghic enlarger.

 

Its a bit strong so, I'm looking for some red acetate or similar to do the same with. Something that will let the light out a little bit further.

 

Phantom

[zini 1,939]

Excellant write up there Tony pal and shooting buddy.

 

I always enjoy reading your threads buddy as you put us right in the picture.

 

Si

[venomviper 129]

i agree si they always do and i will look into that as i need to get a new lamp cheers tony matey

shay

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

nice shooting tony! what MM is your torch bulb? if its small enough then you can use old red quality street wrappers, or amber if you use the toffy penny

[farmerkev09 105]

great write up phantom and some good shooting

 

happy hunting

 

farmer

[Phantom 631]

Thanks guy's

 

Hi Aaron, I tried the red QS Wrapper, Stronger than the filter Sadly. Tried the yellow one and it does the job well, but the cotton tails don't like it Also makes the Cemetery look a bit freaky

 

I've just finished grinding down a very thin red filter from a roadside warning light (my own not a knicked one) and I will be putting that through its paces tomorrow (can't be assed to go out tonight as I'm tired). With it being so thin it should let more light through I can light up the entire Paddock from one end to the other (and then some) without a filter.

 

Phantom

[Alexisrouzee 6]

nice one phantom!! very good read, pesky charlie taking one of your prizes tho bit naughty of him!! ha, sometimes the pics can add to the story but i just enjoyed the read itself mate

 

ATB

[Phantom 631]

Thanks Alex,

 

Its not the 1st time I've had one nicked by ole Chucky.

 

1st one I posted a thread about it, cheeky lil sod was sat hiding and as soon as the young bunny went over he ran out of the orchard into the cemetery and snatched it from right in front of me

 

I wouldn't have minded, if he had stayed long enough for me to get my camera out the pocket.

That would have been a superb Wildlife Pic of the Year entry

 

Phantom

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hiya Tony.

 

Excellent write up mate, enjoyed that

Good shooting too buddy, the other one will keep for another day

 

With a bit of luck you may bump into the paddock owner, and get the permission changed over mate, fingers crossed for you.

 

Old Bazil's got some neck on him pinching one of your kill's.....

 

 

ATB>

 

 

 

 

Bill.

[gringo40 13]

Great write up Phantom

 

Went out myself for an hour this evening, big fat zero. Oh well always next time

 

Cheers Carl

[stealthy1 3,964]

If at first you dont succeed, fire another ten