Back for summer

[JackReid 35]

Greetings all...

 

So I moved out of my Bristol house over the last few days starting to discontruct my room. Albeit with mild food poisoning in the heat was not very nice at all, just felt very feverish and bad stomach.

 

Managed to load my car (heavily overloaded infact) with every item I own apart from my very huge Guitar Rig. I will go back for that when room choosing the new house !

 

Getting things packed away then eating dinner I only had one thing on my mind and we all know what that was .

 

So I headed out to the farm, punched a target at 25 meters then one at 30 meters to flush out any inital bad shots.

 

Took the camo net in its sandbag upto the dreaded warren, 25 meters out yet this time just used the sandbag as a lean. I got impatient after about 15 minutes and thought I would go stalk around elsewhere and perhaps finish the shoot at this position a bit later, I got to the permission at about 19.30.

 

Moving up the field close to the hedge for 500 meters where their are no warrens at all until the corner of the field where there is rabbit activity on both sides (great place for a hide somewhere).

 

As I got to towards the corner usually its impossible to bypass this area without sending some down, the hedge I was walking alongside eventually leads into the busiest warrens in the corner so you are forced to go wide out into the field in order to have a shot/see whats there/to continue to a fun spot where I took those previous last rabbits.

 

As i began to move out in to the field I caught glimpse of an ear up o nthe left, in-line with where I would have walked if continued to follow the hedgeline. I really slowly moved a few steps further forward to see more of its head, slowly moved into the sat position, and sent the pellet flying over its head. Misjudged the range AGAIN. Thought it was 30 meters but was about 26. Oh well, he will be their another day.

 

 

Bellow is the dreaded warren.

Edited May 26, 2010 by JackReid

[JackReid 35]

As a reminder this is where I was intending on getting to. After bypassing accross a fields corner and missing a rabbit I was now heading down the hedgeline in order to get to this position and hopefully bag some bunnies.

 

However no such luck. I could see one nice rabbit sat out with some bracken hanging out the hedge, just a long leafy branch, so I actually walked away from the hedgeline as he could just about see me even here. I walked out into the field at an angle so that the bracken infront of the rabbits face blacked his view of me, as long as I kept the angle right. I often use overgrowth to hide, but who says it has to engluf 'you' when sometimes the rabbits range of site is infact obscured by its own placement.

 

All was going well, was about to sit down at 35 meters when pigeons started crashing out in all directions through the full early summer leaves. They really made a serious noise. As this was happening I noticed two deer down the field where I could also see rabbits (a few hundred yards at least). They ad a look around to see what the nosie was and saw me after awhile. I looked down and the rabbit had legged it trusting the pigeons instincts as a warning to run. The deer then bolted towards the hedgeline, leaping and skipping as they went, and likely causing a great deal of nosie as they went through the hedge. Bugger, I thought.

 

Below is a picture from last time, illustrating the slope.

 

Edited May 26, 2010 by JackReid

[JackReid 35]

Looking right from this slope down the field where a fence line squares the field off, and acts as a barrier between this field and the one opposite is where I was now going to head, and also where the deer were. Challenge to you eager eyes; spot the bunny near them in 10 seconds or less hahah!. This hedgeline at the bottom of the field on both sides is fairly good for rabbits, especially as it becomes overgrown in patches as you can see its a great joy to stalk along not knowing where the next bunny will emerge.

 

 

Are these Roe Deer? Click images to enlarge.. may be hard to tell from here.

 

After they ran I moved across the open field heading down to where this picture shows the deer however alot further along the fenceline out of picture where there is an opening that you can get into the next field.

 

As I moved through this gap I thought I better move round slowly just incase their were bunnies on the otherside of the fence that had not been scared by the deer running.

 

There were.. I moved about 4 meters out from the hedgeline with thistles around me and could see a nice rabbit with the back of its head to me. Perfect, as long as I move quietly and he is happy to not look around I can get into a nice position to take him. I sat amongst the thistles and realised I didnt have the ideal shot and may need to squeek him to put his head up. Before I could get settled he turned his head slightly for me, I raised the gun while sat, crosshairs on but wa sa bit out of breath and uncomfrtable was wobbling a bit, so I stoped rushing composed myself with a breath for a second, Then raised the gun, estimated 27 meters, and had a few areas of grass to negotiate pellet clearance on its journey through the undergrowth, Crosshair about a centremeter on target maximum above where I wanted it to go, finger tight o nthe trigger, then gave it that final squeeze and crack.

 

Rabbit instantly disapeared. I was 50/50 whether it was dead. I was sure I ahd textbook nailed it but from where I was sat couldnt see a body and something about the way it moved when it got hit gave room for concern.

 

I reloaded and paced out the shot to exactly 27 meters as estimated, and found that there was no need for concern I had hit it where I wanted, the 'crack' I heard that, one might associate with hitting an ear was in this case probably he back of the skull and brain taking a superdome. Cracking kill and nice bunny.

Edited May 26, 2010 by JackReid

[zini 1,939]

Hi Jack,

 

Well a good read pal .

 

I’m not sure if the post is fully finished at the moment pal or I have jumped the gun with my reply but it just goes to show that we don’t always get a massive bag every time we go out hunting.

 

Sometimes we see and shoot plenty in one location and the next day there is hardly any about.

 

Weird but wonderful thing is Mother Nature.

 

Si

[JackReid 35]

As found. Put my kill on the cattle trough and moved up the bank of the hill to more blooming rabbit spots.

 

[venomviper 129]

Looking right from this slope down the field where a fence line squares the field off, and acts as a barrier between this field and the one opposite is where I was now going to head, and also where the deer were. Challenge to you eager eyes; spot the bunny near them in 10 seconds or less hahah!. This hedgeline at the bottom of the field on both sides is fairly good for rabbits, especially as it becomes overgrown in patches as you can see its a great joy to stalk along not knowing where the next bunny will emerge.

 

 

Are these Roe Deer? Click images to enlarge.. may be hard to tell from here.

 

After they ran I moved across the open field heading down to where this picture shows the deer however alot further along the fenceline out of picture where there is an opening that you can get into the next field.

 

As I moved through this gap I thought I better move round slowly just incase their were bunnies on the otherside of the fence that had not been scared by the deer running.

 

There were.. I moved about 4 meters out from the hedgeline with thistles around me and could see a nice rabbit with the back of its head to me. Perfect, as long as I move quietly and he is happy to not look around I can get into a nice position to take him. I sat amongst the thistles and realised I didnt have the ideal shot and may need to squeek him to put his head up. Before I could get settled he turned his head slightly for me, I raised the gun while sat, crosshairs on but wa sa bit out of breath and uncomfrtable was wobbling a bit, so I stoped rushing composed myself with a breath for a second, Then raised the gun, estimated 27 meters, and had a few areas of grass to negotiate pellet clearance on its journey through the undergrowth, Crosshair about a centremeter on target maximum where I wanted it to go, finger tight o nthe trigger, then gave it that final squeeze and crack.

 

Rabbit instantly disapeared. I was 50/50 whether it was dead. I was sure I ahd textbook nailed it but from where I was sat couldnt see a body and something about the way it moved when it got hit gave room for concern.

 

I reloaded and paced out the shot to exactly 27 meters as estimated, and found that there was no need for concern I had hit it where I wanted, the 'crack' I heard that, one might associate with hitting an ear was in this case probably he back of the skull and brain taking a superdome. Cracking kill and nice bunny.

hi ya jack

what a geat write up matey and nice shooting to buddy what gun was you using ? is it hw95k ? or 90 ? and i like the pictures to buddy

happy hunting

shay

[JackReid 35]

Moving up the opposite hill to the slope I originally was coming down when I saw the deer, as I got to the top I moved along alot of farm machinerary and nettles, I was expecting to see rabbits here, all of a sudden a small kit was stood on its back legs at about 15 meters. I left it purely because I felt confident there would be larger rabbits no more than 30 meters along and didnt want to scare them off.

 

I let the bunny know I was there and it drifted calmy into the nettles.

 

I was right about more bunnies. About 20 meters further on I flanked 2 youngish rabbits, They were at a diagonal angle, and as I set my AO to 20 meters down from 25 meters quickly (was already on magnification x6, my walking setting) I held less than a half mildot under under just at the base of the largest bunnies ear so it would crossection the brain. Pulled the trigger and it was all over.

 

I called it a night as it was getting dark. I love being home in the country!!!!

 

This is how the bunny fell.

 

Edited May 26, 2010 by JackReid

[JackReid 35]

End of night.

 

All the best.

 

Zini and Shay: Sorry the topic comes in diff posts. I cant upload more than 500kb files per post... I have seen people doing many large pictures on one post and really want to know how to do this... hmmm. Thanks for positive comments. Shay its a HW95K about 3 years old. Looks a bit naff here in the flash of the camera but is a great rifle will keep it forever as it was my first full power gun.

 

Jack

[zini 1,939]

Hi Jack,

 

Thats lovely shot placement there Jack on the first photo of the bunny

 

Very cleanly and well dispatched that mate.

 

Another 5mm left and 5mm up it would of been bang smack in the middle of the brain

 

Well done mate.

 

Just goes to show what a nice rifle like a HW95K can do in the right persons hands

 

Si

Edited May 26, 2010 by zini

[venomviper 129]

hi ya jack

yeah she is a nice gun been looking at one for myself as my lad brenden has my old 177 hw95k and wont part with it at all bless him and very good shooting to matey the fur looks very clean on the rabbits to so must be feeding well to, again jack very good shooting matey

 

shay

[Phantom 631]

Nice going Jack

 

I enjoyed that

 

That it bloody good shot placement, I had to look at my pix from last night's exploits just to make sure you hadn't pinched my pic even though mine hasn't been uploaded :11:

 

Phantom

[falcongit 242]

nice shooting buddy,i thought phantom was a long story writer hes got nowt on you bud,great write up mate,and good pics.

 

sym

[Phantom 631]

OIY cheeky

 

(wheres the Mooning Icon?)

 

Phantom

[JackReid 35]

Cheers fella's. Yeh sorry about the length, hard to find a balance between a post thats alike a small novel or on the opposite end of the sepectrum

'hi guys i shot 2 rabits cheers' lol!

 

Going out again later so should be more to come hopefully.

 

Jack

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hiya Jack.

 

Epic write up mate, realy enjoyed that

The Pictures of your permission look very nice buddy.

Excellent shot placment on the bunny mate.

Hope your gut's are better now, and you enjoy your shooting.

 

 

ATB.

 

 

 

 

Bill.