Advice please - best way to get bunnies at night with a non FAC air rifle

[TinTentTourist 0]

Hi folks.

I came back to air gunning earlier this year and since then I have been working on getting my shooting back up to scratch and getting permissions.

 

Now that the nights are drawing in I need to learn how to shoot bunnies in the dark.

I have searched the forums for topics, but while a lot of people talk about their successful night out, they don't say how they do it or with what kit.

So if you could help me please.... what works for you?

 

Do you use night vision (if so what)?

Do you lamp (again what kit)? How bright, do you just dazzle them or is it general illumination?

Do you lay in wait and snipe the bunnies, or do you just walk round.

What clothing do you wear, does it matter?

Any other hints and tips?

 

I know the advice will vary depending on the type of land the permission is on, but as I am starting from scratch, all advice is appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Martin

[hunter1989 91]

welcome back buddy

 

night hunting i find is best for bunnies,

 

u dont need night version if you are using a lamp bud

go for a lamp and battery pack cheap and good

 

good luck

[air gun ant 1,666]

Personly I lamp I have scope mounted deben traser max pro with the dimmer switch and have it on low light just to pick out the eyes then get In range and shoot :-) others may do it differantly but trial and error means this is how I was doing it but truth be told it could all be differant next time I'm out deppends weather anyones been lamping it recently? As rabbits become lamp shy quite quickly. Atb hope this helps ant :-)

[spike25blue 55]

Hi buddy at the moment I lamp but all depends on your budget I have an NV scope and will getting another when I can you don't really need anything to fancy lamping apart from a decent scope and getting use to distance at night because distances at night look totally different to in the day I'll put a link to the lamp kit that I use lightweight and easily removed and works to a good 50yds and can have diff colour bulbs red,green,orange,blue etc

 

 

Atb rob

[Phantom 631]

I began lamping last year, in the cemetery permission I hold.

 

I had no one to show me how to do it properly and it was a VERY STEEP erning curve indeed.

 

Estimating ranges in the dark is a real pain in the butt and very difficult to get right. If you can find someone local to show you how its done its supposed to be a breeze.

 

I used a gun mounted UltraFire Cree lamp (300 lumens) that I got from a guy on eBay, had the lamp, standard switch and remote pressure switch for the gun. Very effective for airgun ranges and (good for twice the distance actually), twice the light throw than the Ledray, and a fraction of the cost

 

Again, the range estimation using a lamp is dificult until you get used to it.

 

Phantom

 

Edited to say it was Spike25blue that put me onto this lamp and I've not looked back, thanks Rob

Edited August 5, 2010 by Phantom

[TinTentTourist 0]

Thanks guys, that's a good start. More questions...

Why would a lamp want to be dimmed?

Why would you use coloured filters?

Sorry Rob, probably me, couldn't find a link to the light you mentioned.

I think my scope is fairly decent for this, a 3.5-10x40 Simmons Whitetail Classic. Seems to work quite well as the light goes.

Does it matter what you wear at night?

Thanks again, it'll soon be dark and I'll be taping a maglite to my rifle

[hunter1989 91]

hi mate

 

its always est to dim your light otherwise mite scare all the bunnies of,

i wear my normall realtree clothing just to break it down as bunnies see better at night.

your scope are good anoth,but i would practice at night first,its different getting ranges asthe other has stated

[TinTentTourist 0]

Cheers

I thought animals were supposed to be colour blind, how does having different colours on your lamp help. And if dim is better, why buy a torch with a 100m range? Probably stupid questions, but if I don't ask I am only guessing

And do you walk round shining the lamp about until you see one or do you wait up and put the lamp on from time to time to see what's about?

Thanks

[stealthy1 3,964]

I use X-Verminator Gun Light to good effect, and they're cheap as chips

 

http://www.springfields.co.uk/lighting/torches-flashlights/?id=3735

[andyfr1968 772]

I'm scared of the dark.....

[davyt63 1,845]

Cheers

I thought animals were supposed to be colour blind, how does having different colours on your lamp help. And if dim is better, why buy a torch with a 100m range? Probably stupid questions, but if I don't ask I am only guessing

And do you walk round shining the lamp about until you see one or do you wait up and put the lamp on from time to time to see what's about?

Thanks

 

hi buddy

welcome to the forum

 

yes they are! but they seem to act different with a red filter! than with a blue,yellow,green.

which i tink are all hard on ya eye when out in the field!

 

some use a dimmer as not to freak out lamp shy bunny's and they wont spook so easy! if its your only permission best not to lamp it too much!

 

you don't need a lamp thats going to send light to the outer Hebrides,50 60 yds is fine!

because you wont want to be taking bunny's much longer than 40yds at night!

 

using the lamp some do it different! and so do i if im static,mooching,driving

 

static!

i will get in range of a warren and flick the lamp on in the direction every 15 minutes,and its one swing form left to right/right to left.if i spot a red Jewel then it goes of quick, i then make a reference point in the sky line may be a tree or telegraph pole,and that will pin point its position,i then look through my scope depending on whether its a low cloud night,full moon,clear night.and you can make out a silhouette of the bunny,get ya self comfy take aim flick the light on ,and its lights out for the bunny. not every ones way of doing it but i get good results this way

 

mooching!

walking around pretty much the same as every one Else! keep down wind so they cant smell ya flick the lamp on spot the bunny, turn off the lamp and stalk in to that direction remembering to take a reference point ! and to count out ya steps turn on the lamp if its still there THWACK!!

 

 

driving!

drive around the field,or what ever permission it is.this you need 3 peeps driver!shooter!lamper!

unless you have a gun light! drive around light em up whoa! to the driver! and shoot! right go on ,whoa! lamp ,shoot! right go on ,whoa! lamp shoot!

 

pretty easy! really but not Evey one will agree! as others have different techniques!

 

now i await the slaughter! lol

 

i hope this helps!

 

 

regards

 

 

davy

[Phantom 631]

Bunnies are colour blind and just like a photographer (before we all went digital) we would develop our monochrome prints under the red light as mono-vision (and monochrome paper) is not sensitive to red light.

Bunnies will see a white light as bright as daylight and thats what will spook em.

 

I use my Ultrafire because it has a really good throw of light, this enables me to see the bunnies out in the middle of the permission and aout at the further points so I can sway the lamp, see them, turn it off and make my way over to them.

 

Phantom

[TinTentTourist 0]

Last few questions...

Does the weather make much difference? I presume they have to eat whatever the weather.

What time do they normally come out?

One of my permissions has people all over it until it goes dark, another is quiet all the time.

Do other animals make any difference, ie on one of my farms there are sheep and cattle. On another, a few horses.

[Phantom 631]

Last few questions...

Does the weather make much difference? I presume they have to eat whatever the weather.

What time do they normally come out?

One of my permissions has people all over it until it goes dark, another is quiet all the time.

Do other animals make any difference, ie on one of my farms there are sheep and cattle. On another, a few horses.

 

Hi again tripple-T

 

The weather can make a difference especially in extreme such as deep snow etc...

 

Rabits will drink up the water that seeps through in to the warren and not many people believe me but this IS true, Rabits have the ability to eat their own droppings and live on the nutrients that are still in them So they can stay down warren for a very long time

 

But if your asking will they be out in the rain/light snow then yes they are, strange thing is they never seem to get very wet even in heavy rain. But as soon as you put a pellet in the brain box, that all changes and they get wet quickly

 

Bunnies come out at differing times depending on their mood, the need for fresh sustanance and the threat level.

If they feel confidant they will be found out and about, they do like a bit of sunbathing.

 

Other animals can make a difference as well, cattle, sheep etc.... they wont bother with them.

A Fox, Owl or other Bird Of Prey in the area, will make sure the bunnies stay down the warren

 

Phantom

[TinTentTourist 0]

Thanks again Phantom. (I should really change my name now I've sold my tin tent lol )

Anyway, Birds of prey.... we have had a few round here recently, one HUGE Buzzard or something like that, and a few other smaller ones. I'm watching them while out looking for bunnies and thinking how good they look and how nice to see them back....doh... never made the connection :wallbash: :wallbash:

Well someone did mention a steep learning curve

Searching for a suitable light now (before someone tells me how great night vision is )

Cheers

Martin