Rabbit hunting

[orangeeric 2]

Hi Gloria_Mundi,

 

I have always found everyone on this forum extremely helpful - but they need something to work with to give you the benefit of some excellent experience. I see someone has already been generous enough to offer to take you out - can't beat that as the way forward for learning in the field. I'd do the same if I were closer.

 

So, please could you tell us a bit about you:

 

What has prompted you to start thinking about doing this - is it interest or need (you have a rabbit problem) for example?A family member has a rabbit problem on his farm. I don't have to sort it for him, he merely suggested it as he thought I might be interested. And I am.

Do you have any equipment at all? Warm clothing? Not much at all

Is it something you'll stay with? (This will affect budget - and you can pretty much spend as much as you want....(oops!) - so what budget do you have in mind?It really is impossible to say whether or not I'll stick with it, but I haven't tended to flit between hobbies and never settle in the past.

I don't want to pay for rubbish. I've probably got about £400 to spend, but it is flexible. Something I can sell on if I change my mind, just a basic kit(ie no night vision scope or that sort of thing), to get me started.

Do you have any experience at all, or do we start at the beginning (don't want to teach granny and all that)

When will you shoot (time of day etc.) - and on what sort of land (i.e farm etc.) - you'll get lots of opinions on the best time here...!! Experience is non-existent, bar one unsuccessful outing to kill foxes, a few years ago. I imagine the best time of day is when the rabbits are out and about - but when is that? Either way, definitely day-time to begin with.

Farm land. I don't know, a few open fields, stretching down to the sea shore. Roads within sight, but not terribly close - 100 yards maybe.

What do you know about Airgun and Animal law? Not much.

 

I know that this is a bit of a pain, but it will allow us to understand you better and target advice better. Always happy to help.

 

To give you an idea, I use a Daystate Airwolf .22 air rifle (amongst other things) for close quarter rabbiting/vermin. That's £1200 just for the gun. The scope is another chunk more. I'm not boasting, just giving you an idea of how big the range is. I shoot around three times a week, day and night (using a torch or lamp, and in my case NV). I have camo gear and set hides to shoot from on big warrens. But there's nothing stopping you going out in dark clothes with a £100 air rifle with open sights and walking hedgerows or shooting from the window of a vehicle (if safe to do so).

 

Another layer of advice will be what you need to do before you even consider firing on live quarry - line of sight/ safe shots etc. and I don't advocate anyone firing on live quarry until they can put five pellets inside an inch (two at max) at 30 yds - so practice needed! I'm not trying to put you off - on the contrary I encourage people to take up the sport - but you need to be safe. Far too many people wanting to knock shooting.

 

I'm going on now, so I'll stop, but you've done the first thing dead right in asking questions first. Here to help, so ask away.

 

 

Attached is a view down my ambi-stock with left hand bolt......

Kind regards

 

edit: Being naturally left-handed, but having played golf right-handedly, I'd prefer a left-handed weapon(I notice on some for sale forums people seem to specify a left-handed gun, I wasn't previously aware that there was much difference), but if it's significantly cheaper, right-handed would be fine.

 

 

 

Delighted to see another southpaw!! You will see much written about the need for left handed rifles - mostly suggesting that we should just get on with it with a mainstream right handed rifle. There are two areas to consider - stock and action.

STOCK: The butt end of the rifle is key - it is your connection with it. Stock are more often than not 'handed'. By this I mean they are shaped differently on either side (as you look down from butt to barrel) depending on which hand you want to use. As a left hander, using as pure right handed rifle could actually be uncomfortable as of a raised cheekpiece or comb is present it will dig into you or not support you, making it more difficult to aim. Some rifled have an ambidextrous stock, meaning it is shaped the same on both sides. I'm assuming you are left eye dominant (so if you close your right eye, your left eye looks straight down the barrel) - if you're right eye dominant, the stock will be even more of an issue. Make sure you try the feel of any gun, before you buy. It should feel snug and fit to your shoulder easily and bring your eye in line easily too.

ACTION: This is less important, but can have a role to play. If you buy a single shot rifle, this is not important. If you buy a multishot action, it will simply define which hand you cycle the action with - and this may or may not be important to you. It's a matter of whether you take your trigger hand away to cycle it or your fore-end hand. Should you move to firearms this becomes more important as it defines the direction the spent cartridge ejects - away from you or into your face (!).

 

Your budget is a good one - does that include scope as well? The only other influencing factor is that left handed rifles are (a) a bit harder to get hold of, ( a bit more expensive and © can be a bit harder to get rid of.

 

On time of day, rabbits tend to be out first or last thing - and at night. You may find some out during the day, but as you get into it they will become much more aware of you and your movements, reacting earlier.

 

Law - a learned colleague has already pointed out you need a licence in NI (so I've learned something there) - but you also need to be aware of the Wildlife acts and that sort of thing - there are some really odd little tweaks to laws.

 

 

Let's start the ball rolling on what rifles/scope combo's other members would suggest for your budget.......chaps? (wait til they get onto pellets....!!)

Edited November 29, 2010 by orangeeric