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Twit who? Later than planned trip goes well

secretagentmole

By secretagentmole,
in Airgun Hunting

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secretagentmole

secretagentmole 1,701

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Well yesterday afternoon I was getting tetchy, wandering outside, looking at the sky, sighing, dropping a few hints, which Mary got the jist of and asked me if I wanted to go hunting for a few hours. I said yes please and consulted local folk lore, which informed me that there was 20% chance of showers, another piece of local folk lore was a bit more specific and said it would precipitate like fury at about 5pm. So I took the mobile Mole Bunker with me.

 

Phone up the police, got a reference number, loaded, gun, shooting bag and tent into the car (I want that Vitara finished so we can use that beggar, that was the idea), off to the big permission again. I got dropped off and as I struggled down the track I saw a load of rabbits grazing, so dropped off the bags, got the gun out, loaded Mini-Me with Prometheus Defiants. Crouched down I stalked along the edge of the nettles that lined the track I got into a suitable firing position, checked the magazine, now learning a tip from Simon (Pianoman) I had lasered certain prominent points along the track, I knew that Bugs was chowing down 40 metres from me. One hold over mildot, fire, rabbit surprise! Very surprised, dead bunny!

 

Got it picked up, cable tied the feet and hung it in the larder (a tree that shades from the sun, no matter what time of day), picked up the bags and according to local folk lore (accuweather, metoffice and intellicast) it was going to rain, so I pitched the tent. 40 seconds later all the gear was being moved inside and a cool Pepsi (buy one get one free from local Co-Op) was being drunk. I had brought the scragger with me so I loaded 10 shots into the Crosman 357, checked it worked and set off with scragging pistol and my beautiful BBK. Going back down the track bad news happened. Very bad news. Myxomatosis, a final stage cauliflower headed frame lurched out, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, eyes welded shut, it just lay at my feet, so I grabbed the pistol and let it have one, only thing I could do. Bin bagged immediately and taken to the permission holders burning pyre which was being readied. Lobbed in the middle. Suppose it is the time as the sexually maturing kits get the boot from the warren.

 

Lucky I have survived without any sign of it so far. I know where there are more warrens on the permission, so if this becomes thin (with the number of rabbits here it may not happen, they may be resistant and the one I shot could have been an incomer) there are more to choose from.

 

Back down the track after half an hour sorting out Cauli head I saw a couple in the bottom paddock but the radar was working well, I had not done my hood up and they saw the face and gave it heels, so I stalked round to the brick yard, when, through the nettles I saw some ears, about 6.... So crawl, slowly, down 40 foot of track, round the corner, aim, rabbit roll over, second one dead. Retrieved to larder, as I came back to the tent I spotted some 6 month ish rabbits in the main paddock, got on the hay bale and let them have a Defiant as well (I do like sharing things). Retrieved smaller rabbit (dog food). Coming out the three equine Labradors made themselves known, so much muzzle rubbing and throat tickling ensued (they like me) until one forced my arm onto the electric fence, I felt the shock go through me and his ears did prick up, they soon buggered in the direction of off! Kit in the larder!

 

Then I felt it start, a drop, then another, then I saw the wall advancing across the field, into the Mobile Mole Bunker and lo it hammered down and then the wife did call! Her mother had been rushed from the doctor's surgery to the hospital with a suspected blood clot. Oh hell, pick up was whatever time she could make it, but it would be late. Oh round hairy spherical objects, the lamp is on the other gun. I phoned the police up, gave them my reference number, advised them I would be hunting until 9pm (roughly sun set) and explained why, the lovely lady in the control room wished my mother in law all the best, thanked me profusely for phoning them and informing them and asked if I was having any luck, she seemed quite keen on hunting herself (think she kept ponies from what I could make out).

 

Well half an hour of horrendous rain soon went by (those games you can get for mobile phones are useful for something after all) and I got out for another stalk round. Going along near the fruit trees I spotted another Cauli head, which was removed, bagged and placed in the pyre forthwith. I got back along near the plums when I saw a kit bolt out, seeing me it froze, I slowly shouldered the gun and got a bead on it, more dog food.

 

Things slowed down a bit after that, So I walked through the farmyard in the hope of getting one or two of the woodies that sometimes graze there. No, no wood pigeons today, but a familiar cough, wheeze and sneeze, In the middle of the goat paddock as a third wandering Myxi case, so a quick blast from Mini-me, a spirited vault over the gate and bagging later and I was back on my way to the pyre! Cauli number three.

 

Showered back into the bunker again I relaxed by reading the Private Eye I had in the gun bag, chomping on a couple of cookies (type 1 diabetic since I was 10), having another diet pepsi and listening to more damned rain. Only about quarter of an hours worth, so the light was now beginning to fade! I got down along the edge of the track behind the top paddock, saw one in there and got a good aim, fired and the rabbit was in the bag (figuratively speaking). Coming back down the track I decided to have a quick peer from the top of Nettly Knoll! I saw one by another of my reference markers, the 60 metre thistle, no wind, just grazing, I sat on the top of the knoll, got the gun on my knee, got a good line and whack, the sound of the pellet striking echoed back. Number 6 in the bag! So down, across the ditch of doom, in fading light, dodging the equine Labradors, retrieve large rabbit, get back through ditch of doom, back down to the gun and struggle back with the gun and two large rabbits. Total killed 9! Total kept, 6!

 

Light was getting really low, I could see through the scope, but I could not in all honesty take a shot a guarantee a kill, that is the time to pack up and curse your stupidity for leaving the lamp on the .22! Packed everything up, then had to lug the load to the top of the track, made three runs, first up was the kills, second the tent, third the gun and the shooting bag, as I got back up on the last leg, she draws in the top of the track. I hand her the catch bags as she is sat in the car, she nearly falls out, dead weight approximately 20-23lb, I would say! Back home, run light outside and gut and skin the kill outside! By the time I was finished I only had enough energy to post the photo that started the thread off... It was about 10:30pm...

Edited by secretagentmole
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