Mr_Logic 5 Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Went out shooting with Deker the other evening, he had the shotgun and me a 243, reckoned between us there wasn't a lot we couldn't cover. Idea was deer + anything else that showed up. Headed out only to find everything pretty quiet on the first permission. So we went over the road and things hotted up a bit. I'd not been out rough shooting with a shotgun, so I wasn't aware of the noise. Deker had some nice easy shots to get back into the swing of things, having apparently not used the shotgun for a while. First up was a crow, on the ground at 20 yards. Duly obliterated, Deker lined up the rabbit that was now scampering toward its burrow.... and was rewarded with another easy shot, as it stopped to take stock. Moving on just a 100 yards or so down the track, 4 crows flew gently from the tree. It was a big tree so they were quite high up, but not moving fast. Bang! Nothing. Bang ! Nothing. bang! A feather or two. 4th crow still lurking. reload. bang! Nothing. Needless to say, Deker was not a happy camper! Moving on, looking for vermin, since this permission didn't want the deer shooting, we found a nice roe buck at about 200 yards, presenting perfectly. I had a stable, steady shot which I couldn't take. Now it was my turn to be an unhappy camper. We headed back to the first permission, on the way we were overflown by some pigeons, and this time dead birds started falling from the sky. A smile at last. At least I think so, I was too busy worrying about whether my ears would stop ringing... Back on the first permission, where we can shoot deer, we saw a roe! Doe So, leaving her alone we continued to wade through near-chest-high grass, to the far corner. Deker spotted something but he wasn't sure what it was, I checked in the scope and it was a bunny. Having had no shots all evening, Mr Rabbit got a 90grain softpoint in the vitals and met a fairly messy end. We continued... A little farther on, I spied another rabbit, and this one met a very very messy end. I couldn't really see the whole body in the grass, but it looked front on when I took the shot. We got there to find it ready gutted, very neatly in fact. Deker had a pigeon at close range on the way back, which exploded amusingly but sadly I didn't have a camera ready... so in the end, a fun evening out, despite the deer being 500 yards in the wrong place! Quote Link to post
SportingShooter 0 Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Nice going there Mr L, and I enjoyed the read too. I recently saw a bunny obliterated in much the same way except with a .22-250 and a Ballistic Tip, gutted, skinned and headless for us. I hope you duly took the mick for Deker missing Regards SS Quote Link to post
cbw 4 Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 I had heard the comments about rabbits being gutted with a shot, I saw it first hand the other day with a short range rimfire kill. YUCK. James. Quote Link to post
Mr_Logic 5 Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I've shot the odd rabbit with the 243 with 58gr ballistic tip. That's messy... much worse than this one, with ballistic tip the rabbit is basically fur with liquid on the inside, I guess it's nature's answer to Lockets :-) Quote Link to post
dafmla 1 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 over kill springs to mind not to clever realy Quote Link to post
Mr_Logic 5 Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Overkill my arse. Rabbits down there are being shot for pure pest control, I really don't give a crap what they look like as long as they die quick, and I don't think you can say that wasn't humane. Quote Link to post
Guest JohnGalway Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Keep comments civil please Quote Link to post
Deker 3,478 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 over kill springs to mind not to clever realy I suspect you got the reaction you intended...I suggest you go forth and hug a tree, then join the line dancing club! Quote Link to post
Geoff.C 0 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 over kill springs to mind not to clever realy I can see why you might think this Daf, but these lads are supposed to keep rabbit numbers down. They were just equipped with a Deer rifle on this occasion. You can never be sure, of the effect of a bullet (of any size) strike on anything. I have often seen this "gutting" type of injury with a .17 hmr. Even my .22 RF, which will often leave no apparent mark, is capable of gutting smaller rabbits. For real overkill, have a look on u-tube for the barmy yanks, exploding prairie dogs with .50 rifles. That is a bit sick I think. Quote Link to post
Deker 3,478 Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 (edited) Went out shooting with Deker the other evening, he had the shotgun and me a 243, reckoned between us there wasn't a lot we couldn't cover. Idea was deer + anything else that showed up. Headed out only to find everything pretty quiet on the first permission. So we went over the road and things hotted up a bit. I'd not been out rough shooting with a shotgun, so I wasn't aware of the noise. Deker had some nice easy shots to get back into the swing of things, having apparently not used the shotgun for a while. First up was a crow, on the ground at 20 yards. Duly obliterated, Deker lined up the rabbit that was now scampering toward its burrow.... and was rewarded with another easy shot, as it stopped to take stock. Moving on just a 100 yards or so down the track, 4 crows flew gently from the tree. It was a big tree so they were quite high up, but not moving fast. Bang! Nothing. Bang ! Nothing. bang! A feather or two. 4th crow still lurking. reload. bang! Nothing. Needless to say, Deker was not a happy camper! Moving on, looking for vermin, since this permission didn't want the deer shooting, we found a nice roe buck at about 200 yards, presenting perfectly. I had a stable, steady shot which I couldn't take. Now it was my turn to be an unhappy camper. We headed back to the first permission, on the way we were overflown by some pigeons, and this time dead birds started falling from the sky. A smile at last. At least I think so, I was too busy worrying about whether my ears would stop ringing... Back on the first permission, where we can shoot deer, we saw a roe! Doe So, leaving her alone we continued to wade through near-chest-high grass, to the far corner. Deker spotted something but he wasn't sure what it was, I checked in the scope and it was a bunny. Having had no shots all evening, Mr Rabbit got a 90grain softpoint in the vitals and met a fairly messy end. We continued... A little farther on, I spied another rabbit, and this one met a very very messy end. I couldn't really see the whole body in the grass, but it looked front on when I took the shot. We got there to find it ready gutted, very neatly in fact. Deker had a pigeon at close range on the way back, which exploded amusingly but sadly I didn't have a camera ready... so in the end, a fun evening out, despite the deer being 500 yards in the wrong place! Good write up, but I don't remember signing the release so you could publish a picture of my hand...I'll see you for my appearance fee later!! .... that last pigeon...I forgot about him..the one that took off from the very tall grass just about 6 feet from me... whos head went one way, wing went another and body pebbledashed the rest of the field...12g No5 at 6 feet is quite effective, the old boy can still swing and shoot quick!!! Overkill I suspect..should have waited until he had flown off 40-50 feet!! Edited June 21, 2008 by Deker Quote Link to post
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