Guest Scuba1 Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 the only thing i can do during the day is ferret because there is a lot of dog walkers about. could all the dog walkers be the reason that all the rabbits are so jumpy no point using ferrets without nets as it is unlikely to be possible to hit many if any bolting rabbit with an air rifle. they would come bak though eventually after the ferrets have been gone a while and the smell has subsided. would be best to just use nets once the season starts again. dog walkers may be a reason you have jumpy rabbits especially if dogs are often off lead. atb i know i have no chance of hitting them with an air rifle. just forget that idea yes you have. Just don't rush things. With patience and open eyes and mind you will get there and when you have the first one in your bag, it will be all the more satisfying. Just relax leave the gun at home and check the warrens out. Take a Thermos with you and just sit tight in some cover and have a good look around, see what is going on around you and just try to enjoy the time spent out there. Don't force anything. Relax. HTH Michael Quote Link to post
lapin2008 1,587 Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 do you recon they will be more confident during the night Normally yes. the lamps will often disoriaentate them for just long enough to get a crafty shot off, but depends whether they are often lamped and have figured out bright lamps at night mean bad news for them. would suggest lamping as a different approach just to try and see how they are react. Also if possible (landowner allows it) a vehicle day or night can also sometimes help especially if they are used to seeing people on foot as a threat (dog walkers) good luck with it Quote Link to post
Guest hyperion Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 im with scuba on this one! no time on your ground is ever wasted even if youve not got the gun with you! but when you have.................. when you first get onto your ground just sit down for ten minutes and chill out!, time it on your watch or phone! then have a good look at where your going (with binos if you have them) then when you do move off stalk from then, dont just walk or even walk slowly!, stalk! its a bit like crossing the road when you were a kid! STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! none of this bent over double creepy creepy nonsense!, look at where your going, then look at whats between you and where your going, then check the ground at your feet and a few feet in front of you, then take a step forward and do it all again! and while your at it check all the trees around you, listen to whats going on too!, that black bird going "chink chink chink" is telling every thing else around that some thing aint right! and when you do see a bunny dont just move towards it really really slowly, watch what its doing, does it look edgey or skittish or is it nice and calm! watch its ears, are they swiveling about trying to find where the noise is comming from! its head comes up you freeze (normally with your hand in a patch of nettles or your knee on a sharp rock) it puts its head down again you move forward a bit! and watch out for other rabbits (dont have tunnel vision) if i had a pound for every time ive been crawling the last few yards on my belly only to have a bunny hop out almost close enough to touch id have seven pounds fifty! cheers hyperion Quote Link to post
lapin2008 1,587 Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 (edited) the only thing i can do during the day is ferret because there is a lot of dog walkers about. could all the dog walkers be the reason that all the rabbits are so jumpy no point using ferrets without nets as it is unlikely to be possible to hit many if any bolting rabbit with an air rifle. they would come bak though eventually after the ferrets have been gone a while and the smell has subsided. would be best to just use nets once the season starts again. dog walkers may be a reason you have jumpy rabbits especially if dogs are often off lead. atb i know i have no chance of hitting them with an air rifle. just forget that idea yes you have. Just don't rush things. With patience and open eyes and mind you will get there and when you have the first one in your bag, it will be all the more satisfying. Just relax leave the gun at home and check the warrens out. Take a Thermos with you and just sit tight in some cover and have a good look around, see what is going on around you and just try to enjoy the time spent out there. Don't force anything. Relax. HTH Michael i meant chances of hitting a bolting rabbit with an air rifle are slight. but that applies to everybody atb Edited April 22, 2009 by lapin2008 Quote Link to post
davyt63 1,845 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 hi raiderboy Hyperion has given you some good tips and advise,its what i would have said as well. if its any consolation i sat by a hedge row the other week four 4 hours and did not move, nothing came out and went home with nothing but still enjoyed it.i saw 12 the day before along the same hedge row patience is your best tool in shooting this quarry, so take your time and you will bag. happy hunting davy Quote Link to post
RaiderBoy 19 Posted April 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 cheers for the advice went out lamping last night only to find the battery was flat Quote Link to post
patchworkcrew 0 Posted April 25, 2009 Report Share Posted April 25, 2009 Some of the best advice I've seen! Go out without your rifle. Take some binoculars. Look for the signs. Rabbit runs, "tunnels" in the hedgerow, check boundaries, for example, where they cross stock fencing. But also check where you would put yourself if you had a rifle. Time spent on a recce is never wasted. Bob G Quote Link to post
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.