s410 rabbit kills.

[jackinbox99 41]

Ive shot 10 rabbits with my AA s410k now. All nice headshots, ranging from 15 yards upto 45 yards. But, every rabbit ive got, has still been alive (albiet not very happy) when ive got to it, so ive had to wring its neck. Ive chrono`d the gun and its pushing out 11.7 with AA Diablo Field`s and I can get pellet on pellet at 35 yards no problem and shoot targets from 15->35yards spot on, compensating for the distance no problem. Im just puzzled why the bunnys dont die straight away. After all, they somersault about 2 foot in the air after getting shot in the head.

 

Does anyone else have this problem? Its anoying me as ive had about 5 escape cos after they have thrashed about a bit, they crawl off and vanished into the bushes before I can get to them.

[moxy 617]

What do you class as a nice headshot? Exactly where are you getting them?

 

Sounds like your just missing the target a little, although you are getting them in the head.

[jackinbox99 41]

What do you class as a nice headshot? Exactly where are you getting them?

 

Sounds like your just missing the target a little, although you are getting them in the head.

 

Thats all i can think it is. I aim for the eye on each shot. Its hard to see where ive hit them sometimes, its always in the head tho, so im guessing maybe the pellet has not entered their brain but just inflicted enough damage to seriously injure them.

[maty j 6]

.177?

[stealthy1 3,964]

If you hit them in the right part of the head, the brain, they dont crawl away, because there's nothing left to tell them to crawl.

[moxy 617]

Although you would presume an eye shot is a certainty, sometimes it isnt. If you are at the wrong angle it will not enter the brain cavity and pass out on an angle to the nose. This will kill the rabbit but not outright, hence the running off.

I would say its a 50/50 shot. If on a downward angle to the nose.

 

The other thing is your shot error or movement whilst taking your shot, A slight movement either way and you could be getting it right in the nose, ear or in the cheek/jaw, with the other 25% of the time resulting in a kill.

 

Your target zone should be between the eye and the ear, Ensuring that you get a brain shot, thus killing the rabbit outright. Or between the ears at the top of the neck if from behind.

 

However there is still room for error, therefore not resulting in a clean kill.

 

Another option is to change your pellets and try find something more consistent to your rifle.

 

If you can shoot pellet upon pellet at 35 yds then you should have no problems adjusting your target zone.

 

Hope this helps

[davyt63 1,845]

hi buddy

sorry mate i dont think you are doing it right??

 

quote Its hard to see where ive hit them sometimes, its always in the head tho,

 

CONSTRUTIVE CRITICISM

if your hitting them between the eye and ear "THE CRANIUM" then they should drop like a stone!!,but also they may push with there back legs to the warren, this is just twiching nerves but they manage to kick in the direction of the smell from the warren.

 

TIP

in stead of taking the 45yd shot make up the distance in the stalk, this way i guarantee you will be droping them like stones. in my experiance if there running of then you havent hit the kill zone, there for "NOT A HUMANE KILL". wait till they are clear away from there warren and THWACK simples!!

 

regards

 

davy

[jackinbox99 41]

hi buddy

sorry mate i dont think you are doing it right??

 

quote Its hard to see where ive hit them sometimes, its always in the head tho,

 

CONSTRUTIVE CRITICISM

if your hitting them between the eye and ear "THE CRANIUM" then they should drop like a stone!!,but also they may push with there back legs to the warren, this is just twiching nerves but they manage to kick in the direction of the smell from the warren.

 

TIP

in stead of taking the 45yd shot make up the distance in the stalk, this way i guarantee you will be droping them like stones. in my experiance if there running of then you havent hit the kill zone, there for "NOT A HUMANE KILL". wait till they are clear away from there warren and THWACK simples!!

 

regards

 

davy

 

Its a .22.

 

To be honest, i have only taken one 45yard shot and in that case, the rabbit managed to kick about 6 feet before being dead as a dodo. I *always* aim to get as close as I can. So, most of my shots are usually around the 20->25yard mark. Maybe its just the nerves making the rabbit kick, but how long do they normally kick for? I got one last night, 15 yards. It dropped like a brick had landed on its head. Lay there kicking. I grabbed it, and it was kicking for a minute or so, so i assumed it wasnt dead and finished it off to prevent it suffering. Maybe it was just the rabbits nerves still?

 

Next one, i`ll try to aim a little higher, and go for the cranium like you mention. Maybe its just a case that im getting them slightly too low in head.

 

Cheers for the advice.

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

rabbits can kick for ages after there dead. its just the nerves and the longest i have had them kicking for (after a clean headshot just behind the eye) is about 15 seconds.

[nasher1 258]

I t may be down to range estimating I zeroed my gun in for 40 metres by mistake (in a rush read tape wrong) I started shooting rabbits at about 30 metres and it looked like the pellet was hitting home but in fact it was just clipping the top of the head resulting in a few runners the aim point was in fact one dot under, you hit em right and theyre dead.

[chimp 299]

aim for behind the eye

[olim 28]

i seem to have a problem with small rabbits eventhough i get a decent head shot that brings down fully grown rabbits, they just manage to kick themself back to the burrow

[woodchip 2]

...

Edited June 3, 2009 by woodchip

[maty j 6]

If you are wondering If It's just nerves or If It Is actually dead, Poke It In the eye. If It blinks It's still alive, If It's dead It won't.

[jackinbox99 41]

If you are wondering If It's just nerves or If It Is actually dead, Poke It In the eye. If It blinks It's still alive, If It's dead It won't.

 

lol!!!!!!

 

Ive just done some more practising in my yard and am still hitting pellet on pellet @ 35 yards and scope is spot on. Of course, my yard is shielded from the wind, so out in the field factors like that could affect accuracy.

 

I`ll experiment a bit with where im aiming next time in in the field.

 

One thought, maybe if i got a bipod it may help, although with the long grass i find im taking shots atm from the crouching position.