Cock-up hunting trip

[The Duncan 802]

Hi folks;

 

I get sent out with the air rifle yesterday after tea, to "go and chill out". I guess I was tetchy from heavy workload and a-holes getting on my wick!

 

Anyway, the long and short of it is I'd left most of my kit (hunting bag with net jacket, face veil, both pairs of gloves paunching knife etc) in the boot of my car which was locked in the secure compound at work - long day and I'd come home in the lorry.

 

I thought "Balls to it" and went anyway - no camo's, trainers, jeans etc, HW100S and pellets.

As harvesting was going on, the bunnies were pretty spooked and were reluctant to leave their burrows, even close to dusk.

After stalking around the small permission (25 acres) of a manor house, I settled on sitting under an oak in a well-spaced glade of oaks and waiting with my rifle and seeing what might venture out. I decided that if it was edible, in range and 'on', I'd nail it with an Air Arms field 4.52. I like these rounds. Flat flying and hard hitting. TBH, they can overkill a bit closer than, say, 25 yards. But in still conditions with a good consistent rifle (and pilot doing their job properly) they are clinically accurate to 45 yards and sometimes beyond on occasion, when ability and confidence is spot-on.

 

Not much was moving around me, beyond wrens, bugs and Woodpeckers - 3 separate species no-less. No breeze (good for rifle use ).

Dusk was on me, sunset coming and some dark, but rainless clouds loomed on the horizon. The falling suns orange glows penetrated the foliage of the oaks from a side slant and cast orange blobs of light onto thick trunks of neighbouring trees in giraffe-esque patterns. I mused that this perfect evening would never be repeated under these precise conditions and this particular hunter would never have this time again.

 

Woodpigeon were pitching in to the spinney's trees along its length as they came into roost.

The copse i was on was at the end of the Spinney, bordering the manicured gardens and pasture of the manor. With the re-assuring warm solidity of a 200 year old oak against my back, I felt rock-steady for any shot - if only i had some camo to be hidden from the woodies dropping in to roost!

I did have a desert hat on and just tried sitting still, glancing from under its brim. Woodies occasionally dropped in around me and in range of the rifle. They either erupted from their perches within seconds of landing (having seen my upturned vizog), or turned off before landing.

Finally one landed. 35 yards away and about 30ft up in foliage. He hadn't seen me as I raised the rifle. No wind so no allowance, used hold-under by 1/2 inch due to angle and slipped the trigger.

missed high - I saw the pellet in flight go 1/4" above his head.

Maybe the angle was steeper than I thought?

5 mins later, a young adult woodie landed 25 yards away, about 25 ft up and hadn't spotted me. :secret: Same hold-under, I waited til his turning head paused whilst looking around and checking for danger - back of head shot. This time when I slipped the trigger, the pellet struck home and hit its mark. He fell, pole-axed, tumbling down through the oaks branches clipping boughs as he fell.

A couple of twitches and he was still.

Satisfying!

 

I did manage to get a bunny left-handed around the tree 10 mins later, but that seemed less special somehow.

I may have to go back with full camo's and see how many roosting pigeons I can bag

 

A crackin little hunt, with no expectations and a better result than I possibly deserved :11:

 

ATB

 

Duncan

[mikeyblue 28]

Cracking write up Duncan. Always nice to get out when the pressure is building at work!

 

Kind Regards,

 

Mikey

[secretagentmole 1,701]

I have had the upturned vizog prob, just acquired a scrim net for hunting things with wings... Cracking write up though!

[ftm 3,357]

enjoyed that honest little write up mate nowt better than a bit of chill time eh?

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi Duncan.

 

 

What a brilliant write up mate, very nicely writen.

Your right, you did deserve your prizes, glad you enjoyed your surroundings and chill out.

 

SP for excellent post mate.

 

 

 

ATB.

 

Bill.

[The Duncan 802]

Thanks very much for your feedback guys - it makes writing and posting entirely worthwhile