A Walk With the Family Dog.

[Bunny Boiler 177]

So, it was walkies time. The dog was excited, my wellies were on, the rifle was on my back and pumped up. I had all but one thing. Pellets. I checked my shooting jacket and cursed. I only had 5 left (I didn't have time to buy any at the weekend). I decided to go anyway in the hope of getting a rabbit or Pigeon for the ferrets to nosh on.

 

As I approached the boundary of my permission, I slipped the beautiful S200 from it's case, loaded a pellet into the chamber and placed my slip behind it's usual bush. I prowled for a bit before noticing, across the other side of the field, a dying tree full of pigeon. Too far to shoot, close enough to spook in a head on attack. I decided my tactic. I followed the hedge line, sticking close, round the edge of the field, making sure to keep my kill in sight. As I approached, most spooked (damn sticks!) and flew, but 3 or 4 remained. I got within a promising range and took aim. The Pigeon was on edge, Side view, and head in shot. I aimed for the wing however (for a reason that is mostly forgotten when people hunt, but actually means being able to hunt pigeon, and I will explain at the end), and slowed my breathing as I squeezed the trigger. Slap. The unmistakable sound on pellet meeting feather and flesh. The bird took up about a metre, to come crashing to the floor. I was on it before it could even flap and had it's head in one hand, and body in the other. Neck gone, Bird dead, 1 pellet down.

 

The light was rapidly fading, and so I started retracing my footsteps back to the slip, when before I had even made it the 200 metres out of the field, there landed in the open a brace of Pheasant about 40 metres from me. This years, a small set of tail feathers, but I could see the breast on him. Aim, breathe out, slowly squeeze the trigger, wait for the follow through, relax. Pheasant on the floor and 2 pellets gone. I was happy with the way this was working out and with a skip in my step, headed back to the gun case.

 

The woods surrounded me either side of the quiet private road and about half way through, I heard a rustle in the dropped leaves. I knew that noise. Rabbit or Squirrel. Turned out to be the latter. Bloody tree rats. Same process as always, creep, aim, shoot, relax. B***ocks. A poor shot, but one that hit the tank we know as the Grey Squirrel. It quickly clambered the nearest tree and perched on a nearby branch. Rinse and repeat. Shot fired. A perfect shot, in between the eyes and out of the back. 4 pellets down, and a game bag of 3 different quarry, this was my day.

 

As I approached my slip, there in the corner of my eye was movement and I turned on it like a hawk. A fair sized rabbit at about 50 metres and only one pellet which was already in the chamber. I decided to try my luck and so rested on the fence, closed one eye and adjusted for gravity and then slightly right to allow for my scope which was slightly out, but would be affected over distance. I shot, expecting to miss and to clear the chamber, and through the scope saw the lump of meat bowl over and begin to twitch. A clean head shot, just behind the eye. I knew I was lucky today (and as I result, I've bought a lottery ticket ). 5 shots, 4 different quarry and plenty of ferret food (they got the squirrel and some eggs incidentally and I plan to make a game pie with the rest and some venison in my freezer). A good walk by any standards. Hope you enjoyed it as much as me.

 

(Now for the aiming at the wing thing. Pigeon are of the same ORDER (In the Biological classification system of Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) as Chickens. Have you ever noticed that a chicken bobs it's head with every step, and occasionally when it's sitting still? Well pigeon are the same, and countless numbers of pellets have been fired at the head of pigeons in my area and they have sailed over as they bob at the most inconvenient time. I googled this, and I appear not to be the only one with this problem, as is shown in this slow mo video on Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV-8pdVAogg

Which is why I now aim for the wing/ back, but never the head or breast).

 

ATB,

 

Bunny.

Edited October 26, 2011 by Bunny Boiler

[Phantom 631]

Love the write up BB Awsome

 

Watching video in a few mins (damned mobile internet!)

 

Tony

[Phantom 631]

Ahhhh thought I recognised the galvanised metal, its one of Edwards vid's a youtube hero of mine

 

Tony

[jam1 8]

Well done mate, get some pellets sorted now lol

[andyz 30]

Great write up, hope you've now bought more pellets for your next walk.....

 

Spot on.

 

ATB, Andy