5 new fields

[paulk73 151]

got a call off the farmer today,telling me the cows had been moved out of the small field at the top of my permission. i said id nip over on the week end to have a look. then a few hours later i had another call off a mate telling me that our fishing trip to whitby tommorrow, had been cancelled due to bad weather. so i called chris, the farmer back and said id nip up this evening and have a walk round.

i waited for the mrs to finish work, and come home with the car. she arrived back at 7.30(half an hour late, after nipping to boots. aarrgghh). so i loaded up the car and set off on the 20 mile drive.

on arriving chris came out for a chat, and said he would meet me on the other side of the permission, 2 fields away, and he set off on the tractor. i walked over the fields, and met him, and he showed me 5 new fields to shoot on. bonus

he explained that he had seen lots of young kits around on the top field, that he had moved the cows from. so off i went back to the top field. as a rule i dont like shooting kits, but after chris had made a point of telling me about them, i decided that needs must, as its a pest control permission.

as i was nearing the gateway into the field, i saw 2 half grown rabbits sat up right on the churned up ground on the otherside of the open gate.

i slowly got down onto 1 knee, then pinged the rabbits with the range finder. 41yrds with a brisk crooswind from right to left,as we where on the crest of a hill. i was just about to raise the hw 100, when i noticed movement from my right, and looked to see a full grown rabbit running straight towards me. it suddenly stopped and sat upright. i gauged the rabbit at 25 yrds, and it was 1 down. the impact sent the other 2 rabbits back to the safety of wence they came.

i now entered the field, and saw scuts dissapearing everywhere. i made my way to a usually productive spot, and sat and waited for a while tight up to the hedge, 30 yrds away from where they usually enter and exit the field from the neighbours property. after a short while a little kit popped out from the hedge, not 2 yrds from me, and sat looking at me for about 30 seconds, twitching its nose, before hopping back through the fence. not long after, an adult rabbit came through the fence, and ran to within 10 yrds of me then veered off and headed up the hedgeline. as i looked back, i saw a half grown kit emerge and sit down 25 yrds away. 2 down. i waited a little while longer and decided on a move as time was getting on. i walked down to the bottom end of the field, and sat against a kink in the fence line 40 yrds from another warren. as i was watching the warren, a small kit came into view down the hedge line. i didnt want to but i did what i was there for. 3 down. i waited for a while, then an adult appeared from the warren, but stayed close to the entrance. i waited for the rabbit to clear the entrance of the burrow. it made its way out in to the field and i pinged it at 43 yrds when it stopped. 4 down. i looked towards the corner of the field, and saw 2 kits had come out to feed, but decided to leave them. they will be there next time, and as long as chris sees im doing as he asks, we are both happy. i want to still leave a breeding population for the

future. so with 4 rabbits in the bag, and 5 new fields to go at this weekend(weather permitting) i called it a night and headed back to the car. will post pics tomorrow, once ive uploaded them.

[StevoSmith 147]

Great write up and a bonus to boot......next time take a bloody camera lol...but atleast you got some meat for the pot

[paulk73 151]

I took a camera Steve. The pics arnt very good, because it was getting dark. I will up load them later mate. Cheers pal.

[hotshot2me 31]

A very good write up, and a very enjoyable time you had by the look of things, always nice to connect with the Bunnies: Dave

[paulk73 151]

cheers guys