A Night Out With Matt Smith

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

As promised i took Matt out for a walk round the perm to show him the rope,s he came to my home for 6,30 and left not soon after.once we set the zero we set off we saw a few rabbits but they shot off as soon as the beem off the lamps hit them so back to the car for a cuppa and a chin wag about the do,s and don't,s and off we went again but much the same as before.Then we set off into one of Daz,s fav fields i staked up to with in range and was signalling Matt to take the shot when he did he was well back as i thought he was next to me and missed to excited as all new b,s are the next was a good one to he went down on one knee to take the shot but he was once again to excited and his breathing was well out very ,very heavy and he missed again in fact he missed this one three time,s and i could not take the shot as i had left my rifle in the car and was lamping for him i told him to calm down and to control his breathing.back at the car we had another chin wag about what he was doing wrong and we set off again this time i had my rifle with me and we came across three good size rabbits but they ran into the woods so i lent on a fence post and squeaked and one popped its head out at 45 yards i took aim and let one go it back flipped and hit the ground dead a good shot as all i could see was it eye i told Matt that just because they run for cover dus not mean they have gone some time,s they sit and watch you just out of site so a little squeak some time,s works well Matt did not shoot eny thing but he had a good night he is a nice lad and is willing to learn O and is alot quieter than Daz ill let Matt Finnish this in his own words atvbmac

[Daz39 962]

Hope you had a good night Matt, and the old man didn't chew you out too much!

 

A heard of elephants are quieter than me....if you'll believe Jimmy "coughing" Mac haha.

 

After the last night out, you can't talk about quite Mr!!!

[the big chief 3,099]

Good shooting mac ya won't go wrong learning off mac mat I thing we should change his name to Yoda not big Mack lol seems about right to me 2 students on the go.

 

well done Yoda lol

[Matt Smith 143]

Tin Can Alley, Only I can’t Hit The Tin Cans!

 

Well that was a HUGE learning experience, but in a good way, a very good way!

 

I may have come home without a kill, I didn’t come home empty handed though, I came home armed with information ready for next time.

 

I had two problems…

 

1. Locating the target through the scope.

2. Breathing Control, or total lack of in my case!

 

I don’t know if it’s a newbie thing but once the rabbit’s lamped, when I bring the rifle up and look through the scope it seemed to take ages to locate, towards the end of the night it did get a little easier though.

 

My breathing was the bigger issue though, from the point that the rabbit was lamped, the adrenalin rush just killed me and I ended up sounding like a 90 year old asthmatic that had just done the Great North Run.

 

Sooooo getting onto the night…

 

I turn up to Mac’s and we have a bit of a natter while he’s just finishing getting his gear ready, we have a bit of a natter and then load his car up and set off to the permission. He’s giving me the do’s and don’ts and he’s having a little laugh about when Daz was in the same boat as me.

 

We get to the permission, check our zero’s then off we go. The 1^st thing that hit’s me is just how dark it is, like pitch bloomin black! We have a wander around but only see a couple of rabbit’s before the nash off quickly, so back to the car for a coffee break.

 

3 things spring to mind,

 

1. I’ve only been slightly bollocked once for walking heavily.

2. Don’t walk under tree’s as the branches and leaves give the game away when you stand on them!

3. I’ve not shot Mac in the back.

 

So all in all, a decent start to the night.

 

Mac then tell’s me that he’s going to leave his rifle behind and lamp for me. As soon as we leave the car park and walk to the paddock 3 rabbit’s are sat munching but before I’ve got into position they’ve done a runner! Walk to Daz’s favourite field and as we get around the corner, Mac lamps a rabbit and starts signalling, the problem I had was I was a few paces behind him and couldn’t see what he was signalling due to how bloody dark it was. Once I felt I was at about 40 yards, I get down on one knee, try and locate the rabbit, once located through the scope I take my shot and miss. Mac comes over and bollocks me because I was too far away telling me it was more like a 60 yard shot.

 

We walk round the corner and another rabbit pops up, this time I stay right next to Mac, he walks me in then tells me to take the shot, again I get on one knee, located the rabbit, squeeze the trigger and the safety’s on, shit! Knock it off, tale the shot and miss, the rabbit now looks around and I’ve already cocked the rifle and take a second shot and miss again, it hops a few times and stops so I take a 3^rd shot and bloomin miss again!

 

Mac tell’s me he knew I was going to miss as my rifle was waving around due to my breathing. We walk a little further and my foot goes into a deep ditch full of water which happens to be higher than the top of my walking boot!

 

We go back to the car for another coffee and some bait.

 

2 things springs to mind,

 

1. My rifle is starting to get heavy and my arms are killing.

2. Waterproof walking boots are just as good at retaining water as they are keeping it out!

 

Mac grab’s his rifle and we head off again, back to the paddock, 3 rabbit sat munching again then hop off into the hedge line, Mac’s already at the fence line set up, deadly still and fixated on one spot for what seemed like ages the bang, I heard the shot go and a rabbit back flip!

 

What a bloody shot! Infact I think those were the very words that I uttered at the time. He’s off into the darkness and I see him coming back swinging his prize. When he gets to me, he holds it up and says ‘See, that’s what a rabbit looks like’ hahahaha

 

We go to the soggy field again and Mac spots one and asks yours or mine, I tell him it’s his and he’s off instantly stalking it. I stay where I am as it’s a good vantage point, after a short while Mac’s in position and takes the shot but misses, as soon as I heard the shot, I start to move forward towards Mac. We continue on and have pretty much the same luck. We eventually get back to the gate where the caravans are and he sends me off by myself down in field where the Lama’s are and he goes in the other direction. I take my time and apply the things I’ve learnt but the rabbits are no where to be seen, I think they’ve had enough of pellets whinging over their heads for one night.

 

I head off back to the car and take one more pass past the paddock, again totally empty, the same as my bag

 

All in all, it was an absolutely fantastic night with Mac being far more patient than I’d have been. I’d like to publically thank him with all my heart, he’s a proper nice guy, although he did tell me that if he ever caught me on his permission by myself he’d shoot me between the eyes HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

Oh and Mac, you’re right… I lay awake all night thinking about the rabbits I’d missed.

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

It was a top night not much in the bag but it was more for you than me your welcome back mate and hope fully vislauk will be with us and you can see how he hunts BUT BE PREPARED he is not as soft as me aint that right DAZ atvbmac :thumbs:

[Daz39 962]

No, he aint, but then, he's quieter than you too LOL

 

Sounds like you had a good night, Matt. Hope to catch you on the next outing.

 

If your arms are aching, I hope you have a full size and not a carbine?? LOL, I'll bet you ache today, legs and all.

[j j m 6,626]

glad you enjoyed it bud

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

come on mac, only one rabbit!!

 

thought you were good :laugh:

 

great read lads sounds like a good night getting trench foot and coming back with no rabbits, I remember them days!!

 

as for finding the rabbit in the scope straight away, that will come with time mate, its like an instinct after a while, comes naturally.

you could try zooming out a bit tho in the meantime if your getting too close to the rabbits..

[villaman 9,982]

You are never to good or to old to learn ,well done and well done to Big mac

[DenBell 149]

No, he aint, but then, he's quieter than you too LOL

 

Sounds like you had a good night, Matt. Hope to catch you on the next outing.

 

If your arms are aching, I hope you have a full size and not a carbine?? LOL, I'll bet you ache today, legs and all.

 

i think your legs only hurt because you walk about 10 miles a hunt!!

i am lazy and like to lie around.

 

Nice one mac.

 

never been shooting with Yoda but even after a few hours chat learnt a lot, so like everyone says listen to mac and you'll not go wrong.

[BIG TOM 835]

Nice one lads good night and a good person to guide you into the game mate Atb lads

Tom

[Matt Smith 143]

All I've thought about today is lamping rabbits

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

All I've thought about today is lamping rabbits

I told you so :laugh: atvbmac :thumbs:

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

Has your good lady cooked the rabbit that i gave you yet bet you told her you shot it :laugh: atvbmac

[Matt Smith 143]

Mac, I put it in the slow cooker yesterday morning with mushrooms, onions, garlic, parsley, chillies and chicken stock. Let it sit away for 6 hours then we had it with some rice. The meat was so tender it just fell off the bone, absolutely wonderful.

 

I also found the pellet!

 

Nah I told her the truth about who shot it