3 Rabbits, 0 Police Calls And A Faff With New Pellets.

[Daz39 962]

Quick write up from the other night out with Mac. Finally got an OK to take someone onto site at work, even if it is a little late (given I’ve taken 40+ rabbits since Jan and Mixy has had a good crack too).

 

We decided to check out a different perm first to kill time (still have a no shooting until site is clear rule at work). So we went down the farm fields around 6:30pm and split up to cover the back field. Both Mac and I were on new pellets and it was in both our heads. My pellets were heavier than my normal ones, Mac’s lighter…. But either way, it certainly messed with our heads. Funny how a change in routine can affect you.

 

On reaching the field we saw 5-6 rabbits down the bottom end, Mac went to lay up near the first group and I went to a different spot to try to get the further group. When I got to around 40 yards I saw a rabbit run to the fence line. I Squeeked it and it stopped, right on edge so I had a standing shot and put the pellet over its head….too many mildots and it wouldn’t be the last time I’d do it that night either. I laid up and both Mac and I were waiting for something to come back out. Mine popped out first and ran right into the long crops before I could blink. I scanned and made out the tips of the rabbits ears. After watching for a min or two I decided to take a shot even though I couldn’t see the head. I aimed between the ears (he was head on to me) and around where I thought the head would be. With a quick squeeze of the trigger a flipping bunny confirmed a hit. When I walked over I had hit it dead centre of the front of its head and the pellet had gone right out the back of the head. One down, sadly, it was a young rabbit, wouldn’t normally shoot them but as I could only see ears, I didn’t realise. Still, farmer wants ALL rabbits gone, they all eat and breed!

 

I left Mac and took a walk to a different field. I spooked 2 pairs of rabbits at different points of a hedge row, all 4 bolted for burrows. I then went up to a corner of a field where Tomma, Matt and I have all had rabbits from. There was 1 out but he was away before I got within 60 yrds. I laid up again and within 20 mins he came back out. I’d laid up around 35yrds from where he went in the hedge row, but he came out at a different spot and then ran towards me. Long story short, I misjudged the distance, put a mildot I didn’t need and put the pellet over its head AGAIN. Next thing I know, Silent Mac’s snuck up on me prods me with his boot and says “BANG” – I shat myself.

 

We both chased a couple more rabbits in these fields but never got shots off so decided it was time to hit the site and move over the road.

 

I was intent on Mac getting some kills on site so as we walked round back, I pre-warned him where the rabbits were likely to be round each corner or where the borrows were. Nothing round the first spot, but as we went through a cut to a grassy area, I told him to check to his left and bingo, eyes in the lamp. He set of for that rabbit and as he did I by chance put my lamp directly in front of me to spot my own set of eyes. I looked over to Mac and he was still stalking his rabbit so I stood still. When I saw Mac’s rabbit drop down a burrow 40 yards to my left, I refocused front and centre and the rabbit was still there. I walked forward 10 yards and took a kneeling shot nice and clean between eye and ear. There was obviously no way to let Mac know about this one without spooking it, and as he and Visla taught me, “see it, shoot it”.

 

We moved round to the pilot plant and I again pointed out the 2 spots the rabbits normally eat, in the first spot the rabbit ran when we put the lamp on, round the corner and Mac says, “Nah, can’t see any, come look” so I stuck my head round and couldn’t see any rabbits either, we took one step and a damn rabbit ran from behind a barrier just 10 yrds to our left…damnit.

 

We continued round to near the nature reserve. There is a load of building on site and it’s disturbed many of the rabbits in this area, but I said to Mac to check one area and sure enough, 2 sets of eyes. He starts walking towards them, no movement so continues…and continues…..and continues. Superstalker Mac again, finally drops prone about 15-18 yrds away but manages to miss with his shot. Utterly pissed off he starts to curse while I shout “shutthefuckuptherabbitsstillthere”…the rabbits had hopped up a bank but hid in trees, by the time he’d reloaded and I’d walked over, they were gone..BUT a lesson Mac would remember later on that night. We’d be back for this one!!

 

We moved round the front of site but before walking through security we (Well I could see as Mac was blind without his glasses) could see 2 big rabbits on the lawn. The issue is, walking through security normally spooks them, so we went to the security fence and Mac took a shot from around 45-50 yrds. With the new pellets he was using, he, as well as I had been doing, miss judged the trajectory and I watched the pellet skim the rabbits head.

 

Through security and we chased a couple of rabbits over the car park with no luck. Turning back to reception area I lit up a rabbit PERFECTLY. This is the stuff of dreams. They have laid some hardcore at work, it’s about 20-30cm proud of the ground, light coloured clay & stone, and this rabbit, huge thing, sat there at the far end, proud as you like – like it was on a damn plinth. As soon as my lamp hit it, Mac spotted it and set off, I stood still with the lamp on as Mac got to a perfect 30 yards, went prone. Now, this rabbit is just stood there, as I watched, another rabbit ran towards him but this guys just sat proud and tall. Mac solid, prone, lines up and BLATTTTTTTTTTT. What the hell was that? 1^st the Raider has a specific sound when Mac shoots it, but this wasn’t right, 2^nd the damn rabbit didn’t even blink, he’s just stood there. I thought Mac had not loaded and just shot air, turns out he had knocked the bolt going prone. The rabbit just stayed there and I was like “re-load, re-load”. Naturally with the HW100, it’s a quick click back, click forward and shoot. The raider is single shot so it was taking ages. When he was finally ready to shoot the 2^nd rabbit spooked and ran, then his mate followed. Ahhhhhhhh no. Did I say stuff of dreams? Stuff of nightmares!!! I Bet this is the one Mac dreams about for weeks!!

 

Mac at this point is properly on one, no glasses so he’s struggling to see beyond 30 yards, it’s also not helping his distance judgement and to top it off, new lighter pellets just are not going where his beloved JSB’s normally go! Not in a good place! We walked around a bit more and saw a pair in the car park. Mac starts to walk over to them and I thought he was going to go too close again, but he drops at a good distance. I watch through my scope and see his pellet hit the rabbit in the head…..but the damn thing RAN! As Mac is getting back up and re-loading I already chased the rabbit to the hedge line and took a standing shot using a lamp post to steady the rifle. Again the rabbits head snapped back and he did a flip, and ran under the hedge. Incredible, when we do finally hit a rabbit, he takes 2 clean head shots (though mine was probably a little lower than I would have liked) and keep running….buggerit.

 

It was pushing 2am now and we decided to do one more tour of site, but me driving the car and Mac shooting out of the window. We went round the back again and he took a 50 yard shot on a rabbit against a wall, the rabbit ducked just at the last second, and the pellet hit the wall right where his head was. The loop of the pellet was amazing, a good 30 cm from lowest point to highest, but it was right on the money, except for the lucky bunny ducking.

 

We went to the last spot for the night, where Mac had missed the rabbit and it had run to the trees. This time he got out of the car and I didn’t see the action, however he came back with a rabbit swinging and a smile on his face! The rabbit had run up the bank again, but this time when she hid in the trees, Mac chased her and shot her perfect head shot between branches. DONE. 1 for Mac (Pregnant female with 6 very small bundles inside – so Mac claims he got 7 that night), and 2 for me, one young kit and one older adolescent.

 

Can't get the pic to upload, grrr, but if you check Mac's "night on site with Daz39" the pics on there.

 

Good night, but should have been better, new pellets with not enough range time is a bad idea, no glasses also makes things tougher! Next time!

 

[PaulJC 14]

Great write up, sounds like a good night Xx

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

Fixed my glasses and re scoped my rifle back in with JSB exact 15,89 at the range wed,night and just bought a new tin of jsb,s so she is back to the way she likes to be a proper killing machine and thats the way she is staying no more change of pellets atvbmac :thumbs:

[Daz39 962]

Great write up, sounds like a good night Xx

Thanks for the kisses Paul, appreciated

[Darkie69 76]

Fun at work now that's a rare occurrence, good right write up, good laugh and good shooting well done lads

[villaman 9,982]

So what new pellets are you using ?

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

So what new pellets are you using ?

I was using hn field target trophies and the raider hates them they were good up to 30mtrs but would not group well and in 22 flavor but i thought i would give them a chance atvbmac

[bigmac 97kt 13,836]

I wear glasses for distance as im diabetic and it affects my eye,s could of been just the fact that i had broken my glasses and not the pellets but changed back to the jsb eny way better safe than sorry atvbmac

[j j m 6,626]

well done mate

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

Good read, thanks for sharing.