Coypu Hunter 486 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 So, dusk was falling yesterday evening, around 18.30, about half an hour of usable daylight left. Not really enough time to get set up for target practice, so I thought I'd take a wander around the lake, see if there were any frogs mating, Moorhens or Mallards building nests, and so on.Got to the bend halfway along the western (left) side of the lake, and stood there for a minute to scan the eastern bank, where there are lots of brambles that hang over the water -- a favourite hide-out for nesting waterbirds, as well as sneaky coypus. Then, I caught movement off to my left, along the bank, as something disturbed the water, and swam out into the lake from underneath the big tree you can see at the top left of the photo. I was completely out in the open, about six feet from alder trees growing out of the bank to my left and right. No cover. So I froze.The bow-wave curved round from my left directly in front of me, and without moving my head, I saw a coypu moving silently across the water's surface. It stopped right in front of me, about ten yards out from the bank. I stayed absolutely still. It swam off to my right, then stopped. I didn't move. It swam back in front of me, and stopped. I made like a statue. Then, probably sensing that something had changed, but not sure what it was, the coypu cruised over the eastern bank and just floated there.Their eyesight is poor, except for lateral movement, so I eased, one inch at a time, towards the alder tree about six feet to my right. Made it. Body mostly hidden behind the tree, I raised the HW97K and eased off the safety catch. Took a bead on the coypu's head. It was floating just inside the overhanging undergrowth on the eastern bank, so I knew it was at around 25 yards, and the shot would need about a centimetre of hold-under. Breathed out, held the breath, took up the first stage, squeezed off the shot -- ting! -- splat! -- and put a JSB Exact Heavy between its eye and its ear. The coypu kicked a few times in the water then lay still on the surface.Fished it out, took its vital statistics. It was a female, 50cm nose to butt, 90cm nose to tail, making it about eighteen months old and of breeding age. Had a big belly, so could well have been planning to drop its litter on my lake, where the pups would grow up happily tunnelling under the banks.Not on my watch. 5 Quote Link to post
Lloyd57 98 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice shooting mate keep it up. Regards Lloyd 1 Quote Link to post
treecreeper 1,136 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice shooting, they are quite a lump of a thing. Always fancied having a crack at them. 1 Quote Link to post
bigmac 97kt 13,745 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice shooting, you got to love them 97,s no mercy atvbmac :thumbs: 1 Quote Link to post
Coypu Hunter 486 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Oh yeah. I zeroed it the day before yesterday, and it printed an 11mm and a 10mm group at 33 yards. Quote Link to post
j j m 6,483 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Good shooting mate 1 Quote Link to post
treecreeper 1,136 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Oh yeah. I zeroed it the day before yesterday, and it printed an 11mm and a 10mm group at 33 yards. what calibre and power is it running? 1 Quote Link to post
Coypu Hunter 486 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Oh yeah. I zeroed it the day before yesterday, and it printed an 11mm and a 10mm group at 33 yards. what calibre and power is it running? .177 mate, with a V-Mach kit fitted, and it puts out 4.52mm JSB Exact Heavies at around 13 fpe. 1 Quote Link to post
The one 8,401 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 Nice going mate can you use it for anything ?. 1 Quote Link to post
mark williams 7,549 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 People were `umming and r-ing wether an air rifle was suitable to take a headshot on Canada Geese just a few days back. I think Coypu Hunter shooting the HW 97 in .177 cal has answered those doubts. Shooting mate atb 1 Quote Link to post
ratbuster 807 Posted March 13, 2015 Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Nice shooting CH, Better do them in before they start reproducing...... Still haven't given that daft, sizzy caliber rifle of yours, to your French neighbour........ Quote Link to post
Coypu Hunter 486 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2015 Nice going mate can you use it for anything ?. Some French people roast 'em, but given that they carry Toxoplasmosis, Weil's Disease and a number of parasites, I only touch 'em with rubber gloves then dispose of the carcasses toot sweet! People were `umming and r-ing wether an air rifle was suitable to take a headshot on Canada Geese just a few days back. I think Coypu Hunter shooting the HW 97 in .177 cal has answered those doubts. Shooting mate atb The only problem with I've had with birds (magpies) is overpenetration with heart & lung shots at short ranges. Not a problem with headshots though, they drop like a brick. Nice shooting CH, Better do them in before they start reproducing...... Still haven't given that daft, sizzy caliber rifle of yours, to your French neighbour........ Thinking of flogging the Stoeger .22, but in any case, an HW85 in .22 is on the way to me from a Dutch site that does good prices. Then I'll have both cissy calibre and flabby calibre Weihrauchs... 1 Quote Link to post
ratbuster 807 Posted March 14, 2015 Report Share Posted March 14, 2015 Great rifles those Weihrauchs, doesn't matter which caliber you choose, they are all great performers, proper German quality. If you shop a bit around, there are quite some bargains to be had in that little country of mine Keep up the good work , reducing those Coypu's 1 Quote Link to post
Durham John 693 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Bloody big things they are, no wonder they were bread for their fur 1 Quote Link to post
RemyBolt 420 Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Want to skin it and pop the hide in the post for me? haha Great shooting. They do some hefting damage and can ruin small ecosystems. Bet you're well chuffed, I know I would be. I must confess, I first looked at the picture and thought "F*** me that's a BIG RAT!!!" then I read what was going on. Makes much more sense now haha 1 Quote Link to post
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