Rabbit problem

[walshie 2,804]

We've all heard it when a farmer or greenkeeper tells us he has "a rabbit problem." You go up there and see about 3.

Last week I spent a few nights with Socks shooting at a golf course in Scotland, using the 22LR and my new N355 night vision unit. When the greenkeeper there says he has a problem, he isn't kidding. I've never seen so many rabbits. 

The only problem was the rabbits were very wary when it was light and the night only lasted about 2 hours from 12 till 2 properly dark, so we had to make the most of it during the hours of darkness. This pic was taken about 10.30pm and it was broad daylight. 

The course itself was fairly rabbit free, but the fields surrounding it were alive with them. Each night we had a good bag of rabbits, but the last night was spectacular. Shooting with Ken and the head greenkeeper we got into our respective positions about 100 yards apart at about 10pm and waited for dusk to come.

As soon as the light faded, I scanned the field in front of me with the thermal spotter Ken had lent me. It was alive with rabbits. I shot at least 20 in my first 10 minutes shooting. Every time I thought it had gone quiet, more came out of their burrows to be greeted with more of my lead.

Steve the greenkeeper came over to see how I was getting on and saw the whole field in front of me was covered with dead rabbits, with white dots highlighting the freshly shot bodies in the thermal.

Later he came back holding one of last year's dog fox cubs. He was made up as it was his first fox. His glee was short-lived as I spotted 2 adult foxes snooping around the dead rabbits and managed to pot both of them. 

I couldn't say how many rabbits we shot in total over 3 nights. but it was well into the hundreds. 

I'm undecided about the thermal spotter. It finds heat sources quickly enough, but I found it tricky spotting with it, then finding the target through my scope.  I resorted to counting fence posts to get on target quicker.  My new NV was fantastic and I didn't even switch on the IR. 

I haven't been out looking for rabbits for a long time, but I really enjoyed this trip. Cheers Ken. 

P.S. Staying in a luxury room at the lodge made the trip even better. 

 

 

[dytkos 17,533]

Nice one!

Cheers, D.

[David.evans 5,323]

Trips like walshie done come round very often, may be some thing to look back on in the future, it's nice to have good mates like Dyakos as well 

fox with 22ir , who says it not good enough , shot placement is everything ! 

Atb Dave 

[Longshanx 832]

Good read Walshie.

Certainly sounds like you’ve had a good few nights.

Not many people get the chance to sit and bag that many in 10 minutes.

 

[villaman 9,979]

What a great invitation 

[Rimfireboy! 1,463]

4 hours ago, David.evans said:

Trips like walshie done come round very often, may be some thing to look back on in the future, it's nice to have good mates like Dyakos as well 

fox with 22ir , who says it not good enough , shot placement is everything ! 

Atb Dave 

Up until the 1980’s you can bet that more foxes were shot with .22 rimfires than anything else in Britain .  I remember shooting one as it yawned, bullet went in it’s mouth and out the top of its head. Dare not say the range, but it was a fair distance.

[Underdog 2,337]

It's good up Scotland, I love it up there.

On the top coast line it's crawling with rabbit and it really does not go dark in June! Just goes dull and the birds carry on calling.

[bell 3,503]

Nice trip, any more pics ...

[walshie 2,804]

5 minutes ago, bell said:

Nice trip, any more pics ...

Unfortunately no. The last thing I wanted to do at 5.30 in the morning was take pics when bed was calling.

[Deker 3,450]

Long time since I've shot in Scotland but I do remember the last time I was there it was very close to midsummer day and it surprised me how much lighter it was that much further north.

Sounds like a good trip! 

[socks 32,253]

It's a shame we didn't have an extra day Dave we could have had a go at shooting those black and white pigeons.

[big napper 3,559]

Sounds great that, nice one lads and a great invite you got

[philpot 4,925]

As everyone has said, it sounds like a 'red letter' day or days, well done on the bonus foxes too.

 

Phil

[Gav 1,708]

I'm 58degrees North and doesn't get dark at all here now, I get 50p a tail off the estate, we are absolutely over run with rabbit now since they cleaned up the mink, only predators now are golden Eagle and ferrel cats really. Autumn is a lot better shooting here dawn and dusk. Trouble with all this daylight is they gorge all day, one scent of a hunter/predator they just hole up for hours and have a snooze. 

[socks 32,253]

On 22/06/2018 at 21:04, Gav said:

I'm 58degrees North and doesn't get dark at all here now, I get 50p a tail off the estate, we are absolutely over run with rabbit now since they cleaned up the mink, only predators now are golden Eagle and ferrel cats really. Autumn is a lot better shooting here dawn and dusk. Trouble with all this daylight is they gorge all day, one scent of a hunter/predator they just hole up for hours and have a snooze. 

Brilliant place for ferreting then