High powered rifles

[trappa 518]

I was out tonight with the 22lr ( well it wouldnt be the .223 as its not working ). Anyway, i was out only an hour and shot 6 rabbits, but i stalked each one and all were headshots, the furthest at a respectable 78 strides.

I got thinking that if i had a 17hmr i could have shot the same 6 without the stalking, which then got me thinking is the high powered rifles that are being used for day to day shooting, lessening our bushcraft/stalking skills?

I might be wrong as you still have to hit your quarry with your rifle at a further distance, but surely rabbiting regularly with a 17hmr and the like means that instead of the all important getting to within a optimum distance of 50 or so yards, you can shoot the same quarry at double that easily without the stalking.

just pondering , trappa

[Rentomski 0]

I have to get my hawk somewhere in the right place, not that she is too bothered about that! Much easier for you shooters!!

 

Do you want to control the rabbits or just have some good sport?

[Bluelungbutter 1]

I think youve got a point there. i know that when i go rabbiting with my air rifle quality and not quantity is what im after. if im just shooting for for a bit of fun then i think that you get more enjoyment from from stalking and shooting a rabbit with an airgun than you do when youre out to controll rabbit numbers with a hmr. its easy to sit at 100 yards and shoot several in a few minutes with the 17 but getting close to a big buck thats seen us type before and actually managing to place a pellet in the middle of its head is a far more difficult (but enjoyable ) task.

 

Agreed. If your doing a 'job' then you use the best tool for the job but if it's for the stalk then an air rifle can be ace. However i can't wait till i hear the conversation.

 

" So did you get much when you were out?"

 

Yeah got 1 rabbit. I stalked right up to it. I must have gotten to about 100 yards from it."

 

That's when we've lost all reality of bushcraft and stalking ability.

 

DunK

[Mr_Logic 5]

I think youve got a point there. i know that when i go rabbiting with my air rifle quality and not quantity is what im after. if im just shooting for for a bit of fun then i think that you get more enjoyment from from stalking and shooting a rabbit with an airgun than you do when youre out to controll rabbit numbers with a hmr. its easy to sit at 100 yards and shoot several in a few minutes with the 17 but getting close to a big buck thats seen us type before and actually managing to place a pellet in the middle of its head is a far more difficult (but enjoyable ) task.

 

Agreed. If your doing a 'job' then you use the best tool for the job but if it's for the stalk then an air rifle can be ace. However i can't wait till i hear the conversation.

 

" So did you get much when you were out?"

 

Yeah got 1 rabbit. I stalked right up to it. I must have gotten to about 100 yards from it."

 

That's when we've lost all reality of bushcraft and stalking ability.

 

DunK

Shot on many cricket pitches lately?

[Deker 3,491]

There is no substitute for a 12ft lb air rifle to learn just about everything about shooting including fieldcraft.

 

After your "apprenticeship" it's about selecting the right tool for the job! I have a sports ground with several football and cricket pitches, its really quite large and open, very flat and very well kept and mowed, an air rifle would be a waste of space, ideal for the HMR though, as there are plenty of clear "long" range bunnies available!! Job I had a few months back for the council, in a country park, left the rimmies in the cabinet and the Air Rifle had to be used!!!

 

I do tend to feel a little lazy sometimes though as the assortment of rimmies available now certainly does give me the edge over the bunny!

[FJager 0]

Good thread Trappa and I hear what you are saying. Whenever you are out in the field you are perfecting your fieldcraft skills whether you are shooting from 10 or 110, you still have to move with stealth. If your shooting from a distance you are still perfecting different skills, ie long range accuracy and range geusstimation, from in close your perfecting your stealth skills.