Lamping with lurchers and rifles!
Lamping at night is a great form of sport using guns and dogs with the aid of high powered lamps to control pest species. Lamping with lurchers at night can provide fast action and really get the heart racing, but it's sometimes fraught with danger if the lay of the land is not examined before setting out, potential obstacles and pitfalls can cause untold injury to running dogs when they pursue quarry at high speeds. Lamping with air guns and high powered rifles at night can be lethal for pest and predator control at longer ranges, and provides great sport for the hunter.
Various crosses of lurcher are used depending on quarry being hunted, from bull, collie, deerhound and saluki they are all suitable for different land and game being hunted.
The most popular lamps used are the cluson clulite or better known as the laserlite which uses a 50w lamp and provides up to 1,000,000 million candle power of light the other popular lamp being the lightforce striker range offering a 100w bulb and a variable spot to flood beam also being 1,000,000 candlepower and upwards light emitted. The lightforce range being highly recommended and also being available with car or gun mounting options. A sealed lead acid battery is the normal power source for the lamp usually a 12v 7ah for ease of carrying but available in a wide range dependant on usage, using a vehicle power source is also an option. Image featured shows a Lightforce Striker 170, a popular choice.
When lamping with rifles various calibres are used dependant on quarry being hunted, when hunting fox its normal to use a fox call that imitates an animal in distress to attract it within a reasonable shooting range, lamping is also very popular with airguns, rabbits being the most common quarry hunted.
A Few Tips For Lamping
- Always try to hunt your chosen ground with the wind in your face to cut down on scent and noise.
- Get to know your hunting grounds like the back of your hand. Many trips during daylight hours will tell you how the site is laid out, where the quarry is and most importantly, where all the ditches, holes and other dangers are.
- Always carry a spare power source, you never know when you may need it.
- Remember to carry a small pocket knive for dispatching quarry and gutting.
- Always climb gates on the hinge side to prevent excess noise whilst out lamping.
- For heavily lamped ground, where the quarry is lamp shy try a red filter, you may be surprised at the results.
- Remember to carry a suitable fox call or master the use of calling using your mouth and hand.
- Remember to inform the local police and landowner when out to minimise any problems.
- Set your gun sight before venturing out and at the correct range.
- The best weather for lamping is generally a windy and dark night, providing the best results.
Lamping With Lurchers
