spurgate Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Hi all, I have a Daystate .177 non FAC air rifle and was wondering if it will be man enough to deal with rabbits and possibly small hares??? If so at what distance will it be effective, on my permission their seems to have been an explosion of rabitts and hares, normally i use my shotgun for pigeons but i cant get close enough before they up and go. I dont want to take a shot unless i know the gun is effective enough and can kill cleanly. You thoughts please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
festa8840 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 hi mate you gun will be more than enough to the job and can also be easier to shoot than the .22 version as the trajectory is alot flatter as to what distance thats always going to be down to you mate it takes very little ftp to kill a rabbit its up to the shooter to put the pellet in the right place my s200 .177 will drop rabbits out to 65 yards when the conditions are right this is my s200 taking rabbits at various ranges best on that day was 50yards atb gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maidment78 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I shoot rabbits all the time with my PCP, I choose not to shoot hares though as they are much bigger and tougher beasts but that is a personal choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 rabbits yes of course,(as long as you are confident with accuracy). the hare IMHO is a tall order - you would have to be closer in and be very certain of a good head shot, a wounded hare will make a horrific screaming sound which is not pleasant. . I personally would not attempt to take a hare with a non fac air rifle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Rabbits no problem. But I personally wouldn't shoot Hares with a sub 12ftlbs air rifle. Any air rifle pushing out upwards of 10ftlbs will be effective on rabbits within the boundaries of the persons ability to shoot accurately. Head shots only between the eye and ear. Try practising on scale pictures of a rabbits head at until you are confident of always hitting the mark. 35 yds average for most. Above that requires good marksmanship and conditions to ensure a clean kill. If you want confirmation of using a daystate on rabbits and pigeons, look up posts on sporting pictures by rsjerry Heres one to get you started http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/170145-todays-bag-is/ Then check out the recipe forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Rabbits no problem but I personally would not want to use a sub 12 ft/lb air rifle for shooting hares unless at very close range and even then it would have to be a clear and accurate head shot mate! Only when you hear a wounded hare "screaming" will you understand why I say this. Others might disagree with me but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Rabbits no problem but I personally would not want to use a sub 12 ft/lb air rifle for shooting hares unless at very close range and even then it would have to be a clear and accurate head shot mate! Only when you hear a wounded hare "screaming" will you understand why I say this. Others might disagree with me but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Hi all, I have a Daystate .177 non FAC air rifle and was wondering if it will be man enough to deal with rabbits and possibly small hares??? If so at what distance will it be effective, on my permission their seems to have been an explosion of rabitts and hares, normally i use my shotgun for pigeons but i cant get close enough before they up and go. I dont want to take a shot unless i know the gun is effective enough and can kill cleanly. You thoughts please Try shooting with different pellets at different distances on to different "Boards" to check your accuracy and penetration! Then start on rabbits and see you kill ratio, then think carefully about Hare. 12ft lb and rabbits is common, Hare is a different thing altogether, and should not be attempted by any but the most experienced, in the right conditions, as a general rule DON'T use it on Hare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy. Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Stick to the rabbits. Hares are hardy beasts and not right for an air gun. Just out of interest. Does your landowner ask you to shoot the hares? Very few places actually suffer from damage due to hares and you'll find a lot of landowners ask people not to shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Summer shooting Hares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 In my opinion if you cant get near enough to kill them with a shotgun then dont bother with the airgun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewluke Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 this is what could be left to suffer if shooting hares during breeding season,it was only a day or two old when photo was taken, andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 this is what could be left to suffer if shooting hares during breeding season,it was only a day or two old when photo was taken, andrew Totally agree now is not the time of year to be shooting hares,they are in the breeding season ,it is also I believe a offence to sell them during this time not sure if you also need a game licence though I am sure someone else could clarify,so if you cant sell them will you eat them ? bit of a "aquired" taste ,you may be lucky and have lots of hares in your area as do I ,but remember overall they have declined greatly. A sub fac airgun is not the correct tool for the job anyway. I can regulary see 6-8 hares in the feild behind my house do I shoot them no ,they are one of those annimals I would rather watch ,not that I am against anyone taking one for the pot with the right gun at the right time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gutty Boots Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Agree with the above posts: Rabbits - fill your boots Hares - not with sub 12 ft/lb air rifle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spurgate Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Thank you for all your comments, hares definatly a no no with the air rifle. Cheers, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 this is what could be left to suffer if shooting hares during breeding season,it was only a day or two old when photo was taken, andrew How many people on here do you really think care about shooting anything during the breeding season and what it leaves behind. Same old excuse 'it's vermin control'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 (edited) How many people on here do you really think care about shooting anything during the breeding season and what it leaves behind. Same old excuse 'it's vermin control'. Lets not go down that route, IT IS VERMIN CONTROL for some, others just like to think it. We can quote all sorts of situations, it is considered appropriate to seek out and kill the cubs after shooting the Vixen; when did you last hear of anyone digging up a rabbit warren to kill the young after they shot a Milky Mum? Killing the Queen wasp is a good idea, all the rest of the family will then go away and die, I don't see too many tears being shed here, and when did you last hear anyone say it is cruel killing a pregnant rat! Even Hare are a Pest in some areas, admittedly nothing like the way rabbits tend to be overall. Edited June 17, 2011 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I can clarify an airgun is perfectly capable of killing hares with a head shot as I've shot 2 myself but not recently as I leave them well alone unless I've got the shotgun now as its rare to stalk one close enough to shoot with airgun. The hares I've shot were only 20 yrds and stone dead with a .177 at 11.7 ftlbs . I do belive rabbits are best shot at with an airgun over a shotgun as the ammount of times I've seen a ring of shot all around a bunny but not dropped it is unbelievable but its very rare I miss any bunny upto 45 yrds if not further. Plz note I've shot a lot of ft and its a fact it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 My very first kill with an air rifle was a hare. I was 14. The gun was a Milbro 16 in .177 and probably pushed out no more than 6 ft/lb. I've shot them at 30 yds with a good .177 (HW77, HW100 & Prosport) no problem. The pellet does not penetrate like it does with rabbits and sometimes you can't find the wound, but the hare keels over stone dead if you hit the kill zone between the eye and ear base. As for season; for me the only time I shoot hares is around August - October. Harvest hares; this year's youngsters, that are two parts full grown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanishfly Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 How many people on here do you really think care about shooting anything during the breeding season and what it leaves behind. Same old excuse 'it's vermin control'. All together - AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Summer shooting Hares. i bet you shoot pigeons in summer eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 this is what could be left to suffer if shooting hares during breeding season,it was only a day or two old when photo was taken, andrew now ime sorry but you wount get many hare`s ear nyph from that :yp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) i bet you shoot pigeons in summer eh? If the hare breeding season lasted as long as the pigeon one I dare say it would be different,but as far as I am aware its not,they reckon around 3-5 milion breeding pairs of woodies and they are breeding at least 8 months of the year how many breeding pairs of hares ?,you cant hardly compare the two really. Edited June 18, 2011 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maidment78 Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Saw two boxing yesterday, magnificent sight, bit like deer rutting, time and a place for all really. Sum up the post, 12ftlb air probably not the best idea on hare unless absolutely needed rabbits not a worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spanishfly Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Can´t say I have yet seen a hare here in Spain, but I reckon my 18 ft/lbs .25 would take them out OK. Sure packs a wallop. Edited June 19, 2011 by Spanishfly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.