amateur Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) After I had turned up a barrel thread protector for Daz2202, he invited me down to deepest Kent for an evening of lamping for foxes and rabbits using his 17hmr. It was a clear moonlit night when we arrived at the first permission, but there was intermittent ground mist. A sweep with the lamp across the open ground showed a couple of long-range rabbits and one apparently in range.- 150 yards. "Would you like a go?". "I'd love to, but are you sure?" "Go for it" It was the first time that I had fired a 17hmr at a live target, and eventually I lined up the cross-hairs on the pin-point reflections and squeezed the trigger. "Ah, sorry, that wasn't a rabbit, cos it's still there - must be some reflective rubbish" So a bit further along another sweep showed a couple more rabbits and a fox just beyond them - but too far for a shot, so we crept quietly closer, but it had gone. We worked our way around searching for more, and took a couple of shots, but no hits. and now no rabbits and the mist was heavier. So off to a second permission, a couple of smallish fields bounded by woodland, and teeming with rabbits. I had another go and hit one, Daz had one too. Then in the adjacent field Daz spots one "It's just beyond that fence-post, in front of the hedge" "Can't see a thing. I can see the post and the hedge, but no rabbit" Daz moves behind me. "Ahh! it's shielded from your view by the post" The rabbit sets off, Daz takes the rifle and shoots the moving rabbit. We wait a little longer, but they have all gone home now, so pick up the bodies - it's amazing the damage that a 17hmr makes to a rabbit. My first night's lamping and a result. I had not appreciated how difficult it is to hold a target in the cross-hairs at 150 yards, but there again, when I'm air-rifle shooting, my targets are normally 20 - 40 yards. An excellent evening's shooting with a first class (and very patient) coach Edited October 22, 2015 by amateur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1steele Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 After I had turned up a barrel thread protector for Daz2202, he invited me down to deepest Kent for an evening of lamping for foxes and rabbits using his 17hmr. It was a clear moonlit night when we arrived at the first permission, but there was intermittent ground mist. A sweep with the lamp across the open ground showed a couple of long-range rabbits and one apparently in range.- 150 yards. "Would you like a go?". "I'd love to, but are you sure?" "Go for it" It was the first time that I had fired a 17hmr at a live target, and eventually I lined up the cross-hairs on the pin-point reflections and squeezed the trigger. "Ah, sorry, that wasn't a rabbit, cos it's still there - must be some reflective rubbish" So a bit further along another sweep showed a couple more rabbits and a fox just beyond them - but too far for a shot, so we crept quietly closer, but it had gone. We worked our way around searching for more, and took a couple of shots, but no hits. and now no rabbits and the mist was heavier. So off to a second permission, a couple of smallish fields bounded by woodland, and teeming with rabbits. I had another go and hit one, Daz had one too. Then in the adjacent field Daz spots one "It's just beyond that fence-post, in front of the hedge" "Can't see a thing. I can see the post and the hedge, but no rabbit" Daz moves behind me. "Ahh! it's shielded from your view by the post" The rabbit sets off, Daz takes the rifle and shoots the moving rabbit. We wait a little longer, but they have all gone home now, so pick up the bodies - it's amazing the damage that a 17hmr makes to a rabbit. My first night's lamping and a result. I had not appreciated how difficult it is to hold a target in the cross-hairs at 150 yards, but there again, when I'm air-rifle shooting, my targets are normally 20 - 40 yards. An excellent evening's shooting with a first class (and very patient) coach A little bit worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linny Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 A little bit worrying. yep just a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason kaye Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 A little bit worrying. Just a bit, it could have been anything, some ones pet dog, cat or god forbid a person, some people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just a bit, it could have been anything, some ones pet dog, cat or god forbid a person, some people. Not really. Looking through the sight, it certainly looked like a rabbit looking back at me. Where we were shooting did have a certain amount of litter on the ground, and in this case fooled both of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason kaye Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Not really. Looking through the sight, it certainly looked like a rabbit looking back at me. Where we were shooting did have a certain amount of litter on the ground, and in this case fooled both of us. The truth is you didn't identify it, "it looked like a rabbit" wouldn't wash in court mate, it's simple , it doesn't matter what it "looks like" if you don't know what it is 100% don't pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1steele Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Not really. Looking through the sight, it certainly looked like a rabbit looking back at me. Where we were shooting did have a certain amount of litter on the ground, and in this case fooled both of us. To be fair you mentioned in your first post that you are used to shooting air rifles at around 20-40yds so you aren't used to seeing what things look like at 150yds and under a lamp. Still no excuse, as Jason has said it could have been anything or anyone. 100% ID or don't pull the trigger. It's better to let a rabbit go than to have possibly killed someone (sounds extreme but that is the reality). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 As others have said. Absolutely certain, or no shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 You set yourself up for a bit of criticism on this one mate as you should never take the shot at a pair of eyes, or the reflection until you are 100% sure what it is. Apart from this it sounds like you had a good experience and at least no harm was done and hopefully something to remember for the future. The .17hmr does a lot of damage but is a great little rifle. If you want to eat it, head shots only really. When it comes to foxes they really need to be sub 100 yards and head shot (this will also start an argument). This is my opinion and I have shot a few foxes with my Anschutz 1517 in .17hmr with a photon Yukon NV scope. All of these dropped on the spot whereas the couple I chest shot both ran (albeit a short distance) I also have a dedicated NV Scoped .243 that is my go to fox gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosa Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 I once remember watching a set of fox eyes trotting towards me under a lamp out about 300 yards, it got to 150 yards when it turned into a jack Russel on his way home from the nights adventures, another set of fox eyes sat in a hedge for ages staring back at the lamp, blinking, turning away, disappearing just like a fox, that one turned out to be a lurcher, on the end of its lead was a sixteen year old hiding from the lamp thinking I was the farmer as he wasn't supposed to be there. Always 100% identification of your target and never shoot at eye shine cos you just never know who they may belong too. You may be lucky and get away with it a thousand times but get it wrong once and you'll kill or seriously injure something you really shouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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