Jump to content

Help with rabbits


Hendrix's rifle
 Share

Recommended Posts

Good evening all, as the title suggests I'm having some issues with my local rabbit population, the issue is I can't bloody find any! I know they are there but the second I shine a light, whether it be blue, red, green, yellow or white they just vanish. It's on a newish perm that's a golf course that the owner says has a really bad rabbit 'infestation'. What am I doing wrong? I've hunted maybe 6 times up there and come away with about 9 rabbits in a around 30 hours of shooting, any tips or better yet if some one would come down and show me would be appreciated!thanks in advance :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are your lights too bright or are you scanning and moving it around too much? I have never had much success with lamps and air rifles as you need to lamp to find them, quietly stalk closer, lamp again to check, then get in position, then lamp again - all of this just makes them very wary and will disappear pretty sharpish when the light sits on them for more than a second or two. It's probably fine with something like an HMR but range is so critical with air so really low powered light used very sparingly is your only hope with a lamp. It s hard on a golf course but the alternative is to sit up and wait at a spot before sundown where you know rabbits are and then wait for 2 or 3 to come out giving you a good chance at 2 in quick succession. Although it's a bit boring and definitely better when the nights are shorter.

 

If you ever go to night vision then you won't look back, it is a different world. I now stop shooting when my bag gets too heavy, not when I can't shoot any more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a laser designator for use in conjunction with my day scope as it is alleged that laser Designators are invisible to the prey. Absolute tosh. Pick rabbits up with a green laser and they scarper just like they do with a bright light. Just received a NV kit from NVUK which I will try with a vengeance when back from hols. It looked good when set up in back garden and has good reviews so looking forward to the new world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

its the same on my golf course permission i have open ticket tho and got permission to shoot 22 and 17 hmr on there so no problem on having to get close on them if i could find any not a lot around due to poachers coming on down bottom end off course was there a month back and spotted a bright light shining up and down fairway put mine on them and ther scarperd . same could be happening on your golf course as said someone could have been lamping ther and thats why lamp shy i tend to go often as i can now sometimes just with a torch to make my pressance known i just have to be careful .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Additionally, these furry creatures are capable of learning............they quickly learn that white light means danger as everyone is saying. Use the same colour light each time and guess what....Yup, they learn. Use the same entry point to the field/golf course each time and the result will be the same: Bunny sits up and tells their mates "Here he comes again" and they scarper. NV is probably the way forward particularly if they have been hunted for a long time, but rabbit shooting is not easy. You have to be downwind from them, so their scent blows towards you. You can't move about either.

 

I have had some of my best nights when it's raining, they seem to be more active for some strange reason. A full moon in the sky is an impossible night for hunting rabbits, I assume they know they are visible prey to nocturnal hunters and only venture out to deliver another pile of rabbit tods.

 

There are some really experienced "rabbiters" on this forum and you'll be taking good advice, good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thankyou for the helpful reply everyone, I do appreciate it! myself and the groundskeeper of the course know someone has been poaching, it's just a case of catching him/them. I think night vision may be the best bet,does anybody have recommendations and/or a build list of what would be needed to make it myself? I hopefully also have a new perm on a farm near where I work who have a serious issue with pigeon, starling and crows so hopefully I can have a crack at that! Thanks again,

Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thankyou for the helpful reply everyone, I do appreciate it! myself and the groundskeeper of the course know someone has been poaching, it's just a case of catching him/them. I think night vision may be the best bet,does anybody have recommendations and/or a build list of what would be needed to make it myself? I hopefully also have a new perm on a farm near where I work who have a serious issue with pigeon, starling and crows so hopefully I can have a crack at that! Thanks again,

Ben

The night vision kit that evo makes has a lot of users. If you drop him a pm he will point you in the direction of all you need to make it. If you want to pay extra to have a kit all built and warrantied, then nitesite viper would be a good place to start?

 

The second perm sounds good, but starlings are off the list in this country, as they're a protected species. You need apply to Natural England for a special license if you want to shoot starlings, but these are almost NEVER given.

 

Starling numbers have collapsed over the last decade or so, although that's their national numbers and takes no account of local population. However they are still fully protected and can't be shot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The night vision kit that evo makes has a lot of users. If you drop him a pm he will point you in the direction of all you need to make it. If you want to pay extra to have a kit all built and warrantied, then nitesite viper would be a good place to start?

 

The second perm sounds good, but starlings are off the list in this country, as they're a protected species. You need apply to Natural England for a special license if you want to shoot starlings, but these are almost NEVER given.

 

Starling numbers have collapsed over the last decade or so, although that's their national numbers and takes no account of local population. However they are still fully protected and can't be shot.

I Will pm him shortly, Thankyou for clearing that up as I didn't know that one! Hence why I stick to rabbits and rats ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...