NickB65 Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Well it was one of those at work where I just could not get away early enough and when I did I was stuck in that lovely A14 traffic. A 15 minute journey home took 45 minutes and that was a valuable shooting time wasted. As soon as I got home it was a quick walk for the dog and then done the kit and away - I had for foresight to get everything ready that morning for a chick change around. When I got to the farm I quickly put a target out at 150 yards and shot five more to prove to myself the aim points were still true. I still can not get used to how flat the 17 HMR is hence the need to check. Then it was kit up and then a slow mooch around the field boundaries. the big field is a set of smaller interconnected fields with no real boundary or hedge just a shallow run where the hedge was. I walked along the field edge and came up to the first true hedge of hawthorn. Here the hedge was a corner running to my left and away tot he road and ahead to mark our field boundary. The hedge was planted on a mound so it is slightly raised and the warrens are in the mounds and under. The first stretch is up tot he double pylon which is 132 yards. I led under the hedge on the corner waiting to see what was around...... 20 minutes and nothing. I slid back slowly leaving the rifle in place as I had been led on some nettles and looked to my left along the hedge line and there were about 20 rabbits. ******..... I slowly reached for the rifle and brought it to my shoulder and this small movement caused most to run for it...... but there is always one who is a tad slow and curious and like the cat the paid the price. A nice kneeling shot 85 yards to the chest and down he popped without a twitch or kick. so it seems the lower double pylon warren had moved a long a little so I move off up to the double pylon. Now the land rises slightly from the double pylon and as I approach I could see two young rabbits chasing each other just on the brow. Slowly I dropped to the ground and with the bi-pod deployed waited for them to come a little closer and off the brow. Two minutes later they did and another chest shot dropped the larger on the spot the second flighting over the hill out of sight. I waited for a while to see if anymore would venture out and then walked along the hedge line to the brow. As I approached the brow I was in a crouch and sure enough our little friend was sat along the hedge line all upright and alert. Closer than before but still an easy shot but this time to the head...... boy did he jump and leap around. Seeing his cavorting ten or more rabbits in the field I had not spotted dashed for the hedge and to safety. I sat and waited to see if there were anymore slackers still in the field he may not have seen or thought the cavorting bunny a problem and sure enough there she was..... a big fat (later to be confirmed) female rabbit with her back to me dazing off into the distance. At around 120 yards this was to be a chest shot and like the others she dropped on the spot, not a twitch. I gathered these two together and mooched along the hedge more but little was around. About 400 yards further along the hedge turns 90 degrees to the right and as I made my way along there was a large rabbit sat by the corner. I switched sides so I was the other side of the hedge and crawled along the hedge. I got the Hawke 400 Laser Range Finder out and saw I was 220 yards out so made a mental calculation when I would be 150 or less and carried on. At what I assumed was the 150 mark I crept to the next spot where I could get under the hedge to shoot and the rabbit was still there. Another chest shot and down he went. After picking him up I wondered along the hedge and after 500 yards the hedge turns again another 90 degrees to the left and at this corner there were about 3 very young rabbits. Whatever the age they eat crops and in a month or threes time they will be breading so I bag them when I can. The three were cavorting around and then stopped. I squeezed off a chest shot and down two dropped. One dropped on the spot while the second leapt like a diva. Turned out the first was hit in the chest where I aimed and the round went through and into the head of the other...... I carried on along the hedge row bagging another couple and then turned back and re-traced my steps to pick-up those I had shot. Total bag was 13 for 12 shots - no misses and I was one very chuffed chap. I still find the flat trajectory hard to accept and keep wanting to aim over but now mastered the effect of the wind.... even though it was only 12 mph wind this meant a good 3/4 mild dot to the side at 75 yards. Well my brother in-law was happy - it is his farm and I was well chuffed and only sad I had to stop as the scope was just not picking up the targets clearly enough. Planning another outing this week and this time I may take one of my scope lights to see if this can keep me out a little longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 good write up well shot, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Nicely done buddy, keep up the good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Well it was one of those at work where I just could not get away early enough and when I did I was stuck in that lovely A14 traffic. A 15 minute journey home took 45 minutes and that was a valuable shooting time wasted. As soon as I got home it was a quick walk for the dog and then done the kit and away - I had for foresight to get everything ready that morning for a chick change around. When I got to the farm I quickly put a target out at 150 yards and shot five more to prove to myself the aim points were still true. I still can not get used to how flat the 17 HMR is hence the need to check. Then it was kit up and then a slow mooch around the field boundaries. the big field is a set of smaller interconnected fields with no real boundary or hedge just a shallow run where the hedge was. I walked along the field edge and came up to the first true hedge of hawthorn. Here the hedge was a corner running to my left and away tot he road and ahead to mark our field boundary. The hedge was planted on a mound so it is slightly raised and the warrens are in the mounds and under. The first stretch is up tot he double pylon which is 132 yards. I led under the hedge on the corner waiting to see what was around...... 20 minutes and nothing. I slid back slowly leaving the rifle in place as I had been led on some nettles and looked to my left along the hedge line and there were about 20 rabbits. ******..... I slowly reached for the rifle and brought it to my shoulder and this small movement caused most to run for it...... but there is always one who is a tad slow and curious and like the cat the paid the price. A nice kneeling shot 85 yards to the chest and down he popped without a twitch or kick. so it seems the lower double pylon warren had moved a long a little so I move off up to the double pylon. Now the land rises slightly from the double pylon and as I approach I could see two young rabbits chasing each other just on the brow. Slowly I dropped to the ground and with the bi-pod deployed waited for them to come a little closer and off the brow. Two minutes later they did and another chest shot dropped the larger on the spot the second flighting over the hill out of sight. I waited for a while to see if anymore would venture out and then walked along the hedge line to the brow. As I approached the brow I was in a crouch and sure enough our little friend was sat along the hedge line all upright and alert. Closer than before but still an easy shot but this time to the head...... boy did he jump and leap around. Seeing his cavorting ten or more rabbits in the field I had not spotted dashed for the hedge and to safety. I sat and waited to see if there were anymore slackers still in the field he may not have seen or thought the cavorting bunny a problem and sure enough there she was..... a big fat (later to be confirmed) female rabbit with her back to me dazing off into the distance. At around 120 yards this was to be a chest shot and like the others she dropped on the spot, not a twitch. I gathered these two together and mooched along the hedge more but little was around. About 400 yards further along the hedge turns 90 degrees to the right and as I made my way along there was a large rabbit sat by the corner. I switched sides so I was the other side of the hedge and crawled along the hedge. I got the Hawke 400 Laser Range Finder out and saw I was 220 yards out so made a mental calculation when I would be 150 or less and carried on. At what I assumed was the 150 mark I crept to the next spot where I could get under the hedge to shoot and the rabbit was still there. Another chest shot and down he went. After picking him up I wondered along the hedge and after 500 yards the hedge turns again another 90 degrees to the left and at this corner there were about 3 very young rabbits. Whatever the age they eat crops and in a month or threes time they will be breading so I bag them when I can. The three were cavorting around and then stopped. I squeezed off a chest shot and down two dropped. One dropped on the spot while the second leapt like a diva. Turned out the first was hit in the chest where I aimed and the round went through and into the head of the other...... I carried on along the hedge row bagging another couple and then turned back and re-traced my steps to pick-up those I had shot. Total bag was 13 for 12 shots - no misses and I was one very chuffed chap. I still find the flat trajectory hard to accept and keep wanting to aim over but now mastered the effect of the wind.... even though it was only 12 mph wind this meant a good 3/4 mild dot to the side at 75 yards. Well my brother in-law was happy - it is his farm and I was well chuffed and only sad I had to stop as the scope was just not picking up the targets clearly enough. Planning another outing this week and this time I may take one of my scope lights to see if this can keep me out a little longer. Excellent write up buddy.... the HMR an excellent tool for this job. On another matter do be careful of changing chicks during the day needs great care as they can spot another woman in your life a mile off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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