danccooke

wow thats one fat grass snake he must be full of frog or toad

Cracking write up, sounds a good session, I love seeing snakes (although wish my wife didn't keep them, we have two Royal Pythons) we get quite a few Adders around this area. A grass snake normally would roll over and play dead covering itself in it's excrement, are you sure it wasn't an Adder, Grass snakes get pretty long too, up to 6ft where an Adder is more likely to be about 3ft and Dry Strike in defence... The grass snake almost always found near water as they almost exclusively on amphibians. Not disbelieving you though just unusual for a grass snake to bite or attempt to bite Still great to see though if not in a panicked mode :) Adder Grass Snake

We don't get wild Guinea Pig round my way but I am led to believe it tastes good.... I am always happy to be a tester for foods, I tasted Wrasse Sashimi at a fishing competition the other week to prove a point. We get loads of Jays round my way, similar numbers to Magpie. Although neither stray into my crosshairs. Not by choice just the ways it's turned out. I've popped a few magpie with the shotgun but never had a safe shot at a Jay so have never dropped one. They seem VERY jittery.

Good write up. Sounds like a fun but infuriating session :-)

Brave third post on a forum?!

post edited to take any ambiguity out of legality of shooting with or without lamp at certain quarry. apologies all. for the record of those who saw original post, lamp wasn't used on that shot, as wasn't required. but still OP edited. :(

I love the honesty, so far while shooting no mishaps other than a smashed scope from stupidly restin gun up against the fence then climing over another section, caught my foot in the cattle wire which threw my gun on the floor using the top turret as a braking device. but i've had loads of dumb fishing mishaps, always happy to admit to what i've done. I am what I am afterall. to the OP glad your farmer was happy with end result. I challenged what I thought were poachers in the dark last night. turned out it was my farmer and his dad trying to sort out electricity to the hatchery (they have a trout lake too) because of an elongated power outage. Kinda glad it was them as it was going to get awkward if it was poachers.

I scrabble underneath fat commando style. We had a massive power cut last night, doh! that doesn't mean the battery that runs the electric fences is out. Lesson learnt always treat ALL electric fences as ALWAYS live.

It's been a while since I posted and that is because it's been a while since i've been shooting. Realising the the hay on the permission is getting mashed a bit I checked in with the farmer and asked if he minded me lamping the next couple of nights (he never does but since i hadn't been in contact for a while thought play is polite) he was more than happy to hear from me and wished me luck. On Monday I finished work at 2200hrs and was home and in my shooting gear by 2230hrs, then the wife wanted to natter about some inane subject to i feigned interest for half an hour thinking "I could be shooting now" eventually she quietened down and I said good night to left. The permission is a fair drive away so 45 seconds after leaving home I was parked. (still better than walking down the street with the rifle) I stalked up to the rabbits took a shot absolute flyer.... thinking please don't tell me the Stealth is having one of it's funny five minutes. All Rabbits have no scarpered so I lay down, take aim on a fence post between the cricket club and the permission (I have permission for both) shot is way high, put another pellet on pellet the another for fun. OK group is bang on but Zero way high. since all the bunnies have scarpered for a moment, I pace out the fence post again. 35 yards, lay down and take a shot, and another, quick adjust, two more shots and am now happy that the zero is good. I am aware this isn't the most ideal way of zeroing, especially in the dark but catastrophic miss was better than pricking a rabbit, so probably a good thing. Still not sure why it was firing so high but we're zero'd now so back to the job in hand. I walked the perimiter of the main fields without having to go to close the farmhouse. I then laid out in wait in a nice position to give me a good position on most of the main warren. The night was ruined by Charlie, the Vixen was out with her four cubs and they were all hunting. It was nice to watch but not useful on the hunting front. I had Long Eared Owls swoop over head, a heard (4-5) of roe Deer trapse through the field. Badgers and also on one sweep of the lamp I spied a Stoat, only the second one I've ever seen. Some amazing shooting stars and the ubiquitous Chinook flying dark that we get round these parts quite often. The following night I nipped out straight from work, no nipping home first to avoid the ever ready to chat wife. I fired a few dry shots from the cylinder then laid out and popped a round into another fence post. High.... AGAIN!!! quick adjust and back out to the field. First rabbit to pop his head up and see what the staggering fat bloke in the dark was up to chose his timing badly. Roughly 40 yardsish shot. One spring from impact and down dead. quickly reloading in case there were any of his friends left but alas they've all scarpered. I continued to sit out for quite some time however the vixen and her cubs returned and were having a field day. I paunched the rabbit in the hedgrow and head back home. Still thats a Rabbit for the Bunny burgers for the BBQ on saturday, Another pelt rolled and in the freezer (waiting for about 10 to then Tann them) Also unhappy that the scope was being erratic I ordered a new one (subtley told my brother than I know you didn't get me a birthday present but if the wife asks you got me this..... he is now adding some cash towards it too. How nice of him ) My wife just called me to ask what the parcel is that arrived today about a foot long and 5" square. looking forward to getting home now. anyway two evenings shooting and alas just one rabbit, but damn it's good to be back in the field. I also ordered a new main spring and hammer for the Stealth to make sure I'm getting a regular and consistent charge each shot. Watch this space

In which case it's clear you shooting at non living objects is fine. Quick question have you shot live quarry before? I am not suggesting you're not up for it but some people get "Stag Fever" and it can affect anyone at any level but normally those taking certain types of shot for the first time. Stupid question also. Are using the same pellet for hunting as you are for your target practice? How long do you wait for them to come back out. Sometimes mine come back out within 10-15 minutes, sometimes 40-50 minutes. If i'm lamping hopefully it is a clear night i'll roll over and watch the star for a while. maybe have a smoke (if downwind)

I have a similar permission with open paddocks and no cover (and electric fences to contend with too... different story) I have found that I stalk initially up the main hedgerow. I take it slow and often get to take a few down on first pass. I then walk the back end of the permission which is always sparse on the rabbit front but it's worth a look, Often pigeons starting to roost too with enormous fields behind for drop off (I have permission on that land too so falling lead isn't an issue) then I sneak back to a middle mark for the long hedgerow, giving me about a long shot left or right of 50meters and a close shot directly in front of about 15 meters. I've paced out the distances and practiced shooting the various ranges at the locations where the rabbits holes come out of the hedgerow onto the field. I know where I need to hold the cross hair for the long and the short range shots and the middle 35yards are bang on cross hair (new scope arrived today can't wait to get it fitted, zero'd and i'll have check all my zero points again but it's all part of the fun). I occasionally miss too (hopefully less with the new scope with bigger objective lens, i shoot mainly dusk into darkness) I always aim for head shots for that reason also. I would rather miss with an air shot than miss and wound. Practice on paper lots and lots. Also with a PCP I like to fire five dry shots before heading away from the car. I find it just stabilises the pressure. When it has been sat around for a night or maybe a couple of days the first couple of shots can sometimes be flyers. I'd love to give a full reasonable explanation for that but I can't it's just something I do and it seems to work. Also Breath.... once you've had your first few kills you'll become calmer each time too. Good luck

Currently laying in the field with my first dead bunny by way of air rifle and lamp. Could do with a few more the farmer knocked three down this morning ( he cheats with a 22lr) but of course there is no competition at all ;-) Conditions: Slight breeze in my face Clear sky full moon Not too dewy.

Ok cheers guys. The land I have permission on that I'm trying to knock a hole in. Is about 25-30 acres. But the warren is mainly up against one stretch of about 200-250meters of hedgerow. The warren is actually on the neighbours land eg the hedgerow. They are very flighty rabbits too. Getting close is proving a problem. The other night whilst laying down almost in the hedge i did annoyingly have a rabbit pop out of the hedge pretty much jump over the barrel and leg it off. Couldnt believe it. Anyway walking about there isn't much to walk about bar this one row. Then it takes about 30-45mins for them To brave it again. So a few questions. Failing to have a nv monocular Would a red filter over a lamp aid me at all or would that not make any difference to scaring them? Will going more often make them more wary or will they desensitise to people.

I believe there was a civvie tour on the sub, hence it being in Southampton and not a military dock. something about not being able to have shoreleave and the AB going a little nuts on the bridge while the tour was taking place. (so i have been informed, source normally reliable-ish)

If I buy nv at the moment she will cut my nuts off. Tonight I'll lye in wait at worst it's better than Friday tv. Bday coming up I'll drop the hints :-)

Walk about or lay waiting???

Gunpower Stealth, 3x9x40 and lamp.

can't see the pictures. --ignore stupid work pc blocked them

BASC

willing away the remainder of my shift. I was due to finish at 2200hrs, but i covered an extra 8 or so hours this week for the guy taking over from me. so he is coming in at 2030hrs for me. i'll be sat in the office in cammo at 2015hrs and In the fields by 2050hrs. I can't blank (not really I CAN'T)

ahhh... too late rush of blood and pay day.... I had to go to the gun shop to get a refill anyway as my dive bottle is away being tested. Another cheap trip to the gun shop then. Think seing as I finish work at 2200hrs tonight and the weather is good. Might as well test the new lamp on the new permission. Whats the worst that happens. I get cold and learn some stuff?? Or I get a Sunday lunch.

Ok then no rabbit this morning but....... An extra 20 acres granted and permission to lamp too. He wants them hit hard :-) Best get me a lamp. Recommendations anyone. Remember it's an air rifle not a cannon

I've still got three in range but all wrong side of the fence. I dont get permission for that side till later today grrrr

Grrrrr been laying here watching a rabbit heading my way for twenty mins. Just about to hop through the fence into my territory well in range. I'm laying parralell to the fence and a mangy black cat just tore after it grrrrrrrrrrr