Maidment78

Cracking debate. I like the comment that we need to stick together. I think that is very true as it is the only way a community of hunting enthusiasts will make it through the overly liberal way of thinking that all animals are cute and should be cuddled. I personally have no issues with the shooting of Hares or any animal at all as long as the overall population of the animal is at a level where breeding is not affected or at a point where human intervention is required to continue their ongoing existence. I actually think the over population of Buzzards is causing an issue and a licence should be issued for the thinning of numbers but that is a whole new argument in the making. I think it is also a point to note that it is really nice to read that people here are as passionate about the welfare of the wildlife we hunt as well as the actual sport of shooting itself. Long may it continue!

Paul

Yes.

The two FAC unit I use are Daystate Mk3 17ft. 0.177 and a Air Arms 410 FAC at 36 ft. 0.22 Both very good, Air Arms quite long but I use for rabbits stalking and the 0.177 is first class. I picked up the 410 second hand for under £400 and she is mint, inc scope and bipod. Getting a 0.177 FAC is not really the norm and the firearms officer who did my ticket thought I was nuts but it really is good. To go over 17ft though is very hard due to the massive amount of air needed so either get a big air tank or a gun with a big air reserve.

Afternoon all, Here is a odd one, just read an article here about someone who shot a couple oh hares, heres the thing. I never shoot them, have some sort of stange respect for the beasts and leave them alone all season. Is this just me being a tad odd? Just thought I would ask the question really then wonder off in to my own strange contradiction of a world killing one thng and not another....... Best be off, cooking kitten for tea.

Hello All, Had to happen at some point but I have to say I have not thought about it until pulling the trigger and,,,, nothing. I knew I had loaded a new cartridge so I was sat there thinking what now? in the end I wondered off to a space in the field and ejected it and there it sat on the floor. What is the right thing to do when this happens? I ended up going all the way back to the farm, getting a very strong steel box, putting the cart in it then disposing of it as I just could not leave it in the field in case someone or something stepped on it and it went off. But could it go off? Any tips would be good as I am sure this will one day happen again. Paul.

Great photos, how close were you to the hares?

I use a 12 ft. air rifle a lot around farm buildings and for areas where my FAC aigun is too much and to use my shotgun or .243 would be madness. I have to say for an all rounder my .177 is a brilliant unit with a very flat pellet flight that makes targetting between 15 yrds and 35 yrds very simple. The only downside is that for rats at close ranges you have be make sure you get a head shot as they are tough little chaps and over penetration is sometimes an issue so the energy transfer is not enough to clean kill with a body shot. personally I would go for a multi shot pcp, the gas ram is good but very hard on the arm for a full session and with the multi shot you get the quick second shot if you miss with the first. There is very little overall difference with regards to acuracy with a pcp for field use so it mainly comes down to personal choice as to how the rifle sits so I would really suggest to getting down to your local shop and having a go, most have a small indoor range to try and remember, you will probably want this for close range and potentially indoor work so a long barrel is not always a good idea and with a 12 ft. you do not need the barrel length as the pellet is not moving that fast.

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Oh the sofa! Mine takes no more delight in this world than 5 stolen minutes on the sofa when I am out of the room. She is 5 months now and progressing well in all but her ability to remain focused for more than 2 nano seconds. It is better than at 4 months though as that was only 1 nano second so in 20 years she will be bang on! Her pointing though is amazing, anything that is in our garden is fair game and there are plenty of local pigeons that get a demo every day much to their dissaproval.

I find it very easy to see if a bird is not a woodie. I find it very hard to deciede though if the bird is feral of a racer, my permission is near to a town and there are a lot of feral and racing birds in the air so I tend to act with a cautious eye and not shoot anything apart from woodies unless they are roosting in the barns as then they are a pest to the farmer and I will remove them.

I have an Air Arms 410 running at 36ft. and I totally agree, the new flat profile of the pellet with a bis mag is amazing. I have to say though I still like getting my BSA ultra out though at 11ft. and sharpening up my fireld work. I also had my Daystate Mk3 .177 uprated to 17ft. and I have noticed a difference in this too when hitting pigeon. the extra 5 ft. with a normal pellet really make a differnece in bringing them down but downside is the muzzel crack is quite loud so extra silencer comes in handy. Nothing more satisfying than a clean kill after a particualy long stalk in open country side. Paul.

OK, daft question. If you require 1.5 flb's and at 45 yrds a number 7 shot delivers 0.86, if you hit the target with a couple of pellets does not the combined hitting power of the pellets equal the magic number? or am I looking at this wrong? I hit quite a few birrds yearday at 40yrds. (I know it was 40 yrds ar the decoy the bird landed next to before I hit it was bang on 40) and the birds dropped dead with no fuss. I am getting the idea though it is a conbination of the right size and what feels right to give you the confidence to take the shot. Thanks again! Paul.

Thanks for all the hints, I have just been given a book by old old hand here by JEM Ruffer, I have to say although it is dated the guy is a genious. Seems to have pattern densities and hitting power of pellets worked out (if these are still valid I will have to check) but the larger the shot the less pellets and thus a smaller pattern. For 45 yards it seems there is little benifit to use the #6 shot for pheasant and pigeon so I will have a little trial with both and see what happens. Seems there is a massive range in what people get on with.

Evening all, Being new to the whole shotgun scene I am finding it really hard to decide what is good and what is not. There seems to be hundreds of people who swear by one thing then the same who swears by another. I would say I shoot 90% pigeon and 10% rabbit, I will not mention at what % I shoot at either as this is different again but I started using a number 6 cartridge and found that out to 30 yards I was more than capable of hitting most things to a reasonable degree but further out than this I was missing more than I hit, then with the number 7 cartridge I would hit about the same close and a little more further out. I have a Lanber fixed choke over and under so whatever I fire it is the same and I am not messing about confusing myself with different patterns (I thought I would save that for a bit then get really confused.) My BASC guide to shooting book states that for Hare a number 6 shot is advisable but it does not mention rabbit? I am just worried if I use a smaller shot with less hitting energy then I may not deliver a clean kill. I do not mind missing but I do mind any unnecesary pain for any animal so my question is for a beginner that has an average hit ration of less than 50% what would be a good choice? I do not want to cause an argument here but I am genuinely interested in other people experiences while out in the field. Thanks again, Paul.

Hello all, Just thought I would pick your brains ref decoys. I am off for my first propper shoot Friday and I have no idea what is best to do ref setting up a hide, where, into wind against, what to look out for, how far out to place the deeks, setting up the hide, Infact it is probably safe to say that I am likley going to be sat in a field with a gun in totally the wrong place thinking if only I was over there,,,,, any help must greatly recieved!

Thanks Danddo!

Afternoon, Just wanted to say hello. Been shooting for years but never thought to look for a site where loads of mad people like myself chose to spend the day in a muddy field stairing at the sky or some bush waiting in the hope of shooting something before you cook or freeze to death! Been looking at some of the posts and have to say they did make me chuckle. Hope to be speaking to lots of you over the next few months, Regards, Paul.

Afternoon, I have been shooting for years with Airguns, 12flb and FAC and have just started the art of using a shotgun. We recently moved and I am now a long way from home and all my old shooting areas so am desperate to locate some new rough shooting, pest control and possibly join a syndicate for nextseason (If I learn to shoot straight!) I am also training up a pup so in around 12 months will have a HPR to help out with some of the work load. Anyone got any ideas? If needed I have BASC insurance and I could easily get refs from the previous farms that I shot over. Regards, Paul.