Colster Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 So this week was supposed to be a bumper fest of bunny bashing. Had my usual Tuesday night lamping session arranged then had booked Thursday off work to go deer stalking in the morning, then a bit of ferreting then a bit of on foot lamping on a new permission, then Saturday back on the new bit for some more ferreting. So Tuesday there I was at 6:15pm, sat in the farm courtyard waiting for my shooting buddy.... and still sat there at 7pm, so I rang him to get a very flustered reply as he'd just dropped his .243 and cracked right through the stock. So abandoning the night's lamping (tbh it was slinging it down anyway and a quick scout round had shown old Brer to be wiser than us daft fools), I went over to his and surveyed the damage - the gun was a total write off and later in the week went off to the choppers with a swift one-to-one dropped into the FLO on the way home. Unfortunately my mate's Defender decided to pop a servo so not only did the demise of the Steyr put an end to Thursday's deer stalking, we were also denied our ferreting too so now Thursday's day off yawned ahead looking slightly pointless. Nevertheless I decided I'd still go lamping on the new ground so rang the FEO to see if he'd had a chance to clear it for my LR yet, no he said, very busy but I will get to it... no probs I'll dust off the springer (which has been sorely neglected since I got my LR) and take that I said. Now, I've had a SImmons Aetec sitting unmounted on the shelf since just before Xmas so decided to take off the springer's usual partner (a Hawke Varmint II) and try the Simmons, so set some targets up in the garden and set about zeroing in. Have to admit to being a little rusty so once the scope was zero'd in I carried on punching paper to get my confidence back. After a while, I felt pretty sure I'd be topping up the freezer tonight. About 3 ish I took the dog for a walk and our route took us along side the bit of land I would later be shooting, we must have seen at least 15 rabbits from the footpath just pootling about - the signs were all looking good so I was less than pleased when around 5 it started snowing... flakes like dinner plates! Nevertheless, I was committed now so just after 6, I slapped the Ultrafire on top of the scope, camo'd up and set off. I got to the gate onto the field and about 40yards away is a rabbit right in front of me. I bring the gun up and squeeze the lamp's pressure switch only to be blinded by this bloody great white spot in the middle of the scope. Took me a while to realise but the Aetec is shorter and the torch sits lower than on the Hawke (high turrets on the Hawke which the torch had to sit on top of) so the torch was now reflecting back off the luminous front sight on the springer. A quick adjustment to put the torch on the underside of the barrel meant the rabbit would live to see another day but now we should be ok. In the corner of this field is a ramshackle old barn and by now it had started raining so made for the barn, had a smoke and hoped the bunnies would settle down and hopefully venture out in the rain. After about 10minutes I poked the barrel out of the window, hit the torch and bingo.. a nice bunny sitting there... 60 yards away the FEO probably felt his ears burning as I silently cursed him. One in the pot for an LR but not a shot I could take with my springer. Decide to go for a wander around the field and I got about halfway down when the heavenly plumber properly opened the taps but nonetheless there, about 55 yards away, is a rabbit. I have to come off the hedge to shorten the shot a bit so I keep the lamp on the rabbit and creep out across the field. He's reacted a bit to the light but seems only curious at the moment so I continue to close in on him. I get to about 35 yards when he stiffens, this is as close as I'm going to get I think so keeping the lamp on him I bring the gun up only to find the scope has got soaked and I can't see a bloody thing, all my outer layers are soaked too so no way of drying the lense, I retreat back to the car feeling rather daft, this has not gone well. I decide to leave the bunnies until Saturday when the ferrets can flush them into the path of Mr 12B, get home to get a message from my shooting buddy (the one with all the nets and ferrets) to say that his stepdaughter has got through to the finals of a boxing competition(?) and that he has to go to that so that's the ferreting up the spout too. It's a conspiracy...involving the rabbits, the weather, my FEO and Gamo for their fluorescent foresights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie mac Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 Excellent read,but dont worry youl have your day with them rabbits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) I'm available sunday, with multiples of ferrets, equipment etc. - If you feel so inclinded. I was going to go out with my mates falcon, but the bloody thing is poorly anyhow. Edited February 19, 2010 by Bleeh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonySmith Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 Great read.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colster Posted February 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 I'm available sunday, with multiples of ferrets, equipment etc. - If you feel so inclinded. I was going to go out with my mates falcon, but the bloody thing is poorly anyhow. Thanks for the offer but... and here's the final topping of irony on my poor week, I have to go down to Kent to visit other half's grandmother on Sunday. She lives on about 5 acres of former orchard that is absolutely overrun with rabbits but granny won't let me touch them! It's torture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesman Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Unlucky pal. I hear the rabbits are enriching uranium too. Or is that the Iranians? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanl50 Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks for the offer but... and here's the final topping of irony on my poor week, I have to go down to Kent to visit other half's grandmother on Sunday. She lives on about 5 acres of former orchard that is absolutely overrun with rabbits but granny won't let me touch them! It's torture! A friend of mine has similar situation, he has about 5 acres and has horses, its teaming with rabbits but his missus wont let him shoot them, Its madness he shoot rabbits on other peoples land lol How's your mates .243 my heart goes out to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Mule Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 You have my sympathies, that sounds like the sort of poo that only happens to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks for the offer but... and here's the final topping of irony on my poor week, I have to go down to Kent to visit other half's grandmother on Sunday. She lives on about 5 acres of former orchard that is absolutely overrun with rabbits but granny won't let me touch them! It's torture! Well, if you ever want to go out, my permission or yours - just drop us a PM - it's always good to meet new people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colster Posted February 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks mate, will do. Things improved a little today, had a couple of hours to kill around midday so took the air-rifle back up to try my luck. My poor FEO's ears got heated again as every rabbit I saw seemed to be about 60-80 yards away. Encouraging though when I scoped on them I had a scope full of green so plenty of backstop - it's only a 12acre field but it slopes well and I'm hoping they'll clear it. Eventually, a plucky young buck pops out of a hole and hops out to feed about 35 yards away from me - this one is now soaking in salt water in the kitchen and my lab pup has had a great time retrieving it's feet from various hidey holes in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sooty 54 Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 A friend of mine has similar situation, he has about 5 acres and has horses, its teaming with rabbits but his missus wont let him shoot them, Its madness he shoot rabbits on other peoples land lol How's your mates .243 my heart goes out to him She will soon change her mind when neddy breaks it's leg in a rabbit hole .! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 Enjoyed reading that mate, although I'm sure you didn't enjoy the week. Its just one of those things, if every single day went to plan then we would have nothing to complain about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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