My dilema, well not really - NO kill shot(s)

[Carbonrocket]

I will use anything I have to draw out rabbits and send them onto the next level.

 

BUT

 

Sometimes you see things that you just cant bring yourself to do, to me this has happened a few times but in triplicate last evening.

Walking along a permission track and looked inside a log shed as I had bagged a large rabbit several nights before, I was presented with the following. I had the 'KILLCAM' on the scope but I would not let it operate. Even if the camera was not on the scope the result would have been the same - I could not do it, some may be able, but I have to wait until they get a bit bigger.

 

Still please enjoy all my conscience being my better half. 16x magnification 7m distance and the vid dragged it all into focus.

 

http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all...p;v=3fxVtHQRreI

 

Carb

[libs]

If your shooting for dinner, or just spending some time in the sticks with a gun its great you can leave some, but I always think if your controlling a vermin species where its causing a problem then mopping up the tennis-balls and pregnant does is the best way, you can get so close to the young ones it makes life easier doing the job next time, and they cook up lovely!

[Evil Elvis]

My ferrets love 'em that size!!

[pigeonblasterian]

They would have been ok in a stirfry.

[Frenchieboy]

I believe that it really comes down to why you are shooting! If you were shooting purely for the "sport" then I respect you for not taking the shot and allowing the young rabbits to grow and mature into more "pot sized targets". If however you are involved in a "vermin control program" then you have to put sentiments aside and shoot them regardless of their size. This might sound heartless but such is life and if you do not do it you stand to lose a great many "Vermin control contracts"!

I have several farms where I am told to shoot ALL rabbits that I see - I do not necessarily agree with or enjoy doing this but if I don't and the farmers were to find out I would stand a good chance of losing the permissions - On the other hand I have several farms where I am allowed a bit of a free hand so I class it as shooting mainly for the sport, this is a totally different matter and all young rabbits are allowed to survive until they are "Pot Sized" and can be shot and passed on to the "Senior Citizens" where I live to make a good stew or pie!

 

I have to say that those young uns seemed to have some sort of a death wish and were not going to move whatever you did!

[Jamie_]

On my golf course permission I have been told by the owners and the greenkeepers that "I am not shooting for food here" so everything gets shot, I don't like doing it but if I don't then I will loose the permission.

 

Its quite funny watching that video as to just how stupid young rabbits are though, I did have a chuckle when you shouted it at it and it didn't budge.

[fortune82]

I was out stalking with a mate last year. He lined up on a doe and took ages. Eventually he crawled back and said he couldnt shoot it becasue "it was looking at him with its big brown eyes"!!!

 

I still rip the **** from him over it!

 

I must admit though I have done the same myself with rabbits and a young fox years ago.

[kipper]

I would not have pulled the trigger unless There was a massive problem and the place was over run with them.

 

I shoot a chicken farm where there is lots of rabbits and allways will be (nature seserve one side and a farm down the other where they dont controll the rabbits) I usually catch the young uns bare handed between small 18" fences they line up in the yard. and then let them go on a field where they wont do any damage and then we shoot them when they get to pan size.

 

No point killing them for the sake of it

 

Kipper

[pegasus bridge]

like others have said - fair enough but it depends on the nature of your shooting ; mine is to reduce rabbit numbers, and so every possible shot is taken, i dont feel bad about it - in three months they will be munching a large amount of crops and reproducing at an alarming rate...

tiny rabbits often sit next to each other which is ideal to maximise the kill ratio of a HMR round!

[stubby]

good camera you'vre got there, have to laugh at the replies on u tube though, with people mentioning "sport", as rabbits are classed as a pest species, I'd like someone to show me, where in the general licence it stated rabbits can be shot for sport, Im on the understanding that they can only be culled for pest control

[MC]

Are rabbits on the general licence? I thought that applied to birds as all wild birds are protected unless they are in season on the quarry list or listed on the GL. Rabbits are mammals and I am sure that the GL doesn't cover this.

[Frenchieboy]

good camera you'vre got there, have to laugh at the replies on u tube though, with people mentioning "sport", as rabbits are classed as a pest species, I'd like someone to show me, where in the general licence it stated rabbits can be shot for sport, Im on the understanding that they can only be culled for pest control

 

I mentioned "sport" on the replies to the video but only to differentiate between the way in which people shoot using "Sport" in much the same way as anyone could have used the words "Recreational Shooting" or "Shooting for Pleasure" as opposed to shooting purely to control the number of rabbits/vermin as requested by the farmers/landowners which I tend to classify as a "Vermin Control Program".

I am sure that "Stubby's" comment was jus a generalisation and hope that this post has clarrified things as sometimes my choice of words might not be the same as others and can leave things "as clear as mud".