super sharp shooter Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Morning all I have just got permission to shoot on some land. I have never been out rabbit shooting so need some advice on it ie times of the day /walk and shoot or use a hide? This is all new to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Where are you located mate? Best times are Dawn and dusk...at the moment you need to get out in the evenings and lamp them, but as the days get longer you will be able to sit out and wait for them to come and feed in the evening light. How are you shooting them? If air rile then the hard part is getting close enough - 30yds for a headshot would be a good limit until you are more experienced. Also, please dont shoot at them until you know you can get half inch groupings at the that range otherwise you could wound them... Also to note, about this time of year the does will be having young, this can be looked at in two ways-if you are shooting them for pest control then you can reduce the numbers effectively....personally I try to avoid shooting milky does who have young below ground as their young will starve to death and also the does always seem very trusting and sort of sit there assuming you are not going to harm them. On the positive side, the young when they are 3/4 grown after a few months are lovely and tender to eat! Anthony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super sharp shooter Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) Im in the south mate Milton Keynes. I will be shooting them as pests. Only have shotguns at the moment but lookig for an air rifle to do the job. Edited March 9, 2011 by super sharp shooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodentermite Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 id say ur better off with a shotgun tbh u can shoot them moving or still and u can lamp with it. i just had an air rifle before and then when i got my shotgun it's loads easier. ferrets come in handy and also no need for a hide, if you have some good camo's just lie and wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindeye Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 dawn and dusk is the best times,when lamping use a colour filter as its less sentive on rabbits eyes ( red , orange ) .just remember if your on foot to stalk them otherwise they will be off even before you get into range .wear anti russel clothing as some might hear your movements and try and walk with very light foot'ed as they can feel the tremmors in the ground , practice on a few and you wont look back . good luck your enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Im in the south mate Milton Keynes. I will be shooting them as pests. Only have shotguns at the moment but lookig for an air rifle to do the job. Put in for a FAC and get yourself a .22LR or 17HMR either will greatly enhance your rabbit shooting. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djones1667 Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 I got a .177 smk b1 and its does the trick. I went out last weekend and bagged a few and going out again early tomorrow morning at dawn and staying out till dusk. So will be a good days shoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 It's all presonal preference but i don't like shooting rabits with a shotgun unless bolted with ferrets or walked up with dogs. I think the noise educates far too many of the other rabbits and makes them shyier/jumpier when people approach, so makes ur lob harder and harder as remaining rabbits get wiser. Same with lamping with shotguns educates far too many rabbits to be lampshy too quickly, in my opinion. Esp if large numbers of rabbits, not so bad if not too many. Althou shotguns can be handy when u have severely thinned the population out Like others have said dawn and dusk as well as using a lamp throu the nite will be the prime times, lthou at this time off year the younger 1's will be out sunbathig/eating at any time of day Airguns are good for it and will teach u a lot of fieldcraft how to stalk into animals, use wind etc, which is a great skill to learn. If u want to step up to next level either/or both .22lr or 17hmr are both tried and tested rabbiting calibres but u need to jump throu all the hoops of a FAC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 I got a .177 smk b1 and its does the trick. I went out last weekend and bagged a few and going out again early tomorrow morning at dawn and staying out till dusk. So will be a good days shoot It will be a loooooooong day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegasus bridge Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 It will be a loooooooong day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 the best time to shoot them is when they are there, which only you can tell, not a forum full of people telling you whats best on their patch get out on your new permission and do some leg work, if you have a map of the fields, you can mark down where you see burrows, where you see play scrapings, where you see crop damage, then go back at different times of the day and night, and keep a note of best times,worst times etc, if you need to text the farmer on each visit, it'll do you well, as it'll show your really trying to help,rather than once a week at a certain time, because someone on a forum told you that was best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 Best thing I've found wen going out after a cut of silage etc ! Is wait till it grows a couple of weeks the rabbits come out and think they are safe and cower down ! But they are still very shootable giving good bags Ur land might be differant tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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