so whats yours?

[cockercas]

seen as the forum is going around in circles atm.

what is your favourite quarry/discipline?, why?, what do you shoot with? and what do you get out of it?

 

me, foxing is by far the best. a very intelligent and cunning animal. quite often under-estimated.

i started shooting for pure pest control, i keep chickens in a wood. so keeping my chickens safe was my 'excuse'. but now im hooked, devoting most of my spare time to Vulpes vulpes.

since i got my .243 ive hardly picked another gun up, that was shown last night with the poor performance with the .22

i get loads out of fox shooting, some protection for my birds and other wildlife. some quality man time with my lamp man, away from our girl friends and other stress full issues. outside in the fresh air and i get to see some cracking wildlife when all is quiet. indirectly linked with the foxing is reloading my own ammo, knowing that every fox i shoot is down to my own doing.

[scolopax]

Wildfowling and deer stalking, difficult to chose between the two, generally though the deer stalkig can be done outside the main part of the wildfowling season so there is not too much of a clash.

 

Why, because both a real 'hunting'

[Bowen20]

I love rat shooting used to do it years ago and used to shoot on allotments and regularly shot 20+ on a good night once baited up with dog food eggs and rice. Used to shoot them with a .22 BSA ultra but wish I had permission to shoot them with the .22lr or .17hmr or even the .223 I have just got rid of. I do also love shooting foxes it's great and some of the shots/foxes can't be quite challenging.

[Redgum]

I love most types of hunting,Fallow stalking through autumn to end of winter, when thats over ( stick to old season finish which is 29th Feb unless severe deer problems )the freezer is full. Then a bit of early pigeon decoying,give it a break through their most concentrated nesting time then get into it seriously on the stubble. Through the spring and summer I will shoot a few Muntjac but mainly bucks and hopefully will be invited out for a Roe buck, I have a few on one patch but leave them as they are thin on the ground . Spring and autumn will see the fly tying kit out and get amongst the rainbows.There will always be a day or two decoying the Carrions to fill in between the rest, all and all I love it all and always find time to reflect and think how lucky I am.

[Gimlet]

For me I think its rabbit control. I say conntrol rather than random blatting because I get paid expenses to do it and I have to show results with low crop damage.

I'm the only person permitted to shoot rabbits om my ground and vehicles can't be used, so its foot slog which has its rewards. I know the ground in intimate detail, every inch of hedgrow and headland, which is a relationship vehicles rob from you. I shoot .22lr with NV, I snipe dawn and dusk with the HMR, and I use a .222 on a couple of spots where the lie of the land make safe shots impossible at rimfire ranges. Some ferreting is done but we have a lot of thickets and woodland margins that are too dense.

I shoot about 500 a year on 300 acres and can take about the same again from the neighbouring farm. There are no heavy infestations but they always repopulate from neighbouring land which isn't shot- or shot very badly, so its a constant mopping-up process with smallish bags taken frequently. I love the strategy of it. Its like a game of chess with lots of forward planning depending on which crops are planted. Last year half the farm was rape and linseed which is easy because it survives rabbit damage well. This year every thing is wheat and barley which is going to be tough. Very glad I've got the night vision.

In one spot at dusk in early summer when the moon's out its just me and a tawny owl. He sits in his ash tree and takes the juveniles, I sit in a tram line and take everything else. I've come to see owls as my most important ally. We put owl boxes up across the estate and do everything we can to encourage them.

[Catweazle]

For me it's squirrels with air-rifle. They're alert, intelligent, and the limited range of the rifle and the awkward angles make it a real challenge. I'm talking about wild squirrels, not tame animals raiding the bird table or pheasant feeder.

[fruity]

I just love being out with the gun and dog, whether its squirrel,rabbits,pigeons,rats whatever, but i think my favorite has got to be clay shooting im totally hooked, getting good consistent scores with my sp so more than happy

[castletyne]

Driven game from rearing the birds till the shoot days love everything about it

 

Then rabbits and fox out of the game season

[Sharpshooter.123]

Got to be decoying pigeon and lamping rabbit/fox can't pick out of the two

[aister]

it has to be wildfowling for me . although i have been roe stalking a few times down on the mainland and have really enjoyed everything about it. i really want to try a red up in the hills some time, mayby next year if i get the house extension built first (have to keep her indoo.... er i mean my darling wife happy)

[Haytime]

I started pigeon shooting last year, give up the ghost as I'm pants

 

...replaced with crow shooting which by the luck of the gods I seem to be able to hit a few.

 

I rabbit shoot with air-rifle as well for the moment...I love being outside in all weathers, only break I get from the wife and children :look:

[mad1]

It has to be rabbits with my rimmy or air day time or by lamp closely followed by decoy and roost shooting with the shotguns I hope to try wildfowling and stalking this year too

[steve_b_wales]

For me, I would have to say it's Crow shooting. From a young age, shooting rat's with a Relum Tornado .22 air rifle, I have progressed through the 'ranks' of rabbit control, fox control and deer stalking. Each has it's merit's, and, like most shooters, I enjoy being able to walk the farms with my gun, albeit on my own or with a shooting mate. For the past 8 years or so, I have become very 'interested' in shooting Crows. The damage they cause to song birds, and to young lambs, make them my number one enemy.They are a very clever bird, and learn to recognise the slightest bit of danger, or if somethings not right with your decoy set up etc, from an early age. I would'nt like to be given the ultimatum in shooting, ie, I could only shoot one species only, but I've no doubt it would be the Crow.

[Luckyshot]

I would have to say rabbit shooting is my favourite as you usually get plenty of shooting. Its nice just to be out in the fields with the gun but the day/night is always much better when there is plenty to shoot. My worst I would say is pigeon shooting as Im **** at it.

[gixer1]

Deer stalking, absolutely love it but unfortunately due to kids, work and other hobbies I haven't been out this year! Also like foxing as I get a good laugh with mates...