hares wot calibre

[matty thud]

when i was walking around my farm permission other day spotted a huge hare about 45 yards away its not the first one seen up there i no thers plenty about but wot calibre of gun would yu reccomend to take them down with a clean kill

[escortmagnum999]

shotgun with 3s or 4s, or a rimfire rifle, im not certain but think its illegal to shoot hares with an airgun?

[MM]

You can take hares with an airgun if close enough, but at 45 yards no calibre would be good enough. Thats my view, and im sure others will say different. If you are going to use an air rifle for hares, then try and get to 20 yards and make sure its a good head shot. If you have other means to shoot them, then a .22lr, shotgun or anything else would do, it just depends on the range.

[M.I.A]

Its legal to shoot them with airguns, but like others say keep the range sensible. Personally i wouldnt use the airgun, shotgun or rimfire

[matty thud]

Its legal to shoot them with airguns, but like others say keep the range sensible. Personally i wouldnt use the airgun, shotgun or rimfire

ye thought so just in middle going through for f a c had interview just waiting but put down 22 rimfire and 17 hmr and also gone for shotgun

[MattF]

Shotgun or Rim Fire not legal with an Air Rifle as I was told the other day by some one that is very aware of the law

Edited July 2, 2012 by MattF

[MM]

Shotgun or Rim Fire not legal with an Air Rifle as I was told the other day by some one that is very aware of the law

 

Your friend isnt that aware of the law then. Its perfectly legal to shoot hares with an air rifle.

[secretagentmole]

Shotgun or Rim Fire not legal with an Air Rifle as I was told the other day by some one that is very aware of the law

 

Well who ever told you that was talking out of something he should have been sitting on. Shooting hares with an air rifle is perfectly legal.

Edited July 2, 2012 by secretagentmole

[M.I.A]

Your friend isnt that aware of the law then. Its perfectly legal to shoot hares with an air rifle.

 

:good: :good:

[redtailhawk1]

You can take hares with an airgun if close enough, but at 45 yards no calibre would be good enough. Thats my view, and im sure others will say different. If you are going to use an air rifle for hares, then try and get to 20 yards and make sure its a good head shot. If you have other means to shoot them, then a .22lr, shotgun or anything else would do, it just depends on the range.

 

I would not shoot a hare (again) with an air rifle unless FAC. Definitely not head shot. I once shot one in the head at 20yds with a .22 BSA ultra multi. It did not drop although knocked it for six. I then shot anther 4 fast shots and did not drop until I drop one behind the front leg. I was very very sorry after and would never attempt it again. When I got home and examined it (because I was not happy at all) the first five pellets did not penetrate the skull, intact only just under the skin.

 

So FAC or shot gun for me. And that's as honest as I can be. Oh and the rifle was up to legal limit because I circled it on a mates chrono. ATB Steve

[MM]

I would not shoot a hare (again) with an air rifle unless FAC. Definitely not head shot. I once shot one in the head at 20yds with a .22 BSA ultra multi. It did not drop although knocked it for six. I then shot anther 4 fast shots and did not drop until I drop one behind the front leg. I was very very sorry after and would never attempt it again. When I got home and examined it (because I was not happy at all) the first five pellets did not penetrate the skull, intact only just under the skin.

 

So FAC or shot gun for me. And that's as honest as I can be. Oh and the rifle was up to legal limit because I circled it on a mates chrono. ATB Steve

 

nowt wrong with being honest mate. ive taken many hares as im lucky enough to have good numbers, and i must say that if im close enough (under 20 yards) ill take a headshot with a .22 air rifle. ive also had the perfect head shot with a .22lr, and the hare didnt drop. I know what your saying, and its just personal choice.

[redtailhawk1]

nowt wrong with being honest mate. ive taken many hares as im lucky enough to have good numbers, and i must say that if im close enough (under 20 yards) ill take a headshot with a .22 air rifle. ive also had the perfect head shot with a .22lr, and the hare didnt drop. I know what your saying, and its just personal choice.

 

[matty thud]

I would not shoot a hare (again) with an air rifle unless FAC. Definitely not head shot. I once shot one in the head at 20yds with a .22 BSA ultra multi. It did not drop although knocked it for six. I then shot anther 4 fast shots and did not drop until I drop one behind the front leg. I was very very sorry after and would never attempt it again. When I got home and examined it (because I was not happy at all) the first five pellets did not penetrate the skull, intact only just under the skin.

 

So FAC or shot gun for me. And that's as honest as I can be. Oh and the rifle was up to legal limit because I circled it on a mates chrono. ATB Steve

so they hard to put down then wait till get 22 rimi and 17hmr to tackle them dont fancy having ago wi 22 air gun and wounding them want to kill instant

[redtailhawk1]

so they hard to put down then wait till get 22 rimi and 17hmr to tackle them dont fancy having ago wi 22 air gun and wounding them want to kill instant

 

 

That's my thoughts. Always try to use the best tool for the job. Good luck with your application when you go for FAC

[miroku moocher]

i'v said it before .i'l say it again,'''HARES DESPITE THERE SIZE' are weak willed thin skinned and light boned and realy take no killing i'v shot loads using legal limit air rifles, and shotgun. a hare hit cleanly in the head

upto 30 yards with a 12flb airgun will drop like a bag of chite i know i'v done it many times

[timmytree]

Hares are actually easier to drop than rabbits. They may be bigger and heavier but the bone structure is different.

Hit a hare in the killzone and it will go down without a kick.

It is not illegal if you have the required permission but I would question whether your local hare population justifies you shooting them.

I only take 2 or 3 each year yet I see more than that every time I go out.

[MM]

Hares are actually easier to drop than rabbits. They may be bigger and heavier but the bone structure is different.

Hit a hare in the killzone and it will go down without a kick.

It is not illegal if you have the required permission but I would question whether your local hare population justifies you shooting them.

I only take 2 or 3 each year yet I see more than that every time I go out.

 

 

if i only saw the odd one, i would leave em, but i can see a couple most times i go out. even after controling them for many years, their are still good numbers around here.

[secretagentmole]

if i only saw the odd one, i would leave em, but i can see a couple most times i go out. even after controling them for many years, their are still good numbers around here.

 

For pete's sake keep quiet about it then otherwise you will be overrun with long legged canines!

Edited July 3, 2012 by secretagentmole

[Dougy]

Dont take this the wrong way, but for what reason are you giving for shooting Hares. What damage are they doing

[oscarsdad]

I shot one last year with my ultra in .177. Headshot from about 25 yds and it dropped without kicking. However, although it went I good use and we thoroughly enjoyed eating it, I won't shoot another one, just something rather majestic about them I would rather watch them than kill them in my area. However, I do know of areas where they are much more numerous than rabbits so as long as they are for the pot, then I will shoot them there but only with a rim fire. There was a thread on here earlier in the week asking how to cook them and a lot of jovial posts about eating a brick instead...if you are not going to eat them, why kill them?

[kent]

hares sometimes need some culling and taking out the old hares can often lead to better breeding sucsess next season, as new younger more fertile animals come in to take the territory. The damage they do is the same as rabbits although they are more selective feeders- can be very bad on young trees planted for hedges etc. by nipping off the growing bud.

 

i wouldn,t shoot one with my 30ft lb rapid .22, let alone a 12ftlb gun. The Rabbit is the biggest quarry that should be attempted with a 12ft lb airgun. To say that hares are easy to kill compared to rabbits is complete bumkum. A well grown hare can exceed 10lb in weight were a Rabbit is 3lb tops. Its a heavier load 12 bore (thinking 5,s smallest 4's better) rimfire or small centrefire quarry. I have seen a few leverets shot with air rifle 12ft lb and even with good shot placement i wasn't happy with the results, also taken a few air rifle pellets out of them and numererous no.6 game loads that were fully or partially healed. Nothing sounds as pitifull as a wounded hare BTW

 

It might not be specifically illegal to shoot a hare with an airgun, though it would be fairly easy to gain a conviction for cruelty against such a person.

[Guest cookoff013]

hares sometimes need some culling and taking out the old hares can often lead to better breeding sucsess next season, as new younger more fertile animals come in to take the territory. The damage they do is the same as rabbits although they are more selective feeders- can be very bad on young trees planted for hedges etc. by nipping off the growing bud.

 

i wouldn,t shoot one with my 30ft lb rapid .22, let alone a 12ftlb gun. The Rabbit is the biggest quarry that should be attempted with a 12ft lb airgun. To say that hares are easy to kill compared to rabbits is complete bumkum. A well grown hare can exceed 10lb in weight were a Rabbit is 3lb tops. Its a heavier load 12 bore (thinking 5,s smallest 4's better) rimfire or small centrefire quarry. I have seen a few leverets shot with air rifle 12ft lb and even with good shot placement i wasn't happy with the results, also taken a few air rifle pellets out of them and numererous no.6 game loads that were fully or partially healed. Nothing sounds as pitifull as a wounded hare BTW

 

It might not be specifically illegal to shoot a hare with an airgun, though it would be fairly easy to gain a conviction for cruelty against such a person.

 

some good and honest info here.

would also like to point out 4s minimum /36g loads for hare and 2s wouldnt go amiss up to 42g. the hare is a big powerful animal. it is like a little engine. it needs to be respected. #6 shot wouldnt even enter my mind in the same sentence as a hare.

[Rimfireboy]

hares sometimes need some culling and taking out the old hares can often lead to better breeding sucsess next season, as new younger more fertile animals come in to take the territory. The damage they do is the same as rabbits although they are more selective feeders- can be very bad on young trees planted for hedges etc. by nipping off the growing bud.

 

i wouldn,t shoot one with my 30ft lb rapid .22, let alone a 12ftlb gun. The Rabbit is the biggest quarry that should be attempted with a 12ft lb airgun. To say that hares are easy to kill compared to rabbits is complete bumkum. A well grown hare can exceed 10lb in weight were a Rabbit is 3lb tops. Its a heavier load 12 bore (thinking 5,s smallest 4's better) rimfire or small centrefire quarry. I have seen a few leverets shot with air rifle 12ft lb and even with good shot placement i wasn't happy with the results, also taken a few air rifle pellets out of them and numererous no.6 game loads that were fully or partially healed. Nothing sounds as pitifull as a wounded hare BTW

 

It might not be specifically illegal to shoot a hare with an airgun, though it would be fairly easy to gain a conviction for cruelty against such a person.

Agree totally , I hit one twice with eley maximum 4's once and it somersaulted and carried on, then my friend hit it with 36 grm BB's and the dog dragged it out of the undergrowth. They can take some stopping. That one was like a small dog.

[miroku moocher]

36grm bbs for hare's are you mad i'v flattened plenty using 32grm 6's

aswell as 29grm 6 kent velocity ''killin em dead out to 35 yards the skin of a hare is paper thin''a rabbits is much thicker. regardless of size hares are weaker and quit easier. a legal limit airgun upto 40 yards head shot will kill hares all day long i would go as far as saying a squirrel takes more stopping than a hare.

Edited July 3, 2012 by miroku moocher

[MM]

Dont take this the wrong way, but for what reason are you giving for shooting Hares. What damage are they doing

 

 

Ive watched them dig up saplings, and not bother eating them. They have done a lot of damage in some parts of my shoots. At the end of the day, the farmer told me they must be gone, so if i get a clear shot, ill take it. If i didnt do it, im sure there are others waiting in the ranks.

Edited July 3, 2012 by MM