shane2222 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Hi All I have been offered a day out Sunday with a friend and he wants me to shoot Rabbits while ferreting the holes.I have only shot pigeons and never rabbits with shot gun ( had a few with air rifles and other sighted rifles ). I have never done this but he has. I don’t want to seem a bit simple when I turn up so has any one done this before or has any tips it would be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Will you be the only person shooting? This make a difference on safety. Set up in your mind your "safe" area to shoot and when to stop. Know where all the ferreters are at all times, keep the dogs tied up when shooting. be the furthest person away from the ferreting area to keep your friends safe. Be prepared to NOT take some shots on safety grounds. Put some boards in the hedges away from the ferreting area to make the rabbits run out into the fields and not in the hedge. It's all fast shooting! Great fun, enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Most important don't shoot the ferret and second of all enjoy it. Shooting bolting rabbits is some of the best shooting you will ever get imo. Just use your common sense and you will be alright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 If your mate has done it before he should give you all the pointers you need to be effective and safe. Any 30 or 32 cartridge will do it, either 5 or 6 shot. Don't worry if you miss initially; those bunnies are shifting and will jink and jump.If you listen carefully, even with ear protection, you will hear the 'rumble' underground (your dog certainly will and is a good indicator of imminent action!) before they bolt. Get underneath their front feet and then PUSH through as you pull the trigger and they will roll head over heels dead. It is brilliant fun and gives a real rush. Enjoy yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aister Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 It is a very exciting form of shooting and can be very fast and frantic so you have to keep a cool head. When the rabbit bolts, take your time and make sure the shot is safe before pulling the trigger, you will have more time than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 last time i did this, there were a few of us and all had specific shooting jobs, the rabbits were driven in one direction only, so shots directly at bolting, then maybe 50 yards down the way, (safe) to just shoot the crosser rabbits. (actually a great profile shot.) it was safe and i used 36g #4s and 36g#2s which i can recomend if you like classic loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 we do a lot of that,one each side of the hedge,we only shoot as they bolt never shoot in the hedge, be doing it for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted January 30, 2014 Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 Best advice I would give is explain to your mate that you haven't done it before and ask him what/how he expects the day to go, ie safety, shooting zones And has been said.... Enjoy it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane2222 Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Thanks all . After speaking to him last night he has said the same . One shooter at a time and away from the ferreters. Been a long time since I had rabbit , heres hopping it tastes just as good as the pheasent breast wraped in bacon and pouched in cider I had last night . Umm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Mat Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 Make sure they ferret is not attatched to the rabbit when it comes out of the hole! I watched a big bunny try and run off with a small jill attatched one morning, thankfully it hit the long net that was up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traztaz Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I allways use trap cartriges for this, the bunnies are killed outright, its like a massive slap/shock effect. The beauty is that the pellets do not penetrate further than the pelt, leaving you nice clean eating bunnies, not full of shot and with exploded guts. ATB Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 I allways use trap cartriges for this, the bunnies are killed outright, its like a massive slap/shock effect. The beauty is that the pellets do not penetrate further than the pelt, leaving you nice clean eating bunnies, not full of shot and with exploded guts. ATB Scott Hence the advice to shoot underneath their front feet and then push. All the shot goes upfront. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trxnav Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 It will certainly sharpen u up mate good to quicken up ya reactions I use a tight choke so I either hit or miss as if u hit and the rabbit still makes it down u know u will have a dig on ya hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonwolf444 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 My favorite kind of shooting, we go every weekend pretty much ( weather dependent as this appears to pay a significant role in the rabbits bolting). When it gets going, be prepared for rabbits bolting every 30 seconds , fast snap shooting, very instinctive and the waiting time between them appearing being full or anticipation, as you just don't know how they will present themselves, sometimes bolt across the whole field, sometimes flit between holes, towards you, away from you. However if its quiet. Be prepared to get cold for an hour, only for a rabbit to bolt right past you while you are standing thinking.. "i should have seen that earlier." Some of the big sets we do, if a ferret lays up we just work from the other end of the set down, and usually after an hour or two they re appear. Anything that's low level with surface water near by leave it its likely that the warren is flooded, warrens on higher ground this time of year are better ( at least for us in north yorkshire ) as the lower level ones are all flooded out. Just use any old cartridges to be honest, stand well back though or if they are running towards you let them gain some ground behind you. Any rabbits shot at really close range are given to the ferrets. If we are on a hedge line we stand 20 yards back from where we put the ferrets down side by side either side of the hedge, that way you can shoot pretty much everywhere safely. If we are facing a huge warren we just go 20- 40 yards apart facing the warren, all shots forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 One question, if your shooting rabbits with ferrets. Where do you put the cartridges Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 30/32/36gr How far exactly !!. Years ago when I had ferrets we used to use 3 inch .410 bolt actions mostly. Last time I shot like that I owned a skeet gun which was ideal. A 25 yard shot was a rare event in my book, most were 15 yards of less. Ode for huge warrens, VHD cleared all my rabbits years ago, do I just miss them. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon.12g.rabbit Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 IS VERY GOOD MATE GOOD LUCK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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