Midweek fun....

[NickB65]

Well one of the benefits in my job is that we have flexi working and I am the boss of my department which means when I have a little flexi time to use I can pretty much choose the days I want.

 

Yesterday was a flexi day so after a morning of domestic stuff around the house and then lunch with the wife I have the whole afternoon to shoot :-)

 

The first job was to zero the CZ 452 which given it was quite windy was going to be a challenge but I hunkered down in one of the tram lines in the wheat field and it was perfect. Set the target at 35 yards and set the scope true and then zero the rifle at 70 yards. Then I donned on the camo jacket and hat and slowly walked the fields. Most of the hedges are devoid of rabbits due to fox, the local game keeper and my efforts but we have one or two small warrens just starting up. It was on the way to one of these that I stumbled across a lovely female Roe deer. The wind was in my face and she was head down. I slowly walked to within 60 yards and leant against a pylon and watched her for about ten minutes. Every now and then she would pop her head up, look around and then head down. She looked amazing and her colouring and condition were perfect. She was totally unaware and it was only when I started to walk away did she look at me with any interest but then after a bit carried on eating.

 

Further up the field and we are into the wild flower part of the field and the Hares were out in number. I counted 8 all basking in the sun or mooching around. As I got closer they moved off keeping the distance between us. No running off at full speed but just that awkward hop. I noticed one was not moving in the same manner, it seemed to crawl than hop as normal. A quick gander in the scope and I could see it was moving differently. I crouched down a little lower and tried to moved closer. As the Hares saw my intention they ran at full speed making sure there was a good distance between us but the one just hunkered down. Several ran past her but she did not move. Now I was about 150 yards from her and again I scoped her to see if there was anything wrong with her. As I did so she moved off and I could clearly see her front left leg was broken. As she moved the leg swayed with her movement and I see the pain in her movement and almost feel her pain. I crouched down even lower and tried to close the gap. I was now about 120 yards away, bi-pod legs out and into the prone position and I lined her up on the cross hairs. I guessed the hold over at one mil dot and a bit and the first shot was short and off she hobbled...... reload and now more like 140 yards and I fired again and down she went. When I walked up to her she was dead and on close examination her left legs was shattered and was hanging by skin and tendon...... As I sat with the hare I noticed huge flocks of Pigeon feeding on the wild flower further up the field close to one of the hedge. I walk out in a loop so I was the other side of the hedge and then crawled along until I was the other side of the hedge. The pigeons took flight but by the attitude of their departure I could tell it was half hearted and they would be back. Ten minutes later they came back in ones or two's and the fun began. As they flocked in I sniped them from behind the hedge. Every time one went down they would all take off, fly in a circle and then land..... managed five before I had to pack up and go clay shooting.

 

After a poor effort clay shooting I had another walk with the rifle around the field. More to see what was moving around and where but also to just enjoy what was a lovely evening. By now the wind had died down to just a gentle kiss on the cheek. I took the same route as before and again where the Roe was before there she was again but this time with another younger slighter female. They stood with their heads down but as soon as they heard me they both ran leaping across. Up through the field of wild flowers where the hares were but now gone. I walked along the hedge line and spotted a few young rabbits and naively they hung around too long and one dropped to a 90 yard shot. Another followed five minutes later when I popped out to see where its mate was. I was well chuffed with the second one as when the bullet struck it leapt like it had been catapulted in the air but when I picked it up it was a clean and perfect shot. I sat for a bit to see what else was moving and from my right the ghostly shape of an owl glided past almost sucking the sound from the air as it went past. As I walked off two muntjac left the cover of the hedge and ran for the closest crop. A slow walk around showed two news warrens - old warrens that had been deserted and now showing signs of activity again..... mental note to come back in the week......

 

By the time I left the field it was just gone 10 pm and the light just getting too dark for the scope.... I was one well chilled chap.

 

 

[m greeny]

A good read that mate and well done on ending the hares pain

[dead eye alan]

Nice entry mate you sound so content with life, more power to your elbow.

[bigman]

Sounds like a perfect day Nick , what happened to your hw project rifle?

[Paul taylor]

Sounds perfect. Enjoyed reading that thanks.

[NickB65]

Sounds like a perfect day Nick , what happened to your hw project rifle?

 

The Hw97 was completed and sold - I was going to do a write up but a friend liked it so much he paid top dollar for it. Not only did I finish the stock off to my liking - three attempts - but also managed to get a new spring in and kept the power below the legal limit - not that easy with the HW97. When I sold it I have to admit I was chuffed with the end result. Tempted to do the same with the CZ stock but it will mean the gun will be out of action for a while and I am having too much fun :-)

[A1Decoy]

Sounds like you had a great day. Thanks for sharing, enjoyable read.

 

Kind regards,

[rdneville]

Great read