walshie Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 (edited) We've all heard it when a farmer or greenkeeper tells us he has "a rabbit problem." You go up there and see about 3. Last week I spent a few nights with a mate shooting at a golf course in Aberdeen, using the 22LR and my new N355 night vision unit. When the greenkeeper there says he has a problem, he isn't kidding. I've never seen so many rabbits. The only problem was the rabbits were very wary when it was light and the night only lasted about 2 hours from 12 till 2 properly dark, so we had to make the most of it during the hours of darkness. This pic was taken about 10.30pm and it was broad daylight. The course itself was fairly rabbit free, but the fields surrounding it were alive with them. Each night we had a good bag of rabbits, but the last night was spectacular. Shooting with my mate and the head greenkeeper we got into our respective positions about 100 yards apart at about 10pm and waited for dusk to come. As soon as the light faded, I scanned the field in front of me with the thermal spotter my mate had lent me. It was alive with rabbits. I shot at least 20 in my first 10 minutes shooting. Every time I thought it had gone quiet, more came out of their burrows to be greeted with more of my lead. Steve the greenkeeper came over to see how I was getting on and saw the whole field in front of me was covered with dead rabbits, with white dots highlighting the freshly shot bodies in the thermal. Later he came back holding one of last year's dog fox cubs. He was made up as it was his first fox. His glee was short-lived as I spotted 2 adult foxes snooping around the dead rabbits and managed to pot both of them. I couldn't say how many rabbits we shot in total over 3 nights. but it was well into the hundreds, with thousands more waiting for next time. I'm undecided about the thermal spotter. It finds heat sources quickly enough, but I found it tricky spotting with it, then finding the target through my scope. I resorted to counting fence posts to get on target quicker. My new NV was fantastic and I didn't even switch on the IR. I haven't been out looking for rabbits for a long time, but I really enjoyed this trip. P.S. Staying in a luxury room at the lodge made the trip even better. Edited June 19, 2018 by walshie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 Excellent. You now need a thermal scope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted June 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 Hmm, yes that would have made it easier, but I'm not sure about the thermal. Looking through it for so long made me feel a bit dizzy. After I had used it, I was looking around with the eye I wasn't using for the thermal and everything looked O.K. Then looking with the eye I was using for the thermal, everything was much darker and had a kind of purplish tinge to it for several minutes. Using both eyes made me feel decidedly wobbly. I ended up spotting with one eye for a minute or so then swapping over to the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 Sounds a great few nights. We use a thermal spotter for all of our shooting but make sure that the brightness is on the lowest setting. Finding the target once spotted can also be a phaff but starting with the scope on low mag helps lots. Not so bad if you are shooting and spotting as at least you know what direction to shoot in. We are shooting on a couple of golf courses and they are very wary. It's not that they are overshot but it may be something to do with the open nature of the ground as its not so bad in the neighbouring fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted June 19, 2018 Report Share Posted June 19, 2018 probably the amount of time you were using it? this is off the rat section, might have to start saving your pennies and pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.