Retired Old Boy Now Into Night Hunting With Sub 12 ft/lbs

[Bunny Burner]

Hello I am new to the forum.  Having bought an Air Arms S200 .22 some eight years ago to get rid of a pair of Magpies that were killing all the small birds in my garden (Both despatched within seconds of each other and small birds quickly returned).  I got talking with an old mate who has been a shooter most of his life (Rimfires / Shotguns / FAC Theoben Rapid) who suggested I buy a sub 12 ft/lbs .177 Weihrauch HW100KT and take up shooting as a hobby.

I switched from the S200 to a green synthetic HW100KT .177 and purchased an Optisan EVX 4-16 x 44 F1 FFP scope plus a rangefinder, bi-pod, trigger stick, etc.  I visited my friend's shooting club a few times and have enjoyed  the last couple of years occasionally hunting mainly pheasants with my old mate and rabbits on my own permission.  As last Autumn drew on I realised that bunnies prefer to come out when it's dark so I agreed with the land owner that I should invest in some lamps and night vision kit to assist in keeping the rabbits down.

As my mate is a day shooter, I spent time reading much on the forum trying to gain the benefit of the experienced night shooters and adapt it to my kit and permission.  Whereas I have mostly been shooting from static ambush situations, I am thinking that if I start off before dusk in the same way, I should then start walking around the different aspects of the land to find my quarry.  With this in mind it seemed that I need to hold a limited amount of kit to keep mobile.  I have fitted a red torch to my trigger stick to enable me to find my way in total darkness and will carry this along with my rifle, for which I am shortly obtaining a Pard NV007 add on, and a game bag.  The fourth bit of kit I will be carrying is a Boblov digital NV rangefinder/spotter probably with a T50 IR torch fitted.

I would appreciate any advice from you guys as to how I should proceed on my first night which is likely to be in a couple of weeks time.

Thanks Chris (Bunny Burner)

[Newbie to this]

[oowee]

Chris. What a nice introduction. First thing I would say is practice with the kit first and get familiar with it before you take it out for real. Make sure you can load, unload and set it all up in the dark without phaff. I try to use a pocket for ammo a pocket for mag's and so on so there is an organised routine. Have a plan for which way you are going to tackle the land ideally walking into the wind. Slow and steady is the rule and as you say the quarry will come out before dark. I would start with an ambush at dusk and then when it's dark move about. You want to hit them hard the first night as they will not get any easier. I find that if its a blustery night It can help to get close to the shy ones. Whilst the NV is covert it's likely that they may wise up to the IR glow. Making a squeek is sometimes helpful to get the rabbits to sit up making the shot easier in long grass. 

I would leave them where they drop whilst you clear each patch. It's very tempting to rush over and pick them up but if they are dead they can wait till later. Squeeze the rabbits bladder before putting them in the game bag (I would not bother with a bag). Enjoy and be sure to feed back how you get on. 

Edited February 7, 2019 by oowee

[Bunny Burner]

Oowee

Thanks for your reply and advice.  I will do as you say and try the kit out day then night before hunting.  My gun can fire off 70+ pellets without needing to be recharged with air and I have 5 mags of 14 pellets, so I will keep 4 ready in my pocket (I doubt that I will ever need that many but it made sense to get the extra ones) along with a knife and disposable gloves for paunching at the end of the session. Thinking of your bit about glow from IR, I will try setting it on as low a power as possible in a bid to keep as hidden as I can.  I also have a head torch for use at the end of the session.  It should fit nicely on my new Mat Manning hat which is vital if I want to ensure a full bag of bunnies - Well it will keep my head warm anyway.

[steve_b_wales]

Hi Chris. Welcome to PW. And an excellent introduction too. Take a look at Facebook sites such as NVUK for advice etc on Night Vision shooting.

[Bunny Burner]

Thanks for the welcome Steve.  Funny about those magpies I mentioned at my last house.  When I moved a year or so later, it wasn't long before the same thing happened again where I live now.  Small birds disappeared, two magpies moved into my garden then I shot them both and small birds all returned.  The good news is it got me into shooting as a hobby.

[Walker570]

Welcome aboard.    The only bad news is you sold your AA S200 ...did you?  Cracking little rifle and will do everything the other rifle will do in my experience.  The reduction in magpies and as much if not more so, grey squirrels will have a big positive impact on small birds.  keeping whacking and stacking.

[Bunny Burner]

Thanks Walker570

I will do my best to reduce numbers of the usual suspects.  I did sell the AA S200 and it was a good light little gun.  I am very happy with the HW100 even though it's on the heavy side.  I met a guy at the shooting club who uses an AA S200 on a golf course to keep rabbit numbers down and he said he loves the lightness of his gun and would never change it.  I might regret selling it over the next few years when my arms start to weaken but until then "Vorsprung durch Technik!"

[243deer]

When you shoot a few rabbits at night it can be the devils own job remembering where they all are by the time you have walked 250 yards along the edge of even a modest sized field. I carry white plastic plant id sticks with me (the mrs thinks they are for my seeds .....) I then judge a right angle to the rabbit and put in a stick. I do not worry about how far out they are - easy to then see each stick with the headlamp on the way back and walk out until rabbit found.

If I know I am going to shoot quite a few I take my roe sack with me and drop this off after 10 - 12 rabbits, I can then carry on and shoot another 10 or so - I will stop then as preparing that many rabbits for the table is enough for me in one go and everything I shoot gets eaten.

I carry baler twine 'carriers' as I find it quicker than hocking. Each small bale loop can easily be made into 4 loops for 4 rabbits just by knotting.

 

[Walker570]

35 minutes ago, Bunny Burner said:

Thanks Walker570

I will do my best to reduce numbers of the usual suspects.  I did sell the AA S200 and it was a good light little gun.  I am very happy with the HW100 even though it's on the heavy side.  I met a guy at the shooting club who uses an AA S200 on a golf course to keep rabbit numbers down and he said he loves the lightness of his gun and would never change it.  I might regret selling it over the next few years when my arms start to weaken but until then "Vorsprung durch Technik!"

Yes, didn't mean to be nasty to the HW as they are also a nice gun and I think that is why I lean to the S200 as the TX200 I have, is a VERY heavy rifle but extremely accurate, so I am loath to sell that.

[Bunny Burner]

Cheers 243deer

I would be happy to stop at the first 10.  I like that idea of the white plant id sticks, although I haven't thought about my seeds for years so my mrs won't go for that excuse.  If I get into the kind of numbers that some of you guys achieve, it makes sense not to lug them around in a game bag.  I'm starting to get optimistic about rabbit numbers at night.

[derek bailey]

id like to no how you get on with the pard 007 im thinking about getting one

[Bunny Burner]

Hi Derek

Just received the Pard NV007 from ant.mass today and so far it is everything I hoped it would be.  Thanks to ant.mass for a speedy delivery of a well packaged unit.

I tried it a short while ago at 22.10 from my landing window which looks along a generally unlit road leading to fields with trees to one side and houses to the other. 

My scope is a first focal plane Optisan EVX 4-16x44 F1 with non-illuminated reticle.  I was a bit concerned that the scope's top turret would obstruct the Pard's IR illuminator, and that I might need to fit a separate IR torch, but this was not the case.  It shone out to the back tree line which is around 80 metres away and was very clear.  The first focal plane aspect of my scope made little difference to the clarity of image and reticle when I altered the magnification on the scope.

As I use a sub 12 ft/lbs .177 air rifle, the Pard already fits in with my needs regarding distance but feel it has the potential to reach the distances quoted by others on PW.  I am due to receive a Boblov LRNV009 spotter/rangefinder shortly (Hope it is also what I expect) which means I can leave the Pard on my rifle scope and not have to faff around re-setting the focus before being able to fire the gun.  I tried the Pard as a spotter and found the subsequent move to the rifle required quit a lot of focus adjustment which would need the bunnies to hang around.

It might be a while before I get back with a further update on my night set-up but I will get back and let you know how I progress.

[Bunny Burner]

To add to my first use of the Pard NV007 and to save time in grasping the basic operation of the unit, the pic below might assist other first time users.

[derek bailey]

thanks ive got nv that i made its good to around 250 yards it cost me abound £80 to put together but i dont like shooting with the screen 

 

[lakeside1000]

Hi Bunny burner, and welcome to PW, 

I use my Air Arms S400 rarely now as staggering around in the dark at 70 usually ends up with me face down in the mud, although in the past I have done a lot of both rabbit and pigeon clearance with it, at the time with an american NV sight, a brilliant bit of kit but so heavy you had to shoot from a bipod, but very effective even out at 35 yards with the .177 flat trajectory  sighting was a doddle.

I have switched now to pigeon control using a Beretta 12 bore , most of my farmers allow me to drive to the chosen hide site so very little carrying gear across fields now.

I'm sure you are already well informed on the legal side of our sport but just as a side note BASC membership will give you good insurance cover and legal representation in case of trouble, also it would be worth getting up to date on the countryside act 1981 with particular attention to gardens and boundary lines, I attach a couple of paragraphs of the same but full details are available on the BASC website - airgun page.

"quote" Firing pellets beyond your boundary,  It is an offence to fire an air weapon pellet beyond the land where you have permission to shoot, unless the occupier of the neighbouring land has also given you permission. Where someone under 14 is shooting, both the young person and the supervising adult can be prosecuted.

Highways & other matters,  It is also against the law, in England and Wales, to fire an air weapon within 50 feet of the centre of a highway if this results in someone being injured, interrupted or endangered. These offences could be committed, for example, when someone is shooting in their garden close to a road and the pellets ricochet onto the highway. For specific details about footpaths and bridleways see BASC’s fact sheet: ‘Rights of Way and Shooting’

All the best - shoot safe not sorry !!

[Bunny Burner]

Thanks for the advice lakeside 1000

Funny I turned 70 in December.  I have been a BASC member for more than a year now and I agree about the responsibility side of our sport.  My old pal who got me into this has been shooting all kinds of guns for some decades and has firmly made clear the safety aspects involved and I think we can never stop considering them enough.  Good luck with the scatter gun.  My mate also has a Beretta 12 bore and I know they are not the Blunderbuss I suggest, and what's more you guys are often shooting at fast moving targets.

Had a bit more time to examine Pard NV007 features. 

Having inserted an SD card, I tested the unit at recording some video and am happy with all the functions I require, although I may not use it to record anything.

The two pics I made are sufficient for me as basic instructions and I am yet to zero the red dot laser to find out if it useful as a range indicator.

[telf]

Hi bunny burner

welcome young man , i dont have many Night shooting perms but would be interested to hear what you think of the boblov rangefinder i have looked at the gun mounted r/finders before but thought the screen may be to small for my old eyes , but one held up to the eye may be better for me as long as its accurate, good luck and enjoy

[Bunny Burner]

Hello telf

The Boblov is due to arrive between 22 Feb and 13 Mar from China so let's hope it's early and all is well.  I must say I had it in the back of my mind to maybe buy a Mk 5. 1z weapons mountable laser rangefinder if necessary from customsriflescopes and would have bought their Boblov LRNV009 equivalent spotter/rangefinder but both are now sold out.  I have a T50 IR torch and have ordered a 120mm Weaver mount to attach it to the Boblov, so it will be interesting to see if it does make a difference in spotting range.  I will update all this and my night hunting experience ASAP.

[Bunny Burner]

UPDATE ON THE PARD NV007 ADD ON AND THE BOBLOV LRNV 009 IR SPOTTER/RANGEFINDER

The Boblov LRNV009 arrived day before yesterday so I read up on it and tried it out just outside my home that night.  Yesterday evening I took it along with my rifle and the Pard NV007 to a permission not far away to try out the night kit.

I must say I am very impressed with the Pard add on in terms of distance and clarity out in the field.  Bearing in mind I use a sub 12 ft/lbs .177, I can see much further than I need with the internal IR and scan around with it without issue.

The Boblov Spotter/Rangefinder was also very good and it ranged perfectly at marked distances and alongside another rangefinder which I know to be accurate.  I tried holding my T50 IR torch next to it to compare it to the internal Boblov IR.  I had already ordered a picatinny rail to bolt below the Boblov which is just as well.  The T50 torch shone out much further than the internal IR so I will fit it once the picatinny rail arrives and try it again.  I think it will do the job then, but if I'm not happy, I will get a Solaris SRX as mentioned by someone else.

 

[CJW1389]

Hello Bunny Burner,

Thank you for your posts. They are a great read.

I also have a .177 Weihrauch HW100, which I use mostly for light sporting target shooting. It’s a great rifle and I absolutely love it. Pin point accuracy and as you say a heavy feel in the hand. Air arms are nice rifles too, but I wouldn’t want to be with out my weihrauch.

Anyway, good shooting and keep the posts coming. Thank you 

Charlie

[CJW1389]

P.s the night sight and range finder both look like a serious bit of kit. I imagine you will definitely get some bunnies with them. 

[Bunny Burner]

Thanks for your response Charlie and the following might indicate my progress regarding my efforts in hunting rabbits at night.

The night kit items I mentioned are great especially as I shoot only sub 12 ft/lbs .177.  The Pard NV007 is the main requirement and the Boblov LRNV009 spotter/rangefinder works well having fitted a picatinny rail under it to hold my T50 IR torch.  I looked for a rifle mounted rangefinder so that I could range quickly at night once close enough to the quarry.  I wanted one like the Mk5 that customriflescopes do with an integral reddot laser but they have been sold out for a long time and I have been unable to find one elsewhere in the UK.  I ended up buying a Boblov LE-032 which has a picatinny connection at the bottom only and I bought a bracket from customriflescopes to enable me to fit it at the side of my scope.  I already had a small red dot laser that I was experimenting with to assess ranges at night in relation to my scope cross hairs so, as the LE-032 I bought had no integral red dot laser, I stuck a small picatinny rail on top of it and am now able to fit my red dot laser on it.  I line the red dot up with the beam from the LE-032 and am now able to use it during daylight also.

There is an advantage in my having to go to such lengths with the LE-032 because it has two rat tail switches (One for the red dot laser and one for the rangefinder).  This means that for day operation I can click the red dot switch to identify where the rangefinder beam will hit the target then click the rangefinder switch in the exact position I require it.

 

 

 

[Rewulf]

On 03/03/2019 at 07:03, Bunny Burner said:

The Pard NV007 is the main requirement and the Boblov LRNV009 spotter/rangefinder works well having fitted a picatinny rail under it to hold my T50 IR torch.

I use this combo too, albeit without the extra IR on the LRNV , it just makes it too clunky to carry around, and for your ranges seems a bit unnecessary .
Im not sure why you need an extra rangefinder ?
Do you not spot with the LRNV range it , then transfer to the Pard ?

Also why the extra laser ? Does it not spook the quarry?
Can you not 'see' the rangefinders laser through the Pard ?

The built in laser on the Pard is moveable , if you require a basic indicator of range , zero the laser to the centre of your cross hairs at your gun zero range, eg 30 yards, play around with it a bit ,and see the dot move across the reticle at different ranges, giving you a rough idea of distance at what you are pointing at.

Invest in some KENTLI batteries for the LRNV , the unit is quite battery hungry if you use its onboard IR, and its long boot time means its a pain to keep switching on and off.
4x AA batteries and the special charger cost around £25 on ebay, but to get at that price they come from Singapore or Hong Kong, you van get them in the UK but will cost more like £50.

Edit forgot to add, the KENTLIs will give you 5-6 hours run time on the LRNV as opposed to the 1 or 2 you would normally get.

Edited March 4, 2019 by Rewulf