Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Hi all. Dead eye duck and i were out with the rifles last night in pursuit of wabbits, we did rather well. We got to our permission for 1630pm. Aged companion took his .17 for a wander whilst i went hunting the hedgerows........ for hazel pegs for our longnets!!! Every 10 mins or so a CRACK!!! announces another bunny has copped one of his high speed .17's So i am making steady progress and have an armful of hazel pegs cut when i am trying to remember the name of those cut sticks with a carved ball on end as i want one for despatching rats not quite expired in fenn mk 4. (had two recently not quite expired that objected to my trying to admister the coup de grace, jumping up and down caught by a leg trying to bite my boots or anything else that went near it. so i delicately removed a piece of pallet wood from our duck hide and delicately removed its head with it crude i know but effective). As D.E.D. saunters up i mention this to him and true to aged companions form he knows its called a shilaley usually made from blackthorn. We scour the hedgerow for a hazel one for first attempt and D.E.D. spots likely branch for 1st attempt with this cut and enough pegs for longnets on with the bunny bashing. D.E.D has got 5 from his meanderings so we are off to a good start. However aged companion took great delight in recounting the splatter factor of the 0.17. He shot a bunny at 50yds, nice clean headshot i grant however with telegraph pole in background bunnies head exploded leaving goo, snot, skull and heaven knows what on pole. I refused to photograph it as i know how delicate some of the p/w chaps are suffice to say it was not nice and i think aged companion need counselling HA HA!! We decide to split up and cover different parts of the permission, me with the .22, aged companion with the .17. My area consisting of a STEEP slope and wooded area whilst aged companion has easy peasy flat open country to contend with HOW COME I GET ALL THE HARD JOBS?? Anyway accepting my lot off i went i hadn't gone far when 3/4 grown bunny bolted in front of me and stopped at 25yds, freehand standing shot put the 1st one in the bag WOO HOO!! I stalked the outside of the wood adding another two to the bag. DOWN the chuffin everest type slope (not looking forward to walking up that on the way back) as i rounded the corner and crested a ridge keeping very low i spotted 3 rabbits at 80yds but steeply downhill. HHMMMM! mental calculation 80yds requires 3 inches holdover, but shooting downhill so shot will go 1 inch high, only need 2 inches holdover,,,,,,, put cross hairs just above bunny head, apply pressure to trigger a bit more and WHACK!!! quick bolt work and same again,,,,,, last buny susses it takes 3 steps forward and stops,,,,,, thank you very much!! WHACK!!! 3 bunnies at 80yds in about 15 seconds some going even by my low standards. I steadily make my way to the end of the wooded area and am faced with an open area some 70yds wide and then the boundary. i added a couple more on the bag here but lost two also in the long grass to make a total of 8 to leave by the gate for collection later. Now the bit i am not looking forward to the upward slog into the heavens holy moly that hill is steep. So i begin to retrace my steps. Short uphill climb to approach scene of success (3 at 80yds) earlier. I approach carefully as i peep through the thistles i am using as cover i dont believe it another three out at 60yds and downhill again. Another mental calculation 60yds requires 1 1/2 inch holdover,,, but shooting downhill shot will go 1 inch high,,,, 1/2 inch required place cross hairs just above bunnies eye apply pressure to trigger,,, a bit more WHACK,,,, quick bolt work,,,WHACK,,,, third one sits there looking at its companions twitching,,,, looks around as i draw a bead on him,,,WHACK another three in quick succesion.........Chuffin hell!!!!!!! that sako is good!!!!!!!! So with 3 bunnies in the bag i face the north face of everest (ok maybe i am exaggerating a little but not much).... don't look up just keep putting one foot in front of the other........oh my god how much farther BLOD AND SNOT!! not even half way. As heart attack approaches I resolve to poke D.E.D in the eye in retribution as i reach the top of hill and stop for siesta and listen to the blood pounding in my ears,,,, and admire the scenery i spot the rain clouds gathering OH CHUFFIN' WONDERFUL i am gonna get drenched too Anyway i am made of stern stuff so after a brief wobbler which included lots of blubbering, and gnashing of teeth and fervently hopeing aged companions GOOLIES FALL OFF!! i made my way to my final ambush point 50yds outside the wood to await the evening bunny express. It didn't take long i was in postion for maybe 5 mins when the mass exodus from the woods began and the rain began to fall. and as quickly as i shot 1, 2 more legged it back into the wood. Well after a busy 15 minutes i had another 11 bunnies in the grass the rain is slowing and its getting too dark to see. So i gather the slain and paunch them in time for aged companion to arrive. So the score was 8 by the gate, 2 lost , 14 in total at the top of hill/outside wood so 24 bunnies to me. Aged companion with high powered .17 and megabucks swarovski scope has managed only 17 cue smug expression from your humble scribe. to give us a total of 41 for the evening, after removing the small ones and the .17 splatter factored ones we have 31 excellent bunnies in the pic shown. Excellent evening indeed. off now to start wittling my rat bashing shilaly, thanks for reading. GSAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikkamark Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Some serious shooting there you didnt spare out anything with that write up!Keep it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 well done good shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AP1shooter Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Nice report, never a dull moment when you and Don go out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 What Gonna didn't mention was that I shot the same hill last week and ended up with a total of 25! It was dark by the time I got to the top and complete with the bag of rabbits I could feel a heart attack coming on, and didn't want to collapse in the dark on a wild Welsh hillside Also that he used my Sako Varmint rimmy complete with Swaro 6 x 40 scope (which I must admit is the best rimmy scope that I have ever used - got it 2nd hand from York Guns). Gonna is one of the best freehand shots with a rimmy that I have ever come across but luck plays a lot to do with it (as someone said, the more you practice the luckier you get!). After many months I am just getting used to the Annie hmr, and last night didn't have one rabbit that was neck damaged by the 16g Hornady bullets fragmenting on a head shot. Most shots were in the 80 - 130 yards range. Don't let the half-hearted compliment for Gonna fool you - I ended up skinning all the batch of rabbits for the night and all he did was to remove head and legs ready for the freezer - and he fell asleep on the way back whilst I drove for 40 miles or so. Lazy ***. Still, a cracking night. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Nice write up guys. Makes a bit of a change from normal. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Another Cracking write up Gonna shoot a wotsit - you and don had another good time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 good read lads ,well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john faul Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 great write up well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weejohn Posted August 18, 2007 Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 sounds like a very enjoyable evening out, shame about the rain though , great write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted August 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2007 Gents. thanks for kind words. Don't believe a word D.E.D says, i have never heard such whinging and whining as eminates from Don whenever it rains. honestly you would think he was related to the wicked witch of the west!!! and had never heard of gore tex....... Gents you can all rest assured i am a qualified first aider and i know exactly what to do should don collapse with a heart attack,,,,yep you guessed it frisk him for his wallet As far as the skinning goes yes he did a few, now come on lads you know the 10 yr old bucks that you sometimes shoot by accident........ Well D.E.D makes a career of it!!!!!! you know the ones that you need a j.c.b. to get the skins off........ does he skin those does he chuffin' 'eck like your humble scribe finds those in a pile for his attention..... i did em all last night!!!! whilst he did all the easy 3/4 grown bunnies.... Whilst D.E.D has given me a backhanded compliment i suppose i had better reciprocate.. he can shoot a bit off the bipod.....indeed if i had to bet various essential parts of GSAW anatomy on a shootin match at 100yds prone... I still wouldn't take the aged companion on!!!!!! thats it its all you are gettin' geriatric fossil... OOHHHHH!!!!! that hurts to admit HA HA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 when i am trying to remember the name of those cut sticks with a carved ball on end as i want one for despatching rats not quite expired in fenn mk 4. Great story, do you mean a 'priest' so called as you use it to administer the last rites?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Good write that. What zero is the 17 to need 3" holdover at 80 yards if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted August 20, 2007 Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Good write that. What zero is the 17 to need 3" holdover at 80 yards if you don't mind me asking? Excellent read, sounds like very productive pest control and I enjoyed all the friendly jibes. DG I think he was using the .22, DED was using the .17. D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted August 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 Good write that. What zero is the 17 to need 3" holdover at 80 yards if you don't mind me asking? I was using the .22 that requires said holdover. not the .17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted August 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2007 when i am trying to remember the name of those cut sticks with a carved ball on end as i want one for despatching rats not quite expired in fenn mk 4. Great story, do you mean a 'priest' so called as you use it to administer the last rites?? A priest would do the job, however wanted something with a little more range. As i wrote in the post rats caught but not quite expired tend to be feisty little blighters and do their best to bite you hence a little more range around 1 1/2 feet long with lump of wood on the end does the job admirably. You will all be pleased to know i have completed my rat bashing shilaley and used it succesfully on a 1/2 grown rat last night and it works wonderfully. alas my ineptitude at DIY includes wittling and rather than a carved ball have ended up with ball , pein hammer type of face. the cut piece of wood was nowhere near big enough to give a decent sized lump on the end so went with that instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Good read, write up & banter SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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