shadowman Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Ok guys, been out 10 or so times lamping now, I have been using my rapid 7 mk1 .22. When stood I am pretty much bob on with the targets. As I walk the shoot, when I finally see a Wabbit I put the filter on my lamp and keep it off, turning it on now n then to see if the bunny is still there when I am at a comfy range between me and Rodger,( I say about 30yard max) (but then I again I look at it and think now...... is that 10 yards .............. or 30....). The other night I got in to open field and managed to get to about 30yrds from one, I got down on the knee and flicked the light on, the bunny was crouch down and I took the shot.... Thud and the rabbit must have broken the world record high jump, it lunched itself about 5foot high, I turn the lamp off and walk over to it once had landed only to find it had gone. I was Puzzled, could have put money on that it was dead. Yesterday I got prone at distance of 30 yards and I came to notice my sights were set a bit high, only a midges. But I would usually get about 8 - 10 chances a night on the farm up the lane, I have not bagged one rabbit yet:( or even :*) The conditions I go in vary, from rain to frost even snow, just to see if anything makes a diff. I usually get shooting for 6:30 and walk round two times taking me up to 10pm ISH, I am going tonight, but later. Will be shooting for 9 I hope, has anyone got any advice, hints or tips for me. I am begging to think it’s just not for me :o Yet at targets I can make faces within the centre inch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallinson Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 what pelets are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowman Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 accupells and powapells, i did try Bisely pest controll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mallinson Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 i used to use the corw magnums? i think thats what they were called, they had a picture of a crow on the front of the tin. I found these to be the best as they were hollow at the front and seemed to have a bigger impact. 30 yards seems a good range to dispatch these bunnies. The more time you spend shooting them and practicing before you go out into the field will pay big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowman Posted January 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 the pest control things i got was hollow point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 its life........it will come to you....ive had 2 entire days of frustration......seeing about 6 tree rats each day.....shooting 1 and the most recent, seeing about 7 and shooting none......sometimes they are either amazingly tough, or they just run before you can get onto them.....these things will pass with time and practice.....you cant beat time spent bhind the gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyCM Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 Hi Shadow, Are you taking head shots ? Is the lamping success worse than during the day ? You say that you shoot at a max of 30 yards but then admit (we all should !) that range estimation in the dark is not easy. Would it be worth your while stacking the odds in your favour ? I'd try plotting up overlooking a warren (nice and comfortable) just before dark at a known distance (or distances if it's spead out) and taking a rested shot with a low heart rate ! If nothing else you may bag a few in the twilight / dark and increase your confidence. - btw it's probably not you - I have been out a few times on familiar land, but lamping it for the fist time and I only saw a couple of rabbits out of range. Cheers AndyCM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I usually go out around midnight and shoot for a couple of hours. Stick with one pellet once you've got confidence in it's grouping ability in daylight. Won't go far wrong with Accupells, I use them exclusively in my Webley Axsors and Original 52 Springer. They have a bit of extra weight up front and phenominal killing power without sacrificing a good flat trajectory. Most modern pre-charged guns are set well up on the 12 ftlb limit so you shouldn't need to worry about hitting power, if in doubt get it chronographed. If you can't see the pellet go in the lamp light (using Accupells) you could have the beam not set up right, as I said on another thread they look like tracer through my scope at night. Relax, don't keep flicking the lamp on and off once you're onto a bunny, keep it on him so he stays still and walk calmly up to a sensible range. You should be taking the eyes out with that gun at 30 yards using a decent scope. I find the Axsors good to 45 yards at night and always go for head shots. If you want a bit of extra confidence draw a rabbit silhouette on a piece of A4 paper and walk up to it in the dark until you reckon you are 30 yards away. Shoot the hell out of it and then pace out the distance, you may be surprised at how close you actually are. Most of all DON'T give up. I remember firing cartridge after cartridge at pigeons for a spell last year and I'd have sworn they were loaded with flour as I couldn't even hit the b*ggers on the ground !!. Put the deeks away and went and shot at some real testing birds coming in to roost and it was all up hill from there. Next trip out I had three with two shots and they weren't on the ground. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOLTA Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 the pest control things i got was hollow point. Hi, Crow Magnum pellets and Bisley Pest Control pellets are the same pellets. Just to clear things up. Cheers - Bolta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Relax, don't keep flicking the lamp on and off once you're onto a bunny, keep it on him so he stays still and walk calmly up to a sensible range. You should be taking the eyes out with that gun at 30 yards using a decent scope. Sound advice from Old Rooster. I will normally go out twice a week in winter months and I always use a red filter to scan the area in front of me as I walk. When I lock on to a set of red eyes at distance I keep the lamp trained on it and walk quietly to a sensible distance to identify the quarry and take a safe shot. I find that by turning the light off more often than not the bunny will skip off or bolt for cover when it is turned off and not be there when I have crept another 15 paces or so and turn it on again. A rabbit held in the beam will some times hop away from the beam light but it does tend to hold them transfixed almost as though as long as they can see something moving they are not too alarmed, when it dissapears and they can hear you moving towards them they appear to get spooked. I use accupel exclusively in all my air rifles and most of the lamping is done with a .22 Hornet. I use a fixed mag. 6 x 50mm scope which is zeroed at 30m and also a laser dot sight which is zeroed to the scope crosshairs at 30m. I use this as a range finder and have worked out the hold over or under if the laser dot appears above or below the cross hairs when i am locked on target. At 30m precisely it is possible to lock on to the bunnies bonce and shoot from the hip which can be very effective and give better contol over the gun, Though I wouldnt recommend trying this unless you have experience of laser sights and they are accurately zeroed to the scope. Dont give up or get too frustrated all will come good in the end. It took me a good while to become a proficient Bunny Hunter but now I rarely come home empty handed. Good Luck. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Cor Blimey !!!! someone actually agrees with me on something It does take a bit of getting used to and the idea of combining the 2 sights is interesting. I tend to try and kneel to take the shots, some nights it's hard to get into it, others when I'm on form it feels like you could "fire from the hip" without the lazer and still hit every bunny in the field. If you've got a place where bunnies stay still even when you are flashing the lamp on and off you should clean up !!!. Don't expect them to stay that dumb though cos once they've wised up to what you are at you will have a hell of a job getting near em. Keep at it and let us know how you're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernyha Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Cor Blimey !!!! someone actually agrees with me on something Don't let it go to your head Old Rooster, go to a dark room with a glass of your favourite tipple and savour the moment. Very rare happening on P/Watch I can assure you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Hehehe! I'd agree with that statement too. The number of times I have been out with the lamp and, even with super-stalking been unable to either get close or hit the damn things when a rabbit has been right in front of me, is really starting to get me down. Good tip about the lamp technique though. I normally make a couple of slow swings to see where the action is and then close up with the beam off, only putting it back on to see where they are. Maybe I'll have more luck by keeping the beam on and closing up. About the laser... Is it really _that_ effective at night? I was after a new scope a few months ago and never got round to buying the one I wanted (Hawke Night-Eye II with Mildot IR), so I am stuck with my Simmons and I've always wanted to know if a laser made that much difference at night. Wookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Don't let it go to your head Old Rooster, go to a dark room with a glass of your favourite tipple and savour the moment. That's the best advice I've had all day !!!, it's been one of those sort of days so I'm having a large tipple or six as you suggest. This will make you cackle: Went down to local post office to post a letter that has to arrive tomorrow (miracles can happen ?) as usual all the parking bays outside were full so I nipped in between the bays, jumped out of the car with the engine still running and dashed to the post box 10 yards away. By the time I'd posted the letter and got back to the car the door had closed and locked itself. At this point the guy in the first bay arrived back at his car to leave and I explained what had happened, he patiently got into his car with a shake of his head and waited for me to resolve the problem. Within seconds the guy in the next bay arrives and asks "are you waiting for the bloke in that car to come back as well", "I am (or rather was) the bloke in that car I'm afraid mate" I had to reply. Fortunately the rear window is bonded on to the outside of the back door rather like most modern windscreens so I got my fingers under the rubber bead and in a fit of rage ripped the window straight out of the car. The other guy was younger and slimmer than me so I chucked him through the back and he was able to switch off the ignition and open the door. Right now where did I put that gin.......goodnight everbody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 About the laser... Is it really _that_ effective at night? I was after a new scope a few months ago and never got round to buying the one I wanted (Hawke Night-Eye II with Mildot IR), so I am stuck with my Simmons and I've always wanted to know if a laser made that much difference at night. Wookie I was a bit sceptical when I bought the laser Wookie but now I use it for all my lamping work with an air rife. It comes into its own at the sort of ranges shot at. My laser is a chinese import bought on ebay which has a little pressure switch taped to the foreend of the gun. It wasnt expensive.. try it you will be converted. FM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digga Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 what iv tried is putting my hide up near the warren, just befor dusk, make sure ya cam up well then sit n wait, and zap a few as they hop about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted January 19, 2005 Report Share Posted January 19, 2005 Go out at night with gun and lamp pick a target such as a fance post. Estimate the range then pace it to see how good your estimate was. Initialy you will probably find what looks like 30m is nearer 50m. Go round your permition in the day and drop some targets down, in the eavning go round and lamp lem and shoot them until you can get your skills and confidence back up b4 you start on the bunnies. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Boy Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Where i shoot the bunnies are extremely shy, you put the lamp on em for a second and they are off, any ideas for whats going on. In the summer they were fine, yeah the odd one would run off but now if i even turn the light on there off. They always seem to be far away too. If i lamp and they are close its ok because i can take a reflex shot with my shotty, but i wanna get some rifle kills, but its just impossible. Ive resorted to a night vision monocular to spot them, but as soon as i get close and put the lamp on to shoot, off they go! Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamebag Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 (edited) They are the ones you missed most probably they have rememberd that a bright shiny light = a lump of lead flying at 12ftp towards them lamped foxes that have been missed act the same way. Have you tried using a fillter or a lamp with a dimmer switch it might fox them a bit! Edited January 21, 2005 by ernyha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Boy Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 there absolutly loads of rabbits, cant possibly have shot at them all! ive tried a red filter but they still bolt. If i spot one at a distance and turn the lamp off, ill then make my way closer, when i put the lamp back on to have a look they are always gone. Makes it impossible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamebag Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Do you know if any one else is your land? also if their is more than one rabbit around when you took that shoot & missed they will also probably associate bright light = lights out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Boy Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 Im the only shooter, the rats i shoot there are the same, i use the NV to spot them but as soon as that light goes on, off they go! Ive read somewhere that rabbits are more wary in the winter, is this true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilishdave Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 The rabbits are getting over lamped if they are still hot of the mark with the red filter. leave well alone for a few months if you can aford to! Imn future lamp less often but be more ruthless and take a larger bag. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon-Boy Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 i dont lamp it that much though, once every couple of weeks maybe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted January 22, 2005 Report Share Posted January 22, 2005 Jon-Boy, the rabbits don't actually see being shot as a sport as we do, they just don't like it mate. I night shoot on some golf courses and they are just the same there after the first couple of outings with the lamp. No easy answer to it, what about a really bright lamp that dazzles them harder How about having a go at long netting them instead ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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