turk101 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 hi all, i will try and answer as many of the questions in the replies as i can, so may post more than once! 1st one is it was not in ESSEX, funny enough it was norfolk! catridges that i used were a mix of between some heavy 40g size 3's to 36g size 5's, i also stopped a couple stone dead with size 6 32g. what i think must happen at these farms is the land is made suitable for the hares to live and breed safely all year round, this is my opinion, we walked carrot fields with the carrots still left in the ground, lots of forest areas with long grass and hideing places for the hares. 1 thing i'm certain about is that probably double, maybe even treble this amount got away. these are not shot at until next year, so there is definately a big hare population in NORFOLK. Recipes i will post up a special that my mum and dad cook, it's kind of like a stew type thing but with loads of onions. lovely As for people not seeing many hares in there areas, perhaps they don't walk up that much, hares at times will sit almost until you step on them and will sit in many areas of the fields that as general pigeon shooters you would not visit/walk. (this is not meant as critisism) a friend of mine was decoying pigeons and went to pick a ***** pigeon not much further than 20yards from his decoys, a hare bolted, which he shot. i have seen many hares in essex. anyway thats it for now folks turk101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenhunter Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 We seem to have one or two here in Cheshire but thats about it. I have shot the odd one in the past but don't now as the numbers don't really warrant it. Before we moved we used to watch 4 sometimes more 'boxing' in the field opposite, thats when we knew it really was spring(sentimental or what?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk101 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 with regards to the screaming it is true sometimes they do, but i have shot many rabbits that have screamed and unfortunately winged many pigeons, i would say it's fairly similar. also i think any1 that has shot pheasant's before would have no problem in shooting a hare, as pheasants do no crop damage as far as i know. i would have thought hares did some crop damage, i may be wrong though. We got to keep 1 per person then you could buy them for £4 each. turk101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 Well, they're certainly not common in our area, you'll see more foxes than hares when out lamping at night, they've virtually disappeared from our area, even the ****** don't bother coming out after them anymore, as they know they'll draw a blank. I've only ever done one hare shoot, about 25 years ago when they were 10 a penny, It's not for the squemish, I'll never do another, as in my opinion they do no harm whatsoever to my farmers crops, and on that basis, I won't shoot them. Ironically, it's set aside that's decimated their numbers, because it had to be sprayed off at a certain time every year, and that spraying was what killed most of the hares, so my farmer friends told me. Cat. Your farmer friend is pretty un-educated for a farmer, the sprays used for set aside won't kill hares and I'm sure Baldrick will back me up on this. Strange you've not got many though as I'm not far away and we do have a couple of Local estates who now are having hare shoots and one in particular will shoot a similar number to this poster. We always used to pick up a fair few on "vermin" days but being beaters through the game season we used to know the exit routes they used from woods. They are nice to see but like everything get too many and it causes problems with crop damage especially on newly emerging crops. Its usually a cracking day out but you do start to realise the more seasoned shots will let the younger ones shoot earlier on the drive so they don't have to carry a hare or two for any further than necessary :oops you soon realise they are heavier than they look especially if the fields are a bit muddy.: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 here's a lovely Hare recipe... http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=80393 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 What a fantastic day!!!! i have shot many hares, with .22 fac air, .22 rf and .17hmr.....and never had a screamer!!!! Must be lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decroyffe Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 (edited) On the 400 acres i have, i shot 52 last year and 7 so far this. They'll get left alone now till the harvest, and thinned down again then. Last week i was in the stubble check zeroing, and has i drove down the one field 4 ran for cover, and another 3 got up once i'd started firing. Everything i shoot gets recored and shown to the farmer, and it's him that dictates how many more are to be shot, and when to leave them alone. This applies to hare and fox, rabbits get the same tratment all year round however, he has said if i want anything for the pot i can within reason Well done turk it looks and sounds like you had a great time Edited February 24, 2009 by decroyffe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted February 24, 2009 Report Share Posted February 24, 2009 What a fantastic day!!!! i have shot many hares, with .22 fac air, .22 rf and .17hmr.....and never had a screamer!!!! Must be lucky! ive shot rabbits that have screamed too, well its less of a scream it's a bit like a high pitch sheeps bleat, its not nice, but as i say i shoot other things without a second thought so i know its hipercritical of me but thats how it is..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 UNBELIEVABLE!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Theres a lot of skinning and gutting to be done.What you gonna do with all them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyb Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I had a hare day in norfolk start of feb and got 256 over run with the *******. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virgil Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Top bag!!!! As for shooting so many! Well if you got that many in a day they obviously need clearing up! Wish i could get a hare day! Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumpersniper Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 al4x im not sure, but possibley he meant that using a herbicide to kill the set aside (which is now not obligatory to have you can crop the whole field) would destroy the hares habitat so an indirect effect of the herbicide.. rather than the hare being poisoned by the actual chemical. Maybe not. O and webbedfootfenman yes i know what you mean with screaming its horrible! also they seem to bleed a lot after being shot and they are rare here, and are witches!!. Maybe its because i am used to shooting small vermin only, something bigger seems to be more of a big deal killing it, especially if they are not a problem. I wpouldnt kill one again, and if ****** where killing them on my land id have the police out with their 4x4s and shiny black wellies to hunt them down!! SP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheth Posted March 5, 2009 Report Share Posted March 5, 2009 its posts like this that antis love to see and gives our sport a bad reputation by all means let us know about your day but save the photos for your album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 its posts like this that antis love to see and gives our sport a bad reputation by all means let us know about your day but save the photos for your album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_seagrave Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 (edited) its posts like this that antis love to see and gives our sport a bad reputation by all means let us know about your day but save the photos for your album. I disagree with you Rheth - there is a recognisable need to control hare numbers in the area, and the original poster is rightly proud of the bag. I think it is quite appropriate to post the picture and share the experience. The harvested hares were put to good use, the population was thinned and it is apparent from the majority of replies that the sportsmen on this forum have a healthy respect for their quarry (as well as their sport). I see nothing to be ashamed of in the original post. LS EDIT:- I see that you probably meant your post in reply to Thumpersniper's comments. Actually, I think Thumpersniper has got it right as well - if hares are not a problem in his area, then in his opinion they should not be shot. This is exactly the kind of discriminating approach that gives sportsmen a good name, rather than providing fodder for antis. LS Edited March 6, 2009 by lord_seagrave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turk101 Posted March 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 its posts like this that antis love to see and gives our sport a bad reputation by all means let us know about your day but save the photos for your album. Here we go, another do gooder! There is not to much difference in posting a bag of hares, as to posting a good bag of pigeon or coming to think of it a good mixed bag of perhaps 100+ pheasants, partridges etc. The anti's will look for any excuse, comments like yours are what get a reaction. I enjoy shooting, have the upmost respect for all quarry and enjoy posting my photo's for other members to enjoy my experiences and vice versa. If these sort of photo's offend you don't look or comment, there are a lot of replies and most are of a good nature. regards turk101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axeman1984 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 Here we go, another do gooder! There is not to much difference in posting a bag of hares, as to posting a good bag of pigeon or coming to think of it a good mixed bag of perhaps 100+ pheasants, partridges etc.The anti's will look for any excuse, comments like yours are what get a reaction. I enjoy shooting, have the upmost respect for all quarry and enjoy posting my photo's for other members to enjoy my experiences and vice versa. If these sort of photo's offend you don't look or comment, there are a lot of replies and most are of a good nature. regards turk101 :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 what a good day that was, never seen so many hares,none round here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dusk2dawn Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 While it may seem an excessive bag, if the Hares were not there they could not be shot. The largest amount of Hares I have seen was in Cambridgeshire on the Six mile bottom shoot. Without looking for them we must have risen over 50 in one day. It might be an idea though if they stopped the Hare shoots at the end of the season and caught up the excess Hares for relocation to areas that have a shortage of them. I am sure there would be no shortage of volunteers for the exercise. I would be interested in the legal point of view on this as Hares are game, and as such can be released. TC My thoughts exactly, they are a rarity around here and I have not seen that many that a few more would be a problem. Will read the rest of the thread in the morning, hopefully someone has the answer to the legalities of a Hare catch and release exercise. Rgds D2D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faisal Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 On my permission the farmer has specifically asked me not to shoot any hare as they are getting rarer. I wish there was someway of relocating them from high population areas to low population areas. food for thought for someone like minded. Faisal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rheth Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 i am not a do gooder but a gamekeeper realist who has been shooting for many years.you should be rightly proud of your bag but in this day and age the antis could easily take your photos make it into a billboard posted all over the country. what reaction would your photos of these cute bunnys have to the general public they simply dont see pigeons the same way.and to lord seagraves reply how do you know what happened to the carcasses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_mjs93 Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 While it may seem an excessive bag, if the Hares were not there they could not be shot. The largest amount of Hares I have seen was in Cambridgeshire on the Six mile bottom shoot. Without looking for them we must have risen over 50 in one day. It might be an idea though if they stopped the Hare shoots at the end of the season and caught up the excess Hares for relocation to areas that have a shortage of them. I am sure there would be no shortage of volunteers for the exercise. I would be interested in the legal point of view on this as Hares are game, and as such can be released. TC l TC without noticing it you have finally found a remedy to the lack of hares in the uk AND a cure to the obesity level in england NOW THAT DESERVES A PINT.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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