Sinistercr0c Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 Evenin all, I've been reading the forums and got a few ideas, but wanted to know what peoples view was on the best way to peg a few rabbits with a shotgun? I have just been fortunate enough to secure permission to shoot over some famers land, and he has asked if I can deal with the rabbits (as well as the woodies which is my main pastime). Having not shot for rabbits previously, I'm unsure of the best way to go about it. Any advice would be most appreciated. One other question - As I now have a good reason to try for my firearms license, can anyone give me a view of what they consider to be the best setup rifle wise? Rimfire/centre fire caliber scope rifle Any/all opinions would again be appreciated. Cheers folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tobyb525 Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 When I get a FAC I'll be putting in for a .17 hmr. Best all round rimmy imo. :look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 You won't go wrong with 32g of 5's for rabbits. FM :look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted August 26, 2009 Report Share Posted August 26, 2009 I use 6 shot 32 gram cartridges when driving around with the shot gun. Most of my rabit shooting is done with a .22 rimfire. :look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 obviously you need to know where they are coming out in numbers, the edge of the cabbage & colly fields are hammered on my patch, I tend to find the last hour or two of daylight is the best time unless you are lamping, walk your land and you`lle see em diving back into the hedgerows, get yourself some cover afore they come out and wait BINGO !! I use no6 30g, Problem is after a couple of shots you`ll spook the rest so move on to another spot for half an hour and so on, I aint no expert but this works for me, some prefere just to walk the land and take pot luck Good look mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HW682 Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hi, where abouts are you? You could do worse than invite one of the experienced shooters to have a trip out with you and give a few pointers (assuming that is ok with the land owner of course). There is also another thread running at the moment discussing suitable loads for rabbits. HW682 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 either walk around the permission picking rabbits off, or get cammed up and hide somewhere, waiting for them to come out before blasting them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Thanks for the replies all, tis appreciated. The permission is a new one and I've not yet been out to survey the lie of the land so to speak. Having not shot rabbits before, I'd not really thought about the best way to pick 'em off. It seems like the best approach is going to be to have a crack with the shottie, then go walk about and see what else is out there before coming back to the main spot(s) later on. I've not got a FAC so will have to wait to build up the relationship with the farmer I suspect, before asking whether he's OK with me putting forward the permission as a reason to get a rimmie. Having read up a bit (and also called the local police firearms dept.) its appears I would not get anything other than a closed license for either a .17 HMR (my preference) or a .22LR. The woman I spoke to said they would not even entertain me get the above unless I had been mentored and signed off as having enough experience to qualify for anything like the above!!! What bugs me is that I'm gonna have to spend a shed load on getting memebership of a shooting club just to borrow a rifle to get the experience they police require before applying for the licence...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 i got all my experience through the cadets at school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 The woman I spoke to said they would not even entertain me get the above unless I had been mentored and signed off as having enough experience to qualify for anything like the above!!! What bugs me is that I'm gonna have to spend a shed load on getting memebership of a shooting club just to borrow a rifle to get the experience they police require before applying for the licence Thats Boooooolocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzini Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 I have found 28gramm 2.7 work well for me. Most of my rabbits control is done with shotguns and ferrets, but walking around with a spaniel or terrier to flush them from cover is effective as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 @magman - Just repeating what I was told (maybe someone in the West Yorkshire area can confirm or deny what was told to me by the firearms Dept. in Wakefield??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 @magman - Just repeating what I was told (maybe someone in the West Yorkshire area can confirm or deny what was told to me by the firearms Dept. in Wakefield??) perhaps west yorks got the idea that you may have no experiance at all with firearms and are telling you what will be needed for them to concider you for a fac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) @markbivvy - In terms of anything that actually requires FAC to shoot then yes your right, I don't have experience. But I understand the principles involved in safe shooting, backstops, bullet weight/trajectories etc. and what calibre is sufficient for which quarry type. My point was really why would I need to be 'mentored' by someone just so they can confirm to the police 'yep he can shoot a target a 75yds' and understnds about subsonic as opposed to supersonic rounds?? I'm not trying to get a FAC to target shoot, I will be trying to get one for live quarry. It makes no sense to me to be honest, but I'd rather try and do the right thing, rather than just say well ******* thy're wrong (as others have so eloquently expressed it.... ) Edited August 28, 2009 by Sinistercr0c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 @markbivvy - In terms of anything that actually requires FAC to shoot then yes your right, I don't have experience. But I understand the principles involved in safe shooting, backstops, bullet weight/trajectories etc. and what calibre is sufficient for which quarry type. My point was really why would I need to be 'mentored' by someone just so they can confirm to the police 'yep he can shoot a target a 75yds' and understnds about subsonic as opposed to supersonic rounds?? I'm not trying to get a FAC to target shoot, I will be trying to get one for live quarry. It makes no sense to me to be honest, but I'd rather try and do the right thing, rather than just say well ******* thy're wrong (as others have so eloquently expressed it.... ) magman reply was to the conditions west yorks are asking of you. but west yorkshire wont give you a fac just because you know the principles involved in safe shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted August 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Right, so they're not talking ******** then? Right, so would joining a club (or at least going along and asking if they would help me) be a reasonable way forward in your view? I just don't really want to ask the famer if I can bring people onto his land yet if you get what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 Right, so they're not talking ******** then? Right, so would joining a club (or at least going along and asking if they would help me) be a reasonable way forward in your view? I just don't really want to ask the famer if I can bring people onto his land yet if you get what I mean. joining a club will help you get a ticket for club use, but you would need it for pest control/vermin over land, this can be added at a later date when you/the club/or the feo think you have the experiance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) My point was really why would I need to be 'mentored' by someone just so they can confirm to the police 'yep he can shoot a target a 75yds' and understnds about subsonic as opposed to supersonic rounds?? I'm not trying to get a FAC to target shoot, I will be trying to get one for live quarry. It makes no sense to me to be honest, but I'd rather try and do the right thing, rather than just say well ******* thy're wrong (as others have so eloquently expressed it.... ) Because they say so is about it. They make the rules, they even twist the rules but if you want to play you either put up with it or get your shooting organisation to fight your corner. Now lets get the hoops covered. If you need someone to mentor you round the Wakefield area, give me a PM. I'm happy to accompany you but will need your details so I can speak to licensing first. Theres a lot of issues surrounding the West Yorks licensing dept but at the end of the day unless you already have a FAC and uggins of experience of the system and the way it works in West Yorks (like Mark and myself) it would be stupid to take them on. Don't bother with a club. If you want to shoot over land what benefit will shooting in one direction at a ****** great backstop teach you? Have a think and give m a shout. Edited August 29, 2009 by Cranfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrounder Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Having spent a year controlling rabbits by shotgun I can highly recommend the use of an air-rifle instead....non FAC needed. You get to take 'em just as far away as with your shotgun and, more often than not, you dont scare every rabbit for miles around back underground for an hour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwizard Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 @magman - Just repeating what I was told (maybe someone in the West Yorkshire area can confirm or deny what was told to me by the firearms Dept. in Wakefield??) yes i know them well,her name is karen,in the firearms dept. but this is not her decision,you are allready passed for an fac as you have a sgc,just get you permission in writing for the 22lr and send it in,its the chef's decision.you wont get a 17hmr and definatally not a centerfire,as it took me 10 years to get mine from wakey.tell the farmer that you'll get more bunny's with the 22 than with the shotgun,you will have to get the land passed.and if its a farmers land in wakefield you probebly wont get him to sign,if you want,or need a mentor,i have frends in wakefield that will probebly take you out,or you can come out with me.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanl50 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Having shot nearly 1100 rabbits this year, I use majority of the time a 12g using 32g 5's you can use 6's but I prefer 5's and for certain parts of my permissions I use a BSA Super ten .22 silenced to great effect, non FAC, 40 yards top, because of houses and there close proximity Maybe the main point the Police are making Shotguns are relatively short range weapons in relation to rifles of any calibre and if you have no experience with a rifle in any way, manner, or form you are a potential hazard, and please I'm not being personal. I cut my teeth on rifles in the Military so it was safety all the way, but if you have no experience at all some mentoring would not go amiss and you have plenty of generous offers on this site. Perhaps its time we should introduce a recognised voluntary National Safety certificate for rifles, rim fire being one type and centre fire another, to cut out the disparity between Police forces across the UK and thus doing away with the need for mentoring ( MODESTLY PRICED ) and I am totally against any further Laws hindering shooting. Simply if you do the course no mentoring required, if you dont you will require mentoring Its just a thought !! our European friends employ various requirements country to country such as Safety, Quarry recognition?:blink: Ill stop here Regards Alan Edited September 4, 2009 by Alanl50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 fundamentally you've never shot a rabbit now if I was a licensing officer I would want more experience in shooting than that, best way to go is to get a shotgun certificate, then you have no conditions to speak of. Shoot some clays and rabbits on the land in question and you'll gain some experience then you will also be a registered license holder with some experience when you go to upgrade to FAC. Plod will then know you've had a SGC without problems and have some shooting experience so will find it easier to grant FAC, in the meantime also try and tag along with a FAC holder such as DaveK who as long as he doesn't start offering you sweeties I gather is a nice chap :blink: then you can say you've accompanied someone and used firearms under supevision and as long as you've land to use it on you should find it a lot easier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinistercr0c Posted September 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the replies. Just to be clear, I already hold an SGC, and shoot woodpigeon. This is a new permission for me where the landowner has specifically asked if I can shoot rabbits as he's over run with 'em. (he knows I came to him asking to shoot woodies and is fine with this). My original question was about how best to take rabbits with the shottie; i.e stalking or static at the warren etc. my own view (having never shot rabbits) being, would the noise of a shottie not just send 'em scarpering, therefore would I be better applying for a FAC and doing the job with a sound moderated .17HMR or .22LR rifle? The point about air rifles is an interesting one. Having looked at what is achievable with modern air rifles (Air Arms, Weihrauch, Theoben, Daystate) I assume getting an air rifle and shooting for a period of time would then allow me to say that I have experience, given the the difference between and air rifle and FAC rifle is round velocity and range. The question of being 'experienced' with FAC rifles is surely a mute point? I don't believe for a moment that everyone who has a FAC, went out prior to their application with someone else who already had one and shot 'x' number of times and then got them to write a letter stating they were now a competent and safe shot?? (And please, I'm not trying to stir an argument with anyone about this). For those whose posted offering their time, thank you. I'll get my feet under table with the farmer and see what I can do in terms of getting someone with me who has a FAC. I've met up with the farmer and got his moniker on my permission slip and mentioned the FAC thing and the requirement for the police to assess the land for suitability. He didn't seem overly concerned so fingers crossed.. Edited September 5, 2009 by Sinistercr0c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 I found it best to walk round or drive if you can and shoot them like this, I have tried staying in one place with not much success but I got more walking round and I went to the same place 3 or 4 times before they got bored of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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