# going rabbit hunting today..



## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

Ok guys so I'm heading out later this afternoon to go fire of some steel, I have found a good stretch over my fields where rabbits make home about 300ft long its in dense cover sort of like a corridor. I have been through before.and spotted many a rabbit trouble is they also spot me any must know tips on how to get closer to these guys? or is it a case of get in there let them scatter, star quiet let them return and shoot at this point ?


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## shot in the foot (Jan 3, 2010)

luxor5 said:


> Ok guys so I'm heading out later this afternoon to go fire of some steel, I have found a good stretch over my fields where rabbits make home about 300ft long its in dense cover sort of like a corridor. I have been through before.and spotted many a rabbit trouble is they also spot me any must know tips on how to get closer to these guys? or is it a case of get in there let them scatter, star quiet let them return and shoot at this point ?


if they are scatering, sit and hide and let them come to you, they will, but if you smoke no smoking, jeff


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## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

Well I returned unsuccesful.







the run I had found was deserted, but there were droppings everywhere I did not even see a single runner but... I was out for a good 3 hours I got down into the run and just sat focusing on a tree about 50ft from my position it had some good woodie activity, I must have been there half hour watching these woodies fly in and out when I hear a strange squeeling noise almost like a baloon being twisted really strange it was,being on my own in this dark funnel of overgrown trees and undergroath it was quite eiree so I break my cover and move down a little to try figure what the heck it is and again this ballon twisting shrieking noise,,,, Now im puzzled I know its not anybody else because I have never seen anyone in 7 years down this stretch and it was two "deep/vocal" for any bird type, so I go down into the deep ditch in the direction of it... Now I am not a woods man or a tracker but I spot these very definate marks on the ground almost like V shaped dog prints in uniform order and several parts of the ditch are almost dug up like rabbit burrows not finished... My question and thoughts were wild pig!? Im sure we got them in the uk but I have never come across any and sure as heck dont want to these boys are vicious but well it was quite spooky anyway hearing them shrieks all of a sudden my catty felt abit feeble in my hands,
SO anyway after this I left this area finding no rabbits and hearing phantoms to a spot I know is good for pigeon and I take some cover in the undergroth when I spot 3 woodies about 20ft almost over me the shot I had was one of them "take your pick" moments I have never had a shot so easy they were on a tree limb and fully aware of my presence but were choosing just to stay still, I decided to take the larger male, upper neck shot.. so I aim draw hold it... hold it.... and let fly the 9mm steel whips into the backside of this woodie who does not know what hit him, he jumps the branch and drops onto a lower one. Now I dont like wounding animals "I don't eat them but my nans cats will" but I could tell I had hurt this boy bad he was fixed on me just saying "go on you got me" so I draw and aim, let the shot fly and DANG! I take a chunk of his flight feathers off .... but this time he does not hang round for the follow up with all his remaining energy he takes of into the hedgerow 30ft away from me and the kill is lost .... Now this really bugged me I had the "kill" adrenaline pumping but the frustration of knowing I had just hurt him so with this I decided to call it an afternoon in respect to my poor shooting which in all honesty is strange because my plingking shots were to the letter accurate all afternoon I was suprised how accurate im getting but when it came to this woodie today was his day.
Continuing my long story lol! I returned home and had dinner etc put kids in bed when I look out my upstairs window and OMG OMG OMG what do I see! The woodies That have been infesting my area!! I made a post about them the other day, these buggers for love nor money would not come down to my garden to give me any kind of decent shot but for some reason today they have been dropping in and out all evening right in my "kill zone". I leave the house to my shed and slide the window open and I'm looking at 2 woodies just down on the ground exctly 60ft away from me, I know this exactly because I have distance markers set in my garden for my shooting. I make shots from this window all the time in fact I would say I have made tens of thousands of shots out this window its my range lol! so I know I can hit these two. So the wind calms and I raise my simple chained catty I listen for any signs of my neighboors our of respect and let a shot fly.... THUD I cop one right on the backside again!!!!!!! but this time he rolls and flaps and twists so I'm thinking "got him" he comes to a stop and to my disbelief he is again wounded! This time I dont hesitate I go for the finish .... MISS ..... I cannot belive I miss if only by about 5 inches away from his face and I am now really suprised... he cant fly... So not learining from my mistakes earlier in the day I drop the catty and grab and old towell I got in my shed and my mora wood knife. I make my way down to him where he just sits and looks at me I get within a meter of him and get ready to throw the towell over him so I can just "twist" his neck and end it... but AGAIN to my disbelied I hear the neighboors dog tinkiling down their garden path and I know if the dog is out they are out! so I hesitate with the knife and towell in my hand and think "sod" it I get up and scutter back to my shed because the hedge on their side you can see through and I dont want them to see me ringing a birds neck..... I wait several minuites and keep my eyes on this woodie just sitting there I can hear them messing round in their shed so I decide with my silent chained catty just to get a clean head shot on this one and out him out of his pain .... I aim ... fire and clip him again at which point he decides to !!!!FLY!!!! several feet! I mean ... what ..... he can fly and he lets me go down to him with a towel and a bloody knife when all this time he could of just taken off....!????? so shocked at this i volley another 3 shots down at him all miss within 10 inches and he just hops and walks round my garden like a bloody chicken. Getting frustrated I just want to go down and get him with the towel but I still hear the neighboors so I decide 2 last shots one missed the other ricoccets right up into the gut at which point he must have decided "F**K the pain I'm off ... and he flys off into the trees ,,,,, I was just dumb shocked I had to sit there for another 20mins laughing at myself and feeling bad for the bird. It was like something out of a comic... My lessons learnded today are that A) I can make a good shot.







DO NOT hesisate for the follow up if needed C) Buy a bloody dog or at least a ferret....

Ok guys just had to get that off my chest its been a stange old day.. A nice one but a bit of a bad one for the woodies I made a try at... peace be with them ....


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## kyrokon (Feb 11, 2011)

Enjoyed the write up felt like I was there. No matter how good of a shot some animals just won't die.


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## Hagencopen (Mar 4, 2011)

I love a good hunting tale, good read !


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

luxor5 said:


> Well I returned unsuccesful.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Luxor,

Its all good mate, we all have bad hunting days and personally I would say you need heavier ammo, perhaps you can use some 9mm lead instead of steel this should give you more impact on your prey. I'm not very fond of lead shot but you must add weight to your hunting projectiles, and this is the best way to do it as you know I use heavy pebbles whether I'm hunting fowl or rabbits.

I dont like to take chances and yes all you have said is true, always do a follow up shot when you still see life in your quarry. 
I should also have my dog trained to fecth game but I havent and really the dog has been more of a "smoke screen" to appear as if I am an innocent dog walker.

Good read Lux and you will get the game next time, we all go through this and I look forward to seeing some downed game..

Nico


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