Shooting Bunnies

[Penwithian]

I just got permission from a local farmer to shoot on his land. I have no experience at this so I am going to start with an air rifle and see how it goes. Anyone got any advice on kit and tips?



Cheers
PS: don't want to spend too much money so any advice on budget air rifle would be very usefull

[Thinker]

Theres been a few kits up for sale here during the last few weeks, check the sellers section on the site perhaps theyre still available...

[bigkev]

if i were you id look for a pneumatic air rifle....
more accurate for most people and an ideal rabbit control...
you can get them for around a hundred pounds all the way up over a grand, but they all have simiklar power so just go for the lower end of the scale...
then get plenty practice before you start shooting at live targets.... limit your range to a suitable distance where you can get all your shots in a couple of ince dia circle....(normally 20 - 30 yards).....

[mirage]

I have no experience at this. Anyone got any advice on kit and tips?

Commit to heart the 4 rules of gun safety:

The 1st Law of Gun Safety - The Gun Is Always Loaded!

The 2nd Law of Gun Safety - Never Point A Gun At Something You're Not Prepared To Destroy!

The 3rd Law of Gun Safety - Always Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Behind It!

The 4th Law of Gun Safety - Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger Until Your Sights Are On The Target!

Practice long and carefully on paper targets before you even think about shooting at a live creature.

Save up every penny you possibly can for your rifle, then find another £50.

Buy a second-hand "springer." I can thoroughly recommend Weihrauch in your price bracket. I'd suggest an HW77 or HW80 in .177"

Make sure the rifle has been well-maintained; and not abused, neglected or butchered by some back-street "gun expert."

Buy top-quality pellets, not hardware store junk.

Iron sights will do fine to start with.

Buy a packet of 30mm "fluorescent" stick-on labels from Staples or WH Smith:

http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=OSAV32326-K&rf=frg

(30mm is a useful approximation of the size of the "vital zone" of a rabbit)

Zero your sights carefully.

Set up a target at, say, 50 feet. Using the exact kit you will use for hunting, and firing from the position you will use (prone, kneeling etc.), fire a slow, deliberate series of five shots at the target. Did they all hit the centre of the disc? Excellent. Move the target out 10 feet and try again.

As soon as even one pellet fails to hit the disc, you have discovered the maximum range at which you can shoot without taking the chance of maiming a living creature and condemning it to a slow, painful death.

Fire a series of shots at different ranges so that you can master the hold-over/hold-under for your particular rifle/pellet/hold combination.

Never overestimate your abilities: An animal can die a horrible death if you get cocky and think that you can shoot better than you are actually able to.

Remember an ancient Greek saying: "The boys throw stones at the frog in fun, but the frog dies in earnest."

Shoot safely!

mirage

[NOTSHARP]

Commit to heart the 4 rules of gun safety:

The 1st Law of Gun Safety - The Gun Is Always Loaded!

The 2nd Law of Gun Safety - Never Point A Gun At Something You're Not Prepared To Destroy!

The 3rd Law of Gun Safety - Always Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Behind It!

The 4th Law of Gun Safety - Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger Until Your Sights Are On The Target!

Practice long and carefully on paper targets before you even think about shooting at a live creature.

Save up every penny you possibly can for your rifle, then find another £50.

Buy a second-hand "springer." I can thoroughly recommend Weihrauch in your price bracket. I'd suggest an HW77 or HW80 in .177"

Make sure the rifle has been well-maintained, and not abused, neglected or butchered by some back-street "gun expert."

Buy top-quality pellets, not hardware store junk.

Iron sights will do fine to start with.

Buy a packet of 30mm "fluorescent" stick-on labels from Staples or WH Smith:

http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=OSAV32326-K&rf=frg

(30mm is a useful approximation of the size of the "vital zone" of a rabbit)

Zero your sights carefully.

Set up a target at, say, 50 feet. Using the exact kit you will use for hunting, and firing from the position you will use (prone, kneeling etc.), fire a slow, deliberate series of five shots at the target. Did they all hit the centre of the disc? Excellent. Move the target out 10 feet and try again.

As soon as even one pellet fails to hit the disc, you have discovered the maximum range at which you can shoot without taking the chance of maiming a living creature and condemning it to a slow, painful death.

Fire a series of shots at different ranges so that you can master the hold-over/hold-under for your particular rifle/pellet/hold combination.

Never overestimate your abilities: An animal can die a horrible death if you get cocky and think that you can shoot better than you are actually able to.

Remember an ancient Greek saying: "The boys throw stones at the frog in fun, but the frog dies in earnest."

Shoot safely!

mirage


Heed this advice. The man is spot on.

Rep for that one Mirage


NS

[Culloch]

Excellent advice from Mirage!

Most people have been shooting at targets for a long time before they ever get any permission to shoot over land...so be patient and absolutely satisfy yourself that you are honestly ready to take on the responsibility of shooting at live quarry in all weathers!

The 2nd hand springer option is a fantastic place to start and they will give you years of pleasure once you take the time to get to know your kit!

Have owned half a dozen HW's over the years and would reccomend them as a great starting rifle!

[Penwithian]

Thanks for that excellent advice, I will follow this.

[Tantalus]

Got to agree with Mirage on the safety routine, rep sent.

Don't shoot in a hurry, ever.

If you miss a chance at a shot because you were not quick enough to load or get into position , there is no harm done, if you mess up a shot because of rushing or cutting corners on safety the results could be fatal, not just for your quarry but for people in your party or innocent people who just happen to be walking ( up to 2 miles away for a .22 rifle ).

My preferred gun for rabbiting is a .410 shotgun, light enough to carry all day. Walk up on rabbits or sit and wait till they come back out.

Of course the shotgun makes more noise so you generally have to wait a lot longer or walk to another area for the next shot.

As I only really want one or 2 for the pot , and see it as a bit of an excuse for a walk on a sunny evening that suits me fine :)

My cousin on the other hand does contract rabbiting on estates in the north of england and him and his mates kill literally hundreds at night with a lamp on the top of a pickup truck and 22 rifles. But that is a completely different game.

Tant

[MarcusV]

Some good advice from Mirage.

The only thing I would add should go without saying but I will say it anyway... kill for the pot not for fun. Fun is a by-product of killing for the pot ;)

[Gumbob]

Mirage has it spot on. Well done Mirage!

I would simply echo what he said about practise on paper before going hunting. The only real way to get a clean kill on a rabbit is to put the pellet through the brain (not the head....the brain!) and that is about the size of a 10p piece. The first time you wound an animal you will understand why it is so important to get a clean kill, it is not a nice experience.
It is every hunters responsibility to aim for one shot one kill. It doesn't always work unfortunately but we should still strive for it.

As for equipment a good second hand springer. PCP's can be more accurate due to the lack of recoil but a good springer in the right hands is more than accurate enough. I would go for .177 for the flatter trajectory but I won't get into the whole .177 V .22 debate.
You wong go far wrong with a HW.
A decent scope and mounts and you should be sorted.
Try a few different pellets and find what is the most accurate through the rifle.
There are some good buy's on here http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/ from time top time but if possible buy face to face.

HTH....Gumbob

[JohnnyG]

Excellent Mirage.....VERY GOOD ADVICE.....:)



Mirage has it spot on. Well done Mirage!

The first time you wound an animal you will understand why it is so important to get a clean kill, it is not a nice experience.

HTH....Gumbob


I agree with you totally Gumbob.....As a youngster, 15 or so, i was brought shooting in the Mourne mts....I shot at a rabbit with a 12 guage from way outside the effective limit of the gun and wounded it. I didn't know what to do as the poor animal was writhing in pain. My friend had to pick it up by the hind legs and deliver a few sharp blows to the back of its neck. It was the most disturbing thing I had ever seen. I still feel very ashamed to this day about the suffering I inflicted on that lovely little animal....:C :C

Mirage and Gumbob repped for the great advice...

[Taff Ogri]

Excellent advice so far and not a lot I can add,
Whilst we strive at all times to get a clean kill every shot, there are occasions when you will fluff a shot - it is the way you deal with the immediate aftermath that can dictate whether you carry on shooting or give it up for good and bury your emotions. It can help enormously to have the guidance and sympathetic ear of someone close who understands what you will be going through.
Sadly I know of too many "pest controllers" who seek the fun of shooting without honouring their responsibilities".

ATB

Ogri the trog

[wellington03]

Again follow the very good advice given by Mirage regarding gun safty.
( rep for Mirage)
A lot of really excellent tips and advice already mentioned

I have only used a 410 and .22 rifle silenced, the .22 rimfire sub sonic slugs perfect for bunnies. over the years I have found its best to keep a distance and shoot from cover with the sun low down directly behind my back.possible to pot 40-50 a night sometimes (if very lucky)

Mick:)

[CaptainBeaky]

What mirage said...

Can't rep him atm, unfortunately.

Practice, practice and more practice. And then practice again.

[ArkAngel]

I can't agree enough with what has been said.

I no longer shoot but have used most things for bunnies from .22 air rifle up to .17HMR rimfire and 12 gauge shotgun.

It makes no difference what calibre you shoot with accuracy is the key. If you are going to kill do it as fast and cleanly as possible. There will always be at least one time you don't get it right and to hear a rabbit screaming in a quiet field is still one of the most unpleasant noises you will ever hear (and yes they do SCREAM).

If you have room and facilities i used to do "walkback" tests with my rifles when i got them.
For example-

with the .17HMR rimfire it was a lethal beast and i had a rangefinding scope on. I wanted it zeroed at 100m. I zeroed on a pallet with targets on and then walked forward and back in 10m increments so i knew how much to hold over or under at respective distances. It saved a lot of twideling with the windage/elevation knobs.

Know your gun and how it shoots. As stated by everyone else, you can't practice enough:)

[Thule]

Well Said Mirage . :happy65:

[easilyled]

Advice? What everyone else said plus: .177 with good quality pellets, Air Arms Field seem consistent. Dont shoot over 25m. Head shots only. Understand the trajectory (the pellet will go through the sight zero line twice, once at about 10m on the way up and again at about 22m on the way back down). Understanding that is important in judging holdover and under.

[beachcaster]

My advice would be .22 air rifle. You dont want a 1.77. The field target boys swear by them but you are going to be trying to kill something ...and a .22 does that just fine. Only have 1 gun...and learn how to use your one gun.
Dont bother hunting till you can hit a 2in circle at 30 yds......standing sitting kneeling.......laying down etc. All the time. Learn to use a shooting stick....or tripod. Anything to make your shot count.
This takes some practice......so practice as often as you can.
Buy a compressed air rifle... not a break action....my favourite is my Weihrauch HW100
takes 14 pellets with a very fast loading capability. Its also whisper quiet.

Trouble with a break action is they take too much time to reload...and too much physical movement...and too much noise.
You wont need a scope with a much bigger mag than 6-9.....and there is nothing wrong with a fixed 6x scope for hunting.I use a nikko sterling gold crown 3-9 cheap and very good .

I always use Air Arms Diablo Field pellets..........they work well.

Wear drab clothing a hat... choose quiet clothing.....and if its fine wear light trainers....they help you feel your way around without too much noise.
The challenge is to get within 30 yds....its not always easy on a quiet evening. A small pair of binoculars are very useful.
If you put the bunnies down.......sit down and wait ........they will be coming out of thier burrows after 20 mins or so..sit back and enjoy the country side and wait.
I go out most evenings in the spring summer and autumn.
Head shots only........just behind the eye.......and get some good rabbit recipe books :) and leave the odd one for Mr fox :):):)

Personal opinions.......gained from a fair bit of experience. Safely is paramount indoors and outside. Never leave a pellet in a gun.

Barry

[I D Howe]

:love29: Agree 101% with mirage, i do a lot of shooting and agree the most important thing is to strive to never wound but cleanly kill, and if you should wound be prepared to finish the job quickly and humanely and quickly!

[imagedude]

I've got a few air rifles but don't use them on live targets as I've wounded a few rabbits. I'm not a bad shot, they just moved as I was pulling the trigger. I now use a shotgun for all vermin, including rats, and have always had clean kills.

[ggfh666]

I don't shoot rabbits, only rats.

My max distance is 5m, not 10 and certainly not 20.
Most of the time I won't even pull the trigger.

Remember a target won't move, an animal will (unexpectedly).

[Thinker]

I only hunt for springbuck every now and then using a 270 rifle and then I also hunt for fish with a speargun but the same rules aplies everywhere and its all been stated here. Make sure you know your equipment well enough to know how it will react in different conditions, winds ect. Make sure you have the best equipment you can afford and that it is kept in the best shape you can manage. Allways aim to kill quickly and only kill for the pot. If you dont need it dont kill it.
We went fox hunting at night a long while back and to lure the predators the farmers here use a audio tape of a hare (rabbit) being attacked and eaten by foxes. That sound is probably the most awfull Ive ever heard in my life, so just to make the point again, be sure to kill swiftly and as humanely as possible...
Happy hunting

[ArkAngel]

The .177/.22 caliber debate.

The choice is yours. There are people who will tell you to only use one or the other. In my 20 years of shooting i have shot both and both have their advantages/disadvantages.
The .22 has more stopping power but more 'arc' to it's flight path. The .177 has a much flatter flightpath but in my experience requires a slightly higher degree of accuracy.

Both calibers are more than capable of humanely dispatching bunnies.

[leealanr]

I have to agree, Rep for Mirage on this one is absolutely spot on!

Hope you have been given plenty, apparently I have to spread the rep before giving you some more!

Many Thanks M!

Alan L.

[TARGETZERO]

I just got permission from a local farmer to shoot on his land. I have no experience at this so I am going to start with an air rifle and see how it goes. Anyone got any advice on kit and tips?



Cheers
PS: don't want to spend too much money so any advice on budget air rifle would be very usefull

if possible,a visit to a local air rifle club is a good start.here you will find a wealth of information. if it isnt possible,befor you take on live quarry.put in a lot of practise,shooting paper/metal targets. a good starter kit,and a decent all round accurate gun,would be an airarms s400 (pcp) the downside is the additional cost of an airbottle.but its worth it in the end.i wouldnt recommend a springer,for a novice. better to go the pcp way

[rikm]

First of all, hello, I'm new on here!
There's some good advice on here, especially from mirage. One thing I'd add though, from over 30 years of experience, practice in the wind as well. Windage on a pellet from an air rifle can have a big effect on accuracy, I wouldn't shoot live quarry in more than a slight breeze and then only at short range. You may read about "respectible" hunters claiming to shoot regularly at 40-50 metres, well they might but I promise you, they won't admit to how many they miss or wound. Stick to whatever range you can shoot a 1 inch group, with ANY calibre you choose, (always aim for the brain, it won't die any deader than a .177 will kill it even if you blow it's head apart!), 25-30 metres should be the max really. If you can't get within this range, go out without your gun and practice stalking them first or use a hide.
I'd repeat the advice about using a spring gun, yes, a pneumatic will be easier to shoot but it'll be more expensive and more hassle. A good springer will also teach you to shoot better because you'll have to be consistant in hold etc. to be accurate. Do NOT use a tripod on a spring or gas ram gun, it'll upset the recoil and your aimpoint will move! Any decent airgun shop will be able to advise you on an airgun for hunting but remember, they're in it to make money!
A break barrel or underlever will be quick enough to load because if you need a "quick follow up" shot, you haven't done the job right. Yes wounding does happen sometimes, but if a rabbits wounded it won't often lie still enough for an accurate second shot from 25-odd metres. If you do get a wounded one, it's usually best to get to it as fast as possible, (careful with the gun), and either break it's neck (harder at first than you think) or a point blank shot.
If you can, go to a field target club, you'll be welcome to practice and get advice but beware the "equipment freaks" who'll tell you you've got to have the most expensive kit you can get. A B.S.A. Meteor will kill as many rabbits as you'll ever want in the right hands and have been doing since 1959!
Good luck.

[tomahawk kid]

which ever airgun you buy make sure it is not over the legal limit of 12 ft lb you can usualy get this checked at your local gun shop if it is over this limit and you get captured by the police you will be charged with possesing a section 1 firearms offence which will be dealt with very severley also get written permission off all the landowners

[dtalbot]

Spot on advice from mirage.
Find a rifle that suits you, if you like spring powered ones a decent sub 12 ft/lb will do the job just as well as the same power precharged. but you won't do the job with any type you aren't comfortable with!

[jungle_re]

Not much more to cover. Keep safe and enjoy yourself.
An old picture of the fox finder 1 and my fox/deer rifle.http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh247/jungle_re/naked_1.jpg[/IMG]
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh247/jungle_re/remmy_1.jpg[/IMG]

Hope you like:)

[Kane]

Only skimmed the thread but I'd add one thing to Mirages excellent post is range estimation, by the nature of hunting you're shooting at unpredictable ranges so the better you are at estimatng the range the better.

[Tim-Gabz]

Mind the bunny carrying the eggs!

I used to use the Gamo Hunter 440 in 177. I used the heaviest pellets that I could find to get the best accuracy and carry. However I would have preferred a .22 caliber had it been legal. Ratting and going for hares got one stop drops but it was unnerving watching the hare look for the source of the sound then slowly keel over.

Always do a test shot after travelling with your air rifle as the sights may have been knocked.

[Tim-Gabz]

I forgot the UK has power limits on air rifles. I used to have 990ft/s on my rifle using light pellets. Heavy dropped it to 830ft/s but it was v-accurate upto 35m. Hunting was rarely over 15m. If I couldn't be sure I didn't shoot, there would always other opportunities.

Rats were tough critters and those were best taken down with a .22 rimfire when I could get the ammunition on a limited ammunition allowance licence. For some obscure reason I couldn't get an air .22 in Zim.

Having moved to Botswana I can buy a full power .25 Patriot over the counter but with school fees always looming, unable. Pnuematics are unavailable here.

[Everything Mac]

Commit to heart the 4 rules of gun safety:

The 1st Law of Gun Safety - The Gun Is Always Loaded!

The 2nd Law of Gun Safety - Never Point A Gun At Something You're Not Prepared To Destroy!

The 3rd Law of Gun Safety - Always Be Sure Of Your Target And What Is Behind It!

The 4th Law of Gun Safety - Keep Your Finger Off The Trigger Until Your Sights Are On The Target!

Practice long and carefully on paper targets before you even think about shooting at a live creature.

Save up every penny you possibly can for your rifle, then find another £50.

Buy a second-hand "springer." I can thoroughly recommend Weihrauch in your price bracket. I'd suggest an HW77 or HW80 in .177"

Make sure the rifle has been well-maintained, and not abused, neglected or butchered by some back-street "gun expert."

Buy top-quality pellets, not hardware store junk.

Iron sights will do fine to start with.

Buy a packet of 30mm "fluorescent" stick-on labels from Staples or WH Smith:

http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=OSAV32326-K&rf=frg

(30mm is a useful approximation of the size of the "vital zone" of a rabbit)

Zero your sights carefully.

Set up a target at, say, 50 feet. Using the exact kit you will use for hunting, and firing from the position you will use (prone, kneeling etc.), fire a slow, deliberate series of five shots at the target. Did they all hit the centre of the disc? Excellent. Move the target out 10 feet and try again.

As soon as even one pellet fails to hit the disc, you have discovered the maximum range at which you can shoot without taking the chance of maiming a living creature and condemning it to a slow, painful death.

Fire a series of shots at different ranges so that you can master the hold-over/hold-under for your particular rifle/pellet/hold combination.

Never overestimate your abilities: An animal can die a horrible death if you get cocky and think that you can shoot better than you are actually able to.

Remember an ancient Greek saying: "The boys throw stones at the frog in fun, but the frog dies in earnest."

Shoot safely!

mirage


spot on mirage - good advice matey!

mac

[owen bush]

Hunting food is a good exercise for human beings.Rabbit stew is verry tasty.
It ca be a very real experience though, The last rabit I shot was a lactating mother (the milk leeked out as I skinned it) so I killed the little baby bunnies as well .Taking life has a responsability but it is important as a meat eater to realise that eating meat is killing something .Compared to many farming practices hunting (if you are responsable) is quite Humane.
I have always had a spring gun and it doers a fine job (I have had my air arms camargue for 20 years).
You get to see the best of the countryside at 5 or 6 am .

[Tigger]

So much messing about and laughter on this site,but sooo far out weighed, by pure common sense and damn good advice.
That's why I love this site.
Have some rep.

[stu21uk]

in my experience the air arms S410 is the best rifle around, 10 out of 10 for accuracy, usability and weight. i use the S410 with a Hawk nite eye 3-9X40 scope zero'd to 30 yds and 177 bisley magnums for pellets.:) works a treat, you will be eating rabbit stew for yrs lol.

[Roth]

Lots of good advice given. but dont forget to offer some rabbits as a thank you to mr farmer. and leave some for another day:)

[rapidboy]

It's a lovely time of the year to be out doing a bit of shooting.
I had a wee wander around the fields today but i ended up dropping the bolt out of the gun and using the scope as a spotting scope and just watching from afar.
I watched 2 big woodies for half an hour in the field behind my house before they flew up into a tree to join a crafty old maggie who was was bobbing about and staying well protected in the tree.
All bang on at 100 yards and shots that i have taken many times before but today it was just nice to lie on a shooting mat and watch.
Did the same thing yesterday watching a beautiful pheasant and a couple of bunnies from a hide.
I enjoy hunting but just being out on a nice day is enough reward some times.
I put 300 rounds down range yesterday and i know my gun and scope is set up just about as good as it can be so it's no real challenge to make a kill.

[xavierdoc]

It's a lovely time of the year to be out doing a bit of shooting.
I had a wee wander around the fields today but i ended up dropping the bolt out of the gun and using the scope as a spotting scope and just watching from afar.
I watched 2 big woodies for half an hour in the field behind my house before they flew up into a tree to join a crafty old maggie who was was bobbing about and staying well protected in the tree.
All bang on at 100 yards and shots that i have taken many times before but today it was just nice to lie on a shooting mat and watch.
Did the same thing yesterday watching a beautiful pheasant and a couple of bunnies from a hide.
I enjoy hunting but just being out on a nice day is enough reward some times.
I put 300 rounds down range yesterday and i know my gun and scope is set up just about as good as it can be so it's no real challenge to make a kill.

I know what you mean, Rapidboy. The best opportunities to watch natural behaviour of animals have come when I've been hunting. It is hard to explain, but sometimes I just find myself looking through the scope, mesmerised. I realise that I am learning a great deal when I chose not to take a shot, particularly with deer.

I recently posted about watching a barn owl and a fox hunting upwind of me for 20-30mins. Magical moments which I remember as clearly as successful stalks.

[Celtic Dragon]

The last 2 posts kinda remind me of this.

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35627&highlight=shoot

[gunnerjames]

Well i've been a serious air gunner a lot longer than i've been into knives so i wish i could put my two cents in, but it seems that all the good advice has been given :P

BTW STU21uk, i also use the Air Arms s410 and there really isn't any competition when it comes to accuracy, ive had it for a long long time and it hasn't let me down once. :D

[Longstrider]

I've been shooting with air rifles, rimfires and shotguns since I was 8 years old and Mirage hit the nail on the head with his advice in my opinion.
On the matter of safety, some of the best advice was on a tee shirt that I wish and wish that I'd bought when I saw it...
"Keep your damned booger hook off the bang switch!"
When we consider how much time we spend shooting, and how little of that time we actually need to be touching the trigger I reckon that's pretty sound advice, as is that of not letting the 'fun' outweigh the responsibility of taking a life. Let the pot hunting become fun, not the other way around ;)

Now I realise how old this thread is, I'm wondering if you've bought yourself a rifle, been out practicing enough and actually been out to bag a bunny or two yet ? Let us know how you get on.

[warrigal]

G'day fellas The salient point were well coverd by Mirage. I was given my first rifle ( A Lithgow, bolt action, single shot .22) when I was ten by my grandfather, He also put a bounty of $0.05 per rabbit ( This was central New South Wales Austraila in the late '70's) so I needed about a rabitt every 1.3 shots to get enough money to buy more Ammo. Long time between the end of the first box and the start of the second LOL.
I found a stout stick handy for the coup-de-grace as opposed to a second shot which still isn't a dead certainty. ( I suppose I wasn't gunna stick the muzzle in the back of the rabbits head for fear if a blocked barrel or riccochet)
Head shots only. Waste too much meat otherwise.
A bad days hunting is still a nice day in the scrub.
Carl