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....

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