Thread: Have rifle, will travel

Hi folks,

I'm looking for somewhere I can hunt some pests (rabbits and possums mostly) with my .22 air rifle over the weekends. Living in East Auckland but I own a little camper and get out of the city every Friday night 'til work starts again Monday morning, so can travel and rough it.

Willing to pay with the sweat of my brow or a case of beer. I'm from rural UK so I know me country code but I'm a bit shy of going door knocking and asking favours of farmers I just met.

Just trying to get up some experience (and the odd bit of fur and rabbit meat). Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Hi welcome to the forum, you might try posting a bit about yourself first before asking that paticular question. No one really gives up spots etc.
Try blue duck lodge they have heaps of work atm and heaps of pests

Hi Lore where in the UK are you from?

Thanks for the advice Blisters. I know everyone gets on a forum and that's always the first thing they ask right. I've been coming to this forum for so long I assumed I had an account but I haven't posted before because there a lot of people with more experience and knowledge than my two cents.

There's not a lot to tell about myself, I'm from rural UK, grew up in Wiltshire and lived on my uncles farm in Ireland for a while. I met my lovely wife in Australia and after working there for 5 years while she was going through an illness was offered the chance to manage the new warehouse in NZ last November. We'd been here before and no word of a lie reckon it's the best country out there bar none, so I jumped at the chance. I'm now living and working in East Auckland to save the deposit for a small country block elsewhere. I'm a pretty quiet guy so I haven't made any mates here yet, just spend every weekend out in the bush hiking, camping, fishing and anything outdoors. Love adventure. I've done a fair bit of shooting but not much hunting before but I've always wanted to. Starting a bit late but it's better than never starting. Aside from that I like single malt whiskey, cold weather and a good yarn.

Hi Slideshow, I grew up in Market Lavington, near Devizes and moved to Fermanagh in NI when I was 12. Apparently I sound Canadian now.

Welcome aboard Lore.
Wiltshire x Irish accent would be `interesting`

Originally Posted by Pengy

Welcome aboard Lore.
Wiltshire x Irish accent would be `interesting`

Vicar of Dibly meets Father Ted

Originally Posted by Lore

Hi Slideshow, I grew up in Market Lavington, near Devizes and moved to Fermanagh in NI when I was 12. Apparently I sound Canadian now.

Just up the road from you over The ridgeway between Hungerford and Lamborn.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

Just up the road from you over The ridgeway between Hungerford and Lamborn.

Bloody whinging poms invading.... (I'm still allowed to say it since I still have 2 passports right?!)

Welcome, nothing wrong with a yarn over a dram or 4 on a cold night!

Sounds like you are getting some experience with new Zealand's bush which is often under estimated by new hunters.

Yes but we had the good senses to only give you roaming rights to the bottom island @223nut....and whata mean pom I over stayed for my second passport fair and square

@Lore

I was reading you had an air rifle, hopefully not your old 12 ft lb UK power legal one but a NZ one. Rabbiting is traditionally done with the .22LR in NZ. Try hard to get across to prospects that you do use an air rifle and the extra safety this offers for his/her kids, dogs, livestock and nearby residents. Especially useful should you encounter the real decision maker of the household (let the reader understand).

Good luck.

Originally Posted by 223nut

Sounds like you are getting some experience with new Zealand's bush which is often under estimated by new hunters.

I'm building towards bigger game but at the moment I don't have the freezer space or a safe place to store firearms as responsibly as I would like, I want to buy my own property before getting my A Cat. If the chance to hunt goats comes up I'm proficient with my bow.
But I also want to take my time and learn how to hunt big game properly so I've been out at dawn having a look around the tops for sign, improving my fitness and quiet in the bush, reading etc. Just being out there is great.

I basically don't want to be an "all the gear, no idear" or "weekend warrior" type. I want to be a knowledgeable, ethical and proficient hunter.
Until I get all my ducks in a row I figure rabbits are pretty much just tiny deer, right?

Originally Posted by Cordite

@Lore

I was reading you had an air rifle, hopefully not your old 12 ft lb UK power legal one but a NZ one. Rabbiting is traditionally done with the .22LR in NZ. Try hard to get across to prospects that you do use an air rifle and the extra safety this offers for his/her kids, dogs, livestock and nearby residents. Especially useful should you encounter the real decision maker of the household (let the reader understand).

Good luck.

Cheers Cordite

The air rifle is definitely not one of those UK spud guns, fires a .22 at a respectable 21fpe and 950 fps comfortably accurate to 50yrds.

I have emailed some producers (those I could get details for) in the area and included the added safety, reduced range and less noise of an air rifle but also, I'm only using lead-free alloy pellets so there is no chance of livestock or water being poisoned. They're a lot more expensive but that's what I would use if it were my property so I reckon it's only right.

You may not have to travel as far as you think to hunt rabbits . There are a lot of Golf Courses in Auckland and rabbits are not a greenkeepers favourite animal . Your best bet would be Courses surrouded by farms / blocks or near to some bush . I know I hated the little sh1ts .