Thread: What little pesties did you bowl over today?

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Good score. Last night spotlighting on crosshills shot 23 little rabbits just by the big shed nearly sprained an ankle in the warren it would be a good job for a ferret in there Got 11 hares by the airstrip and several more on the way out. First time the 22 has had a workout in a while.

There were always a lot of hares there. Especially if I shut up a paddock.

I burnt out my 22.250 during the 18 years I was there - not so much on hares though because I liked seeing them about.

The pest contractor we were shooting wallabies for says that hares are going to be the next big pest problem in the Mackenzie basin and apparently apart from shooting they are difficult to control.

I like eating hares as good as venison if not better.

Had a really proud Dad moment tonight
Last time I took my daughter out she asked if she could shoot a rabbit next time we go out. Today started with a refresher at the range, where she shot really well on a target. Out to the Outlaws for dinner and see if there are any victims out.



Then back for pudding and out for another look.



Two from two shots.



We finished with 8 bunnies.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

I like eating hares as good as venison if not better.

Had me sons 5th birthday party the other week and threw a couple of hare back steaks on whilst cooking the kids sausies. Had wrapped them in gladwrap with oil salt pepper and rosemary the night before, sliced em up and passed them round the adults without telling anyone what it was and no one complained and they thought it was venison or similar. Few of the ladies shuddered when I told them after the fact but they weren't complaining at the time!!

Hare is delicious. 0.177 airgun pellet through the brain at 30 meters. Enjoyed eating it with some friends.

Originally Posted by Tahr

The pest contractor we were shooting wallabies for says that hares are going to be the next big pest problem in the Mackenzie basin and apparently apart from shooting they are difficult to control.

Hares are a massive problem. Just ask the guys in the Wairarapa who have abandoned the sheep farms in favour of timber and carbon credits. Hares have taken large chunks out of their recent plantings, hitting the seedling trees soon after they are planted. Some of the quantifiable losses being discussed are in the tens of thousands of dollars per new planting area.

There is now zero doubt in my mind having travelled about 4500 km through central and southeastern North Island farms this past six weeks... there has been a really significant increase in rabbit and hare numbers, and red deer. It's being spoken about more and more. On the back block roads in the evenings sometimes it's mental there's that many rabbits.

I shoot hares aggressively no matter where I am, I saw this kind of damage before in Southwest England on the the edge of the moors on shelterbelt plantations that were hammered by hares. That was in the 80s and it took a while for the numbers to be brought under control, but unfortunately then it went too far and now the species is relatively rare down there.

I was told yesterday by a cocky south of Ohakune that they are using small helicopters to shoot plantation hares over the other side of Waiouru. Whether that's true or not I have no idea but I can't imagine he was the kind of bloke to just casually bullshit me.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Hares are a massive problem. Just ask the guys in the Wairarapa who have abandoned the sheep farms in favour of timber and carbon credits. Hares have taken large chunks out of their recent plantings, hitting the seedling trees soon after they are planted. Some of the quantifiable losses being discussed are in the tens of thousands of dollars per new planting area.

There is now zero doubt in my mind having travelled about 4500 km through central and southeastern North Island farms this past six weeks... there has been a really significant increase in rabbit and hare numbers, and red deer. It's being spoken about more and more. On the back block roads in the evenings sometimes it's mental there's that many rabbits.

I shoot hares aggressively no matter where I am, I saw this kind of damage before in Southwest England on the the edge of the moors on shelterbelt plantations that were hammered by hares. That was in the 80s and it took a while for the numbers to be brought under control, but unfortunately then it went too far and now the species is relatively rare down there.

I was told yesterday by a cocky south of Ohakune that they are using small helicopters to shoot plantation hares over the other side of Waiouru. Whether that's true or not I have no idea but I can't imagine he was the kind of bloke to just casually bullshit me.

Hares are very territorial creatures, they'll nip the top out of new plantings as they see them as a threat to their area. I once read a good paper written on a research that had been done by a forestry guy years ago about the hares and their effect on plantings, pretty sure it was in a small game hunting mag. Very destructive if left to live their life.

@Flyblown shooting small pests from a helicopter is very common practice here in Otago, so no it won't be bullshit. Its particularly effective for those pro-active farmers who want to maintain low bunny numbers. Its not so cost effective if populations are high.

Just using a couple of traps, and they are getting hit almost every day so far.
Today's find.
KH

Wife went away for the weekend with the kids a few weeks ago, It had been a while since I had been out and I had a few land owners asking for help with little pesties so I took some of my small rifles out for a few walks. Had a blast!

To start with I visited a friend with a small lifestyle block, I wanted to test out a Crosman 2240 project that I have modified into .25 cal, still on Co2 but now producing more than three times the energy! Worked very well on these few rabbits out to about 45m or so so I was pleased with that!









It started getting a little cold and Co2 drops power a bit in the cold so I grabbed my Zbroia Kozak PCP, I had only just put the MTC scope on so it was its first outing in this configuration - A few little tweaks needed for this setup, Need to sort a torch mount on the scope and the objective cover needs a spring as it keeps closing on me! Other than that it worked very well with no spotted rabbits getting away from me at all!













Next up was a visit to a farm about 30 mins out of Hastings, This farm is covered in Rabbits, Hares, Goats, Turkeys, Pheasants, Magpies and the odd wild deer so is an absolute dream to shoot on. I took my .223 while looking for the Deer but after not seeing any I swapped it out for my ugly stick (dont worry the stock is now away getting a total redo) JW15 to get some smaller stuff using subs. After hearing some of you lot talking about cooking up Hare I decided to take some back straps and give it a go with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary fried up in some butter - I will never let one go to waste again! Bloody amazing meat. This little JW is an older one I have done a little work on and man can it shoot! Very accurate.

I like the picture with the JW and the six victims that fell to it. Pure art!

That meat looks hare-raising delicious!

Hare and venison are on the same level
Rabbit and goat is next level if you get what I mean

Hare and venison was for royalty
Rabbit was for the common man or serf/peasant.::


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Originally Posted by Josan

I like the picture with the JW and the six victims that fell to it. Pure art!

That meat looks hare-raising delicious!

Those 6 victims were all in the same paddock and all shot within about 10 mins of each other!

Good (long) weekend hunting rabbits with my two brothers. 833 rabbits, 1 cat, 3 ferrets, and 3 rats from the woolshed we were staying in.

Was a bit of a laugh sitting in the easy chair watching the rats come out to the rat traps. This little bugger got one both ends as he flailed around.

Smoked three Wabbits with my Air rifle this evening. Sorry if double posting is frowned apon !

!