What little pesties did you bowl over today?

The neighbour has a rabbit infestation, and controlling it is problematic. The young ones have started to come over our way but they don’t last long… they get caught by two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, pulled in half and scoffed on the spot.

I rode slowly past their place on the motorbike earlier and noticed four out on the lawn. So I decided to do an experiment.

The problem over there is there is only one line of sight with a safe backstop. But it’s not somewhere the rabbits generally hang out. So I went home and grated some fresh carrots and grabbed a bunch of leftover peas from last night dinner. This I then scattered over the area in question and decided to go back a couple of hours later to see what was what.

Well bugger me, as I crept up the bank through the long grass, glassing ahead as I went, I could see ears right in front of the backstop. I made it undetected to a good spot in the thick cover and shot these three, prone off the bipod. Super slick. The fourth one gapped it just in time when one of started squealing. So the fresh carrot & last night’s peas certainly got their attention and that’s definitely something I’m going to be trying again soon.

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I can read but it was on the wrong side of the gate...lol
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Head shot
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Five of these last night.

https://i.ibb.co/d0f8d92/IMG-0415.jpg

How close did you manage to get to them? Wallabies sound like such a great hunt and meal - I've seen them on the menu at a fine dining place in town

That one I popped at about 90, very steep down angle though, he was grazing in the bottom of a steep creek. The last one I shot for the evening flushed out of the tussock about 10 metres away from me, didn’t go much more than another 10 before stopping for a moment. Fatal mistake. Hauled 10+kg of meat back down the hill, gave it to some friends whose cats seem to like it.

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Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

That one I popped at about 90, very steep down angle though, he was grazing in the bottom of a steep creek. The last one I shot for the evening flushed out of the tussock about 10 metres away from me, didn’t go much more than another 10 before stopping for a moment. Fatal mistake. Hauled 10+kg of meat back down the hill, gave it to some friends whose cats seem to like it.

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Same spot?

Yeah, just went as far as the first sniping posse I took you to, because I was just planning on shooting a handful and carting a decent bit of meat..

Team-mates had a fun shoot last night on farm near Christchurch.

Unfortunately I had to sit this one out but boys did well. Not the huge numbers of past years but still 73 bunnies - 50/50 hares and rabbits. Used the 12g, 223s - and 17HMR when wind allowed. All spotlighting from the truck covering alot of acres. Apparently they had good fun - the sods!

Next up Tekapo and hopefully some big numbers. And a deer or two - got three last trip. Fallow very tasty...mmmm :)

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Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

Yeah, just went as far as the first sniping posse I took you to, because I was just planning on shooting a handful and carting a decent bit of meat..

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I got as far as the car park,maybe another day.lols

Found a road kill ferret for the swamp comp,whipped out my knife to cut the tail off ,it was a bit far gone so it stayed on the road.....fuck my hands stunk!

Knocked a few over with 17H and 22-250 last night, all boned out and in the fridge now.
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Lots of rabbits on my block this year. Mostly shoot them in ones or twos with either the 22 or HW95 in .177.
We got four this evening. Here is Meg with half of them. My son and I fry up the back wheels and saddle, the wee dog gets the kidney, liver and a few meat scraps.
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Out getting some pet food, and spotted what I though was a morepork on our fence (just by the eye reflection, and regular perch). Then it turned into 3 sets of eyes, and was 100% not what I was expecting.
I've shot 3 possums in 9 years on our property, and 3 in one session is a little unexpected. Always nice to shoot something different.

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Originally Posted by charliehorse

Knocked a few over with 17H and 22-250 last night, all boned out and in the fridge now.
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What distances were you taking the head shots ? Looks like skillful shooting.

@charliehorse, looking like there is a good feed right there.