Thread: What little pesties did you bowl over today?

Another cruise with Bo.

Spotted one there.

Job done

And another

Good dog.

Managed to get a walk in on Sunday arvo, have not pulled a trigger in 8 weeks due a buggered back and then covid levels.
After some less than average first couple of shots, I came away with 6 of these fellas....

More than once we've shot over 1000 in an evening. Other times it might be 50-70, and then on other sites its just 5-6. All of these outings - regardless of numbers - can be thoroughly enjoyable.

And wandering along with the pooch popping a few - good fun!

Finally caught up with a couple of the wee culprits ploughing up the lambing paddocks.
Should be good eating, young and fat just like I like them.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

More than once we've shot over 1000 in an evening. Other times it might be 50-70, and then on other sites its just 5-6. All of these outings - regardless of numbers - can be thoroughly enjoyable.

And wandering along with the pooch popping a few - good fun!

Jeezzz....1000 you say, can't even begin to imagine shooting 1000?
And yes, always a great time!

Mmmm - many Otago and Canterbury guys will be familiar with big numbers. One site alone in north Cantab yielded untold thousands for us.. and we had three.

On thousand bunny nights we started shooting at about 6-6.30 in the evening wandering terrain, swapped to headlamps and rifle mounted lights after dark, into the trucks later in evening to cover big acres with torches, then back to shearer quarters by 1.30. Boys popped 1030 in one evening and two weeks later 1004 - that was more than the top Alexandra bunny shoot weekend totals for the year - and in just 6-7 hours..

Rimfire heaven... and a beautiful site to walk too which made all the more special. We had an informal competition to see who could pop the fastest hundred - mine was 105 in 95 minutes, but @gadgetman had the record with 100 bunnies in about 43 minutes. Lucky bugger.. We still have that site after 15 years though now it shoots just 40 or so couple of times a year. When its time to go shoot that one all the old team want to go - its like a pilgrimage site for us

One point - there was not an expensive, 'name' brand 22 to be seen. None. All the boys using polished, usually chopped, very accurate wee workers - CZ/Brno, JW15s, EM332s, Marlin 925/980/795s etc. Cheaper but absolutely deadly. And epic fun..

Sent Bo on a flying retrieve after the .22 pill was sent on its way.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Mmmm - many Otago and Canterbury guys will be familiar with big numbers. One site alone in north Cantab yielded untold thousands for us.. and we had three.

On thousand bunny nights we started shooting at about 6-6.30 in the evening wandering terrain, swapped to headlamps and rifle mounted lights after dark, into the trucks later in evening to cover big acres with torches, then back to shearer quarters by 1.30. Boys popped 1030 in one evening and two weeks later 1004 - that was more than the top Alexandra bunny shoot weekend totals for the year - and in just 6-7 hours..

Rimfire heaven... and a beautiful site to walk too which made all the more special. We had an informal competition to see who could pop the fastest hundred - mine was 105 in 95 minutes, but @gadgetman had the record with 100 bunnies in about 43 minutes. Lucky bugger.. We still have that site after 15 years though now it shoots just 40 or so couple of times a year. When its time to go shoot that one all the old team want to go - its like a pilgrimage site for us

One point - there was not an expensive, 'name' brand 22 to be seen. None. All the boys using polished, usually chopped, very accurate wee workers - CZ/Brno, JW15s, EM332s, Marlin 925/980/795s etc. Cheaper but absolutely deadly. And epic fun..

Funny you should mention that. Was just looking at some photos and had one of the line up of the bunny busters. Top was @Bob Da Browning's Marlin, My Marlin before it's chop, another members CZ and lastly your JW15 shorty.

113/11/2010

Graham seemed to like the heavy barrel things like his biathlon Marlin top above, though they never lasted long..

There were odd stock 10/22s in the team at first too but they also disappeared. Simply not accurate enough for longer distance shooting. Average distance was 70m, rifles were shot in for 75m, and all expected to pop bunnies accurately at 100m - which they did. The wee 15" barrel at bottom of pic above is typical of the little hunters used. Small, light, deadly out to 100+. That little one shot gazillions.. Here a pic from 1000 bunny site - some strange sod up in the hills...



My truck at the time - excellent isuzu with 2" body lift, 2" susp lift, motor tune etc, and a stand up shooting cut out in the back with frame for very quick 360 degree night shooting. Worked very well..

3 of us. 4 evenings. 160 of these and a couple of deer.

How's Tilly going Bruce?

Originally Posted by Flyblown

How's Tilly going Bruce?

She loves it. 12 now so gets a bit stiff and sore. Just potters along with me and does the odd flush or indicates, and finds the dead deer etc. Lovely company.

You would have smiled at this with the .223 - 311 yards. Shooting the wallabies gets your eye in.

Originally Posted by Tahr

3 of us. 4 evenings. 160 of these and a couple of deer.

Attachment 179527

Attachment 179528

Blimey I've got to get down south again while there are some hoppers left.
Good shooting, and im not talking about the deer. (-:

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Graham seemed to like the heavy barrel things like his biathlon Marlin top above, though they never lasted long..

There were odd stock 10/22s in the team at first too but they also disappeared. Simply not accurate enough for longer distance shooting. Average distance was 70m, rifles were shot in for 75m, and all expected to pop bunnies accurately at 100m - which they did. The wee 15" barrel at bottom of pic above is typical of the little hunters used. Small, light, deadly out to 100+. That little one shot gazillions.. Here a pic from 1000 bunny site - some strange sod up in the hills...

Attachment 179444

My truck at the time - excellent isuzu with 2" body lift, 2" susp lift, motor tune etc, and a stand up shooting cut out in the back with frame for very quick 360 degree night shooting. Worked very well..

did you get a cert for the cut out or was that a farm only truck?