Thread: What little pesties did you bowl over today?

Originally Posted by rossi.45

1st for the evening with the .45Colt Rossi

Attachment 225075

I like everything is this picture, even for those I can `t see but I can feel it with my heart. Someday later, I wish I can find a place like this, rest myself over there forever.

A bit better tonight….

4 hare n 6 possum





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Originally Posted by rossi.45

1st for the evening with the .45Colt Rossi

Attachment 225075

Did his mates run off with the ladder? Chickens

Enjoyable shoot night on farm near Chch. Its been doing well for us this season - since lambing we've done 9 visits for 456 hares and rabbits at average of 50+. A far cry from recent years when we'd average hundreds per evening on north Cantab sites - but still good fun. Last night was all shooting from Cruiser, covering big acres on the fairly flat terrain. Boys shot 67 there a week go but this time many bunny areas were dead - literally - virus had kicked in and wiped almost all the rabbits. Again..

This time mate bought his new handheld thermal which I used for the night as driver. Interesting experience. Yes they certainly save time and driving to locate hares/bunnies. As I entered a new paddock I'd stop and scan with this handheld thermal, then drive towards the heat signature, whereupon boys would locate bunny with torches for shot. First time for me to use a thermal and while I can see big advantages for eg professional pest control, its not equipment I'd buy. First on price - at $5-7k its the price of a good car, 5x the price of a good 223 setup - not great value as a pleasure hunting tool. Second - I far prefer the hunt. The walk and stalk, working the lay of the land as you move into likely places, the driving and quartering ground from trucks, the searching with the lights etc - that's a key part of my 60+ year hunting tradition/skillset, and a part I really enjoy. Not so interested in coming into an area, looking through thermal, identifying, then just shooting them. No. Have shot gazillions of animals but always enjoy the sport of it, the challenge, the hunt where animal has a big chance also. Just one single opinion and can understand why many would disagree in this tech age. For me - fun to use once, but no. Will not buy one, and for newbies I'd recommend you don't focus on them as a necessity - that you spend years learning to hunt first. Grandad/kaumatua speaks..

Very pleasant evening - all enjoyed it. Boys all popped a few and we ended up with 31. PS Moro Gold bars are a dam good snack at midnight!

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Enjoyable shoot night on farm near Chch. Its been doing well for us this season - since lambing we've done 9 visits for 456 hares and rabbits at average of 50+. A far cry from recent years when we'd average hundreds per evening on north Cantab sites - but still good fun. Last night was all shooting from Cruiser, covering big acres on the fairly flat terrain. Boys shot 67 there a week go but this time many bunny areas were dead - literally - virus had kicked in and wiped almost all the rabbits. Again..

This time mate bought his new handheld thermal which I used for the night as driver. Interesting experience. Yes they certainly save time and driving to locate hares/bunnies. As I entered a new paddock I'd stop and scan with this handheld thermal, then drive towards the heat signature, whereupon boys would locate bunny with torches for shot. First time for me to use a thermal and while I can see big advantages for eg professional pest control, its not equipment I'd buy. First on price - at $5-7k its the price of a good car, 5x the price of a good 223 setup - not great value as a pleasure hunting tool. Second - I far prefer the hunt. The walk and stalk, working the lay of the land as you move into likely places, the driving and quartering ground from trucks, the searching with the lights etc - that's a key part of my 60+ year hunting tradition/skillset, and a part I really enjoy. Not so interested in coming into an area, looking through thermal, identifying, then just shooting them. No. Have shot gazillions of animals but always enjoy the sport of it, the challenge, the hunt where animal has a big chance also. Just one single opinion and can understand why many would disagree in this tech age. For me - fun to use once, but no. Will not buy one, and for newbies I'd recommend you don't focus on them as a necessity - that you spend years learning to hunt first. Grandad/kaumatua speaks..

Very pleasant evening - all enjoyed it. Boys all popped a few and we ended up with 31. PS Moro Gold bars are a dam good snack at midnight!

Was thinking as going around last night a hand held thermal would be handy to have to assist the spotting of game/ pests. I find in my situation i get a lot of 'white out' basically glow back from spotlight against deer fences. A thermal would allow me to look through n see if it's worthwhile going into a particular paddock. Still on my to get list.....

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I was out the other night with a land owner. I had my handheld thermal and spotted 7 pigs on the edge of a paddock in amongst some bracken at a distance of about 350m. We slowly drove over to about 80m away and I could clearly see them in the thermal but when I flicked the light on for him to shoot, not a thing. I turned the light off and had a look through the thermal again and there they were. Light back on, nothing? After doing this 4 times we could eventually make one out in the light, which he shot. Without the thermal we wouldn't have even known they were there.
TI is not for everyone obviously but you cannot deny it's efficiency and I personally don't find it detracts from the hunt. Once you have seen the game you still have to do all the same things to secure it (or leave it). It's just that you find more game.

A good thermal starts at around $2500.
We are also experimenting with some new gear for well under $1k, which we will have at fieldays. I’ll post some results.

Pretty chuffed with my shooting yesterday afternoon. Usually I suck on magpies but everything was in point, rifle, shooter, quarry.








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bad day to be a maggie or a plover at your place

Originally Posted by Lurch

bad day to be a maggie or a plover at your place

A mates place but yeah, know what you mean…


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Nice evening in Central Otago hills. Getting to know a new Bergara 17hmr. Taking a little while to bed in but working out a good rabbit rifle.

I'm a 17 convert, the worst thing about the 17hmr is knowing you won't be bringing out your 22s any more.

Originally Posted by vulcannz

I'm a 17 convert, the worst thing about the 17hmr is knowing you won't be bringing out your 22s any more.

That's pretty much it. The HMR is the 'go to' rifle....

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Very enjoyable taking the little Ruger .243W for a walk this morning. Just love being out early enough to greet the new day. First time I've had the Ruger out since March due to a couple of spells in hospital and an excess of crap weather. Well, it sure still shoots straight although shots at 102 and 110 yds are hardly an insurmountable likelihood for this little laser. If this good spell hangs around I'll be looking at another quick outing in the next few days.

Not unhappy with the result. Four hares, two rabbit n one possum




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