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Airgun Hunter: Summer Rabbits

Airgun Hunter: Summer Rabbits

It always surprises me that many airgun hunters only mainly venture into the woods in autumn – granted as I’ve said in the past – the 12ft lb airgun does reign supreme in the environs of the leafless trees where there’s less foliage for pests to hide amongst at that time of year. However many woods can be fruitful in the summer months too, especially those frequented by our most popular target species – the rabbit! You might see very few or none in the colder months except barren looking holes that indicate warrens but in spring and summer the bunnies that live there regularly come out to frolic or feed on the lush grass, low growing greenery and to nibble tree bark – while they do they’ll often be found in quiet small glades and you’d presume off course at the woodland edge. So when I go to this particular wood where I have permission it’s ‘crawling’ with them – I rarely resist visiting it at intermittent times during the warmer months.

IDYLLIC AND TRANQUIL

Some would class this area as more of a copse than a wood but due to it being long in some parts and narrow in others it’s probably more a strip of woodland that traverses a few fields. Even so there’s a good few areas for the rabbits to go about their daily routine. Maybe because it is so narrow they are very rarely found feeding at the edge of the treeline, but step inside and they can be anywhere. In this safe haven they prefer to stay amongst the fallen trees, dips and hillocks the area comprises. So my routine here is a simple one, as is my kit, that being a lightweight silenced multi-shot carbine PCP/compact and wide angle scope combo and full camo apparel. With this I stealthily make my way from one end to the other using trees as cover – especially when I know I’m getting close to a known feeding area or warren.

Before entering the wood, I obviously always fill at least one magazine of my rifle and after securing it in place, cocking and preparing the first shot and engaging the safety, I walk as unobtrusively as I can into the eclectic mix and maze of trees that make up what is always a very productive and lovely area to visit.

Immediately upon leaving the field I use to walk up to it, I quietly slip inside the wood and as I always do - stop to look around my position for any potential targets. Though the grass can be shorter in most woodlands due to a lack of light permeating the tree canopy, here because the trees aren’t packed together tightly the ground foliage grows thick and high making targets quite difficult to spot. I either see a full rabbit profile on a rise of ground, sometimes clambering on/ and over a fallen tree log or more likely just the tips of a pair of very twitchy ears.

THE GREEN CANOPY

The leaf litter of autumn and winter has now long given way to lush grass and, as this foray I relate was during early summer, there were masses of bluebells still all around making it look even more idyllic and tranquil.

I began my stalk carefully and slowly watching for anything rabbit like. I was just beginning to cross a glade to reach an area of trees I was going to use to mask my forward approach when I spotted a rabbit on the incline that led from my right to left. I quickly adopted the stable kneeling position and quickly found the target in my sight picture, carefully placed the crosshairs on the rabbit’s skull whereupon slightly squeezing the trigger was met with the ‘crack’ of the pellet smacking precisely home – the sound heralding ‘first blood’ within minutes upon arriving.

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As I knew I could find it easily on my way back I left it and swiftly yet quietly stalked towards a large tree using it to cover my form as I knew from experience there’d likely be a few rabbits out on a slight rise just up ahead from this position.

When I reached the tree I sank again to the kneeling position and carefully poked the silencer around the trunk, followed closely by my scope and right eye. Sure enough two rabbits where basking in the early evening sun nibbling the grass and bluebells. They froze and sat a little higher, obviously realising something was about. It seemed like an age until they settled, whereupon they also parted so I careful took aim on the one nearest my set zero and with a precisely placed shot dropped it stone dead. The other hopped back on itself, possibly in a state of momentary confusion. Then ran further away and to my right - not wanting to stand I decided to crawl into a shooting position using a fallen tree trunk as cover. When I reached the log, I used the dead wood as a very steady shooting rest and with another squeeze of the trigger I had another in the bag.

UNSLEEPY HOLLOW

Next area I decided to try was almost at the other side of this lengthy strip of wood. Due to my experience of the area I felt this more likely than not would be a good place to fi nd a group of rabbits – if not to wait for them to return or leave the burrows that littered the area. I made my way over to what is a deep shady hollow in the wood where the rabbits often congregate to frolic and feed! To reach the crest of the ridge I once again had to belly crawl into position to peer over the top.

Sure enough I immediately spotted four rabbits with a fi fth soon joining in as they playfully ran each other around this well-used natural basin. I eased myself into position at the side of a tree lying prone to snipe at the bunny closest my set zero. Pushing the safety lever forward, and slowly squeezed the trigger resulted in the rabbit simply rolling over without a kick of its hind legs.

After cycling the action again I was once again looking at a double, placing the cross hairs on another rabbit but due to its position amongst the group, this time the sound of the pellet impacting the coney’s skull had the others immediately bolt for cover, some even disappearing down visible entrance holes to the main warren.

Patently waiting here from my prone position on the ridgeline I periodically sniped and cleanly dispatched a very respectable amount of rabbits. However, all good things come to an end. I eventually realised my intended quarry’s inhabitants had wised up - so not wanting to over-shoot the area I picked up the rabbits I’d felled here and retraced my route back to the motor collecting up the other rabbits I’d previously shot on my way through the wood. All told - I’d managed to bag seven adult rabbits on what proved to be one of the most pleasurable of evening woodland bunny bashing sessions I’ve experienced in quite some time…

KIT BOX:
Weihrauch HW100KT MS PCP .177 Calibre
Simmons Compact Nightview 1.5 – 5 X 20WA Scope
Bisley Magnum Pellets
Mainly Realtree Hardwoods Green Camo/Hardwoods 20-200 Faceveil and Gloves
Tenaya Boots

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