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Top Ten Kit for Hide Shooting

When food is harder to find, knowing where the quarry is frequenting or resting up is when hide shooting can become an effective technique! With a well-positioned hide (pre-built or Pop-Up) you can use decoys to tempt birds down to land, or use a slit open rabbit to have corvids come to dine.

I’m presuming most hunters already have a preferred seat, wear drab or camo clothes (including full head, face and hand cover) because the keen eye-sight of any pest won’t tolerate even a glimpse of white flesh, nor noise.

A compact, multi-shot PCP carbine I feel is a must and just one reason Bullpup-style air rifles are now so popular and useful; don’t forget a silencer! Hot drink and or soup in a flask plus extra clothing are also a must. So, besides the obvious, here’s a selection of useful peripheral kit to help you achieve success!

  • Gunbag

    A gunbag that offers a high level of protection plus ‘hands-free’ carriage of your combo is the optimum choice and the Napier Razorback Stalker Rifle Carrier is just the ticket. Measuring 133 x 28cm it has a waterproof and abrasion resistant ‘LAMTEC’ canvas outer and incorporates ‘4 function layers,’ including an extra waterproof membrane, high density 10mm foam, EVA tough shell and a soft Syn-fleece lining. Internally there’s a butt end ‘protector/retainer’ pouch and retainer strap for security in transit. The EVA lateral spine is the source of the bag’s main strength, while the outer panels of ARMOUR FLEX positioned at the front rear and middle areas give extra padding and scuff protection. The ‘slot in’ GRIP LOCK ABS carry handle is a secure design and the heavy duty non-slip adjustable shoulder straps boast a sliding rubber pad with waist strap. The rubberised grip tag zip fasteners are all protected by Weather Shield Guard making them ‘self-healing’, therefore protected from the elements. The generously sized outer pocket comes with a sachet of Napier VP90 corrosion inhibitor and the ‘bag’ is protected by a 5-year Warranty. Available in Green, Grey or Terracotta

    RRP: £187.76 www.napieruk.com

  • Footwear

    Footwear

    A high leg boot will offer the best of both worlds for stealth when you need to adjust position and give protection from the elements on your way to the shooting area. Ridgeline Camlites in Buffalo Camo have a Thinsulate™ insulating lining, a HydroGuard™ waterproof membrane plus a generous anti-scuff black rubber toe cap and a full heel cup. Ridgeline’s R-TEX™ membrane outer allows moisture to wick away and is also breathable. The synthetic outer ‘Athletic Sole’ is a mixture of treads and lugs that are durable, flexible, oil and slip resistant and absorb’ energy as you walk. A toe rise and front buffer are also integrated into the build. A sensibly sized rand offers further support, while the sole also offers a generous footprint for an assured grip on a wide variety of terrains. The speed lacing system combines with the large padded articulating tongue and wide throat make them a cinch to get into and out of! Sizes 6 – 13UK

    RRP: £129.99 www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk, www.ridglineclothing.co.uk

  • Decoys

    Decoys

    If targeting avian pests, these artificial ‘lookalikes’ (deeks) placed within range of the hide (set in a pattern) can fool woodies that the area is safe or if ‘baiting out’ for corvids – a single crow or magpie deek placed next to the bait can urge live quarry to dine. The most realistic looking are known as Flocked Decoys, such as those marketed by Jack Pyke of England. These are covered with a synthetic fibre material in the colouration of the bird they imitate – the bonus being they don’t give off any unnatural shine if hit by sunlight. Full body deeks come with ground stakes and in some instances with clip in legs. I’ve found the ‘half-shell’ very useful at times, because once the breeze catches them, they ‘jiggle’ around, adding movement and authenticity.

    RRP From: £5.50, www.jackpyke.co.uk

  • Shooting sticks

    Shooting sticks

    Shooting Sticks are ideal for steadying your aim while taking a kneeling or seated shot from the hide. The Deben Shooting Stick is manufactured from lightweight aluminium with a matt black anodised finish. It features retractable stiff rubber feet that can be ‘wound’ inwards to expose ground spikes that give extra security when set into slippery or uneven terrain. Height adjustments on the telescopic legs is set and secured by strong, finger-adjust ABS Cam-Locks and the ‘swivel’ head has a wide, twin curve ABS yoke, encapsulated in non-slip rubber for a secure forend rest.

    RRP: £24.99, www.deben.com

  • Lantern

    Lantern

    You often need to be in position before sunrise; so, a hands-free utility light is a must for setting up and for finding items of kit in the gloom of the hide. Measuring 78.4 x 45.2 x 59.1mm and weighing 103.2gram excluding batteries the Fenix CL 20 Camping Lantern supports 2 x standard AA batteries or a single CR123A lithium battery, to ensure optimum performance in cold seasons. The premium neutral white LEDs, along with an exclusive multifaceted globe, provides a manageable set of anti-glare lighting levels, all operated by a side-positioned, single push button switch. It has a hanging loop and magnet for easy attachment and gives four brightness settings from the main white light source, plus a low output in red to preserve your night vision. Its dual power source gives the following brightness and run time ratings of 165Lumens (2hrs 23min), 100Lumens (5hrs 15min), 50Lumens (11hrs 28min), 8Lumens (71hrs 40 min) plus 1.5Lumens red light for (27hrs 10min) from 2 x AA Ni-MH batteries. The CR123A Lithium’s ratings are 165Lumens (2hrs), 100Lumens (3hrs 31min), 50Lumens (7hrs 32min), 8Lumens (46hrs 50min) plus 1.5Lumen red light for (20hrs). Available with an olive green or ice blue colour body.

    RRP: £34.95, www.myfenix.co.uk

  • Recommended scope

    Recommended scope

    You’ll benefit from using an optic with a sensible magnification range and preferably one with a large (adjustable) objective lens and an illuminated reticle. In that respect, the Richter Optik 3 – 9 x 50AO-E is a tempting choice! Built around a 1” body tube, it measures 33.5cm long and weighs 622 grams. It features a 50mm adjustable objective (marked 10yds to ∞), low profile, ¼” MOA turrets and boasts fully coated, anti-reflective lenses. At the rear of the high-strength aluminium casing is a smooth operating zoom ring, while the chunky eye-bell features a fast focus ocular and a traditional design red illuminated rheostat control, powered by a CR2032 Lithium battery. The Mil-Dot reticle is Richter’s own design, having 3-dots above and along both side stadia, with the more usual layout of four on the lower stadia. It’s fogproof, shock and anti-vibration resistant has a 2 year guarantee and comes supplied with good quality flip-up lens covers.

    RRP: £69.99 www.richteroptiks.com, www.bisley-uk.com

  • Ammo

    Ammo

    You’ll find yourself targeting a wide range of pest species, so an accurate (obviously) hard hitting pellet with wide general usage, so the time-tested H&N Field Target Trophy are a wise choice. The build shows a typical smooth formed, domehead pellet made from a special lead alloy and semi-lubricated and available in all four calibres including two different head sizes in both .177 and .22. SRP: Tins of 500 .177 head sizes of 4.50 or 4.52mn, 8.64-grains - £9.99 .20 11.42-grains - £12.99 . 22 head sizes of 5.50 and 5.54mm, 14.66-grains - £12.99 Tins of 200 .25, 19.91-grains - £5.99

    RRP FROM: £5.99 www.bisley-uk.com

  • Laser rangefinder

    Laser rangefinder

    Judging range on targets at awkward angles from your position can be difficult, so a laser rangefinder can do double duty to remove the guesswork and function as a useful fixed mag monocular for observation. The Hawke LRF Pro 400 is one of a series of three they offer, the others being the LRF600, and 900 all with a x6 magnification. The number indicates its maximum ranging ability. Measuring 99mm X 68mm X 40mm and weighing only 180grms the ergonomically designed ABS body fits comfortably in the hand with easy access to both mode control buttons. Functions include: distance, height, height difference and angle. The LRF takes power from a single CR2 3V battery is water resistant, all readouts are clearly displayed (including battery status) in the in-view LCD screen. The reticle is focusable, using the ocular adjuster at the eyepiece. It comes with a hand lanyard, Neoprene carry case with belt loop and is protected by the Hawke Worldwide warranty.

    RRP: £149.99 www.hawkeoptics.com

  • Multi-tool

    Multi-tool

    With so much peripheral kit to maintain, plus often needing to saw and cut straggly low branches preventing optimum hide position, then a fully featured multi-tool, such as the Leatherman Wave, is a must-have piece of kit. Manufactured from stainless steel, it measures 4” in the closed position and 6 ¼” long in pliers’ mode and weighs 8.5oz. Even though it’s quite broad and wide (across the closed handles) it’s relatively compact but so well designed that they afford a decent grip. Closed, this butterfly opener gives easy access to four strong blades and tools: 3” clip point knife, serrated knife, aggressive cut wood saw, plus a substantial diamond coated wood/metal file. All deploy using thumbholes or lugs and solidly engage using strong lock liner mechs.

    Opening out the handles reveals the needle nose and regular pliers and extra-long wire cutters with hard wire cutters and wire stripper. In plier mode, you can access the other tools from the handles, which are a large and small bit (flat and crosshead) driver, large flathead screwdriver, bottle/ can opener, glass spectacle screwdriver, a pair of ‘sprung’ scissors and lanyard ring. Available in Stainless Steel or as shown with a Black Oxide protective coating.

    SRP: £149.99 incl Molle Pouch plus it carries a 25 year guarantee

    RRP: £149.99 www.leatherman.co.uk, www.whitbyandco.co.uk

  • Scope mounts

    Scope mounts

    Quality scope mounts are essential for keeping your scope securely in place, therefore enabling you to retain your set zero. However, with more and more air rifles now coming fitted with a raised Weaver rail (especially Bullpups) instead of traditional style dovetails, a specialised mount is required! Sportsmatch UK offer a variety of this type that fit virtually any scope to a Weaver rail system, all come in a 2-piece configuration to suit 1” and 30mm body tubes. CNC machined from aircraft grade aluminium, black anodised they are of the highest quality!

    RRP: £27.95 www.sportsmatch-uk.com

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