Lamping – my take on it.

[muzzy01]

high mate i have been shooting for many years and have never had the chance to do any lamping, i have been considering trying on the 2 farms that i shoot on , after reading your lamping tips i am am certainly going to give it a go, but i think i might wait till it gets a bit warmer before i do, (getting to old) but i have certainly learned a lot from your tips, many thanks,
muzzy

[jmsniper]

i found that a very interesting and usefull post

[Kangastu]

Hey guys,
I've been lamping a few times now. I want to get a lamp of my own for my scope. I've borrowed a logun lamp, which has been pretty good, but you pay good money for good product. I was wondering what other good brands of lamp are out there & how much they cost....

Yours stu

[sambusa]

very good thread mate enjoyed the read with one or two good points.sooner be on foot myself and keep the bag just ticking over .

What you are about your read is how I lamp my shoots and it’s a sort of a beginners guide that cuts most of the crap. I can’t include everything as it would take too long but use these techniques or a combination of these techniques and you won’t go far wrong.

You can get good results on foot but the 4 X 4 is the way to get big bags. However it can get a bit boring after you've shot your twentieth sitter from 25 yards. So if you want to challenge yourself go on foot and go with a lamp.

Red filters aren't necessary and I personally feel that white light is better. A dimmer switch gives you an advantage but it's not essential. It's also easier with two ie one on the lamp and one on the gun. I’ll explain it with two people but the technique can be used by the lone lamper two.

Anyway, flick your lamp on and scan the field moving from the hedge line outwards. Only do this for a matter of seconds and not too far out in front of you, say 70 yards, now turn you lamp off . If you have picked up some eyes then the stalk is on. You have to be downwind and you have to be as silent as possible and that means clothes that don't make a sound. You also have to be aware of your silhouette on the horizon. Walk slowly towards the rabbit’s last position and try to walk along the hedge line so as to keep yourself between the hedge and the rabbit. Using the dimmer switch bring the lamp beam from the hedgeline out every 20 paces or so to try and locate new rabbits or check that the one you are stalking is still there. Remember you only want a dimm beam to locate not to illuminate. You will see there eyes and it shouldn't spook them.

Once you are in range the lampman and the gun man need to know that each one is ready. Once they are make sure the lamp man is behind the line of fire but to the side of the gun and far off enough so as not to illuminate him when the lamp is switched on.

Using the dimmer switch slowly turn the power up, as you see the eyes reflecting back put the beam to the side of the rabbit so that it will light him up but so that it's not in his face and make sure the beam is on the side of the hedge so that when it's turned up, it effectively blocks the rabbits path back to the hedge.

Just increase the beam until the gun man can get a picture of the rabbit in his sights, then bobs your uncle, you've put a rabbit in the bag under lamp light, if only it were that simple.

This obviously works but rabbits do get jumpy in lamp light. They will either sit still as above, move slowly to another position or full on bolt.

If they are just slowly sloping off then dim the light and follow it until it stops and try again, it could be that you'll need to whack the lamp up full to get them to sit still but try the gentle approach first because a full beam can make them bolt and you could loose them forever.

Ok when and if they bolt it 's gloves off time. You need to try and stop them with the lamp. Follow them as best as you can with the lamp and try and put the full beam in front of them. In theory they should stop at the full beam unwilling to cross it and sit still, this is the point at which you should shoot them as they won't sit still for long.

This will work but sometimes they need a bit of encouragement to stop them in their tracks such as flicking the beam from side to side in a sort of strobe affect around the rabbits head. This is quite effective and works well but it can’t be done by the lone lamper and can only be achieved by a dedicated lamp man.

I’ve simplified it above and experience will tell you how to read a rabbits behaviour and what to do with the lamp in various situations. For me this is the hardest strand of our sport and apart from going in with a catapult there is no other shooting discipline that can match it for skill, IMOP. I’m still in no way an expert lamper and I would imagine it takes a good many years to become one. Some people try it and get fed up with going back with nothing so they buy NV in an attempt to increase there bag but stick with it, going out with an experienced lamper is a good way to learn.

So there you have it, this is my technique, it works. Some rabbits just won’t sit still so just leave those and move onto another. Also don’t be dis-heartened by empty handed trips, when I first started lamping I returned empty handed the first 12 times but then again I knew nothing about the subject then and that’s the key, there’s no substitute for experience so just get out there and gain some, you’ll be bowling over bunnies before you know it.

[SteveH]

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[gazzola1974]

good posts guy, put one up earlier cos i've had trouble with rabbits spooking when I put the lamp on them, now I'll be trying some of the tips you've shared. I'm using a deben tracer atom lamp, can't say I've had trouble with the connections yet pretty pleased with the kit ,no dimmer on mine though, will have to see if I can get one fitted.

[langbaybart]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[paulhooke]

i have tried the shotgun from the back of a landrover, and now i shall be trying your technique for a bit more skills cheers for the tips

[olly321]

as ive just started lamping my friend i found this post very usefull

[rummers]

Dear whitester I am contemplating going kampong on foot this weekend and have found your advice very useful. Thanks mate

[wayne t]

[QUOTE=Whitester;2102441]What you are about your read is how I lamp my shoots and it’s a sort of a beginners guide that cuts most of the crap. I can’t include everything as it would take too long but use these techniques or a combination of these techniques and you won’t go far wrong.

You can get good results on foot but the 4 X 4 is the way to get big bags. However it can get a bit boring after you've shot your twentieth sitter from 25 yards. So if you want to challenge yourself go on foot and go with a lamp.

Red filters aren't necessary and I personally feel that white light is better. A dimmer switch gives you an advantage but it's not essential. It's also easier with two ie one on the lamp and one on the gun. I’ll explain it with two people but the technique can be used by the lone lamper two.

Anyway, flick your lamp on and scan the field moving from the hedge line outwards. Only do this for a matter of seconds and not too far out in front of you, say 70 yards, now turn you lamp off . If you have picked up some eyes then the stalk is on. You have to be downwind and you have to be as silent as possible and that means clothes that don't make a sound. You also have to be aware of your silhouette on the horizon. Walk slowly towards the rabbit’s last position and try to walk along the hedge line so as to keep yourself between the hedge and the rabbit. Using the dimmer switch bring the lamp beam from the hedgeline out every 20 paces or so to try and locate new rabbits or check that the one you are stalking is still there. Remember you only want a dimm beam to locate not to illuminate. You will see there eyes and it shouldn't spook them.

Once you are in range the lampman and the gun man need to know that each one is ready. Once they are make sure the lamp man is behind the line of fire but to the side of the gun and far off enough so as not to illuminate him when the lamp is switched on.

Using the dimmer switch slowly turn the power up, as you see the eyes reflecting back put the beam to the side of the rabbit so that it will light him up but so that it's not in his face and make sure the beam is on the side of the hedge so that when it's turned up, it effectively blocks the rabbits path back to the hedge.

Just increase the beam until the gun man can get a picture of the rabbit in his sights, then bobs your uncle, you've put a rabbit in the bag under lamp light, if only it were that simple.

This obviously works but rabbits do get jumpy in lamp light. They will either sit still as above, move slowly to another position or full on bolt.

If they are just slowly sloping off then dim the light and follow it until it stops and try again, it could be that you'll need to whack the lamp up full to get them to sit still but try the gentle approach first because a full beam can make them bolt and you could loose them forever.

Ok when and if they bolt it 's gloves off time. You need to try and stop them with the lamp. Follow them as best as you can with the lamp and try and put the full beam in front of them. In theory they should stop at the full beam unwilling to cross it and sit still, this is the point at which you should shoot them as they won't sit still for long.

This will work but sometimes they need a bit of encouragement to stop them in their tracks such as flicking the beam from side to side in a sort of strobe affect around the rabbits head. This is quite effective and works well but it can’t be done by the lone lamper and can only be achieved by a dedicated lamp man.

I’ve simplified it above and experience will tell you how to read a rabbits behaviour and what to do with the lamp in various situations. For me this is the hardest strand of our sport and apart from going in with a catapult there is no other shooting discipline that can match it for skill, IMOP. I’m still in no way an expert lamper and I would imagine it takes a good many years to become one. Some people try it and get fed up with going back with nothing so they buy NV in an attempt to increase there bag but stick with it, going out with an experienced lamper is a good way to learn.

So there you have it, this is my technique, it works. Some rabbits just won’t sit still so just leave those and move onto another. Also don’t be dis-heartened by empty handed trips, when I first started lamping I returned empty handed the first 12 times but then again I knew nothing about the subject then and that’s the key, there’s no substitute for experience so just get out there and gain some, you’ll be bowling over bunnies before you know it.[/

very useful thanks

[brows_16]

Fantastic thread, really helpful stuff, thanks!