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Thread: Stalking help

  1. #1
    LagomorphHunter Guest

    Question Stalking help

    Question for you hunters out there. I was out yesterday evening at one of my favourite haunts where I have free access and spotted a few bunnies at the edge of some trees, right beside the floodbank that runs adjacent to the river. I circled right around on the other side of the floodbank, crept up the bank, peered over and off they ran. Damn, 5 rabbits, less than 12 foot away!

    So, I went elsewhere, came back an hour later, and tried again. This time I was ultra ultra careful, and made sure I peered over the top through my sights, this gave me time to get the shot off at a large buck, who was in the process of standing upright, obviously starting to sense me. Sensed a .22 in his skull this time though.

    My question, is it better to do what I did 2nd time, or should I try crawling up, and push the rifle over the bank whilst lying down? I didn't fancy doing this as the grass was long, and I thought I'd make more noise, and have trouble with the grass blocking the sights.

    Your thoughts / experiences?

    LHunter

  2. #2
    swamprat Guest
    Popping up by a group of rabbits only 12ft away is always going to be hard - that's only four yards! Did you mean 12ft or 12yds?

    Long grass can be a pain, I'm finding similar problems of line of sight being blocked when lying down.

    From the rabbit's point of view, what background is your head set against when it rises into view? Is it scenary that matches your headgear, or is it sky? If it's the former, rise up real slow; if it's the latter, then it ain't going to get better than you've already managed.

    If your second method succeeded, then there's not much to say against it, especially if you got a wary buck. I guess you can worry when it fails to work a second time.
    Last edited by swamprat; 20-05-2004 at 10:32 PM.

  3. #3
    Beer Hunter Guest
    LagomorphHunter,

    Don’t get so close! At 12 foot away it is very difficult not to have your presence felt by vibrations through the ground, never mind sight, smell and noise.

    I don’t think there is much wrong with your stalking technique if you are getting that close though.

    TER…

  4. #4
    CalorGaz Guest
    12 foot away !!! did you want to shoot them or sexually interfere with them ?!?!?!?!

    CG

  5. #5
    LagomorphHunter Guest
    12 yards not feet. doh. I'm good, but not that good!

    The background was nice blue sky!


    LHunter.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Mid Wales UK
    Posts
    896
    Lagoetc,
    I don't see a problem here. I wish I could stalk to within 12 yards of a group of bunnies!
    Following Swamprats line of thinking though, is there some way you could engineer a situation where you appear to the side of something, rather than skyline yourself as you appear to the prey.

    ATB

    Ogri the trog
    Improvise, Adapt & Overcome

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    south yorkshire doncaster
    Posts
    1,885
    rabbits tend to have favorite places i always ambush mind you I'm wrong side of 60 to walk all over place.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Ilminster, Somerset
    Posts
    2,738
    If in doubt go out with a mate and use the panto cow method as in thread on here.

    ATB Voldy

  9. #9
    triker-phil Guest
    I stalked two little lawn diggers this morning at work, they ran off into the trees as usual so I just sood still at the fence completely in the open gun in hand ready to fire and within a minute the same two stupid little beggers hopped back out into my line of fire, one no longer hops or digs up lawns, so why not try lying in wait for a while once you get there.

  10. #10
    LagomorphHunter Guest
    My wife Sarah aka Sarahwhorocks - long story (involves the band Bowling for Soup and a big hug from the lead guitarist), is going to take up position on said flood bank and lie in wait with her 1946 Webley Mark III, iron sights and all. Nice distance for her, she won't miss the head shot either. Sounds from the feedback that I'm not so bad after all. You read these tales in the mags, they make it sound so easy. I have quite a few places to shoot, and its taken me a year just to learn where the rabbits appear, and how to get close to them. It seems you spend the first few times out watching them run away from you. You get clever, and learn how how to sneak up, knowing where they will probably be.

    Reality is quite different from the published articles?

    Anyway, I get better each year, and although last time out was just two rabbits, they were both perfect head shots, and I came home proud I had got it right.

    LHunter.

    PS Sorry for the long name, but someone else had already got Hunter, and my other alter ego, Oroborous, doesn't fit really.

  11. #11
    swamprat Guest
    Don't apologise for your name mate, or we'll all have to start.



    Reality and articles? I think Reality and all forms of Journalism tend not to reside at the same addresses.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Swanage, deepest Dorset
    Posts
    963
    I don't think your stalking technique is in question! Perhaps a little more patience in getting settled down calmly yourself in the last few yards might help your bag. It can be hard when the adrenalin flows, but that's one of the scents rabbits pick up on very easily. Refine the skill you obviously have.

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