I seem to remember a while back that someone wanted to read more hunting stories on the BBS, so here goes...

Arrived at the farm mid-afternoon and headed straight over to my favourite hotspot. Now this area has been completely barren since last summer, but the rabbits have been making a serious comeback over the past couple of weeks. Sure enough, half a dozen kits were out frolicking in the sunshine, none more than 15 yards from my hide. Not for me though, I was after their folks. I'd done my reconnaissance and was pretty sure that if I waited until early evening and the wind stayed in my favour, I'd likely get a bash at their Dad.

Went back to the plinking range and hauled out the .22 99s, certain that any shootable rabbit would appeared well within my confidence zone for hunting with a peep sight. After a good old session, plinking at small pebbles at various distances out to 20 yards, I reckoned there was a fair chance of rabbit curry on Sunday's menu. Just to be on the safe side, I grabbed the scoped 30s to check the zero, (just in case my eyesight let me down with the opens once the sun dipped below the treeline).

Didn't see any point in beginning a serious stakeout much before 7, so a mooch round the farm for an hour or so was in order. Still plenty of woodies about - two of which offered the opportunity of a shot - but I wasn't really interested, I had rabbit fever. Did draw a bead on a magpie, but he was a split-second too quick for me.

Anyway, 7 o'clock and back in the hide - and the breeze remained in my favour. The same(?) half dozen kits were still out, but nothing bigger as yet. It's funny, you can scan an area for ages looking for a rabbit, you glance away then look back and there's one right under your nose - well, about 12 yards away in this case, a nice fat buck. I slowly raised the rifle, but his head was obscured by a fallen branch. Only needed him to move a foot or so in either direction for a clear line. Suddenly, every rabbit in the field - including a couple of pot-size adults that I hadn't seen - went on high alert and bolted to the hedgerow. No idea what spooked them, it wasn't me though.

Continued to wait patiently, stubbornly determined to live up to my username. After a while, some of the little ones had come out of hiding, but were staying close to cover. By then, the sun had dipped behind the trees and there was simply not enough contrast to effectively use the opens. Time for some optical assistance.

By the time I been back to the farmhouse and returned to the hide with the 30s and a handful of AADE, I was expecting a wait before the big guys put in another appearance. I was wrong, there were already two adults out - about 20 yards away - but neither offered a shootable angle. Patience is a virtue and within a few minutes, I caught some movement out the corner of my eye. It was - I assumed - the same one that I'd been after earlier, making it's way along the strip of rough that runs parallel to the fence that I was plotted up behind. Tracking it through the 2.5x, I couldn't believe my luck when it stopped to chomp less than 10 yards directly in front of me.

The discharge of the 30s was hardly noticeable, the impact of pellet on skull unmistakeable - she, (obviously not the buck from earlier), simply rolled over, one back leg in the air. Textbook kill. None of the others took a blind bit of notice, so with another pellet up the spout, I stayed put too. Now, just how stupid are rabbits? Next thing, one of the big guys who'd been dining further out in the field comes lolloping over and starts nosing round his fallen comrade.

Oh how I wish that I could tell you that I cleanly dropped number two right on top of number one, but it just didn't happen. I fluffed it like a rank amateur, I fell off my elbow at just the moment the sear released. The pellet passed a good two inches from his head, (I saw the splash of dust behind him, through the scope).

I stuck around for a while longer, but it was getting too dark for the little scope to give sufficient target definition. Time to collect my prize, then back to the farmhouse for a party with lots of cold beer and loud music - didn't get home until 2 this morning. Live the dream, Baby...