Air Rifle Hunting, Rabbit Hunt 6, 12 july 2010

Another nice evening spent out after a few bunnys.

[@50337andy]

What a superb video, really well made and some great shooting to boot.

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@bobinwarrior Well you could try and join an air rifle club if you can find one in your area which you would find very helpful. The likes of the BSA supersport or Lightning the Weihrauch HW95k would make a good full powered hunting rifle under £300 and Hawke make lots of scopes to suit most budgets at Deben . com. You will also need to find some where to hunt by polity asking some local farmers if you can shoot vermin on their ground.

[@HuntersVermin]

@39noobtuber Thanks, Set out a A4 piece of paper with a large cross on it at 25 yards, i zero in a sitting position but you can use a bench to lean on, use a big soft cushion to lean a spring rifle on or your forearm so it doesn't jump on firing. Fire a string of 3 shots at the target to see where they hit then move the cross hairs left to right till they hit the vertical line on the target, then do the same with the up and down till they all hit around the middle.

[@HuntersVermin]

@toffeeonsound Hi ya, There are lots of good air rifles out there but not a lot of people want the spend as much as i did on a PCP like my theoben. but there are plenty of good spring guns that will do the job just as well, from the likes of Airarms Weihrauch Webley and so on. Go to a good gun shop and try as many for fit and feel before you buy, then pick the one that fits you best as you'l shoot best with it.

[@HuntersVermin]

@bobinwarrior It depends on a lot of things, the weight of the pellet the speed it is going at what range you have the gun zeroed for and even the hight the scope sits off of the barrel but with my set up i usuall have to start allowing for drop at about 50 yards but i am using a high powered air rifle with a 40 yard zero.

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@superhunter992 Any where that i find has not enough cover to stalk into range i just walk down the field and find i nice place with a bit of cover next the hedge and within range of the rabbits hole, then sit down and wait for the rabbits to come back out again for a shot, but make sure the wind is in your face so the rabbits can't smell you and sit still and quietly.

[@HuntersVermin]

@DCE198369 The 1077 is .177 cal and at 625fps would only produce about 7 ft/lb of energy which is just over half of what we would consider suitable for rabbits in the UK. The rabbit stopper should be nearer the UK 12ft/lb limit used for hunting if you want a Co2 powered rifle but you could look at some of the spring powered air rifles on the market for hunting.

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@magininja100 Yes i do live in Northern Ireland, and yes it can be a lot easier at times to get an air rifle on your licence than say a rim fire, even though you could buy a rim fire for near half as much as what some of the high powered PCP air rifles like mine cost. As mine is about £900 pounds to buy now.

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@skootlad Well it still has more than enough power, but the real question is accuracy. No point having even 3000fps if you can't hit the target. Go to a gun dealer were you can see and try the feel of both guns and pick the one that fits you best, cause thats the one that you will probably shot better with.

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@sidurrani Don't worry about it, I hadn't a clue ether when i started. There is two types that use a pressurized cylinder to fire a pellet. PCP air rifles use pressurized air from a divers bottle like mine, and Co2 air guns that use a throw away cylinder off Co2 gas which you buy from s shop and screw into the gun.

[@HuntersVermin]

@rabbitkilla19 There is usually plenty of rabbits here and there in the hedgerows in the UK but you can look for their holes and runways in and out of the hedges and cover, also look for their droppings along these runways as they use the smell to help them find their way back home at night.

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@95JD95 I'm using Bisley Magnum pellets in my FAC gun, they are rather heavy round head pellet at 21grains but very accurate in my gun and can do a lot of damage. A heavy hollow point pellet probably would do a bit more damage but they are not as accurate and accuracy is everything.

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@jenazi Hi, its a Meopta R1 4-16x44, its really a meant for a center fire rifle, and i'm glad i bought it when i did as i couldn't afford to buy one now. It's a good bit of gear but way over the top for an air rifle. I use the scope on 6 power mag all the time for every shot.

[@HuntersVermin]

@Hellsslave666 I meanly use them to feed my cats with, who love them. But i also use them as bait to attract crows and magpies with. i was going to start cooking them again but i've since found some with signs of myxomatosis again which has put me off the idea.

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@Joeypc85 Oh no you don't need to spend any where near as much as that, I used a HW80 for years theres also the HW97 or 77 or 95, plus Airarms have the TX200 or Prosport or even the S400 PCP, plus BSA and Webley have some nice PCP or spring rifles for even less.

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@greg121766 Yes spring air rifles are fine for rabbits out to 30-35 yards so long as they can produce about 12ft/lb of energy. These might be a bit over your budget but have a look at the Weihrauch HW95 and the Webley Stringray or Blackhawk.

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@Andymannitro I am not sure but most guns designed to shoot pellets and bb,s wouldn't be up to the job of hunting. You would be best with a pellet only an air rifle, something that can produce about 12ft/lb of energy to get clean kills.

[@HuntersVermin]

@wagglermaster301 Thanks, sorry but i don't know much about the smk synxs but it is a bit under powered for hunting, if you can spend a bit more money have a look at the BSA Meteor Mk7 or Supersport, the Weihrauch HW99s or AGS Value Max from Webley.

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@rwmerlot777 You need to make sure that there are no laws against you owning an air rifle at 14 where ever you live, you can probably find this out and look for a suitable air rifle for vermin control at a good out door sports shop.

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@DCE198369 Well there is the cost which is a lot lower and to go hunting you just need to lift the gun and some pellets, you can't run out of air half way through a great hunt, they are a lot simpler so you could service them yourself.

[@HuntersVermin]

@adamjonathanbell Here in Northern Ireland we need i firearms licence for any air rifle, and since this gun is putting out over 12ft/lb of energy you'l need a licence for it in England too. I've shot the HW100 and think its a great rifle.

[@HuntersVermin]

@huntertrapperfisher1 Did you mean the Tac 1 extreme? as it has about 800fps in .22cal which is plenty of power to take clean head shots out to 35-40 yards, so long as you and the rifle are accurate enough to hit the mark at that range.

[@HuntersVermin]

@TheAirhunter69 Well for a 12ft/lb gun its usually about 25-30 yards for a .22 and 35 for a .177 to give you the flattest trajectory, but you will still need to fire it at other ranges to see how much higher or lower the pellet hits.

[@HuntersVermin]

@TheMajorKid Hi ya, I believe its just nerves, as a rabbits main defense is to run, so when they get hit even though its in the head its nerves are telling it to kick those back legs and run like a good,en. Even though its brain dead and on its side.

[@HuntersVermin]

@lst2sconer No it would take more than that to get rid off the fleas. When you shoot a rabbit in the head like that with an air rifle you get thick clotted blood coming out of its ears, and to stop this getting in my game bag i shake it off first.

[@HuntersVermin]

According to the manufactures website it produces about 560fps in .177 and 420fps in .22cal which is a bit low as you need to be looking at something that can produce 560fps in .22cal and 780fps in .177 for hunting.

[@HuntersVermin]

Even in the UK rabbits aren't on every farm so you have to look for sign like rabbit dung and little scrapes in the ground where the rabbits have been digging for roots close to cover, and of course the rabbits burrows.

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@XxBlazingModsxX I always believe that a head shot is best with a rabbit as death is instant while a rabbit shot in the heart or lungs can sometimes make that two or three yard run into the hedge before dropping dead.

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@TheDoctor375 I have two both pcp powered and .22cal, one is a BSA super 10 with 15ft/lb and the other a Theoben MFR with about 30ft/lb both on my licence. There is a short vid on my channel of them under My air rifles 2010.

[@HuntersVermin]

@yzm06 No both my air rifles are PCP powered which run on high pressure air not Co2. My Theoben can push a .22cal 21grain pellet out at about 832fps with about 30+ft/lb of energy and are made and sold by Theoben Ltd.

[@HuntersVermin]

@TheBoofdog I do hunt at night sometimes, using an old Deben atom lamp i think it is cliped to the top of the scope and get in as close as i can to the rabbits before taking the shot. But i much prefer to stalk them in daylight.

[@HuntersVermin]

@garzillla86 It is if you haven't asked the land owner for permission to shoot on his ground first. Plus you have to make sure that what you are shooting is considered as legal quarry in that area. ie country, state and so on.

[@HuntersVermin]

@lapin71457 I know its a great source of fat free meat, but i'm worried that they haven't got over that myxomatosis yet. But i'm to fry up one of those nice 3/4 grown bunnys yet, like i did a wood pigeon a few days ago.

[@HuntersVermin]

Yes i have had my Theoben serviced at least once. I have to admit i shoot it till something goes wrong before sending it away as it has to go to England which costs more in postage than the service.

[@HuntersVermin]

@E4bangbangE4 Yes it can decrease the accuracy but it is by so little you would not really notice it in the field. but target shooters looking for every last drope of accuracy will use single shots.

[@HuntersVermin]

@wagglermaster301 Yes but you will have to keep it inside 20 yards or so. But you could go for the Hatson 60 or AGS value MAX for around the £100 mark and they are at the full UK limit of 11.5ft/lb.

[@HuntersVermin]

@RojerAReyes In the UK rabbits, magpies, crows and wood pigeons are considered vermin and can be shot all year round. But you need to check what the laws are where you live as they could be different.

[@HuntersVermin]

@skootlad Hi ya, I'd say you should have plenty of power to take a bunny cleanly out to say 35 to 40 yards, so long as you can do your part and hit them in the head every time. Happy hunting.

[@HuntersVermin]

@williamorlandjohnson It really depends on what caliber it is and the weight of pellet, but a .22cal will be about 35 ft/lb with 1000fps and a .177 will have about 18 ft/lb of energy.

[@HuntersVermin]

@sidurrani Thank you, its a theoben MFR in .22 with about 30ft/lb energy (832fps), and uses a 7 or 12 shot magazine. You can find out a lot more about it on their website Theoben.co.uk.

[@HuntersVermin]

@Rking100000 All i really did was cammo paint the stock, and you can see how i did it if you look up the video (air rifle hunting, cammo painting my MFR). Glad you liked the vid.

[@HuntersVermin]

@QRichTee Yes the 12 shot mags fit the MFR, i had one but it started to give me bother so i bought two 7 shot mags to replace it as they are about half the price of the 12 shot ones.

[@HuntersVermin]

We all pull blanks like that from time to time but that's how we learn to stalk, so long as we don't get too frustrated and can enjoy the outing into the outdoors.

[@HuntersVermin]

@xDD1322 No i am using a .22cal (5.5mm) air rifle but a 4.5mm will kill rabbits as well and should be good for head shots so long as its producing about 12ft/lb (15 joules).

[@HuntersVermin]

@TheJ0ne As far as i can find out it is designed as a starter rifle for younger shooters, but it only seems to have about 5 ft/lb of energy which is too low for hunting.

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@1702liam I don't lamp that much as the ground is so wet its too hard to get up close. I was going to try some lamping films but my camcorder isn't any use at night.

[@HuntersVermin]

@hardstyle842 Your Dads got the right idea, as i always go for a head shot. It saves damaging the meat if your for eating it and it usually drops them in their tracks.

[@HuntersVermin]

@huntingpro100 Thank you. here in the UK rabbits, crows, magpies and wood pigeons don't have a closed season, as they are classed as vermin and can be shot all year round.

[@HuntersVermin]

@markl200 Glad your sticks turned out well, my MFR is an FAC gun in .22. And i think it would be great if you made a film on the modifications you,ve made to you MFR.

[@HuntersVermin]

@ohcaptainmycaptain4 I used to but then there was a really bad case off myxomatosis in this area last Autumn, which has put me right off eating any, but my cats love them.

[@HuntersVermin]

@spinosmen I use a .22cal 30ft/lb Theoben MFR that is pcp powered. Both the late summer evenings and at first light in the mornings are the best time for rabbits.

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@Darioc631 Thanks, i use a .22cal 30ft/lb Theoben MFR and i think the longest kill is somewhere around 65-70 yards but i usually try and get to about 50 yards.

[@HuntersVermin]

@signmanification Sounds great, never too old to start ether. There can be a big difference in the accent between people from the north and south of Ireland too.

[@HuntersVermin]

@gillyson12 Yes it's putting out about 30ft/lb of energy. Most people go for a high powered air rifle in Northern Ireland as we need an FAC for any air rifle here.

[@HuntersVermin]

I eat some of the rabbits i shoot and even have a cooking vid on my channel, the rest i ether feed to my cats who love them or use as bait to shoot crows.

[@HuntersVermin]

Since i live in N'Ireland i do need a licence for any air rifle but in England so long as the rifle is under 12ft/lb of power you wouldn't need a licence.

[@HuntersVermin]

According to the Crossman website its a Co2 powered sem-auto repeater with a 12 shot mag in .177 with 625fps which they recommend for target shooting.

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@Airgunhunter2010 I have seen the odd rabbit with more white than brown and a lot of black rabbits but it differs from place to place and year to year.

[@HuntersVermin]

@gespilk No No, most of the rabbits go to feed my cats, but i keep some to use as bait to decoy crows and magpies into range. Glad you liked the video.

[@HuntersVermin]

Yes there are a lot of others, have a look on the BASC website under airgun codes of practice for what you can shoot in the UK with air rifles.

[@HuntersVermin]

@jared12511 they are about £900 pounds here in the UK, not the cheapest air rifle but they are very good. Have a look for Theoben USA on the web.

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@queenlilly74 Yes apparently spots on their liver is a sign that they have myxomatosis, but if they have no spots then they are healthy to eat.

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@rwmerlot777 I always try and find a use for what i shoot, weather thats food for myself or my pets or crow bait for a hunt at another time.

[@HuntersVermin]

@hellrazer198 Sometimes to get a shot its easier to sit and wait near their hole for them to come out to feed, instead of trying to stalk them.

[@HuntersVermin]

@treeratbuster Thanks, glad you enjoyed them, i'm probably nearer Antrim than anything. and yes the mixxy is starting to show its ugly head again.

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@dil651 Thank you, i'm not sure of the fps of my BSA but its putting out about 14ft/lbs of energy with an AirArms field pellet of about 15grs.

[@HuntersVermin]

@daveawebber Thanks for the 10, glad you enjoyed it. If you look up my other video (my air rifles 2010) you'l get a better look at the guns i use.

[@HuntersVermin]

@huntertrapperfisher1 I think thats a little too low for rabbits, as the air rifles we use in the UK are putting out 785fps in .177cal.

[@HuntersVermin]

@MattyCons59 Hi ya, any of the UK guns of around 12ft/lbs energy has more than enough power to cleanly knock over a rabbit at 30 yards.

[@HuntersVermin]

@Bigoldlumax Thank you, i make the pellet holder from an old boot, and hopefully it will be in a magazine article some of these months.

[@HuntersVermin]

@alpha2p Sounds great, i'd like to see what one off those little .17 bullets will do to an unsuspecting bunny. thanks for the comment.

[@HuntersVermin]

@markibanez10 Its hard to beat a nice warm sunny evening even in the winter if the suns out the rabbits will be out to get warmed up.

[@HuntersVermin]

@spinosmen Usually about 780fps is enough to hunt with in .177cal so 1000fps will be plenty with a well placed head or heart shot.

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@UNDEADcountry If your not sure then don't give the birds to them. My cats will only eat rabbits and wont touch pigeons or magpies.

[@HuntersVermin]

@leekk70 Thanks,People seem to have forgot about the .22mag with the newer .17hmr on the market, but it still puts away the bunnys.

[@HuntersVermin]

@pearsy2312 Yeah i really should start doing that more often as it will help stop may game bag getting messed up as well.

[@HuntersVermin]

@bikechris13 It is a pcp powered air rifle, powered by high pressure air, which i fill from a deep sea divers scuba tank.

[@HuntersVermin]

@ramal16 Hi ya, i have a JVC GZ-MG 330, its a hard drive model and i'm very pleased with it. Thanks for the nice comment.

[@HuntersVermin]

@colinjohnj Well how are ya, ya boy oh. I don't know about being a pro but i'm glad you liked it. Take care and GOD BLESS.

[@HuntersVermin]

@ploetzlich30 Thank you, yeah those bisley magnum pellets can really knock them off their feet at times, glad you liked it.

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@setanta1954 Good to hear from someone else from N.I. And i'm glad you,ve enjoyed the vids. Keep her lit ya boy oh.

[@HuntersVermin]

@ilovealexhegarty Thanks, and as you say it doesn't matter what you use so long as you have fun and do the job right.

[@HuntersVermin]

@rosslj Thanks, its a bushnell scout 1000, it seems to do the job well enough for all the short ranges i use it at.

[@HuntersVermin]

Yeah it can be a bit messy but some fellas are really good at it and have them skinned and gutted in no time.

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Yes thats right so long as you have the land owners permission and you have a good reason to be shooting them.

[@HuntersVermin]

@ghilliemaster21 I don't know if they sale this air rifle in America but £900 pound works out at $1435 Dollars.

[@HuntersVermin]

@parker1751 Sorry no it costs a lot more than that, as its running at about £900 pound in the UK at present.

[@HuntersVermin]

@Mightylite94 Hy, my theoben MFR is firring a 21 grain round head Bisley Magnum pellet at about 832fps.

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@96georgey I have two videos on how to clean and cook a rabbit that you could look at on my channel.

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@crushaments Thats very good, i've never shot squirrels as there isn't that many about where i live.

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@mvgmml I am using a .22cal 30ft/lb Theoben MFR and they cost about £900 pounds from Theoben Ltd.

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@LuaiGhazali Well i wouldn't say i was a professional, but i'm glad you enjoyed them, Thank you.

[@HuntersVermin]

Yes some of the places i have permission to shoot over are very beautiful but i don't own them.

[@ceerious]

i have a gamo whisper .22 its a pretty good pellet rifle...i hunt squirrels..all 1 shot kills

[@HuntersVermin]

No not really but sometimes they give me a few pounds towards the cost of the ammo i use.

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@JakeandEd30 Thank you, maybe i should put up my own website with my hunting videos on it.

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@adamjonathanbell Its a .22cal Theoben MFR, PCP powered air rifle, with 30ft/lb of energy.

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@jkira69 Unfortunately not, but some times people give me a few pound towards the pellets.

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@rabbitphobia Oh goodness on, i think my wife would have a fit if she thought that.

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@Trevody Ahh I just have plenty of time to practice a lot. Glad you enjoyed the vid.