Many of you would've seen the post a couple of weeks back of my exploits at a huge property about 100kms north of my home town.
I decided I needed to do a recon of the larger area at the back of the property and this time asked a mate from Sydney to join me.
He arrived around 12:30pm yesterday afternoon in his short-wheelbase Mitsubishi Pajero and we finally got out there around 2:30.
I should say I basically disapprove of Pajeros but I have to give it to this little 4x4.
It handles like a LandRover Shorty or even perhaps a Willys Jeep because it's so short and it's likable in a funny kind of way.
Even the modified exhaust, which is straight through from the catalytic convertor back, had a familiar burble so it was fun.
I took my Sportco Martini Hornet and 303/25 as I figured they'd take care of anything we saw.
My friend has become a fan of H&R/NEF rifles so he took his 17HMR Sportster, his 44 Mag "Shikari" as well as his latest nice piece, a Steyr Prohunter in 308 Win topped with a Kahles 2.5-10x40 scope.
We started by trying one of the ravines where I'd nailed the fox last time but it was a little early in the afternoon and aside of scaring a couple of rabbits and putting another fox to his heels we were had no success.
So we then headed to the very back end of the property which runs along a creek.
There were signs of rabbits and like all the way but we didn't stop until we reached far enough to do some walk up bunny hunting.
Soon enough we found 2 small fields against the river with blackberries dotted all around them and rabbits aplenty so we sat up on the hill and waited for the rabbits to come out.
Sure enough, they were there, and my mate bemoaned that he had his 17HMR and not his 204 Ruger Handirifle which was, of course, at home in safe.
Meanwhile I was thinking that the 4x32 scope on the Hornet was suddenly VERY deficient.
And then 2 little half grown rabbits so we took aim.
Mine ran just before I shot but my mate thumped his properly........only to see a young fox emerge from the blackberries behind it!!
I wasn't really thinking but came to soon enough to keep whistling while my mate took aim and, boom, the fox was kicking in the grass.
And here's a pic:
BTW, my mate, because of his job, prefers to remain anonymous so they aren't just shoddy photos!
So the count was on.
My mate was racking them up with a vengeance and soon his count was 7 rabbits.
I, on the other hand, was not having a good afternoon.
Rested, offhand, even prone......I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn!
I just missed one rabbit and he'll have a very cold behind until the fur grows back but I became pretty despondent pretty quick.
We made it into a really large field and had a look along the creek before walking up to higher ground when a dark shape broke cover and ran across the field.
It was a pig!
Well, both of our rifles went up and my mate fired, followed by myself.
He said he thought he'd hit it but I was cynical and besides, the 17HMR was just likely to wound it even though it was small.
If it had gone down it would be mine, not that we thought that it was down.
But when my mate went to look along the fence line right there lay a small brown and black spotted sow with a bullet wound and lot of blood.
Well, then the debate began.......22 Hornet or 17 HMR?
Both of us were using VMax bullets and both had fired.
We cut her open and looked for the bullet but even when I saw it I was skeptical as a varmint bullet is designed to fragment.
But after a wash in the creek the base of the bullet spelt it out too clearly......the 17 had taken it!
So hows this.....a small sow taken at 70yds with a running shot using a cheap 17 HMR single shot!
My aim with the Hornet did not improve on the way back but my mate's, if anything heightened, perhaps by the excitement.
It had been his first pig and an astounding shot.
And so it was with this setting that he pulled off yet another amazing piece of marksmanship.
High up on the side of a valley we were peering down onto one of the rabbit infested meadows and despite the distance decided to sit down and have a go.
I used the 17HMR this time but my confidence must've been in tatters as I was no better.
I my friend however spotted a small baby rabbit where the red dot is in the pic below.
It was at least 200yds if not more and there was a continual breeze through the valley so it was a difficult enough shot for a 223 and a very edgy one for the little 17HMR.
My friend is usually a good shot but yesterday he was on fire and so the 17 HMR found it's mark.
We then headed back to the vehicle and not to be outdone, my mate grabbed the Shikari and a few rounds and returned a short while later with a rabbit he had......skinned......using it.
One thing is for certain - 44 Magnums are not kind to bunnies, as the pic below shows!
I decided it was time to change guns and pulled out my 303/25.
It always delivers and the higher powered scope is a bit better on stuff.
After some dinner we managed to get the Pajero into some interesting places and it's short wheelbase really made the difference although my friend assured me my Nissan Patrol would also have done them with ease.
We headed out across some of the bigger fields armed with the spotlight in the hope of more pigs but soon found foxes.
We used the whistle but the first one seem more alarmed than attracted and headed off but at no great pace.
The second had been feeding on my mate's pig and stuck his head up.
My first shot just missed but I changed to a better stance and he copped a Sierra 90gr HPBT in his chest from the 303/25 for his trouble.
We then headed back through the meadows full of rabbits and I began to settle into things.
This half grown rabbit @40yds did not even feel the shot, although it turned a complete somersault!
Of course, he wasn't any good for eating.
Another rabbit about 80yds away fell to a shot that taken with my back against the Pajero and a third about the same distance away fell to a blissful offhand shot where everything just came together.
I stood relaxed, put the cross hairs on him and simply squeezed until gun fired and the muzzle lifted in a completely natural movement.
My mate went on to bag another 2 rabbits with his Steyr and so when we left around 1am the tally was 15 - 13 rabbits, 2 foxes and 1 pig.
For obvious reasons I plan on getting back out there as soon as I can.
There are definitely more pigs there and the casual nature of the foxes and bunnies makes it like shooting fish in a barrel.
As far as gun troubles the general concensus is that the Hornet was shooting high and I think it needs a new scope.
My mate has a Bushnell 3-9x he'll give me for $50 so I'm going to score that off him and pop it on the Hornet in some higher rings.
I decided I needed to do a recon of the larger area at the back of the property and this time asked a mate from Sydney to join me.
He arrived around 12:30pm yesterday afternoon in his short-wheelbase Mitsubishi Pajero and we finally got out there around 2:30.
I should say I basically disapprove of Pajeros but I have to give it to this little 4x4.
It handles like a LandRover Shorty or even perhaps a Willys Jeep because it's so short and it's likable in a funny kind of way.
Even the modified exhaust, which is straight through from the catalytic convertor back, had a familiar burble so it was fun.
I took my Sportco Martini Hornet and 303/25 as I figured they'd take care of anything we saw.
My friend has become a fan of H&R/NEF rifles so he took his 17HMR Sportster, his 44 Mag "Shikari" as well as his latest nice piece, a Steyr Prohunter in 308 Win topped with a Kahles 2.5-10x40 scope.
We started by trying one of the ravines where I'd nailed the fox last time but it was a little early in the afternoon and aside of scaring a couple of rabbits and putting another fox to his heels we were had no success.
So we then headed to the very back end of the property which runs along a creek.
There were signs of rabbits and like all the way but we didn't stop until we reached far enough to do some walk up bunny hunting.
Soon enough we found 2 small fields against the river with blackberries dotted all around them and rabbits aplenty so we sat up on the hill and waited for the rabbits to come out.
Sure enough, they were there, and my mate bemoaned that he had his 17HMR and not his 204 Ruger Handirifle which was, of course, at home in safe.
Meanwhile I was thinking that the 4x32 scope on the Hornet was suddenly VERY deficient.
And then 2 little half grown rabbits so we took aim.
Mine ran just before I shot but my mate thumped his properly........only to see a young fox emerge from the blackberries behind it!!
I wasn't really thinking but came to soon enough to keep whistling while my mate took aim and, boom, the fox was kicking in the grass.
And here's a pic:
BTW, my mate, because of his job, prefers to remain anonymous so they aren't just shoddy photos!
So the count was on.
My mate was racking them up with a vengeance and soon his count was 7 rabbits.
I, on the other hand, was not having a good afternoon.
Rested, offhand, even prone......I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn!
I just missed one rabbit and he'll have a very cold behind until the fur grows back but I became pretty despondent pretty quick.
We made it into a really large field and had a look along the creek before walking up to higher ground when a dark shape broke cover and ran across the field.
It was a pig!
Well, both of our rifles went up and my mate fired, followed by myself.
He said he thought he'd hit it but I was cynical and besides, the 17HMR was just likely to wound it even though it was small.
If it had gone down it would be mine, not that we thought that it was down.
But when my mate went to look along the fence line right there lay a small brown and black spotted sow with a bullet wound and lot of blood.
Well, then the debate began.......22 Hornet or 17 HMR?
Both of us were using VMax bullets and both had fired.
We cut her open and looked for the bullet but even when I saw it I was skeptical as a varmint bullet is designed to fragment.
But after a wash in the creek the base of the bullet spelt it out too clearly......the 17 had taken it!
So hows this.....a small sow taken at 70yds with a running shot using a cheap 17 HMR single shot!
My aim with the Hornet did not improve on the way back but my mate's, if anything heightened, perhaps by the excitement.
It had been his first pig and an astounding shot.
And so it was with this setting that he pulled off yet another amazing piece of marksmanship.
High up on the side of a valley we were peering down onto one of the rabbit infested meadows and despite the distance decided to sit down and have a go.
I used the 17HMR this time but my confidence must've been in tatters as I was no better.
I my friend however spotted a small baby rabbit where the red dot is in the pic below.
It was at least 200yds if not more and there was a continual breeze through the valley so it was a difficult enough shot for a 223 and a very edgy one for the little 17HMR.
My friend is usually a good shot but yesterday he was on fire and so the 17 HMR found it's mark.
We then headed back to the vehicle and not to be outdone, my mate grabbed the Shikari and a few rounds and returned a short while later with a rabbit he had......skinned......using it.
One thing is for certain - 44 Magnums are not kind to bunnies, as the pic below shows!
I decided it was time to change guns and pulled out my 303/25.
It always delivers and the higher powered scope is a bit better on stuff.
After some dinner we managed to get the Pajero into some interesting places and it's short wheelbase really made the difference although my friend assured me my Nissan Patrol would also have done them with ease.
We headed out across some of the bigger fields armed with the spotlight in the hope of more pigs but soon found foxes.
We used the whistle but the first one seem more alarmed than attracted and headed off but at no great pace.
The second had been feeding on my mate's pig and stuck his head up.
My first shot just missed but I changed to a better stance and he copped a Sierra 90gr HPBT in his chest from the 303/25 for his trouble.
We then headed back through the meadows full of rabbits and I began to settle into things.
This half grown rabbit @40yds did not even feel the shot, although it turned a complete somersault!
Of course, he wasn't any good for eating.
Another rabbit about 80yds away fell to a shot that taken with my back against the Pajero and a third about the same distance away fell to a blissful offhand shot where everything just came together.
I stood relaxed, put the cross hairs on him and simply squeezed until gun fired and the muzzle lifted in a completely natural movement.
My mate went on to bag another 2 rabbits with his Steyr and so when we left around 1am the tally was 15 - 13 rabbits, 2 foxes and 1 pig.
For obvious reasons I plan on getting back out there as soon as I can.
There are definitely more pigs there and the casual nature of the foxes and bunnies makes it like shooting fish in a barrel.
As far as gun troubles the general concensus is that the Hornet was shooting high and I think it needs a new scope.
My mate has a Bushnell 3-9x he'll give me for $50 so I'm going to score that off him and pop it on the Hornet in some higher rings.
