Hunting, tips

[Fragony]

Decided I needed to do something with my life so I'm going to kill things that are smaller than me. Rabbits sounds good. I got a recurve bow but would get hurt, last time I made a shot with it the string slapped my wrist and it hurt really bad. So air-rifles it is. Where do you shoot them, I want them dead before they feel it. At what time can you shoot them, and more general tips like don't aim at cops. Noob advice please.

[HoreTore]

Come with me to the Norwegian side of the swedish border and hunt boars! They're blacklisted, so they're free to hunt all year long and no charge!

[Gregoshi]

...and no charge!

Wimpy boars if they don't charge.

[Tuuvi]

Get an arm guard and it will protect your wrist from the slap of the bowstring so you can use your bow too.

[Hax]

A right-winger and a pseudo-communist together in east Norway, just the two of them with nobody around?

Hilarity ensues.

[Sarmatian]

Decided I needed to do something with my life so I'm going to kill things that are smaller than me. Rabbits sounds good. I got a recurve bow but would get hurt, last time I made a shot with it the string slapped my wrist and it hurt really bad. So air-rifles it is. Where do you shoot them, I want them dead before they feel it. At what time can you shoot them, and more general tips like don't aim at cops. Noob advice please.

Laws are different from country to country, you should check your own laws when it comes to rabbits. Rabbits and other smaller animals are usually hunted with shotguns. They're small, quick and agile it's not easy to hit them and they're fragile enough to be killed instantly with shotguns. If you want to hunt bigger game, like boars Horetore mentioned, don't use shotguns.

You wanna go with someone more experienced first few times. If you don't know anything about rabbits or hunting and want to use air rifle, in all likelyhood you'll only catch a cold.

[HoreTore]

A right-winger and a pseudo-communist together in east Norway, just the two of them with nobody around?

Hilarity ensues.

I smell a sitcom!

[Fragony]

Laws are different from country to country, you should check your own laws when it comes to rabbits. Rabbits and other smaller animals are usually hunted with shotguns. They're small, quick and agile it's not easy to hit them and they're fragile enough to be killed instantly with shotguns. If you want to hunt bigger game, like boars Horetore mentioned, don't use shotguns.

You wanna go with someone more experienced first few times. If you don't know anything about rabbits or hunting and want to use air rifle, in all likelyhood you'll only catch a cold.

Why? Rabbits are basicly everwhere. I am a really poor shot with a bow, I don't have the fortitude to keep my bow focused, will hit target on 20 or 30 meters but no more. A bow is incredibly deadly in the right hands but I suck at it. Air rifle seems very convenient, but does it have enough power, boars are really dangerous

[Beskar]

A right-winger and a pseudo-communist together in east Norway, just the two of them with nobody around?

Hilarity ensues.

Does it star a guess appearance of Dick Cheney?

[Devastatin Dave]

A 4-10 shotgun worked best for me when i use to hunt rabbit. I prefer killing targets. I respect hunters but I hate seeing the dead eyes of the life i took.

[Fragony]

Can't have those shotguns, crossbows handbows and airguns are fine. Not sure if I want to kill anything I'll probably miss. But I'm infinately fascinated by the possibility to actually hit with precision when you have gotten everything right, the tech behind it, and if I do hit I'm going to eat it. Shooting a deer is a stretch to far, but ducks and rabbits are really tasty and I eat them anyway. Also eat deer but couldn't shoot them

[Crazed Rabbit]

Seriously, go with someone experienced. And it goes without saying that there are likely areas (forests, etc) where it is legal to hunt, and doing so in other places can be legally hazardous.

I can't say much else because I've never really hunted; though one time when target shooting in northern Idaho woods some prairie dogs (or something similar) were walking around...

CR

[PanzerJaeger]

Unless you are an extraordinarily good shot, you will not be able to hit a running rabbit with a pellet gun. And unlike prairie dogs and other varmints that can be hunted from a long range with a scoped rifle, rabbits always use cover, so using a stand or trying to sneak up from a distance (especially with a pellet gun) are not viable options.

The way it is done around here is with dogs (to get them running towards you) and shotguns (to widen your field of accurate fire). Even then, I have found it to be nothing but frustrating. Does anything else interest you? If you can make it across the pond, the big game hunting in America and Canada is great and not as pricy as Africa or as dangerous as Russia.

If you are intent on hunting wabbits, I would definitely invest in a shotgun, and take that shotgun to a range routinely for a couple of weeks before you even tried it in the field. Many skeet ranges have a 'rabbit' option, which is a flat circular skeet that rolls across the ground instead of flying through air. Until you can hit that, reliably, don't even bother going out. Also, I would recommend getting hooked up with a guide, preferably running dogs. Going out alone for your first time will likely turn out to be nothing more than a nature hike.

Good luck! Hunting is great fun with a gun, second only to CQB training in my book.

[Fragony]

Need no guide, find rabbit, shoot it, pick it up, buy onions carrots and wine. Could catch them by hand chasing them. But shooting is cool, want to make it ramboesque

[Tellos Athenaios]

Check that you're actually allowed to “kill things that are smaller than [you]”. Far as I know the law here takes a dim view of hunting for sport without proper paperworks.

[Husar]

rabbits always use cover

Crazed Rabbits also shoot back!

[Sarmatian]

Need no guide, find rabbit, shoot it, pick it up, buy onions carrots and wine. Could catch them by hand chasing them. But shooting is cool, want to make it ramboesque

Ok, I have 10 euros here that says Frags isn't gonna catch anything. Anyone?

Seriosly Frag, there are almost no chance you're gonna hit a wabbit with an airgun. They're sneaksy and they jump around.

[gaelic cowboy]

Could catch them by hand chasing them

If you can do this then the rabbit is sick probably with Myxomatosis

[Gregoshi]

How do you catch a rabbit by hand? You gwabbit.

Thank you! Thank you!

How do you kill a rabbit with an air gun? You Frag it.

Oh! I got a million of 'em!

[Fragony]

Check that you're actually allowed to ?kill things that are smaller than [you]?. Far as I know the law here takes a dim view of hunting for sport without proper paperworks.

Guy lives in the middle the woods police don't come there, but might have to check that out. Too cold now anyway.

Found a nice online shop where they sell airguns. 130 euro for a 4.5 scoped one, 400 m/s sounds pretty powerful and it looks really cool. A shame you need a permit for the powder types.

@Sarmatarian they hop around as close as 5 meters, maybe we have really dumb rabbits. Maybe I should get a crossbow instead as I want to grow towards using my bow. Dart should take them out.

[Tellos Athenaios]

@Sarmatarian they hop around as close as 5 meters, maybe we have really dumb rabbits. Maybe I should get a crossbow instead as I want to grow towards using my bow. Dart should take them out.

On the other hand: they can move faster than cats, and cats are faster than Usain Bolt. So unless you plan to go really slow and are lucky to have a rabbit sit that long in a single spot enjoying his dinner show, it might not be so easy.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Fragony, old bean, it appears that your country has rather strict laws on hunting and these include rabbit. It also seems to be the case that air rifles are not permitted weapons for hunting.

I think you would do well to join a hunting group, pass your licence and perhaps learn to shoot pheasant first. As well as a fine day out, they make very good eating.

[Fragony]

The Netherlands has strict laws on everything doesn't mean I should naturally oblige every petty rule tofu-munching city-folks cook up. Screw the laws too many of them to keep track. Besides I got night-goggles police doesn't, they will never catch us way too dark.

[Vuk]

lol Frags, seriously man, you better off obeying the law. There is a reason that you are not allowed to hunt with an air rifle...it is not humane. Animals are tough, and can take a pretty lot of holes in them if you do not know what you are doing.
They are right that it is easier to use a shotgun for rabbits, but me, I prefer a rifle. All you need is something small like a .223 (I use the mini 14). Practice on still targets until you are good enough to to snap a 2" at 50 yards, and you should have no problem hitting a rabbit. It is actually not that hard to come upon one while they are standing still if you walk quietly.
The mini14 is cheap to shoot, but if you want something cheaper, a common .22 would work fine also.
There is a reason for making you take gun training BTW Frags, without it you could end up having someone's death on your hands. In the US it used to be that everyone knew how to shoot, and fathers taught their sons (in my case, my dad was also an expert marksman in the Marines :P). It is not the case anymore, and no offense, but an inexperienced person is more likely to hurt themselves or their friend than actually kill game.
Seriously, it is the best way to go.
Also, may I ask what you plan on doing with this rabbit after you kill it? Do you know how to field dress an animal? Skin it? etc.
That is why it is best to first hunt with an experienced individual who can show you how to do all these things.

[Banquo's Ghost]

The Netherlands has strict laws on everything doesn't mean I should naturally oblige every petty rule tofu-munching city-folks cook up. Screw the laws too many of them to keep track. Besides I got night-goggles police doesn't, they will never catch us way too dark.

Well, I can't speak for the Netherlands but a good deal of hunting law is made and enforced by country people. You're the one sounding like a city-slicker.

The attitude expressed above is not that of a hunter, but a poacher. Just as well that you won't take that view on any land of mine, as it wouldn't be the rabbit that gets shot.

There is a reason for making you take gun training BTW Frags, without it you could end up having someone's death on your hands. In the US it used to be that everyone knew how to shoot, and fathers taught their sons (in my case, my dad was also an expert marksman in the Marines :P). It is not the case anymore, and no offense, but an inexperienced person is more likely to hurt themselves or their friend than actually kill game.
Seriously, it is the best way to go.
Also, may I ask what you plan on doing with this rabbit after you kill it? Do you know how to field dress an animal? Skin it? etc.
That is why it is best to first hunt with an experienced individual who can show you how to do all these things.

Very wise words, Vuk.

[Fragony]

Poaching is the same thing but without a licence what's the difference, not going to shoot any unicorns just a rabbit with an airgun, and eat it mother nature will survive. Friend of mine knows how to clean it

[Vuk]

[drone]

Could catch them by hand chasing them

If you can do this then the rabbit is sick probably with Myxomatosis

Watch, and learn.

[Slyspy]

I've been led to believe that a dark night, a low powered rifle and a high powered torch are the best things for hunting rabbits. Plus any necessary licenses and permissions of course.

[Tellos Athenaios]

I've been led to believe that as far as Pheasant goes, raisins (or whatever it was) stuffed with crushed sleeping tablets (I think) it is. But that might be a fiction.