Hunting, tips

**Crazed Rabbit** · 12-21-2010, 03:48

Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger

EOTechs, Aimpoints, and other red dot sights are built for fast reaction, combat-style shooting. While you certainly could hunt with one, I'm not sure it would offer very much benefit over iron sights in that role as it has no magnification. You would also be paying a very large premium for mil-spec durability that is not necessary in the vast majority of hunting situations and not much more.

For $500 you can get a very good hunting scope with multiple magnification settings so that it can be used in a wide variety of applications.

I'm not planning on hunting. The primary use would be range shooting and quick shooting competitions.

The nice folks behind the counter mounted the optic on my rifle and let me try looking through. They're so much better than iron sights.

In terms of hunting, I don't know how much the quick acquisition would be worth versus magnifying power, though I think for some types of game (birds, other fast moving, close animals) it'd be quite useful.

CR

**PanzerJaeger** · 12-21-2010, 09:55

Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

I'm not planning on hunting. The primary use would be range shooting and quick shooting competitions.

The nice folks behind the counter mounted the optic on my rifle and let me try looking through. They're so much better than iron sights.

That is my favorite type of shooting. What kind of rifle? An ar of some type?

**Fragony** · 12-21-2010, 10:47

Ever hunted with crossbow PJ? Although I suspect selfish motivations CR was right, air rifle won't always kill it and they die horribly of blood poisining, hunters here call it 'shooting them sick' and it won't win me any popularity contest. Crossbows pack a punch though, some even have scopes and laser-sights so I take it they got good enough range.

**PanzerJaeger** · 12-21-2010, 12:41

I have not hunted with a crossbow, but it is essentially a compound bow tilted to the side with a stock added. It is powerful enough to hunt pretty much anything that will not hunt you back (I wouldn't go out after bear or anything dangerous without a backup firearm and preferably a partner), so it would be plenty powerful to destroy a rabbit. As a bonus, it would also serve as a limited home defense weapon, considering the restrictive gun laws you seem to be under.

Again though, you will not be able to hit a running rabbit with it, and I've never experienced rabbits that are approachable in the wild. They are far more perceptive to dangers than deer and other game animals around here. But if they are different over there as you say, then have fun! (Also check your local laws to make sure you can hunt such small game with a crossbow. Just because it is legal to own doesn't mean you can hunt all game animals with it.)

**Fragony** · 12-21-2010, 14:08

Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger

I have not hunted with a crossbow, but it is essentially a compound bow tilted to the side with a stock added. It is powerful enough to hunt pretty much anything that will not hunt you back (I wouldn't go out after bear or anything dangerous without a backup firearm and preferably a partner), so it would be plenty powerful to destroy a rabbit. As a bonus, it would also serve as a limited home defense weapon, considering the restrictive gun laws you seem to be under.

Again though, you will not be able to hit a running rabbit with it, and I've never experienced rabbits that are approachable in the wild. They are far more perceptive to dangers than deer and other game animals around here. But if they are different over there as you say, then have fun! (Also check your local laws to make sure you can hunt such small game with a crossbow. Just because it is legal to own doesn't mean you can hunt all game animals with it.)

Our rabbits are ijjits, deers are really cautious

**Vuk** · 12-21-2010, 15:31

Yeah, even in the wild, it is not that hard to sneak up close enough to a rabbit to take a good shot. I personally do not shoot moving animals (with the exceptions of birds, squirrels, and chipmunks), because you are not assured a clean kill. It is really disturbing to shoot an animal's leg off and then chase it down and drill it full of holes as it is writhing on the ground. I have seen someone do that to a rabbit with his .22. After hitting it in the rear leg he shot the thing in the guts a bunch of times. That is a very painful, brutal way to go, and it is much better for you and the animal to finish it off with a clean shot to the head or other vitals.

**Fragony** · 12-21-2010, 15:58

That's what I want to avoid, 'the wild' isn't really the right expression here though, more like the number of trees between traffic-signs, 'wild rabbits' can even be found just out of the centre of Amsterdam and I don't mean bunnies, they got some disease last year though was pretty sad to see that, completely helpless.

edit, what's up with this? http://www.quackenbushairguns.com/ And that wouldn't scratch a rabbit?