So the last two evenings I've been up the road onto our own field to sort out the rabbits there which have multiplied enormously over the last few years. Ten years ago you would only see the occasional rabbit up there, now you have a good chance of seeing well over twenty out feeding at any one time.
So the first evening I went up late with the red cree torch (still waiting for the final lens for my DIY NV). Forty minutes walking round the field I had six rabbits (three adults and three youngsters). It was interesting to see that the rabbits could detect the red light but badgers were completely oblivious to it. At one point I walked up on a badger and got to within three feet of it before it knew I was there. On the field at the moment we have the local farmers sheep and he has a set of gates in a square to house the feed. Walking up to this there were three badgers scoffing as much as they could get. I personally don't mind badgers but the amount of damage they do round here is quite amazing as there numbers have dramatically increased in recent years.
Didn't have the camera this time as it was an impromptu trip.
Then yesterday evening I decided to pop up again but earlier so that I could sit in ambush. On arriving there at 8pm I had to change my choice of ambush point due to the wind direction and so concentrated on the top road corner.
Set up the chair and camo net as well as putting out a lump of cow parsley to mark my 30 yd zero.
Earlier there had been about ten rabbits feeding up in this corner but I needed to wait a while for the first rabbit to appear. Unfortunately it came out to my right, proceeded to bound towards me a stop briefly two yards away before dashing over to the hedge by the road and stopping ten yards away presenting a shot that could not be taken due to the angle leading to the road. So this one had to be left.
Whilst watching this rabbit I became aware of a crunching sound and realised that the sheep had moved in and one had just eaten my 30 yard marker! Thankfully a stretch of the legs persuaded the sheep to move down the field out of harms way.
The wind was a bit chilly and it was a while before bunnies started to appear and over the next hour or so I managed to take out six with just one hurried miss. Theses ranged from 20 to 35 yards and were rabbits of various sizes.
Later on to my right I caught some movement in the failing light and spied a fox trotting towards me, I carefully tried to get a picture as he came within six yards of my position but he heard the camera zoom and scarpered.
Decided to call it an evening, based on the conditions of the rabbits I decided to keep one for ourselves, a couple of small ones for the ferrets and the other three were left for the foxes.
Regards
Chris
