Mixenden

Last week, while working (on a Sunday) I got a phone call from Jim

"The rabbits are back in numbers again, can you come remove a few again?"

Well, a week past, and I managed to grab an hour out with the rifle, so took a trip to a local farm.

I parked the 4x4 in the yard, and headed straight into the Heather covered hillside. There's plenty of cover, and a few open spaces, as I approached the 1st clear patch, I saw 2 young rabbits, so I picked my target, and squeezed the trigger

The tiny bunny rolled onto its side, and lay dead without a kick of its legs.

The other one dived for cover, so I moved to the next patch, and there was 1 young rabbit sat feeding.

The bunny leapt into the air, landed with a thud, and lay dead.

I then headed to a large rock pile, where I've had many rabbits in the past. Under a large bush were 3 young rabbits.

Once again I chose my target, just as I was about to shoot, it hopped out of view, so I re-aimed at 1 of the others.

I clicked my tongue, and it sat bolt upright

She rolled down the steep banking, and came to rest at a large rock. The other rabbit sat tight next to a low branch that almost touched the ground.

I steadied my breathing, and gently took my shot

He jumped in the air, cleared the low branch and rolled down the banking to his sister.

I collected #3 & #4 and once again I set off around the land. I headed to the large Nettle patch, where an adult rabbit was feeding.

I crept closer, using the banking as cover so I could get within range.

As I peered over the ridge, he spotted me, thumped his hind foot and ran for cover in the Nettle patch warren.

His foot thump made another rabbit run for cover too, 1 I hadn't spotted, but she made the fatal mistake of stopping on the edge of the Nettle patch.

I aimed my rifle, and squeezed the trigger.

She rolled onto her side and lay still without a kick of a leg. I crept closer, and checked with my rifle scope, as I wasn't sure if she'd just sat tight or had been killed. When I picked her up, she was the largest rabbit I'd ever shot.

When I got home I weighed her, she was 5lb 0oz and heavily lactating but not pregnant)

On the way back to my motor I checked the small field across from the farmhouse gate.

2 adult rabbits were sat in the open, so I made my way a little closer, and took my shot.

He set off running, and stopped about 10 yards away, I scoped him again, he had his rear to me, but wasn't moving, I took a step to the side, and he set off running again. This time he was running in circles, and becoming very unsteady on his feet. After what seemed an age (but was probably only 10 seconds) of him getting dizzy, he collapsed and lay dead.

I'll be returning again soon, to reduce them even more.