Highseats - more than one rifle?

karlbird

Well-Known Member
Random thought - recently I have spent numerous nights up a highseat waiting for a fox or deer, watching rabbits and squirrels bounding around under me. It made me wonder whether anyone takes more than one gun up there (such as an air rifle or 22LR) - a 243/308 would most likely disturb anything else, but I doubt the smaller calibres would?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
 
Ive thought of brining the 22lr think the only problem would be the messing around switching over rifles if you have a deer show itself close
 
Random thought - recently I have spent numerous nights up a highseat waiting for a fox or deer, watching rabbits and squirrels bounding around under me. It made me wonder whether anyone takes more than one gun up there (such as an air rifle or 22LR) - a 243/308 would most likely disturb anything else, but I doubt the smaller calibres would?

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Unless asked not to then when in my high seats any fox who is in range gets a hole in it, on the one or two days we travel to shoot Fallow they are first on the list as is often the case you might get one chance in the whole day.

When out foxing I don't waste my time or rounds shooting rabbits with a .243. When out after rabbits I just take the .22

If you want to cure the boredom of waiting for a deer then open the flask, roll a fag (if you smoke) or text your mate as that is normally the time a deer will walk out.


Tim.243
 
I often carry two rifles. As well as a deer calibre, I carry either a short barrelled .22 rimfire or a .177 carbine HW100 air rifle especially if I'm going to be sat in a seat for hours where there a few deer. The air rifle is often the best option as it allows for shooting into trees. Squirrels, rabbits, crows, pigeons, etc can all pass the time whilst waiting for a deer! The noise is minor and doesn't seem to bother the deer. I've even been in the middle of shooting a load of rabbits with the rimfire when a fallow doe (out of season) walked up the ride towards me to see what was going on!
MS
 
never done it .often thought about it .possibly a good father son/daughter combo ??and good training for a youngster !
Norma
 
in my experience if you take two rifles and try and do two jobs at once you will end up doing a half baked job on both and never really settling down and dealing with the task in hand the same can be said when out lamping, many people will go out after rabbits and take a "big rifle" just incase they see a fox but buy time they dig in around the back of the truck to find the fox gun the fox has generaly gone with the rabbits two
 
Thanks guys.

MS - thank you, the area I am thinking of so rarely presents a deer/fox that passing the time is a good way to maintain enthusiasm to go. It is good to know it works and isn't as silly an idea as i thought it might.

Sir-lamp-alot makes a valid point, I have seen this lamping numerous times but now have a system - driver/lamper (usually me) has a 243 out but out of the way whilst the main shooter has something smaller - a job that takes a few seconds to switch lamp man should a fox need taking care of.
 
regularly take a .22lr with me when stalking
one ground had hundreds of grey squirrels

mine is a bolt action, short barrel and quiet enough not to disturb anything even if I shoot it mid stalk/walk
 
I always carry a shotgun with me when stalking, and often take a rifle when out with the shotgun.
 
I regularly take my 12.5 inch barrelled .22lr out when I'm in my highseat with either the 243 or 308. It has a Vortex PST on it so I spend the time waiting for fox/deer by picking off rabbits or pigeons out to about 130m or so. Definitely whiles away the time and doesn't seem to affect the deer or foxes that sometimes pass by.
 
Usually take a 22 along for the ride on my own ground, with a little tinkering to the high seat, storage and access to both is a safe easy task.
 
never done it .often thought about it .possibly a good father son/daughter combo ??and good training for a youngster !
Norma
That's exactly how my lad started! He used to carry an Air Arms S200 behind me whilst I stalked deer. If something smaller came up I would step aside and he'd deal with it. At 14 he then started carrying the .22 rimfire behind me, but that's when I became more of a rifle bearer than a stalker! If something small came up, I'd step aside and he'd shoot it with the .22. If a deer came up, we'd then swap rifles and he'd shoot the deer with the 25.06! It was the same deal up a high seat! I wondered if I'd ever pull the trigger again! He's 16 now though and safe enough to go off on his own. You'll meet him soon as he's going to be on the same team as you!;) As you suggested, it's the perfect way to get a youngster started.
MS
 
Multitasking - defined as doing many things at the same time, usually doing it them all badly.
I think it can also be very productive!
I sat up a seat in a wood one evening where I get paid to contract cull deer. I saw no deer but watched 5 rabbits slip through the dead hedge (deer protection) and demolish several coppiced stools. Next visit I took the .22LR as well. I still saw no deer, but managed to get 5 rabbits - 2 were 100+ yards assisted by the rangefinder! Very productive and great fun on an otherwise dull evening. Multitasking at its best!
If on foot, I sometimes carry a 16" barrel CZ .22 on my left shoulder and a little Steyr Scout in 7mmx08 on my right shoulder. Both are very light and they cover most bases.
MS
 
My drilling with a .22 hornet insert in one of the shotgun tubes is my most carried hunting firearm. 7x57r + .22 hornet + 16G sorts most things out, of course not for over 140 M shots though.
 
I tried taking two rifles into a highseat but found it to be too much trouble. I was worried I'd drop one. I also took a catapult one evening for really close squirrels , that worked well
 
Bavarianbrit has the right idea; too bad they cost so much. I know, I went out, many nights, when I lived in Germany, and saw many Hare, and was unable to shoot, but other members of the party were able to score one or two. A drilling is the only way.
 
Depends on the high seat

In one of the big comfortable doubles ill take my 22 for the squirell magpie etc but some of the seats we have are too small or too unacomadating

See below for a No No YES


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I either take my driiling, or my combo or lately I take my single shot with 6 rounds of normal loads and 6 of my subsonic loads in my 3006. Now the point of impact is spot on at 50m without adjusting anything so I've knocked over rabbits and foxes when I'm sure no deer are about.
 
Bavarianbrit has the right idea; too bad they cost so much. I know, I went out, many nights, when I lived in Germany, and saw many Hare, and was unable to shoot, but other members of the party were able to score one or two. A drilling is the only way.
I have a second one I bought as I thought I was going back to the USA a year ago it is in 6.5x57r plus 2x 16G if anyone wants it.
Importing it to UK should not be a big issue I brought a .270 back home from Germany when I lived in Walmer.
De registering it to my local office in Germany has always been a simple formality on anything I disposed of overseas before.
Martin
Forgot to mention I have a .22rf barrel insert that I can add to it if anyone wanted it goes in the right shotgun tube it is 22cm long
http://www.africanhunters.de/resources/Einbauanleitung+EL22+EL44.pdf how to fit it but is written in german
 
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