Out lamping last night with a mate on a farm where the rabbit numbers have been dwindling (someone keeps shooting them ) and my mate tells me of a black rabbit he saw on this farm a couple of months ago.
I've only once seen a black rabbit and it was while stalking so never had a shot at one.
For the first couple of fields, I drove and my mate was using the HMR, not many rabbits about but I was keen to evaluate the scope on the rifle (a Zieler 3-9x56). Well, early results were very good with every rabbit that presented a shot, dropping to the little HMR round.
We moved over onto another field and swapped over, so I took the gun. We had literally just pulled onto the field when my mate cries,"Fox!". Now, we've shot this farm between us for over 2 years and neither of us have ever seen any sign of foxes, so I jumped out and checked through the scope that it was indeed old Reynard and not some poor pensioner's Sheltie out for an evening stroll.
Sure enough, a youngish Vixen which punished me for my moment of hesitation by legging it into the hedge, just as I was about to squeeze the trigger.
While cursing my bad luck we continued down the field when the lamp fell across a small dark shape sitting out in the field, "It's him, the Black Rabbit!"
This time, I could track it across the field and the moment it stopped, send it some V-Max for Tea.
I hadn't got my phone with me so had to wait until this morning to get a pic (after it had had a night in the fridge).
I had considered selling the Zieler but think I have to keep it now.
I've only once seen a black rabbit and it was while stalking so never had a shot at one.
For the first couple of fields, I drove and my mate was using the HMR, not many rabbits about but I was keen to evaluate the scope on the rifle (a Zieler 3-9x56). Well, early results were very good with every rabbit that presented a shot, dropping to the little HMR round.
We moved over onto another field and swapped over, so I took the gun. We had literally just pulled onto the field when my mate cries,"Fox!". Now, we've shot this farm between us for over 2 years and neither of us have ever seen any sign of foxes, so I jumped out and checked through the scope that it was indeed old Reynard and not some poor pensioner's Sheltie out for an evening stroll.
Sure enough, a youngish Vixen which punished me for my moment of hesitation by legging it into the hedge, just as I was about to squeeze the trigger.
While cursing my bad luck we continued down the field when the lamp fell across a small dark shape sitting out in the field, "It's him, the Black Rabbit!"
This time, I could track it across the field and the moment it stopped, send it some V-Max for Tea.
I hadn't got my phone with me so had to wait until this morning to get a pic (after it had had a night in the fridge).
I had considered selling the Zieler but think I have to keep it now.