I've had better nights

Gyr

Well-Known Member
I do most of my rabbit shooting on my own from the land rover but now and again it's nice to have some company.I've got two farms that are next to each other and are farmed by the same family.When I visit these, one of the sons,who I am quite friendly with,comes out with me.This is what happened last night.
When I arrived it was raining so instead of going on the quad (which is what we usually do on this ground) we went in my landy.
It had been a poor night with not many rabbits seen,not helped by the persistant rain.By 11.30pm we decided to have one last look around a field by the farm and then call it a night.We crawled around the edge of the field and stopped on an incline below a steep bank.Below us was an even steeper bank.I saw two rabbits and shot them.I put the handbrake on,safety on the rifle and then got out.When I got out I remember thinking to myself that the position of the vehicle was quite safe as it was pointing along the bank and not down it.
My mate soon found the first rabbit but we spent several minutes looking for the second when he suddenly shouted and started to run towards the now sliding land rover.I shouted to him to leave it as I could tell by the speed it was travelling that there was no way it could be stopped.Luckily he didn't get to it before it then careered down the next really steep bank before crashing into an old tree stump.
We trudged back to the farm,got my mates dad out of his bed and went back with the tractor and quad.After half an hour we pulled it out.After freeing the front wheel from the bumper,I limped home at about 1am.
If that tree stump had not have been there,it would have carried on for hundreds of yards and gone into some cottages at the bottom.
I can only come to the conclusion that the vibration from the engine caused the vehicle to move slightly which was enough to start it sliding.
I should have known better.Even though I thought it was safe it clearly wasn't especially with the grass being wet and it being on a slight incline.There were only 28 rabbits in the back so it wasn't a weight problem.I had parked it in a bad place in bad conditions.
I am annoyed with myself for putting my friends life in danger.If he had managed to have got in the vehicle when it was moving god knows where he would have ended up.One things for sure,it wouldn't have been pretty.
From now on any rabbits on any banks will not be shot from a vehicle of mine.
We all constantly think about rifle safety but how many of us think how safe is our 4x4 either in motion or stationary.
Last night could have ended very differently.
My landy can be fixed.The loss of a friend and someone's son and brother can't..
Mind how you all go,
Kindest Regards,
Gyr
 
Ouch! But at least no one was hurt. Take heart...I bet we've all done things like that!
 
More than whoops a daisy mate . You are spot on with what you say,
thankfully this turned out ok !. Makes you think a little bit more .
Hope your not to shaken , and the lanny can be fixed, I guess. !

Cheers Trapper , (Roy) griggion)
 
Ouch ... sor to hear about that mate.. :eek:
What you want is an old cheapy landy these posh ones are all well and good but when you have to buy bits it is mad, like you are buying rolls royce parts :lol:
 
ouch

thats bad news chas,
thanks for posting it on the site. it is a cautionary tale worth sharing. next time we stalk.... i'll drive.

steve
 
A lesson for everyone there, shame you had to have such a violent and expensive reminder though.

John
 
A similar thing happened to a friend of mine a few years ago.

We used to shoot bolting rabbits using ferrets to flush them from burrows which were mainly at the top of a very steep slope.

The first time I went, my pal took his Isuzu Trooper which was fitted with road tryes only to the top of the hill with the intention of parking then walking along to where we would be shooting.

When he tried to park, the car kept slipping on the grass which was relatively dry till he foud a very small flat area. Warning bells going in my mind :!:

On the couple of visits I had after that, I insisted on getting out the car at the bottom and walking up.

He went out with his son one afternoon to shoot rabbits over his lab whent the enevitable happened.

He stopped the car, parked and took the keys out the ignition. Before he got out the car it started to slide down the slope with him and his son still in it.

As he told me after, it all happened so fast he couldn't do anything either try and stop the car or steer it.

The car demolished two dykes - no not that type - before overturning.

Result -a hysterical but fortunately physically uninjured child and a written off car.

Nick.

PS What do you call some one who looks down rabbit holes?


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A borough surveyor.
 
blooming eck chas
must remember that one ,when you come over on the fallow no way are you getting near the drivers seat
 
That's o.k with me Stone,you can chauffeur me about then when I come over!
I was brought up on a hill farm in north wales and everyone knew someone who had tipped over a tractor or 4x4 on a bank.It wasn't uncommon.We are only human after all.
All the best,
Gyr
 
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