Wanted: driven hare shoot
- Thread starter steve w
- Start date
I've only ever heard of it being sold on one estate to one very rich American who brings about 30 mates along. I might be wrong but I think that the bill runs into 5 figures! Everywhere else it's by invite only. People are very careful about who they sell ground game shooting to it would appear. Trusted guns are preferred.
Perhaps Gun on Pegs or the like could help?
Perhaps Gun on Pegs or the like could help?
I have been on hare shoots.
Personally it’s not nice.
If hares need to be controlled ( in some areas they do) it’s best done with a rifle.
A hare that is back ended sounds like a baby in pain.
I never want to see it again.
If hare are to be shot by shotgun then a heavy load us required to make sure of it.
Also if you have guns that can’t be trusted avoid them!
Regards Dan
Personally it’s not nice.
If hares need to be controlled ( in some areas they do) it’s best done with a rifle.
A hare that is back ended sounds like a baby in pain.
I never want to see it again.
If hare are to be shot by shotgun then a heavy load us required to make sure of it.
Also if you have guns that can’t be trusted avoid them!
Regards Dan
Hence it's usually invite only!
Hence I said 'usually' and even quoted an example of it being sold.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Mostly done by pro's and able Guns.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
Poor puss! Some would have #4 for hares. But pattern fails before penetration and in a standard game load of 30 grams an open chokes there's too poor a pattern for a killing hit to heart, lungs or brain. Use #5 as an absolute largest size. #6 are better. If a heavy load isn't an option then you must use the shot minimum #5 and better #6 that at least gives a dense enough pattern.
Please stop enfield. Your advice is the reason that hare shooting with shotguns gets a bad name. You simply don't go to a sword with a pen knife! Anything smaller than 4 shot are banned on a lot of hare shoots around my way and I have seen a keeper send a gun home who was using 6's and wounding hares after being told on the morning brief that 4's were the minimum. 6 shot lacks the penetration on hares. Do not use it. Never mind the pattern failing, you simply don't shoot hares at long range where the pattern would fail hence only trusted guns are invited. You also don't use open chokes. A high percentage also carry semi-autos for added killing power and insurance with half choke screwed in and 38 gram cartridges.
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I used no5 shot 26g in a 20g. Kept to a reasonable range. Tight chokes and I had no problems.
We went over the estate lamping the next two nights to trim up any we could see wounded.
We shot 97 by day and only 3 with rifles after.
They became a healthier stock on the land and it was for the best.
That particular land now has hardly any hares but this was 25 years ago.
Regards Dan
We went over the estate lamping the next two nights to trim up any we could see wounded.
We shot 97 by day and only 3 with rifles after.
They became a healthier stock on the land and it was for the best.
That particular land now has hardly any hares but this was 25 years ago.
Regards Dan
Whilst that will do it there's very little margin for error using what you describe Beretta. You get it slightly wrong and you have a wounded hare which is why that combination wouldn't be allowed on many shoots.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Was this near you Tim? I ask because hares are very territorial, which may assist in your 'enquiries'.Hares are a lot like cats, in that once they amble through wet vegetation ( be it wet via rain, or pesticides), they lick themselves dry again.
Funny how we have many frogs and hares where no spraying is done, whereas.....
There's plenty of spraying done in East Anglia but hares are extremely plentiful and especially in areas that have good predator control programs hence the need to control their numbers.
I’m not saying it’s the best set up. It worked at a sensible range.
Like I said I would only use a rifle now.
Regards Dan
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
This I accept, they are of course also abundant on moorland managed for grouse, but more or less absent where predators control is not carried out.
Had a friend shoot one with a shotgun when we were younger. Never heard a noise like it, haunting. I wouldn’t do it with shotgun only rifle personally. We do have a healthy number of hares here majority of the time, the only trouble is they can and do attract the men with dogs and lamps, who think nothing of driving over freshly drilled fields.
Not far away. I suspect it's the clowns who follow the hounds.
Hares are a lot like cats, in that once they amble through wet vegetation ( be it wet via rain, or pesticides), they lick themselves dry again.
Funny how we have many frogs and hares where no spraying is done, whereas.....
Jagare
Well-Known Member
I went on quite a few hare drives many years ago. They were carried out like a military operation. I can't recall them being in any way less ethical than any other form of driven shooting I've done. Its lucky pheasants don,t make any noise when they are wounded other wise people would only want to shoot them with a rifle.
