Head shooting rabbits

[Archer]

Segments into 3 on impact.
Only once found any in the body - 3 fully formed chunks- so they exit nicely having imparted the "shock wave"
No more meat damage than a "normal" .22
Only thing is, they are a bit expensive if you're clearing many rabbits each session

 

[jubnut]

If you were looking for sensible answers you're probably on the wrong forum.

yes of course deer have a higher status than anything else as some are in fact unicorns in disguise - that's why we don't shoot them at night or out of season, and why there's a stream of relentless drivel about how to shoot them. And of course you only need a dog for tracking deer as any other wounded animal deserves to crawl off and die slowly for not moving to intercept the bullet properly. If you opt for a dog make sure it tracks like the books say or there'll be hell to pay - I should add you won't actually ever use your dog if you shoot deer properly!!!!!

to be fair head shooting has been done to death on this forum, in fact after a year you notice it's basically the same topics being talked about over and over again. Welcome to ground hog day.

in answer to your question - simply put, no one gives a f*ck about rabbits.

Head shooting is the quickest way to drop deer (but only if you can actually shoot straight, and most of us non pro's can't guarantee being within a half inch of our target 100% of the time). Personally I only head shoot if the animal is facing towards or away from me. Rabbits I only head shoot if I want meat, or if I'm using my air rifle or 22.

​Ho ho

 

[sauer]

private fraser ....

if you cant shoot due to house or livestock proximity etc.....
dunnoe if you have access to a couple o ferrets or not but if you do ...even if can beg or borrow from someone for a morning...... purse netting!!!!! brilliant fun and clean carcasses for the table!!!!

I have a few purse nets and done it a couple of time with folks who have ferrets..... refreshing change form the gun and bloody good few hours fun.... effective too

paul

 

[bewsher500]

we have done this to death,

basically rabbits heads are not as mobile as deer.

wtf?!
what, rabbits don't move now?

headshooting is headshooting, some people insist on headshooting foxes regardless of range and position.
I personally see no value in this, it's messy and I have to retrieve and remove the foxes I shoot. Body shots do not leak anything like as much
I shoot a fair number if rabbits and head shoot all of them, ranges from 15-110+ yds, almost all off sticks
I sell "oven ready" rabbits to butchers and nothing else allows this.
it does take a bit of practice or experience to do with 22 subs but it is not as difficult as it is made out to be

Anyone who says "head shots either Miss or hit" or "rabbits heads aren't as mobile as X" clearly haven't shot enough rabbits!
until you have seen "through and through" sinus shots or found rabbits doing circles because they have lost one eye hasn't seen the down side to shooting a 1-2" target.

nobody probably does care a out rabbits compared to deer or unicorns but we owe them a quick death as we do with every other quarry species.
i hate magpies but still hate wounding them or losing one through a poor shot!

 

[kev.rem700]

wtf?!
what, rabbits don't move now?

headshooting is headshooting, some people insist on headshooting foxes regardless of range and position.
I personally see no value in this, it's messy and I have to retrieve and remove the foxes I shoot. Body shots do not leak anything like as much
I shoot a fair number if rabbits and head shoot all of them, ranges from 15-110+ yds, almost all off sticks
I sell "oven ready" rabbits to butchers and nothing else allows this.
it does take a bit of practice or experience to do with 22 subs but it is not as difficult as it is made out to be

Anyone who says "head shots either Miss or hit" or "rabbits heads aren't as mobile as X" clearly haven't shot enough rabbits!
until you have seen "through and through" sinus shots or found rabbits doing circles because they have lost one eye hasn't seen the down side to shooting a 1-2" target.

nobody probably does care a out rabbits compared to deer or unicorns but we owe them a quick death as we do with every other quarry species.
i hate magpies but still hate wounding them or losing one through a poor shot!

Carefull the ballistic charts will be getting posted now.Over a hundred yards with a .22lr

I no where your coming from i often do the same.

Regards Kev

 

[Jimbo 30 06]

Carefull the ballistic charts will be getting posted now.Over a hundred yards with a .22lr

I no where your coming from i often do the same.

Regards Kev

Yes it can be done with a lot of practise but the Rabbits are not arround like they used to be to practise on. From 1964 onwards till approx 8-9 years ago when the Rabbits disapeared in great numbers from Setember to the following March i would be out lamping minimum 4 nights a week and shot on average approx 1000 a month. Rabbits under the lamp do one of three things they freeze on the spot sit up on their back legs (the easiest of shots) or they run. Sometimes they stop and a shot can be successful. This makes head shooting them easy. Now when i go out if i get 40 i have had a good night but i only stay out 3 hours max and only go once a week. A couple of weeks ago i went out and excelled had 79 Rabbits and Charlie boy but those days are now few and far between.

Jimbo

 

[Malxwal]

I think crows offer a good alternative. They are abundant, need shot, available all day,and usually shift away from you to a distance that would require decent marksmanship. Head shooting a crow at over 50 yds with a .22 is a reasonable challenge. No return on the cost, but think of it as doing everything else a favour.

 

[private fraser]

+1 on the above.
The crows round my way seem to have a pretty good understanding of .22 rimfire range though and don't hang about.
I bet they are the same bunch that sit outside the car when I'm having my lunch

 

[BSAvale]

wtf?!
what, rabbits don't move now?

headshooting is headshooting, some people insist on headshooting foxes regardless of range and position.
I personally see no value in this, it's messy and I have to retrieve and remove the foxes I shoot. Body shots do not leak anything like as much
I shoot a fair number if rabbits and head shoot all of them, ranges from 15-110+ yds, almost all off sticks
I sell "oven ready" rabbits to butchers and nothing else allows this.
it does take a bit of practice or experience to do with 22 subs but it is not as difficult as it is made out to be

Anyone who says "head shots either Miss or hit" or "rabbits heads aren't as mobile as X" clearly haven't shot enough rabbits!
until you have seen "through and through" sinus shots or found rabbits doing circles because they have lost one eye hasn't seen the down side to shooting a 1-2" target.

nobody probably does care a out rabbits compared to deer or unicorns but we owe them a quick death as we do with every other quarry species.
i hate magpies but still hate wounding them or losing one through a poor shot!

exactly...totally agree, all of our quarry should be treated with the same respect, I certainly do give a f**k about rabbits to touch on what has been mentioned...nothing deserves a slow and painful death (except wasps and horseflies) and everyone who shoots should be doing everything possible to prevent this. Of course, wounding will happen with every type of quarry, but we can take precautions to minimise the frequency.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

I will always prefer the head shot over any other shot on rabbits regardless of what rifle I am using as I prefer to have the meat eatable whenever possible - Not very often with a .222 or .243 as they seem to make quite a mess, but it is an instant and humane death. I believe that the decision to head shoot all rabbits (Regardless of calibre) is down to confidence in your abilities and your equipment.
I will stick my neck out and say that head shooting Deer is a completely different ball game as there is no comparison between a rabbit and a deer - In my opinion!

 

[private fraser]

Just so we know what we are shooting at....

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...a=X&ei=Nn1SUsyTI-ea0AXUjIGQBg&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAw

 

[JabaliHunter]

in answer to your question - simply put, no one gives a f*ck about rabbits.

​Perhaps they should!

 

[Malxwal]

exactly...totally agree, all of our quarry should be treated with the same respect, I certainly do give a f**k about rabbits to touch on what has been mentioned...nothing deserves a slow and painful death (except wasps and horseflies) and everyone who shoots should be doing everything possible to prevent this. Of course, wounding will happen with every type of quarry, but we can take precautions to minimise the frequency.

I read an interesting article on wasps and the reasons for their behaviour toward the end of the Summer, and I now try where practical to catch them and put them back outside. Saves wiping their splattered remains off the window as well.

 

[tackb]

you can shoot unicorns ? who knew!

 

[Hornet]

private fraser ....

if you cant shoot due to house or livestock proximity etc.....
dunnoe if you have access to a couple o ferrets or not but if you do ...even if can beg or borrow from someone for a morning...... purse netting!!!!! brilliant fun and clean carcasses for the table!!!!

I have a few purse nets and done it a couple of time with folks who have ferrets..... refreshing change form the gun and bloody good few hours fun.... effective too

paul

Or get yourself a good Harris hawk and bolt them for the bird, personally when shooting bunnies I always try for a neck shot, I have never experienced a runner, shoot a bit high you hit the head, a bit low the shoulder.

 

[paul o']

any iv hit with the 308 have never runaway nor with the .243 barn vg or 22 rimfire there head moves from front to back after the shot and we are left with a new grey carpet i don't head shot deer unless all is safe and its not 200 yrds away it has to be close for me i can if i needed to with the skills i have but i don't my choice bunnys move like a owls head ie not much neck to wave about

 

[willowbank]

rabbits what are they? as rare as hens teeth around here.

You know, that sounds really strange having been brought up and lived ever since in countryside infested with the buggers, just finished my annual "cull" of 100 on my little farm shoot... just to keep the numbers in check.
Why is it you have no rabbits or are you joking perhaps?
ATB WB

 

[AlasdairM]

Up where I am you hardly see any. I have shot maybe 10-15 in the last year, when you ask the farmers if they see any rabbits they see I seem to see more than them and only 10 years ago they say you could see the hill moving with them.

 

[finnbear270]

You know, that sounds really strange having been brought up and lived ever since in countryside infested with the buggers, just finished my annual "cull" of 100 on my little farm shoot... just to keep the numbers in check.
Why is it you have no rabbits or are you joking perhaps?
ATB WB

Maybe he's keeping his shooting skills quiet?

 

[landkeeper]

on a scale aspect, head shooting rabbits with a ,22 would be a bit like head shooting deer with a 50cal