Sun, rabbits and a Sako .222

branxhunter · May 23, 2015, 03:39:15 AM

It's been wet and snotty, but the weather broke today and it was a beautiful still sunny day. The dogs were also out of food, so a walk down in the stones with the .222 was a perfect way to spend the late afternoon. An hour and a half later I had three rabbits from four shots and the hounds are happy.

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Marcus

gitano · May 23, 2015, 08:24:18 AM

Beautiful picture!

How the mixomatosis? I assume no issue for these bunnies as they became dog food, but in general, is it in decline?

Paul

davidlt89 · May 23, 2015, 10:29:03 AM

Excellent!!!! God Bless.

branxhunter · May 23, 2015, 01:29:02 PM

Quote from: gitano;139457Beautiful picture!

How the mixomatosis? I assume no issue for these bunnies as they became dog food, but in general, is it in decline?

Paul

Paul, myxo is still around, but I haven't seen an affected rabbit for a while. It tends to be a summer thing. The rabbit numbers tends to be hit more by calicivirus which was imported to Australia for use in a rabbit control program:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_haemorrhagic_disease

When I was getting into shooting in the late 80's/early 90's we could walk through paddocks and be kicking rabbits out of tussocks and piles of logs all afternoon. I remember walking over a ridge and seeing a valley of tussocks below literally crawling with rabbits. After calicivirus went through we don't see rabbit numbers like that anymore down this way.

Even at that beach block I took you down to for a shot has very few rabbits left anymore.

Marcus

gitano · May 23, 2015, 03:28:16 PM

That's sad to hear, Marcus.

I'm unfamiliar with calicivirus. First rabbits. Then foxes to 'control' the rabbits. Then virus'. Dang!

Paul

branxhunter · May 24, 2015, 03:28:44 AM

Aaaah well, probably a good thing for the environment and for farmers. Just not so good for hunters and their hungry dogs.

Marcus

sakorick · May 24, 2015, 04:07:21 AM

Beautiful rifle and perfect head shots. I had a heavy barrel Sako .222 but I stupidly traded it for a lousy 101 field gun. What's the flat part on top of your scope?

farmboy · May 24, 2015, 05:10:18 AM

I am betting the flat spot is for mounting a light just a guess though.

gitano · May 24, 2015, 08:24:34 AM

Quote from: farmboy;139486I am betting the flat spot is for mounting a light just a guess though.

That'd be my guess. Weaver-type 'auxiliary' mount.

Paul

branxhunter · May 24, 2015, 11:49:08 PM

Yep, for mounting a light. I have two LED torches from Solarforce; an M6 which gives a shootable range at night of around 60-70m, and an M9 which gives a shootable range of around 200-220m at night. With the M9 I have shot a couple of foxes at 150-200m with the .22-250.

Marcus

Jorge in Oz · June 01, 2015, 08:16:11 PM

Nice rifle Marcus.