A day out with some mates

[22hornet]

Some of the guys from work recently got their R licences and so we arranged to have get together and a day trip to a local state forest.
We targeted part of a forest that was fairly new to me, so most of it was a scouting exercise.
Anyway my mate Tim wanted to bag a nice fox so he and a couple of guys headed off to an open valley where to pines meet into a creek line. Tim uses a predator caller and we could here him calling from a couple of k's away. We hear a shot ring out. No contact over the radios. We would have to wait to find out what had happened.
Turns out that Tim had bagged a really nice fox. The pelt was thick and soft, being a winter coat.
 

 
My other mates Mat and Daniel were after pigs or a fallow deer. We headed out in opposite direction to the other group. We saw lots of sign, diggings from that morning but nothing around but roo's.
 
After lunch we found another spot to bag some rabbits. I had my .308 and Daniel had his 30-30, not ideal bunny calibres but still very effective. We perched up on an opposite hillside and watched the bunnies till the sun had almost set.
I bagged one. It had been awhile since I had shot a rabbit. (The photo shows the bunnies good side....)
 

 
Not long after the rabbits settled down Daniel got one too.
 

 
This is a definite spot to head back to in the afternoon.
 
This is the area we hunted in during the afternoon. Quite open, but we glass a lot and there are several vantage points that provide cover, we can head to and sit for a while.
 

 
I did manage to see an echidna running away.
 

 
Anyway, we all had a good time and have decided to try to head out once a month when all of our shifts line up. It was a real social hunt, nothing too serious. We managed to find some prime spots to target next time so hopefully I'll have something better to report.......

[gitano]

Sounds absolutely great! My kinda "outing"!

Interesting pines. Are they native to Oz?

Paul

[branxhunter]

Sounds like a great afternoon out hornet! Even chasing rabbits and foxes is better that sitting up at home.
 
How are you finding the Redfield scope on your Savage? I have read a few really good reviews for the 4-12x40 model - I would like to put one on my .222. Apparently change of impact with change in magnification is virtually negligible. The reviews also tend to say that the turret changes on the 3-9x40 model tend to be a bit vague.
 
 
I have seen a few old second-hand Redfield scopes for sale lately, but I suppose you never know what condition they are in.
 
Marcus

[22hornet]

Thanks guys.

Gitano, I believe they are radiata pine. I'm not sure if they are native, I don't think so. They are grown by the state forests for timber, mainly used in housing. The way the forests are managed is really good. Basically when they are not logging you can use the area for any number of activities. Providing they are legal of course.

Branxhunter, I really like the new Redfield. Mines the 3-9x40 with the accu-plex. Its basically the standard cross hairs with a circle in the middle. The circle really draws the eye and I can put the rifle on target much quicker. I don't know why other makers don't use this type of reticle. This is one scope that I can recommend. I think I have done a write up on it here previously.
I don't know about the older Redfields and I havn't seen many 2nd hand for sale either.

[Fieldmor77]

Looks like a good time had by all Hornet, i wish we had access to the state forests up here, the R license scheme needs to be adopted Australia wide.

[branxhunter]

Hornet,
 
I had wondered about the accu-plex reticle. Sounds like it works all right for goats and larger game you chase with your .308, what would it be like on a varmint rifle? I wondered if the circle might obscure a lot of a small target - I have not yet had the opportunity to look through one yet.
 
My .222 would mostly be used for rabbits, hares, feral cats, foxes and crows. I like the idea of a range finding reticle, but having never used one I think I would tend to gravitate towards something that shows the least amount of "clutter".
 
Marcus

[22hornet]

Hornet,
 
I had wondered about the accu-plex reticle. Sounds like it works all right for goats and larger game you chase with your .308, what would it be like on a varmint rifle?

If I had the spare cash I would buy one for my Sako .223.
I agree with the "clutter" of range finding reticles and I am not a big fan of them. I didn't buy this scope for the range finder, just the circle in the cross hairs.