brief session last night

[TonyH]

Don't know about others but I rarely fire many rounds and sometimes very few - or none. I don't like blazing away, and I like things to be just right. In any case there's pleasure in being out in the field on a nice evening - I only shoot early or late. I knew my friend Rob had cut his grass a week or so previously but I'd been too busy to get out into this spot I like; managed to get there last night, glorious clear sky & setting sun, position is facing east across a steep little coombe onto a field where there are usually rabbits and crows or pigeons. Forgot his cereal crop in that field to the east! It's high enough to obscure the bunnies...

Was trying out my new field kit - 42" bag from JS Ramsbottom that unzips to make a handy shooting mat, lots of compartments, velcro to keep rifle snug, just long enough for my Featherweight/MacMillan in 20Tac; also trying an army bag to hold my stuff rather than the multi-compartment bumbag I've used for years. System worked well, everything carried neatly and all bits to hand.

Early on I spotted a pigeon in a tree at 360+, missed the bugger, damn! The wind was hard to read, gentle but gusting and changing direction. Spent a long time watching the top corner of opposite field for rabbits that usually hang out there (circled red in pic 1) at 390-400 yards - saw some but they just raced across a couple of times, appearing too briefly before disappearing into the crop either side.

Various crows & pigeons flew across but ignored my instructions to land in a convenient spot; at one point I turned round too quickly to scan to one side, and surprised a large fox 80-90 yards away that turned on its heel and scarpered. Then spotted a magpie through the big Steiners, fluttered across R to L and settled in the top of the big tree circled in red (pic 2) at 233 yards by Leica laser: its head and tail were visible, body obscured by leaves but I aimed dead centre (my zero is 230) and got that surprisingly loud Pop! they produce, plus feathers flying.

Only two rounds fired but I enjoyed my evening. When the cereal's cut 'll be back for those bunnies...

Tony

 

 

[6.5shooter]

Some nice open land there Tony!

Happy shooting!

 

Garry

[TonyH]

Some nice open land there Tony!

Happy shooting!

 

Garry

 

Thanks Garry. For me the landscape is a fundamental part of my shooting pleasure: even though S.Devon, like much of the UK, is getting more crowded every year, by shooting early and late I can usually have a peaceful time of it. Because our local landscape is steep little hills & valleys most of my shooting is also on sloping ground, hilltops, shooting along the contours across 2-3 fields or more often shooting across onto an adjacent slope. It makes for tricky winds, but great views at dusk... One or two of my spots look across to the Moor and I must have seen a thousand sunsets in that direction.

Got a range session tomorrow, bit more load development and maybe swap scopes too.

Regards, Tony

[andybrock]

Lovely looking spot Tony,a lot of the time when I'm out shooting, even when I don't get a shot it's just nice being there.

 

Andy

[foxshot]

Great write up and fantastic views like you said it isnt always about geting shot after shot especialy when you are somewhere like that and the weather is good

[TonyH]

Andy and Foxshot, thanks for the comments and yes it's about more than just pulling the trigger - that's the primary purpose but it has to take place in the right conditions. Being out in the countryside, pursuing one's quarry, making a good long shot (or something), wonderful - the antis will never know what they're missing.

Regards, Tony