Worth the wait

[Ricochet]

Well I did'nt want to post this until I had my photo licence, which has now turned up at long last . With my licence showing as valid on the system after reading some of the posts on here I gave my LGS a try and was able to pick up my rifle the day after my PTA arrived. Thank my lucky stars I did'nt have to wait until today.
It's a Savage B22, lefty, got home and mounted a 4-12 x40 Bresser on it and went and started making some noise. Screwed up by trying to bore sight at around 50 meters, but eventualy got it dialed in and started punching some nice little groups off a slightly awkward but rested position with front and rear bags. It loves Federal standard , does not seem to mind CCI Minimags and Winchester 42gr power points, CCI stingers I'm not sure about yet. Got a cheap 5000 lumen LED torch on it which works well to illuminate a bunny and get eye shine after you spot it with vehicle headlights or if you pop up and sweep the beam over known bunny hangouts at distances of up to around a hundred meters. My offhand shooting is a bit average but Im getting better and just made myself some shooting sticks today. Got about 20 or so bunnies so far. The larger bunny in the pic is not a gut shot, that was just the blood from the head of little one next to it, exit wound not showing it was a bit gnarley. FYI you can make bunny look like Marty Feldman if you get a head shot with CCI stingers.

Edited once or thrice for spelling and stuff.... I added the pics in the order I wanted them top to bottom displayed but they are backwards.. if you look at the "Target" boxes you can see holes in some of the lettering where I started punching a couple of nice groups, pity I cant shoot that well offhand.

[No1Mk3]

Congratulations Ricochet,
Nice set of rabbits you "Savaged" there!

[bigfellascott]

Look out bunnies hey, she's a keeper mate.

[Shootermick]

I’ve got the stainless heavy barrel model, it shoots CCI mini mags pretty well.

[Oldbloke]

Yep, great groups. Bunny stew comming up.

[SCJ429]

Nice work Ric, that box looks like it was worked over by the posse that shot up Bonny and Clyde's Model A Ford.

[marksman]

you do realise your weekends will never be free again dont you
well done

[Ricochet]

Thanks guys, yeah I was chafing at the bit to get into it, and now that I can I'm spending a lot of time getting shooting right now. I have been seeing less bunnies now as a few missed shots have wizened them up a bit, Guess I'll just have to take my time and make sure I don't miss.
Yeah the box is starting to get more holes in it than a tetley tea bag, I need to try and get more bullets in the same hole, managed that a few times and there are some tight little clusters on the target, small letters, the body of the big G and top of the large T but some pray and spray as well...I'll have to fix that.

[Stix]

Good stuff Rico...!!...

Happy bunny'ing...

See if you can get some in the head mate...aiming at smaller targets, especially live ones will naturally force you to shoot better...

For a target...see if you can get hold of a bit of coreflute (like the stuff those politician signs are made from)...they are waterproof for the most part, & dont fall apart like cardboard...

You gonna eat any bunny's...?

[Ricochet]

Thanks Stix, I'll have to see if I can find some of that coreflute. I have'nt eaten any of the bunnies yet, I have in the past...thai green bunny was nice. But those were my bow hunting and single days, I'll have to convince the missus. In the mean time we must have some fat foxes around here writing thank you letters to Santa Clause. Don't panic, I picked up a Tenterfield fox whistle, I'll sort them out too soon enough. Had a try with it the other day and nothing...must not have sounding right yet.

[Stix]

ive had my best ever instant & numerous sucess with a Tenterfield whistle...as well as having them shoot out of the paddock...

They are a great whistle, & personally, i think they are worth paying for...despite how easy the may appear to make...
The guy that makes them is an old fashioned, down to earth, straight to the point, fair dinkum good bloke, & not only does he appear to take pride the product he puts out, but he gets satisfaction from his customers success...
So its a good thing to support a small time local guy who gets pleasure out of his customers success, rather than buying xheap China punched crap...!!

Ive found the Tenterfield is best for foxes that are not too close, to not too far...they are a raspy unit & at their best with some volume...the success ive had has been at bringing in foxes from 300-600 ish yds away, in areas where they are not regularly shot at...

I havent perfected the close in technique with the Tenterfield, so tend to use other methods there.

As for the missus...take out some spring born bunnies now mate, peel the skin (layer of flesh & membrane below the outer skin/fur) off the the back of the carcass, & trim out the back straps...dice them up & cook carefully in your chosen dish--whether that be curry, or even a sweet-n-sour...err...lets call it "chicken"...

If you get enough bunny's...trim out all the backstraps, give them a light crumbing with some light seasoning & herbs in the crumb mix, then fry the strips in olive oil (any oil will do) until just past cooked...serve that in any configuration you like--with a side salad, some vegies, or as a trendy warm ceasar salad, or even as a drinking snack with a dipping sauce, but tell her they are chicken tenderloins (that tender little off cut from the breast)...

You will gain some points for the future, as well as get some hanky panky that night mate...But just incase...dont tell her it was bunny until after the rodeo...!!.. .

Have a look about this site & there aree some recepies the guys have posted up here & there for bunny's...they are easy to dress out & prepare so worth the effort i rekon...

[Ricochet]

Yep, I think I'll just have to get enough in one go for a feed and cook something up. Maybe another go at Thai green rabbit, ir maybe butter rabbit, honey soy rabbit or something like that.

[Stix]

Ive cooked butter chicken...aka rabbit from scratch...It was fantastic...!!

Ive also tries honey soy bunny & didnt think it was too good...having said that, it was a flavoured commercial type glaze/marinade i tried...along the lines of supermarket/butcher type meat that is pre-marinated...they are a powder you apply by weight/volume of meat & tumble, & it turns into a "marinade"...

Anyway, i tried satay, honey soy & another flavour in those & didnt really like any...

I think bunny lends itself better to asian type curries, the traditional type stew/casserole, or just plain coating (as in a breading/crumb coating) & frying myself...
I have minced it once using just some pork fat & rosemary & it worked a treat, but havnt tried it again since, so dont know if it tasted good because it was actually good, or just because i was just starving hungry...

[Ricochet]

I'm not that great a chef so I'll probably be assisted by something like Butter chicken or Thai green paste in a jar... I feel like rabbit tonight,hmm ever tried rabbit stroganoff?.
Anyway just cleaned the little lady, just patched it out thouroughly with hoppes cleaner and oil afterwards and trying to figure out WTF I did with my bore snake..(aah haa!! Just remembered as I'm writing this so Ill run it through once or twice). Got rid of the little led star pattern around the crown, cleaned the bolt and around the action with hoppes and a rub down..and ready to go again.

[Ricochet]

Well Stix, I'm trying to follow your advice and go for head shots as the smaller target will improve my shooting... I lobotomized this hare last night. He was moving about a fair bit, went for a head shot and missed, then nailed him in the chest between the front legs and he was still going, then finished with s head shot when he stood still for a moment.