GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Hunting Gate => : SDale March 27, 2008, 02:36:30 AM
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When the bell tolls 2am, that means LUNCH TIME for me! So, needless to say...I packed up and headded out to my new secret spot!
It was a cool night. 55 degrees, some passing clouds and a stiff ocean breeze every now and then. When I got to my newly found spot, I walked for 5 minutes or so then waited for my eyes to adjust. I sat down and still hunted a small clearing. The moon was half full and dead behind me as I faced the clearing. PERFECT light. I scanned the small plot and notice something moving about 40 yards out. Then I saw the faint blue/green glow of an eye. Shouldered my rifle, took aim and just as I squeezed the trigger, it stood up on it's hind legs and turned to almost face me. The pellet enterd the right side of the chest for a perfect heart/lung shot (top jack in the picture) . Paced the distance to my quarry. I was pretty close on the estimate! 37 yards.
After setting Jack #1 in a secure place near the trail I usually take, I head off to the spot where I saw at least 10 jacks hopping around. Once I get there, I see the same thing! LOTS of glowing Blue/Green orbs moving around in the moonlight. I drop to the ground in a sitting position and pick out the closest target about 20 or so yards out. Turn the light on and he freezes stiff. Squeezed the trigger and let a Predator find a new home. I was rewarded with a loud POP. The pellet struck home between the eye & ear and the Jack just dropped like a cold turd. No death dance, no kicking... Nada. Walked out and collected Jack #2 (bottom Jack in the picture).
After collecting my game I take them back to my shop and snapped the pic you see below. Enjoy!
The rifle is a tuned Crosman Quest 800 with a TechForce 2-7X32 AO scope. .22cal JSB Predators were my ammo.
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nice pic and sounds like a great spot you found
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Great account of your hunt Sam,
Two predators....two wabbits, couldn't ask for more !
Great shootin , and a great photo of you trophies and your "go get lunch Quest their" !
Thanks for sharing with us .
Bill
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Outstanding shooting and pic.... enjoyed your post very much. I sure wish I had rabbits like that to shoot at around here. Looking forward to the pics of your next hunt at that spot :)
Jeff
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Well done, Sam! Those are some big wabbits- of course I've never seen jacks in person, so maybe they're all that big. I'm assuming stew is in order, or perhaps a fricasee, hmm? Bet they're tasty.
Bryan
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Thatnks guys! It's a GREAT spot to hunt! But the last coupla days I've been too busy at work to get there. Last night things kinda slowed down, so I figured I'd have some fun!
Bryan... Most of em are that big! Nah, no stew. I've eaten Jacks before and they taste horrible! Tough meat too. I give them to a guy that I work with. He takes the pelts and says he cooks the rabbits up and feeds em to his dogs.
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Good shooting. Rabbits are my favorite air rifle game animal. Hayward? Are you hunting east of your town? I didn't know jackrabbits were so abundant up there. Congratulations.
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I took the advice of someone and now only take the hind quarters of jacks now and then into the slow cooker. I tried barbecuing a jack once, and that was a mistake, lol.
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I am letting my jacks get a bit bigger and maybe make some more little jacks before I start hunting them! California does not allow night lights for jacks - too bad as it is when then eat here in the high desert.
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Good shooting and nice gun, I have a tuned Quest 800X as well nice shooting and light weight gun. Mine mounted with Barska 3-12x40AO. Good hunting!
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Thanks for the advice Guys! Especially yours Bob! I wasn't using a spotlight. Just a pocket flashlight, but from now on. Eyesight oughtta be enough!
Yup, I live in Hayward but I'm hunting North West of where I live. Rabbit are VERY abundant there. Until I came along they had no natural predators. So they were free to breed like...Well, rabbits!