Starling Hunt Tomorrow

[longislandhunter]

I have a fuel oil delivery scheduled for tomorrow.  Of course they tell you they'll be there sometime between 9 am and 5 pm, which means I'll be staying home all day waitin on the truck.  So,,,, what I'm gonna do is put fresh suet cakes in all my suet feeders, set up a small blind using some of my camo netting and spend the day sniping starlings.  It's amazing how well those suet feeders attract the starlings.  I think I'll use one of my B-3's as the weapon of choice   :)

If I get any kills I'll take pics and post em.

Jeff

[Big_Bill]

Hay Jeff,

I hope it stops raining ! I'm gettin cabin fever, all I can do is watch the sump pump. :(

Those starlings sure make for a small target, how far away are you going to be ?

I wish you luck, ;)

[longislandhunter]

I've used this camo netting setup before in the yard and it works great.  I set up the camo netting in between 2 small pine trees and the birds can't see me at all.  Distance from the blind to the feeders and the trees is 15 - 25 yards depending on where they land.  The feeders are the 15 yard mark.  

Jeff

[shadow]

Bummer buddy, you have to stay home from work and HUNT. Can't wait to see some B3 HUNT PIC'S. Good luck buddy and I think that I need some fuel oil too hehe. Ed

[longislandhunter]

Well, my starling hunt didn't turn out so good.  I had plenty of starlings show up, and I even nailed the first one I shot at, but then the rain and wind started and that was that :(

The one bird I killed was taken with a 20 yard shot with B-3 #1  (my wood stained stock).  The tomahawk pellet hit him and hit him hard.  Dropped like a stone.  

I wish the weather had held out cause those starlings were coming in steady to peck away at those suet blocks.  Well, there's always tomorrow I guess.  At least I got another B-3 kill   :)  No pics though, was raining to hard.

Jeff

[Silo]

Bummer Jeff, sorry to hear about the "rain stops play" the build up was really good, I even hurried home to read this
thread to see how it had gone.... well there will be a next time I guess.
I think we might have the same problems out here this weekend. We do however need the rain pretty bad, so I
can't complain.

[Big_Bill]

Hay Jeff,

Even a rainy day huntin is better than........? I don't know, anything else, they only get better !!

Well you blooded the B-3, and I know that put a smile on your face. :) So , a good day .

So tomorrow is another day, and who know what good things it will bring !

Keep Dry Buddy!

[longislandhunter]

So true Bill.  

I have another doctors appt. tomorrow morning, but after I get home, if the weather cooperates, I'm gonna give it another try.  I can't believe how much the starlings love those suet cakes.  Within minutes of putting them up the birds start showing up.  

Anyway, hopefully tomorrow will be better.  

Jeff

[shadow]

Pecking away at em one at a time buddy. The more you shoot them B3's, the more they'll want hehe. I think my first B3 is ready for another rabbit itself. Happy hunting buddy. Ed

[longislandhunter]

Speaking of rabbits,,,, I thought of you today Ed.  

Late this afternoon, after my aborted starling hunt, I looked out in the yard and saw 6 or 7 starlings feasting on the suet.  As I looked at them I also realized that the rain had stopped and it was more like a fine mist now.  So, I ran down to the basement, grabbed the mighty B-3, a couple of tomahawks and ran back upstairs.  

My plan was to step outside thru the side door, but just go out about onto the first step then inch further out until I had a clear line of fire to the suet feeders.  Well, it didn't work, the birds saw me and took off, but just to be  thorough I walked out into the yard and scanned the trees to see if some stupid starling perhaps stayed perched up there, but of course they hadn't.

As I turned around to walk back into the house something caught my eye.  I looked to my left and sitting there was this huge rabbit, no more than 10 feet away.  We stood there staring at each other for about a minute.  Him staring at me thinking whatever it is rabbits think of, and me staring at him already tasting fried rabbit.  

I put the gun up to my shoulder but he was so close I had a hard time finding his noggin in the scope, all I could see was a brown blur.  I backed up to get a better sight picture and he just sat there eating and staring at me. Now I had a good sight picture, but it just didn't feel right.  Out of curiosity I walked towards him to see how close I could get.  Well, I got within 5 feet before he casually took a couple of hops away.  Then he stopped, stared at me and began eating again.  

Long story short,,,,,,, I just couldn't do it.  I figured any creature that was either that stupid or that brave deserved to live.   He was still sitting there eating when I went inside.  

Jeff

[shadow]

That's cool Jeff, sound's like he hasn,t had a bad experence with human's. I do have a few that I give the run of my yard, the wife call's em her pet's enough said hehe. But once I slip over the fence and out to the field's, their all mine. I harvest with care and it sound's like you do to buddy.Keep a eye on him and if he's got any marking's, you can make sure he stay's happy in your yard and doesn't end up on your plate by mistake hehe. Sound's like you got a few other's running around anyway. You did a good thing Jeff. Ed

Your quote says it all. "If it was easy it wouldn't be hunting, it would be shopping."..I would of done the same thing.

[Big_Bill]

Hay Jeff,

I think we have all been there at one time or another, I know that I have.

how was shooting today ? With that highly tuned B-3.

Good Luck,

[longislandhunter]

Hey Bill,

I had 2 workers compensation doctor appointments today so by the time I was all finished and finally had some free time it was almost 5 pm.  so I really didn't get to set up today,,,, but,,,, I did nail one starling with the B-3.  I had about 5 minutes before the wife would be home from work and there were a bunch of starlings clustered around the suet feeders.  I went in the basement, loaded a pellet and snuck out the basement door.  I knew I'd only get one shot but that was all it took.  

The birds heard me, or saw me, and lit up into the trees.  One bird gave me a clear shot at 20 yards, I pulled the trigger and that was that.  Hit him right in the middle of the chest.  Fell like a rock.  Felt real good  :)

Believe it or not I have another doctors appointment tomorrow, but it's in the morning so the afternoon is mine.  If the weather is good I'm gonna pack up a couple of rifles and do some shooting at the duck farm.  I'll post some pics if I get anything.  

Jeff