Yesterday was too hot even for ground squirrels. Ample evidence of their destruction in the garden, but nothing much was stirring in this blazing part of Fresno.
Today we had a cold front with a very gusty high of only 92.
Sighted movement straight out from the old shooting rest, about 40 yards even. In the pic of my shooting rest below, he was left of the small regional capital (the hill, which is 33 measured yards) in the plowed area.
Subject was nervous, constantly moving, pausing only for a moment on the rim of the hole entrance... finally with a lull in the wind, pulled the trigger on a head shot and missed. Elevation perfect but impact left, consistent with wind drift.
Let the bugger stew for a while and went back to yard projects.
90 mins. later, went on back to my post, and there he was by the same hole. With exactly the same breeze.
Same elevation, one BSA mildot right... thop! the MP513 mails another CPHP to the fuse box at 40 yds, and a short death dance ensues with the usual ending.
Waited for any family members to check out the deceased (I get a lot that way), but no well-wishers today.
I did perform an autopsy to inspect terminal damage. Subject was 10" long (body), 16" nose-to-tail, adult. Probable cause of death was gunshot wound, .22 cal CP hollow point, which entered right side rear of skull and exited center of neck, left side. Exit wound showed absolutely no expansion, just a clean hole about .22 in diameter. There was actually more tissue trauma at the entry wound.
Autopsy interrupted before wound cavity examination, by outburst from staff ("is that MY camera?! What are you DOING with that thing?!!").
I knew there was another one active by that hole and as the sun began to set, resumed my post.
Immediately detected movement on near left, swung round to investigate, and there was Dinner at 27 yds. Unfortunately I was dialed into 16x with the AO set to 40 yds and in my greed, forgot to make any adjustments at all. Bunny looked like a woolly mammoth at that range and first round went right (wind, dummy) although hit heart/lung area. Bunny turned around and stood there. Spun AO down and put another round through the base of the ear.
The best part was showing Her Imperial Majesty how to convert a bunny into food. She was actually interested and reminded me not to forget the heart.
That was sweet.
