bunny rifle got a new scope

[Chappers]

Just got my new scope a Carl Zeiss 2.5-8x32 and Harris bi-pod.



I only had i 3.5x20 on this rifle before and with just that it was a real workhorse so i decided to goe something a bit bigger.
Ill be taking out to a property in a fortnight so ill post some more pics then.   

[spruce]

Very efficient looking rig you got there!  Nice scope, what is the rifle (make & caliber)?

A set-up like that would be a good one for hunting squirrels here in the states if it's a rimfire.  Probably wouldn't need the bipod as tree squirrels don't present many opportunities for shooting from the prone position!

[Chappers]

Its a .22lr, Toz 8m it a Russian rifle made in 1974 its a good little shooter.

The way we mostly hunt rabbits is at night in the ute with a spot light. You casually drive around in the paddock. With the driver with the spotlight in his lap (off at this point of time)  and the shooter standing in the tray looking over the cab of the ute with his spotlight on sweeping the paddock.
When the shooter spots a rabbit he taps on the cab to tell the driver to stop, the he turns on his spotty and points his beam to the rabbits so the shooter can put down this light to take the shot (resting the rifle in the cab with the bi-pod, in a kneeling position.... before i had the do a standing shot from in the tray).  Throughout the night you change from driver to shooter and vice versa to let both of you have a shot.

In the day you find the rabbit warren and just find a nice shady spot and snipe them when the pop out of the warren.

So how do you guys in the states hut squirrels and are they tasty?

[spruce]

Your hunting methods are interesting - especially since here in the states hunting at night is illegal except for a few exceptions.  Here in Michigan for example it's legal to coon hunt (raccoons) with dogs and call predators (mostly coyotes) at night, and that's about all.

Squirrels are very tasty.  There are two species we hunt here, the fox squirrel and the gray squirrel (the gray squirrel also can be all black - same squirrel, different color phase).  The fox squirrel is more prevalent in lower Michigan and the gray/black is more prevalent in the Upper Peninsula, but both species are found in both places.

They have very keen eyesight and hearing.  Basically there are two methods of hunting them - stand hunting and "still hunting".  Stand hunting is usually taking a comfortable seat with your back against a large tree to break up your outline and sitting very quiet and still and waiting for them to start moving around (on the ground and in the trees) and present a shot.  "Still hunting" is sneaking thru the woods very slowly and quietly, pausing often to watch and listen and trying to spot them before they spot you.

There are two schools of thought on the preferred armament - a shotgun, or a rimfire rifle/handgun.  The shotgun is arguably the most efficient, allowing shots while they are running on the ground or thru the trees.  The rifle (and especially the handgun!)  usually requires a little more stealth as you try to catch them sitting before they become alarmed and run.  Both methods are sporting, but I was raised hunting them with a rifle, so prefer this method.

[Keith L]

I read about a call some were using a couple of years ago that sounded like a young squirrel in distress.  You were supposed to have a branch that you thrashed around so it sounded like a squirrel falling, then blow the call a few times.  Other squirrels were supposed to come and look to see what happened, and could be shot.

Myself, I like to walk the woods during the few warm January days with my flintlock .32, and take a few shots.  If I am lucky I won't hit any and not have to clean them.  These days a walk in the woods on a nice day is worth a lot.

[Chappers]

Sounds like there a bit of a challenge. Do you hunt rabbits over in the states?

Deer are a bit like that over here but we have to be a bit more careful, roos kind of act like a early warning device. When they see the roos hopping away they tend to get skittish and run too.
So when we are stalking along a small river when it’s dry (the time deer come down from the hills for water.) most of our sneaking is so that we don’t disturb the roos

.32 flintlock... much left of what you hunt?

[spruce]

Yes, we hunt rabbits.  Here in Michigan it's cottontail rabbits which are predominant in the southern part of the state, and "snowshoes" (aka Varying Hare) in the north.  Called snowshoes because they have big feet which allows them to run on top of deep snow and helps them to avoid predators such as fox and coyote which are slowed down when they sink into the snow.  They also change colors - brown in summer, turning all white during the winter.
They can be hunted by stalking, but the most fun and efficient way is to use hounds (beagles or bassets).  Hounds jump them, run them, and hunters take posts and wait for them to pass by.  They always circle, snowshoes usually make bigger circles (sometimes the hounds even go out of hearing before they circle back).  Some shots are running, but sometimes sitting shots are presented as they will stop and listen to the hounds if they get a distance ahead of them, then take off running again.

Keith L:  I've used one of those calls - "Mr. Squirrel" or something like that - had it for years and it does work, not all the time, but enough to make it interesting.  Can be a big help in the early season when the leaves are thick.  Typical response is they run out on a limb where they can see (and can be seen!) and chatter up a storm!  Great sport with that .32ML.  Yeah, some of those old ones have some tough hide!

[Keith L]

"32 flintlock... much left of what you hunt?"

I don't load it to hot, and try head shots.  One of my hunting buddies uses his .50 ML and "barks" them.  that is when you shoot the branch under their chest and it bulges the tree bark into their chest hard enough to stop their heart.  I can't see well enough to do that.

Any way the walk in the woods is good for the soul.  And I may need to see if I can find one of those calls for earlier in the season.