OT Pot Hunting, Fur, Fin and Feather (pictures)

[Gamekeeper Junior]

I went shooting today on my old stomping ground, a 22 acre patch of land in West Meon, Hampshire. My dad and I used to keep the vermin in check but since we moved away its overun with rabbits, squirrels and such so the landowner was happy for me to thin them out. I took my CZ452 .22lr (I don't have a levergun yet ).



I had a wood pigeon and rabbit right away and another couple of rabbits later in the evening. After the last rabbit I decided to go and look for a squirrel in an old chestnut tree they always used to favour. Sure enough there was one there munching on chestnuts and he sat still for long enough to give me a shot. He dropped on the other side of the brook and on my way to get him I found a 1lb+ rainbow trout flapping about on the bridge. I'd seen a heron fly off a few minutes before, evidently his eyes were too big for his belly!







The pigeon and squirrel were shot with CCI CB longs and the rabbits with Eley sub-sonics.

I'm looking forward to going back again soon, sad thing is i've got 1800+ acres of land on my door step that I can't shoot on until next spring!

[Duff L Bagg]

Now that is what I call a mixed bag. Looks like you had a great day.
Ya need to pinch one of you dads levers from time to time, I am sure he won't mind........too much
Congrats on a good day of hunting.

[Old Ironsights]

What I want to know is how a Limey from the land of "we hate guns" gets to have more fun in the out-of-doors than I do...

Good on ya mate. Oddly enough I wish it were that simple for me.

I hate the Daley Empire.... even over here on the "gun friendly" side...

[Hobie]

Seems you've learned more than shooting from your Dad. Great pics and story. Thanks for sharing.

PS. Don't worry about the lack of lever, we can just imagine that part...

[Rusty]

Fur, fin and feather all in one day. What a take.

In my not so humble opinion you have the best mid priced rimfire available today. don't worry about not having a levergun. that's a good eye to be able to bag that trout as well. I hope you had him for dinner as well.

Just today I had a truck pass me ( everybody passes me) that was from Clear Springs Trout farm. I need to check them out as well. since they kindled my curiosity.

Looks like a good day to me. Congratulations.

[crs]

Thank you for an entertaining post and some very nice pictures.

[dr walker]

That is great. Thanks for sharing your pictures and details with us.

[JerryB]

It sure looks like you had one of those days that just happens to be plumb perfect.I know your dad is real proud of you. That is a fine looking rifle you use. Thanks for the great story and pictures.

[Ysabel Kid]

I'm looking forward to going back again soon, sad thing is i've got 1800+ acres of land on my door step that I can't shoot on until next spring!

GK Jr - why do you need to wait? I'm almost afraid to ask - is this some stupid law related to your age?

Great post!

[rjohns94]

Excellent post, pics and story. Well done.

[Borregos]

Well done Gamekeeper Junior, I'm sure your Dad is real proud of you.

[gamekeeper]

I will have to check the "Game Laws" I know you need a license to take trout with a rod but I don't know about stealing one from a Heron!

[20cows]

That shines!

[AndyM]

thanks for the pictures - looks like a great day...
Herons do kill a lot of trout aorund here also...

[brucew44guns]

Food for any taste in this mix. Looks like you guys could have done pretty well with a sling shot in this patch of woods. Glad you had a lot of fun together, and shared the pics.

[Birdman]

That had to be a good time. Thanks for sharing.

[Gamekeeper Junior]

Duff L Bag - I aim to pinch any of his guns when I can The first rabbit I ever shot with a rifle was with his 9422m.

Rusty - I'll definatly be having the trout for dinner. I don't fish much at all so its a rare treat for me. The only other trout i've had from that river was a Brown trout about the same size taken with a bow. I agree with you about the rifle too, there's not many rimfires i'd swap it for.

YK - for once its not a dumb law causing the problem but the current gamekeeper on the estate. He reckons we'll cause too much disturbance to his pheasants so wants us to stop shooting until february when the season closes. He clearly doesn't see that we'd be doing him a favour keeping the vermin down

[Rod WMG]

Well done, Junior! I like them CZ guns.

[KirkD]

Sounds and looks like a great day in the outdoors, with food on the table at the end of it all.

[Nath]

GK jr, you took a trout with a bow! Well done that man
I know all about those keepers, only the good ole' ones know the true value of an extra pair of eyes about In fact I stayed away from somewhere to prove a point to a keeper looking for excuses, come November he was screaming for help with the fox's. In the late summer and fall I would walk the dog with no gun and watch the fox's taking his birds No snotty attitude anymore!
He'll (your feller) learn one day, some think they are special and get embarresed easy thinking you are competition.
One old keeper friend use to give me ammo, petrol, logs and more in return for scores of vermin and hours. His replacemnt is an idiot and rubbish at his job and I could show him up with my eyes shut. He has over double the birds the old guy ever had but shoots less every season, most of his go to vermin, fool.
Any way well done and good picys, I like them CZ 22's too.

Nath.

[GANJIRO]

Amazing adventure GJ, is there a season for those pigeons? We have too many around here and I'd love to pop a few but stupid game laws say no shooting of pigeons since you may shoot a homing/racing pigeon by mistake. My father in law races pigeons, and he says if they don't come home they're no good so shoot them all. I did not know there were Rainbow Trout in England, just Browns. Learned a few new things today.