Rabbits with an air rifle - head or shoulders ?

[Shewie]

As a kid I got taught to always take a rabbit with a clean head shot, anything else is just inhumane. Having not done much with my rifle for a good few years, I've been doing a bit of reading lately and noticed a lot of folk say just behind the shoulders is best.
I'm doing a bit of crop damage limitation next week on a farm and just wanted to get it right before I head out.
Just for the record I'm perfectly happy taking the headshot but just wondered what folk thought.

What I do want to avoid is this (may be distressing to some)

 

[nodd]

I would say go for head shots for clean kills( ideal place base of ear ) even so you still might get the same reaction when the rabbit is hit.I was taught to make sure the rabbit was always a good distance from the hedge before taking the shot because of this reaction when they are hit and not being find the rabbit afterwards.
Neil

 

[Oblio13]

That was likely a very solid central nervous system hit, not something to avoid.

The heart/lung/liver area is a much larger target than the brain, but they won't drop in their tracks.

The brain is a great shot if you can always hit it, but there's the potential to hit eye, mouth, etc., and cause a lingering death for a rabbit you won't find.

 

[SimonM]

I was always taught base of ear.

Once had a rabbit somersault as I hit it. I think it had heard me and was tensing to run. All the muscles relaxing at once must have caused the effect.

Simon

 

[Shewie]

That was likely a very solid central nervous system hit, not something to avoid.

I was always taught base of ear.

Once had a rabbit somersault as I hit it. I think it had heard me and was tensing to run. All the muscles relaxing at once must have caused the effect.

Thanks chaps, I've never seen a reaction like that in the link before. Headshots for me usually meant a loud crack and then stillness.

 

[andybysea]

Rich,
My previous house was on a private farmed estate,and there where loads of rabbits that had mixamatosis(?) they where in a terrible state i used to kill the ones i came across,because of the poor state of health of some of them i could get right up close , and even a shot right between the eyes aiming down on the top of the head, some would still rear up but hit the ground dead, as mentioned it probably a nervous reaction.

 

[spamel]

i get somersaults as well as those that just keel over. Sometimes they keel over and lie still, then 10 seconds later they're kicking all over the place, but they are dead it's just the nervous system going mental. You'll know you've hit one but not killed it because it will emit a blood curdling screech that you won't forget in a hurry!

 

[welshwhit]

I hunt alot for the pot, and without question, I go for the head.

Simon has already said base of ear, and you won't go far wrong, I aim between the ear and the eye.

Its not uncommon for the rabbit to somersault on the impact of the shot, they are dead, its just a reaction to the sudden power down. Also whilst I remember the kicking / twitching action whilst disturbing, is just a post death reaction of the nervous system.

Somewhere I have seen some very good pictures of the kill zones [painted on and shown on pictures of living creatures] that I will try to find. I also have some more graphic images of the 'kill zone' if anyone would want them, please PM me.

As for the 'shoulders shot' no hunter / pestcontroler with a relatively low power air rifle
would really contemplate this as a means of a clean kill, (which every quarry has a right to in my opinion) with an airrifle the risk of a wound is too great, causing a long drawn out death. With a .17HMR / .22 rimmy its different.

Even a slight deflection can cause a wound, and the rib cage certainly presents opertunity for this. For example, I cleanly missed a target in a competition just today because my pellet struck a blade of grass on route, causing the pellet to strike 6" left and 4" high!

In my humble opinion, if you want to ensure a clean humane kill, the head shot is the only option.

Hope that helps, and good shooting!

( ps. . . Get some for the pot, boil for 2 hours then fry with bacon, redwine and mushrooms! Delicious!)

 

[Shewie]

Rich,
My previous house was on a private farmed estate,and there where loads of rabbits that had mixamatosis(?) they where in a terrible state i used to kill the ones i came across,because of the poor state of health of some of them i could get right up close , and even a shot right between the eyes aiming down on the top of the head, some would still rear up but hit the ground dead, as mentioned it probably a nervous reaction.

I've come across plenty which are in such a bad way the best thing for them is to just put them out of their misery as quickly as possible. Mixy must be a horrid way to die.

I hunt alot for the pot, and without question, I go for the head.

Simon has already said base of ear, and you won't go far wrong, I aim between the ear and the eye.

Its not uncommon for the rabbit to somersault on the impact of the shot, they are dead, its just a reaction to the sudden power down. Also whilst I remember the kicking / twitching action whilst disturbing, is just a post death reaction of the nervous system.

Somewhere I have seen some very good pictures of the kill zones [painted on and shown on pictures of living creatures] that I will try to find. I also have some more graphic images of the 'kill zone' if anyone would want them, please PM me.

As for the 'shoulders shot' no hunter / pestcontroler with a relatively low power air rifle
would really contemplate this as a means of a clean kill, (which every quarry has a right to in my opinion) with an airrifle the risk of a wound is too great, causing a long drawn out death. With a .17HMR / .22 rimmy its different.

Even a slight deflection can cause a wound, and the rib cage certainly presents opertunity for this. For example, I cleanly missed a target in a competition just today because my pellet struck a blade of grass on route, causing the pellet to strike 6" left and 4" high!

In my humble opinion, if you want to ensure a clean humane kill, the head shot is the only option.

Hope that helps, and good shooting!

( ps. . . Get some for the pot, boil for 2 hours then fry with bacon, redwine and mushrooms! Delicious!)

There's a few definitely heading for the pot welshwit, not sure what health they're in yet as I've not been to the site yet. Heading out there tomorrow night to suss it all out though.

 

[SimonM]

Missed the link to the video first time round - that's exactley what I meant!

Simon

 

[welshwhit]

Good man Shewie!

There is definitely something that makes meat that you've harvested yourself so much tastier!

One thing to watch out for is the liver, if it is mottled / white / white spots on it in any way bin it, the other obvious one is mixy, but I reckon you know that one!

Good luck and let us know how you got on!

Drew