By Simon Everett
Shooting until the cows come home! Blending into the background as much as possible.
L
ooking across the fields it is always pleasing to see a few brown spots close to the hedges. If you see those brown spots move, or even stand up and become brown Vshapes, so much the better, it is infinitely better to stalk a rabbit than a fresh molehill, but I have to confess to having sneaked into range of the odd molehill in the past, and I probably will again, hence the observation for movement, before embarking on a strategic manoeuvre. My favourite time to shoot rabbits is in the late, evening sunshine, from when the shadows start to lengthen through to when you can no longer see to shoot effectively. I much prefer the evening to the morning, the ground is dry for one thing, so lying in the grass for hours doesn’t leave you soaked to the skin and the warmth of the day has been stored in the earth. Early morning forays invariably involve getting wet,
especially in the spring and autumn when the dew lies heavy on the grass and there is nearly always a chill in the air. Stalking through dry grass it is also easier to remain less conspicuous, crawling absolutely flat to the ground, using just a thistle or slight bump in the
ground as cover, face pressed close to the sward so the leaves of the grass tickle your nose. By moving smoothly and slowly it is possible to crawl within easy range of grazing bunnies so you can get off a well considered and accurate shot. Empty fields, those left for
It is often possible to crawl within range as well. Irish Country Sports and Country Life Autumn 2020
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