Revs blog -more wildlife

Hello again my flock,
It's been a week or so since my last blog due to work and home life, I've not had the chance to get out and do some pest control. However while at work during the week a gentleman walks in and while we are chatting he tells me he has a rabbit problem, after a short discussion it transpires that he owns 4 acres of land that he keeps horses on and soon to acquire another 4 acres in the near future.

 

Now as we all know rabbits love to dig holes, however when these holes are in horse paddocks it becomes a problem. While the horses are out in the paddock minding their own business should they step into one of those rabbit hole I'm told they could fall and break a leg, sadly in a lot of cases that is the end for poor old Neddy and they have to be dispatched, that comes and a cost let alone the price of the horse to start with. So my new friend asks me if I'd like to do some pest control for him, not wanting to turn down the prospect of a new permission I gladly agree to see if I can help.
 

As the perm is en route from work to home I charge my rifle give it a quick check and rezero on the range at A Different Calibre and head out to see how bad his rabbit problem is.
On arrival I drop the land owner a quick call to let him know I'm there ( it's good practice and a common courtesy ) he comes over to meet me again and show me the lay of the land, after a quick walk around it is obvious he does indeed have a problem but not as much as his neighbour (who doesn't want me to shoot the rabbits, but his land is the other 4acres soon to be acquired by my perm holder.) Leaving me to it the land owner goes back indoors, with the last light of the day ( a beautiful sunset)

 

I set up my rifle and find a place to settle down. After a short time the light begins to wain and one by one the bunnies venture out, at this point it is tempting to pick them off as soon as they hop out into the open, but I have found it better to wait until they are further out, as you pick one off the others tend to freeze for a brief moment this may allow you to pick off another before the run for their warrens. So as the night went on I managed to get five bunnies in total, not a bad haul for a couple of hours work.
 

 

While moving about the perm I decide to attach my Viper nite site as it's quite dark now, it's amazing just how much you can see using your eyesight that has adjusted to the dark, once fitted I scan the hedgerow looking for that tell tale eye shine ......... nothing, where have they all gone ?, my experience tells me generally something is on the prowl and the rabbits have run for cover, sure enough as I pan across the field there it is, a large fully grown badger, snuffling away at the ground. Grabbing my phone from my pocket I take a few snap shots of the badger via my Viper nite site screen and some film footage.

it's great to watch it sniffing the ground then pulling great big worms out with its teeth

, the amount he was getting was amazing to watch.

After a short time I left it to continue to feed thinking to myself I should do the same, maybe not worms but there should be something in the cupboard at home to stop my stomach from rumbling.
Till the next time my flock, may your hand be steady and your shot be true.
Rev.