GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Hunting Gate => Topic started by: longislandhunter on November 03, 2010, 09:07:25 PM
-
I decided to do another morning nutter hunt so this morning when the sun rose I was in the woods with the .22 Marauder all loaded and ready to go. For the first 2 hours I slowly combed the woods and while I saw plenty of nutters I just could not get into a shooting position. The nutters were on high alert and were darn near impossible to get close to, but I kept at it. Finally, 3 hours into the hunt, I managed to stalk within range of of 2 nice nutters that were playing tag in a large oak tree. I slowly made my way to within 30 yards and took aim at the larger of the two when he paused on a high branch. The 18 gr JSB dome flew true and I was rewarded with a loud "POP" as the pellet collided with the side of his head. At the hit the nutter rolled off the limb and fell like a stone, falling into the soft leaf covered forest floor. The second nutter high tailed it through the tree tops at the shot and he never stopped. There was no way I could catch up to him due to the thick briar patches so I just let him go. I placed the downed nutter in my game pouch and decided to slowly hunt my way back to my truck. As I came to the end of the trail leading to the parking spot I noticed that there was a good sized nutter in the top branches of the large pine tree that my truck was parked under. We saw each other at the same time and the nutter took off running towards the main trunk of the tree, however for some reason instead of scrambling around to the opposite side of the tree he paused, just for a second to take one final look at me.. Big Mistake :) The JSB struck him in the right eye and blasted out his left eye. He dropped to the forest floor and never even twitched.
I had taken a pic of the first nutter with the M-rod in the woods but when I got home I took another pic of the two of em together. I also took a couple more pics of the woods I was hunting in today. So far this season the M-rod is 7 for 7 :)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010003.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010009.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010008.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010007.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010006.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010005.jpg)
(http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n260/longislandhunter/November32010004.jpg)
Jeff
-
Nice shooting Jeff!
-
Jeff,
Very nice hunt and super pictures of the harvest, hunt area and shooter. I'm going in the morning and hopefully will be able to post a successful harvest tomorrow. Again enjoyed your hunt!
Froghunter
-
Thanks guys. It was a tough hunt but the added challenge made it more enjoyable :)
There were a couple of guys in there yesterday blasting away with shotguns and all that noise and activity really got all the resident nutters bugged out and on high alert.
I tell ya,, since I started hunting small game with air guns I just can't stand the sound of a scatter gun anymore :( Air guns are just so much more "critter friendly" :)
Jeff
-
Hey don't be hating on the scatter guns! :P They are great when "OUR" season starts to open in AUGUST! You don't have to deal with all those thick full trees full of leaves. :) I've actually only shot one with a scatter gun this year and I was raccoon hunting. It came down to see what the noise was from the call.
Hey man great patience and a fantastic hunt. I don't think I could hunt them for two hours! That is what sets us boys apart from you men! :) They are really active here right now in front of our first cold snap. I can't wait for it to get a little colder so I can get some coyotes! It is becoming prime time for many game creatures.
-
Thanks Randy
I guess the scatter guns have their place so I guess I shouldn't bad mouth them. It's just that I love how the air guns let you harvest game with such low levels of "noise" :)
I still use my scatter guns for waterfowl,, but that's only because air guns aren't legal for waterfowl. But if they ever change that law I'd been packin my air guns into the marsh :)
Jeff
-
I just wonder why mourning doves can't be taken with air guns? I mean it isn't like you would make any kind of serious dent in the population of doves with air guns :)
-
Heck, here in NY we can't shoot mourning doves with anything,, NY considers them songbirds :(
They've been "thinking" about making them a game bird for a few years now, but so far they haven't acted on it. To bad, those birds just taste so good :)
Jeff
-
Yeah, they are tasty!
For me the best tasting wild bird is quail. I use a toothpick to hold bacon strips on top of them, then baste them with butter. I can easily eat half a dozen of the little buggers :)
-
nice shooting
great pics!
-
Wow, those are some PHAT nutters. And one PHAT shooter. (highest compliments!)
Nice work filling you sack.
-
I just wonder why mourning doves can't be taken with air guns? I mean it isn't like you would make any kind of serious dent in the population of doves with air guns :)
I think the reasoning is 2 fold.
1. The conservation department wants you to "wing shoot" for birds, while they are flying. I know in Mo it is not a law but the conservation agents mentioned it as being "ethical behavior" for hunters. They say the birds vitals are more exposed when flying therefore resulting in cleaner kills.
2. It seems that those who take pigeon, doves, etc. with air rifles tend to get some zombie birds. I guess that is part of #1 with the clean kills ??? . I'm not knocking taking pigeons and doves with air rifles. I would do it if I could. I just think this may be their reasoning.
-
Great shooting and pic's Jeff and that's a couple larger Squirrel's there for Gray's must be getting fat for winter. We got rained out here but will give the nutters time to clean up before dinner lol. Ed
-
Way to shoot Jeff! I can't wait for the day When I can finally get my hands on an M-rod
-
Nice hunting and pics. Awesome shooter, and those are some nice, fat grays. Joel
-
that forest looks awesome! if i was there i would probably forget about hunting squirrels and start hunting for mushrooms. what state are you in?
-
Thanks guys, the nutters in these woods are well fed :)
Trevor,, I'm in NY.
Jeff
-
Jeff,
I'm with you on the noise makers! I prefer the Air Rifle for squirrels and I would use them on rabbits if it were legal!
Froghunter
-
Yup, besides the noise you don't get any meat damage with a single pellet to the head :)
No more chomping down on a piece of #6 shot that you don't notice when you're cleaning the harvest :) LOL
Seriously though, using air guns for my small game hunting has made me a much better hunter overall. It forced me to sharpen my hunting skills in order to be able to get in close enough for that clean killing head shot.
Jeff
-
AGAIN! Way to go, bro! Those are some fat squirrels. Don't you just love that Marauder? I got to go squirrel hunting this evening for a couple of hours, too and while I was just sitting there I decided to name my Marauder "Mighty Mo!!" hahaha Fortunately for me, I didn't get to sit and think too long, unfortunate for the squirrels. (story and pics to follow)
Anyway, great looking gun and great harvest. Thanks for the pics, don't you just love it!!!
joe
-
I do love it Joe,, matter of fact there aren't words to describe how much I love that rifle :) I made myself a promise that during this years small game season I was going to make sure I gave all my guns a chance to hunt, but this Marauder is just so darn sweet and accurate that I may have a hard time living up to my promise :)
Congrats on the successful hunt,, I really looking forward to your post and pics :)
Jeff
-
I know exactly what you mean! After 3 years of this insanity, I have a little of all kinds of airguns but find myself reaching for the Marauder almost everytime. It took me the longest to save up for but it also gives me the most giggles! I guess that delayed gratification thing is working for me on this.
Jeff, go get some more and tell us all about it! The pics are great.
shoot straight
joe
-
Jeff,
If the .177 cal Gold Finger R-9 is not doing it for you, it could migrate acouple hundred miles south and have a home in my neck of the woods and gun cabinet. She would be treated right! he-he! ;D
Froghunter
-
Oh my, even thinking about losing one of my Goldfingers makes me break into a sweat and start shaking. I don't think I have it in me to part with either of my Goldies :)
I never thought I'd say this but I'm thinking of selling off a few of the rifles in my collection that I just don't shoot enough. I have my eye on a new shooter and if I sell a couple guns I may be able to push the button on the new one. Just have to decide which ones to let go of.
Jeff
-
What's the new shooter, Jeff? I bet it's a pcp. My dream gun is the FX Royale, a big step up from the Marauder in price!
shoot straight
joe
-
Well Joe,, it is a PCP :)
I'm actually looking at several different rifles and trying to decide which one I want to get myself for Christmas :)
I've also decided whatever I get is gonna be a .25 cal shooter :)
Jeff
-
Great shooting and pics buddy. Those hunting grounds definitely look like a nutter-rich environment :) In just 2 days you have managed to get more squirrels than I did in the first 2-3 weeks of the season.
I have an unopened tin of 18gr JSB's here and I 'm thinking on what gun to use them on. I can't use them on the .22 Condor because they 'll be very close to going supersonic even at the lower power setting. I don't think I can use them in the 350 or 48 because they are a little heavy for Springers. I 'm not sure why I got them (?) Maybe they fit the 850 magazine? :)
-
My .22 Condor shoots them like a laser Harry, you should give them a try in the Condor. I did have to "play" with the settings a little bit to keep them under 1100 fps, but my Condor is now sighted in for them and shooting them incredibly. I set the Condor up for them so it could be my long range squirrel rifle :)
Matter of fact I have several of my shooters sighted in for them now,, the condor, the talon, the Marauder and my 350. My 350 shoots them incredibly as well and I'm not overly concerned about spring damage as I only use it for hunting which may only be a couple of shots a day.
Jeff
-
Yep, I was leaning more towards the 350 too. I 'm going to try the Vortek kit on it and a new spring. From what I 've been reading the OEM spring and Vortek brings the power back up to 840-850fps. Right now I 'm only getting 805-810fps from 14.x pellets, and 780fps with 15.8gr JSB's, so the gun was detuned by J.(W.). and thus slightly under-powered for 18gr pellets. I am also thinking that something is going on with it because today I was getting 770's, instead of mid-high 780's with the 15.8 Jumbos. So I lost 10fps somehow.. but it's still shooting smoother (and more quiet) than any factory 350 .22 and my 350 .177.
Anyway, once I get the power back up to factory/OEM, I will feed it the JSB 18gr regularly if it likes them. I did some reseach on the Maccari Ultra Mag spring which he designed for the 350, but people are reporting a loss of 2-3fpe (48/52 power from their 350), so the power would still not be there for the 18 grainers I don't think.
That's my whole philosophy anyway :) A nice heavy brass tophat and a spacer or 2, and the 350 will shoot those 18gr babies just fine :) My 350's have always liked the JSB's.