Took the boy back for Round 2 of Rabbit-Sniping today! (His 2nd Hunt since getting his license) Quick little Half-Day trip until the heat came. What I loved about this trip was that as soon as he setup his Stool and got settled-in at his sit-spot about 25yds from me... then the main hot-spot where they tend to pass-thru or stop at had 2 bunnies come racing thru... so it was neat, as a Father, to watch his #BeThePredator mode kick-in and he got all serious and intent in his focus!
Some number of minutes later (maybe 10-15?), in a part of that hot-spot that I can't see from my sit position, a bunny must have made a fatal mistake and stopped in that area, as I then I watch him slowly shoulder the butt of the rifle and grab the pivot of the shooting sticks! From the seriousness of his body language I'm like "Aw Yeah! The boy's locked-on! This is gonna be good!" ... .22 goes "Pew!" ... he turns in the leafy suit and motions with a thumbs-up! That I sit back and watch him go over for the fetch, he has to delve a little into the bush, but I'm watching him be methodical and Boop! See him emerge with the Rabbit and proudly silently hold it up to show me!
Like I'd instructed from prior outing, he deposits the rabbit in the meat bag, folds over the opening, and sets it in the shade behind his sit.
The next couple that made the mistake of venturing into the danger-zone... I caught site of them before he did. First saw the one and was considering sniping it from my vantage point where he couldn't see him at... but then I caught site of the 2nd set of ears coming from around this protruding rock in that hot-spot area. So keeping voice soft I tell him there are two coming, get ready.
Few moments later, they hopped forward into a shadow from a scrub oak more forward of the rock, where I now know for sure he'd be able to see them and have a shot. I quickly run a decision matrix in my head and decide to take the one which may be less within his sight radius, and figure the other one would be the one he'd more likely elect to put his crosshairs on. All the while this was going on, I'd had my crosshairs on the one I'd selected, was just waiting for them to work themselves more into his view.
The moment comes, they finally hop to where I know for sure he'd see both of them. Had a bead on the ones head, but he then rotated around, so had to quickly re-acquire and decided front shoulder area might be safer choice. "PEW!" Daddy's .17 HMR laid the instant smack-down with authority. Right went down where he was, no movement, like somebody turned off the light-switch. His buddy is maybe 24" from him, doesn't seem to notice or understand his friend just went down. Which is great, I was concerned the first hit might spook the other one away and ruin the boys chance.
I quickly reload and move crosshairs over to his buddy, and wait on the boy... "Pew!".. Yes!!! The boy gets to see his first bunny black-flip that I'd been telling him about! Although upon landing I guess he was still kicking for a bit and that propelled him to a nearby bush, I watch the boy approach, and this time, he didn't hesitate to give a finishing shot to the head up close and personal. To make sure there was no more hurting. (On the first outing he we had this one gut-shot bunny that was crawling away, which gave him a little anxiety about it, and I had to instruct him to hurry up and pop it in the head. Which he did. Later that particular day, he told me he felt bad about that one, to which I said "I know, but that's why we hurried up and did the right thing and took away his pain.)
We waited a lil bit more, and again Daddy was using the Pocket Prey to see if we could maybe coax in another curious rabbit having a maternal response to the baby rabbit sound it makes. (It did coax the largest one in the last outing). But it was starting to get very warm, so right about when I was thinking it, the boy suggested we call it, and I agreed.
So Nice! I got to do a double-team today with the boy! YES!
Aaaaaand this is what it looks like on the drive home when you wake your kid up at 4am
Some number of minutes later (maybe 10-15?), in a part of that hot-spot that I can't see from my sit position, a bunny must have made a fatal mistake and stopped in that area, as I then I watch him slowly shoulder the butt of the rifle and grab the pivot of the shooting sticks! From the seriousness of his body language I'm like "Aw Yeah! The boy's locked-on! This is gonna be good!" ... .22 goes "Pew!" ... he turns in the leafy suit and motions with a thumbs-up! That I sit back and watch him go over for the fetch, he has to delve a little into the bush, but I'm watching him be methodical and Boop! See him emerge with the Rabbit and proudly silently hold it up to show me!
Like I'd instructed from prior outing, he deposits the rabbit in the meat bag, folds over the opening, and sets it in the shade behind his sit.
The next couple that made the mistake of venturing into the danger-zone... I caught site of them before he did. First saw the one and was considering sniping it from my vantage point where he couldn't see him at... but then I caught site of the 2nd set of ears coming from around this protruding rock in that hot-spot area. So keeping voice soft I tell him there are two coming, get ready.
Few moments later, they hopped forward into a shadow from a scrub oak more forward of the rock, where I now know for sure he'd be able to see them and have a shot. I quickly run a decision matrix in my head and decide to take the one which may be less within his sight radius, and figure the other one would be the one he'd more likely elect to put his crosshairs on. All the while this was going on, I'd had my crosshairs on the one I'd selected, was just waiting for them to work themselves more into his view.
The moment comes, they finally hop to where I know for sure he'd see both of them. Had a bead on the ones head, but he then rotated around, so had to quickly re-acquire and decided front shoulder area might be safer choice. "PEW!" Daddy's .17 HMR laid the instant smack-down with authority. Right went down where he was, no movement, like somebody turned off the light-switch. His buddy is maybe 24" from him, doesn't seem to notice or understand his friend just went down. Which is great, I was concerned the first hit might spook the other one away and ruin the boys chance.
I quickly reload and move crosshairs over to his buddy, and wait on the boy... "Pew!".. Yes!!! The boy gets to see his first bunny black-flip that I'd been telling him about! Although upon landing I guess he was still kicking for a bit and that propelled him to a nearby bush, I watch the boy approach, and this time, he didn't hesitate to give a finishing shot to the head up close and personal. To make sure there was no more hurting. (On the first outing he we had this one gut-shot bunny that was crawling away, which gave him a little anxiety about it, and I had to instruct him to hurry up and pop it in the head. Which he did. Later that particular day, he told me he felt bad about that one, to which I said "I know, but that's why we hurried up and did the right thing and took away his pain.)
We waited a lil bit more, and again Daddy was using the Pocket Prey to see if we could maybe coax in another curious rabbit having a maternal response to the baby rabbit sound it makes. (It did coax the largest one in the last outing). But it was starting to get very warm, so right about when I was thinking it, the boy suggested we call it, and I agreed.
So Nice! I got to do a double-team today with the boy! YES!
Aaaaaand this is what it looks like on the drive home when you wake your kid up at 4am
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