Air Rifle Hunting Through the Seasons: A Guide to Fieldcraft

by Mathew Manning

Overview

This guide to air rifle hunting skills and techniques is a must-have for anyone who wants to get the most from their airgun shooting and stay one step ahead of their quarry. The book covers the vast array of hunting techniques used by one of the country's leading shooting writers. Whether controlling pests on the farm or hunting meat for the pot, the airgun shooter has to pit his wits against the finely tuned senses of wild creatures that run the gauntlet of survival on a daily basis.

Through this book, Mathew Manning shares his wealth of experience to help you tip the odds in your favor. The title covers in detail the skills of fieldcraft - the hunter's deadliest weapon. Join Mathew for a year in the countryside and learn how to read the signs provided by nature and then make the right decisions to enjoy consistent success in the field. Mathew describes more than thirty hunting scenarios encountered through the year, from decoying crows and magpies and hide shooting for pigeons to long-range rabbiting and woodland squirrel control. He offers easy-to-follow guidance on how to pre-empt the habits of quarry species along with the various techniques and tactics he uses to exploit hunting opportunities throughout the year. There are also helpful notes on game preparation and a selection of favorite recipes, including pigeon pasties and rabbit with apple and cider.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857160331
Publisher:	McNidder and Grace
Publication date:	05/21/2013
Pages:	146
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Mathew Manning lives in Somerset and has been a keen air rifle shooter for more than 25 years - taking his first shot at age of about ten. As a leading writer on the subject, he contributes regular features to shooting magazines.

Table of Contents

Foreword vi

Introduction vii

Spring 1

Outwitting corvids with an owl decoy 2

The fake nest trick 7

Avoiding April showers 11

The roving squirrel shoot 12

Garden pest control 19

Down on the farm 21

The traditional May rook shoot 25

Recipes for spring 28

Summer 33

Stalking rabbits 34

Time to switch to ambush tactics 39

Long-range rabbiting 44

Rabbits after rain 47

Retreat to the farmyard 49

Woodpigeons in the cornfields 51

Combine casualties 57

Thirst-quenching troughs 58

The mixed appeal of maize stubbles 60

Pigeons in summer woodland 61

Sit and wait for squirrels 63

Recipes for summer 67

Autumn 71

Rabbits and mushrooms 72

The pheasant release pen 73

Fruitful hunting 76

Exploiting the autumn frenzy 79

Making use of fur and feather 84

Hunting knife and sharpening 86

Lamping rabbits 87

Recipes for autumn 93

Winter 97

Pest control around pheasant feeders 98

Hide shooting for hungry crows 102

The winter crow roost 107

Woodpigeons at the roost 111

The attraction of ivy 117

Shelter on the farm 119

Lamping rats 122

Night vision for extreme stealth 130

Let it snow 132

Recipes for winter 135

Legal matters and kill zones 139

Airgun law 139

Insurance for shooters 140

Legitimate quarry 141

Kill zones 142

Preparing meat for the table 145

Hanging 145

Pigeon preparation 145

Rabbit preparation 145