Too many shooters miss out on the joys of winter hunting, passing off the season as being too cold for outdoor activities and mothballing their hobby until warmer weather returns in spring. I think they’re missing out, because cold weather brings some of the best shooting opportunities, especially if you do your airgun hunting in woodland.
One of my latest visits to the woods offered the chance of a mixed bag. Destructive grey squirrels are a constant problem on this permission and there was also the potential for some pigeon shooting as woodies were hammering a rape crop that runs parallel to the woods.
With a couple of hours to go until nightfall, I had the best part of the day ahead of me and felt very optimistic as I loaded the magazine of my Daystate Huntsman Revere with Rangemaster Sovereign pellets. I am a big fan of the Safari edition of the Huntsman – so much so that I actually have two – one in .177 calibre and one in .22. Both guns are sub-12 models and today I opted for the larger calibre as I hoped the extra wallop would prove useful when dropping woodpigeons from their treetop perches.
Although I have squirrel feeders running in these woods, I wasn’t going to be targeting them on this occasion. Instead, I wanted to concentrate on the block of woodland next to where the pigeons were causing expensive crop damage. The occasional distant bang confirmed that the farmer was busy with his shotgun at the opposite end of the rape field but – having seen pigeons dropping into the field from the edge of the woods as I drove along the track – I expected to be able to account for a few from the cover of the trees. I never like to miss the chance of reducing grey squirrel numbers though, so I picked a route through the woods that would take me past a pheasant release pen where I hoped I might encounter one or two bushy-tailed rodents helping themselves to wheat from the hoppers.
Right on cue, I spotted a squirrel filling its face beneath a blue drum as I rounded the release pen. The greedy little rodent was too busy feasting to notice me as I crept towards it, keeping as low as I could and using a stack of old pallets as cover.
Those pallets were about 25 metres from where the squirrel was feeding and, apart from offering me something to hide behind, also made for a stable platform to shoot from once I had reached them. Comfortably within range, I settled onto my knees and was just about to line up for the shot when a silvery grey flash caught my eye.
Another squirrel was scuttling across the ground on its way to the feeder and must have sensed my presence, as it froze dead still just as it was crossing the ride. At around 20 metres from me, it was closer than the one beneath the feeder and, although it appeared to be on edge, it hadn’t clocked where I was.
Going for the easier option, I lined up on the closest squirrel – which was now sat bolt upright – and, checking the reticle of my MTC Copperhead scope, applied I touch of hold-under to compensate that the pellet would have risen slightly above the line of sight. I squeezed through the trigger and the muted “pap” from the silencer was followed by a loud crack that echoed around the still woods. That noise signalled a very solid smack to the skull which snuffed out the squirrel with barely a twitch. The disturbance was too much for the other squirrel to tolerate and it beat a hasty retreat off into the undergrowth. Hopefully, we will cross paths at one of my own feeders on another day.
I have already mentioned that the Daystate Huntsman Revere Safari edition is a firm favourite, and I have recently been trialling a new silencer with it. My moderator of choice has been the 0dB Pro System, which has a clever modular construction which enables you to optimise it for your gun’s calibre and to add extra sections if you need additional sound suppression. I have to say that the sound of the impacting pellet was much louder than the Huntsman’s muzzle report, so the 0dB Pro System passed its first field test with flying colours.
My setup was completed by an MTC Copperhead scope, which has great light transmission and excellent image quality, as well as a reticle which offers plenty of aimpoints without looking busy and confusing. A with the 0dB Pro System silencer, the colour finish of the MTC Copperhead really complements the tones of the Huntsman Safari stock. I always rate performance over looks when choosing my gear, but it’s nice to use kit that ticks both boxes.
And, just to prove that this setup really does cut it in the performance stakes, I managed to add a second squirrel to the tally before reaching the spot where I planned to intercept those pigeons.
When shooting pigeons in woodland, I prefer not to use a hide. My thinking is that the construction process creates too much disturbance, and having a fixed hiding place can be a massive disadvantage if you discover that you’ve set up in the wrong place.
I do like to wear a head net though, so I was hugely frustrated to realise that I didn’t have one with me on this occasion. Even more frustrating was the fact that I only had myself to blame as I’d left it in the pocket of another jacket. After having a few choice words with myself, I chose a spot where I hoped that natural cover, including a few thick patches of ivy, would help to keep me hidden – even if I didn’t have a head net to conceal my pale white face as I peered up into the treetops.
The hiding place I picked also offered cover in the form of tree trunks, which would provide welcome support for leaning shots if the pigeons perched in the right place. My vantage point gave me a clear view up into several trees, including a couple of large ashes which would likely offer me unobstructed shots.
Pigeon shooting never goes entirely to plan, and although I was delighted when two birds swooped into the trees within striking distance, they didn’t have the courtesy to choose the open boughs of the ash trees. Instead, the pigeons fluttered into a field maple where fine twigs threatened to cause a nuisance.
At less than 30 metres away, the birds were close enough for a supported shot and, thankfully, weren’t spooked by my uncovered face as I jostled into a comfortable shooting position. The heads of both pigeons were obscured, but one bird offered a very clear shot to its heart and lung area. To drive a pellet into a pigeon’s engine room with lethal effect – especially when shooting at an upward incline – you have to place the pellet lower than you might think. Those who land shots in the upper part of the chest are aiming too high and are likely to strike the crop or breast bone, which isn’t always terminal. Aim just beneath the fold of the wing, and the pellet should deliver a lethal shock to the heart and/or lungs.
The .22 Rangemaster Sovereign unleashed from my Huntsman Safari found the right spot and the poleaxed pigeon dropped like a stone, hitting the deck with an almighty “thud” as its startled mate clattered off over the treetops. Although the bird was cleanly killed, I made an immediate retrieve as I don’t like to risk missing out on the chance of a delicious pigeon supper by losing birds in the fading light.
I went on to add two more pigeons, and also missed a very lucky squirrel when I failed to spot a fine twig which sent the pellet whizzing off target. That’s another bushy-tail that I hope to encounter at my feeding station later in the season.
Judging by the distant gunshots, it sounded as though the farmer would be going home with a lot more pigeons than me, I just hope that he put them to the same good use as I did mine. Pigeon pie is just one of the many rewards of a fruitful few hours spent enjoying some fine winter shooting.
MAT’S KIT
GUN: Daystate Huntsman Revere (Safari Edition) https://daystate.com/
SCOPE: MTC Copperhead https://mtcoptics.com/home/
SILENCER: 0dB Pro System https://daystate.com/
AMMO: Daystate Rangemaster Sovereign (.22) https://daystate.com/
BAG: Jack Pyke 25L Rucksack https://www.jackpyke.co.uk/
