A warm wet spring has allowed the grass to grow on my permissions this year, thanks to regular visits with my .17 HMR to keep the rabbit populations under control. It was satisfying this week to return to a small farm, where last year the grazing had been ruined by a rabbit explosion, the ground covered in scrapings and burrows.

Fifty rabbits later, the view over the paddock fence has been transformed, the grass had regenerated during the autumn, allowing the farmer to begin fattening some young Black Angus cattle, before moving them on to allow mother nature to take it’s course.

My first visit here had presented rabbits grazing unconcerned all over the paddock in front of me to the hedge line, but in a few minutes, using at first my Magtech 7022 .22 semi auto, then the CZ452 .17 HMR, I’d begun to change the situation.

This being the first of three small farms along a lane that I shoot, a quick look over the fence each time and shots with the HMR saw diminishing numbers of rabbits on view, to the point, that my last few visits had seen none. This week a patrol of the fence showed up a smudge of brown among the long grass over a hundred yards away and a sight through the scope confirmed two sets of ears poking up from the greenery.

Rotating the scope dial to the maximum x 12 magnification, I sighted on the nearest set of twitching ears, aimed at a point four inches below and fired. The the ears disappear. Had I missed? The other rabbit was now sitting up, head clear of the grass. Another bullet chambered and this one leapt clear with the impact. Although I’d kept my eye on the area, I had to quarter the ground to finally find the two rabbits, ten yards apart in the lush verdant growth.

Returning back to the house, the farmer had a big grin on his face, when he saw these two, thankful that the paddock and the rest of his land was back to full productivity.