Stalking rabbits is one of my favourite forms of airgun hunting. It’s not the easiest approach – you’ll almost certainly shoot more by waiting in ambush – but there is something very exciting about creeping close enough to wary bunnies to make a telling shot.
Rabbits have evolved a host of finely tuned defence mechanisms, including an acute sense of smell, excellent hearing and an uncanny ability to detect vibration through the ground. That means a sloppy approach will usually end in failure, but it has to be said that stalking rabbits is usually a little easier in the summer months. The reason being that there are more gullible young rabbits around at this time of year.
Some shooters have reservations about shooting young rabbits. I do not share that sentiment. Small rabbits quickly grow into very destructive bigger rabbits with an ability to reproduce at a staggering rate. Those rabbits can make a very costly dent in crops and, in the case of pony paddocks, rabbit excavations create a hazard that can cause serious injury to horses and ponies. The owners of these valuable and much cherished animals can’t be expected to wait until you think young rabbits are big and bad enough for you to kill. The simple fact is, in most cases, if you can’t help them with the problem they will soon find someone who can.
Rabbits are posing a slightly different, but equally serious, problem on one of my permissions. This place is used as a wedding venue and burrowing bunnies are creating trip hazards by digging along pathways and the edges of lawns. An injury caused by these excavations could land the owner with a hefty bill and some seriously bad publicity.
Below: Rabbit holes can pose a serious danger to livestock - and to people...
For obvious reasons, this is a permission where my visits need to be carefully timed. Finding myself with a free evening a couple of weeks ago, I messaged the owner only to be told that it was fine to visit as long as I was away before a viewing by a potential client at 9pm. That only left me with a couple of hours – not long enough for a lengthy ambush and too early for a night vision session, but enough time to bag a few bunnies with stalking tactics if I went about it the right way.
My choice of gun for the evening was a sub-12ft/lb Daystate Blackwolf – walnut cylinder version – paired with an MTC King Cobra 6-24x50 F1 scope. I usually lean towards .177 calibre when shooting sub-12, but this gun is a .22 and I’m really liking it. It shoots Rangemaster Sovereign pellets extremely accurately, and the bigger calibre certainly packs a serious punch.
I was soon making my way along the winding paths that weave through this beautiful riverside venue. My preferred footwear for stalking rabbits is either an old pair of trainers or lightweight boots to keep my footfalls gentle. However, there had been some heavy rainfall just prior to my visit and, wanting to avoiding soggy feet, I opted for less stealthy welly boots. If you are forced to wear wellies, a quality brand makes for a better fit and a quieter approach. I have been wearing Aigle Parcours 2 boots for years. They’re light and supple and I use them for everything from stalking rabbits and sniping farmyard rats to dog walking and fishing.
Below top: The Daystate Blackwolf and Rangemaster Sovereign pellets have given Mat and accurate pairing
Below bottom: Choose a quality brand if you want to stalk with stealth when wearing wellies
A spot of rain prior to a summertime rabbit shooting trip is no bad thing. The droplets of water quickly refresh sundried grass, making it softer and more palatable to rabbits – often prompting them out for a munch.
Sure enough, I didn’t get far before I spotted the first rabbit of the evening. It was a three-quarters-grown specimen, nibbling at the tender green stems about 60 metres away from me. I wanted to get that down to 30 metres before taking a shot, so it was time to slow right down and shift into full stealth mode.
Although I always like to wear subtle colours in the field, camouflage isn’t the top priority when stalking rabbits. The important thing is those all-important soft footfalls and keeping your silhouette off the skyline. Staying low and close to cover will help you go undetected, and then you have to consider that sense of smell. Approaching from downwind can be helpful, but it’s not always possible. Better to keep scents from the human world to a minimum, so try to leave off the deodorant and aftershave if you’re planning to shoot rabbits. Their twitching nostrils soon pick up on anything unnatural, so go easy on the washing powder and fabric conditioner too.
With the rabbit still oblivious to my presence, I approached very, very slowly, keeping my footfalls as gentle as possible and watching very closely for any sign of alarm. At around 40 metres, the rabbit froze and sat bolt upright – a clear indication of it sensing something that might pose a danger. I froze dead still, hoping that the rabbit would soon return to its grass-gobbling. Thankfully, it didn’t appear to be particularly alarmed and settled back down to its green feast after a minute or so.
Approaching with as much stealth as I could muster, I eventually made it to my intended circa 30-metre shooting distance. I usually try to estimate range by eye when stalking – because the last thing you want to do is start waving around a laser rangefinder when you’re close to skittish bunnies.
After settling to my knees for a stable shot, I took a moment to compose myself before shouldering the Daystate Blackwolf. The shot was more or less bang on my zero range, so required no holdover or holdunder as I framed the unsuspecting rabbit in the MTC King Cobra’s sharp sight picture. The cross hair settled on the rabbit’s skull and I squeezed through the trigger to unleash a shot that hit home with a crack that rang out through the still evening air. The rabbit rolled over with barely a twitch.
Below top: Mat takes aim through the MTC King Cobra after closing in for the shot
I reloaded with a swift cycle of the Blackwolf’s sidelever, then paused for a careful scan ahead before walking in to retrieve the shot rabbit. Although silenced air rifles are very quiet in operation, the sound of a pellet smashing through bone is harder to disguise. This noise will often make previously unseen rabbits bolt for cover. If you’re really lucky, it can make them sit up and freeze – presenting you with the chance to make a double. Unfortunately, there were no more rabbits to be seen on this occasion, so I moved on and slipped the shot bunny into my game bag.
Below top: A quick cycle of the Blackwolf's sidelever and it's cocked, loaded and ready for another rabbit
Below bottom: The first successful stalk concludes with a rabbit in the bag
It really does pay to travel light for this type of shooting. A few spare pellets, a pocketknife and a game bag are about all you need. Excess equipment will bog you down and also has a habit of bumping, creaking or rustling and blowing your cover during a critical moment of the stalk. I will sometimes make an exception and clip a bipod to my airgun if the grass is very short. It’s nice to take advantage of gun support when possible, and they don’t come much more stable than getting down on your belly for a bipod-supported shot.
I didn’t have that luxury on this occasion, though, and soon found myself trying to get steady for another kneeler after creeping in close to the second rabbit of the evening. There were a couple of failed stalks in-between. One of those involved a twig that snapped under my foot with a loud crack when I’d almost made it to my intended firing point – it happens to all of us!
This stalk had a more favourable conclusion – for me anyway – and ended with another rabbit in the bag. I even managed to add a third one before I had to dash home to avoid breaking my curfew. It wasn’t a long session but it certainly proved that it’s always worth getting out there and making the most of it whenever you get the chance.
GUN: Daystate Blackwolf (cylinder version / walnut stock)
SCOPE: MTC King Cobra 6-24x50 F1
SCOPE MOUNTS: Sportsmatch two-piece scope mounts
SILENCER: 0dB Pro System
AMMO: Rangemaster Sovereign (.22 calibre)
JACKET: Jack Pyke Rannock Jacket
BOOTS: Aigle Parcours 2
BAG: Jack Pyke Game Bag
Article first published 12th June 2025
