32 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ MAY 2018
HAVE always believed in the old saying
‘if you haven’t got anything intelligent to
add to the conversation, say nothing at all.’
However, having hunted rabbits for over
50 years I think I might be able to add to
the conversation regarding the hunting
of rabbits. Over that time I have hunted
rabbits in every conceivable way and, probably
a couple of other ways as well.I
After years of experimenting Leon Wright reckons
WABBIT
WEAPONS
I have trapped, ferreted using
nets, shooting them as they are
flushed from their warrens by the
ferrets. Coupled with the ferrets a
smooth handling shotgun makes for
a great day in the field. I couldn’t
ever conceive the number of rabbits
I have taken with a .22 Rimfire, be it
a single shot Browning designed for
.22 shorts or long rifle cartridges
through to a fast handling self-
loading shotgun.
During the period when
varminting was the new craze for
hunting rabbits I had used
practically every calibre that I could
get my hands on from the .22 Hornet
through to the .270 Winchester, my
favourite being the .22-250
Remington. I couldn’t count the
number of summer afternoons I
have spent stretched out behind my
Tikka .22-250 Deluxe topped off
with a Tasco 4x-12 variable scope,
thinning out, or attempting to what
seemed to be countless number of
rabbits that I had access to.
Over the last 10 years I have taken
literally thousands of rabbits and I
reckon I have finally got it fine-
tuned enough to say I am completely
happy with the three firearms that I
hunt them with. The good old .22
Rimfire comes in first. These days I
do a lot of pest destruction of
rabbits, mainly through spotlighting