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The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
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ID, USA
Posted: 10/3/2023 4:34:55 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Varmint-Hunter][Edited]
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My buddy has a local farmer who was asking him to come over and do some Eurasian Dove removal. They were getting into his feed and crapping all over the place. He estimated 300+ dove on his property at any given time. My buddy asked me if I would join him and bring some of my airguns (he had none). I agreed and brought my LCS Airarms SK-19 .25 caliber and my Daystate Huntsman XL .22 caliber. We got to the farm and the dove were everywhere. I stood in a barn with the LCS and knocked them out of some trees at 50 to 70 yards. It was the perfect hide and after a couple of shots, I had the range and wind figured out, so it became a shooting gallery (with an accurate gun)! We ended up killing #40 (collected) on that day, with others going missing due to farm cats and death gliding into tall alfalfa next to the farm. Attached File After that hunt, my buddy was eager to buy his own airgun. We went to a local shop here in the Boise, Idaho area so he could check some out and test them on their indoor range. I had recently purchased a FX Panthera Hunter Compact in .30 caliber (minimum for Turkey here in Idaho). The FX PHC has the option to move the fill nipple and replace the stock with an AR15 buffer tube, stock and a folder made for this rifle. I had that set-up, so the compact, but still high-power and accurate rifle, really piqued his interest. After test firing a few, he went with the same FX PHC, but in .25 caliber. He set his up the same as mine, but put on a larger tank and a Larue Rat Stock. After some range work at the shop and outside at the farm, he was ready to roll! I could hear the "smacks" every time he popped a Eurasian Dove from all around the corrals and feed bins. He was smacking the heck out of them with his new rifle and was enjoying every moment of it! We ended up getting #50 (collected), with others also being snagged by farm cats and making it into the alfalfa field (10 feet away from some trees). I used my FX and also my LCS. Both also performed very well. We are planning another day out there very soon. Attached File |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
Apr 2004
Posts:
5679
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
Apr 2004
Posts:
5680
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
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Originally Posted By myitinaw:  That's a great collection of birds! Originally Posted By sparkyD: That's some awesome shooting. And nice toy's. |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
Apr 2004
Posts:
5681
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
Quick video I put together. Next time I'll bring my better camera! Eurasian Collared Dove Airgun Hunt |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
Apr 2004
Posts:
5698
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
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We did it again. #61 retrieved this time. The .30 caliber puts the wallop on them! Attached File |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
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Originally Posted By Varmint-Hunter: We did it again. #61 retrieved this time. The .30 caliber puts the wallop on them! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/52158/IMG_20231016_211419_807_jpg-2996939.JPG I bet! I think I would have to throw a few breast on the smoker and then simmer them in some mushroom gravy over homemade biscuits.🤠 |
Chicken Farmer by choice hunter of shade tree's and hiding spots by nature.
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
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| Thanks everyone! My buddy takes all the Dove when we are done. He said the .30 caliber leaves quite a bit of damage. But, we are hunting for depredation purposes, so those breasts go into the tank to feed the dermestid beetles that he breeds and sells. |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
Apr 2004
Posts:
5725
EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
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I hit another dairy yesterday with my FX .30 caliber. This time, pigeons were on the hit list. Since the farm was busy, it forced the birds into areas where they would not normally hang out. I was using Hades pellets and an ATN X-Sight 4K Pro optic. Attached File Lots of crap mud to wander around in while collecting: Attached File |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
The Desert is My Church... and Hunting is My god
Joined:
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Posts:
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EE: 100% (6)
ID, USA
| You are correct on that! We do try to take them off the property and out of the pens. The damn cows love eating them, so that's another thing we try to avoid! I pull the heads, get them cleaned by beetles, whiten them and sell them. Easy extra money for gas, etc. |
"The Desert is My Church and Hunting is My god..." - Me
www.Varminter.com
www.Varminter.com
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Nice! I never took pics, but when my manufacturing facility shut down I bought a .22 Weirauch 50s and wet to town on pigeons. Over a few month time I wiped them out. At least a couple hundred. I thought about a PCP but really wanted to be independent of tanks and such. My longest kill was about 60 to 70 yards. I love shooting airguns! |
Ohio weather STILL sucks, even more!
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Nice shooting and even nicer guns! I eventually need to stretch the legs out on my airguns. I didn't know you were on this forum. Like the channel and the website. Those shots seemed insanely quiet for such large calibers. What moderator/LDC/shroud do you use on your air rifles? Recently lucked into an amazing deal with a Steoger XM1 Bullskark(basically a product improved Snowpeak P35) and from the factory it is pretty loud. I have a screw on unit that Rocker1 on GTA made for me for my Maximus. While it was okay on that the design seems like it was best for lower output guns. |
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