Trying To Spot The Egg Thief!

[lonewolf]

yep, very similar to ours.

 

[Keith]

yep, very similar to ours.

Shorter tail. As you can imagine, many of our birds here got their names from the birds in the UK. Some of course are the same, crows, ravens, some are migratory. We have Blackbirds but not out here where we are, though we did have one visit. These along with starlings & sparrows are not native. My first sighting of native birds over here was when I was leaving Perth in WA to work out bush, & I saw a flock of Budgies!!! Immediately after this I saw wild boar crossing the road!
Keith.

 

[lonewolf]

haven't seen any wild boar although there are plenty about, deer are everywhere and we see them very early in the morning like pre dawn. plenty of wood pigeons, we have those and a flock of greenfinches which come to the bird table every day.

 

[Ystranc]

The lower Wye valley has a small population of wild boar but they're well established and plentiful down in the Forest of Dean. National estimates are wildly inaccurate since mature females (over one year old) can farrow two litters of 10-12 piglets each year. Defra estimated wild boar numbers at 500-1000 but that estimate was very conservative and out of date before it was published. Other estimates go up into the low thousands. Each year there are more. The deer populations are growing as well, perhaps not as quickly but they're more widespread.

 

[Keith]

The lower Wye valley has a small population of wild boar but they're well established and plentiful down in the Forest of Dean. National estimates are wildly inaccurate since mature females (over one year old) can farrow two litters of 10-12 piglets each year. Defra estimated wild boar numbers at 500-1000 but that estimate was very conservative and out of date before it was published. Other estimates go up into the low thousands. Each year there are more. The deer populations are growing as well, perhaps not as quickly but they're more widespread.

Plenty of meat available then. Good one.
Keith.

 

[Ystranc]

I don't have the right calibre rifle for piggies, I'd need at least a .270 Winchester and the variation on my licence would be very difficult unless I could get permission to shoot on land before I applied. It's difficult to get anything over .243 at the moment.

 

[Keith]

I don't have the right calibre rifle for piggies, I'd need at least a .270 Winchester and the variation on my licence would be very difficult unless I could get permission to shoot on land before I applied. It's difficult to get anything over .243 at the moment.

A 12 gauge will take out wild boar, so will a 20 gauge with round ball. I once heard of a hunter who hunted tiger with a .60 caliber/20 gauge muzzle-loader. I have shot wild boar with a .45/70, a .50 caliber, .6o caliber & a 12 gauge.

I shot this boar using just 60 grains of 2FG behind a .62 caliber ball in an original black powder 12 gauge shotgun. Difficult to see the size here, but this was an adult boar.
Keith.

 

[Ystranc]

Is that the bullet entry, front chest? (An assumption because it's very neat for an exit wound) That's a bloody good shot Keith everyone I've ever talked to about boar said to avoid the headshot, they've got a skull like a bank vault. It looks to be between 26-30" at the shoulder.
Again to buy or use solid slugs or rounds with less then 5 shot requires a variation on my firearms certificate on top of buying the shotgun. I could easily get a standard shotgun certificate but the FAC shotgun is more awkward.

In a survival situation it is possible to adapt a shotgun shell by cutting around the wadding in three overlapped cuts so as to almost detach the load from the propellant then re-seal it with sealotape, this is tricky and shouldn't be used with a heavily choked barrel.

 

[lonewolf]

in a survival situation you'll use whatever you've got, whether its humane or not.

 

[Ystranc]

It's just a little risky because it can blow a weak barrel if it sticks in the choke. that would ruin your day.
As for humane, I have heard of Americans shooting young wild boar or hogs with a .22 air rifle...not only inhumane but damned dangerous.
It can be done but I wouldn't advise it.

 

[lonewolf]

well the yanks hunt deer and wild pigs with crossbows.

 

[Keith]

Is that the bullet entry, front chest? (An assumption because it's very neat for an exit wound) That's a bloody good shot Keith everyone I've ever talked to about boar said to avoid the headshot, they've got a skull like a bank vault. It looks to be between 26-30" at the shoulder.
Again to buy or use solid slugs or rounds with less then 5 shot requires a variation on my firearms certificate on top of buying the shotgun. I could easily get a standard shotgun certificate but the FAC shotgun is more awkward.

In a survival situation it is possible to adapt a shotgun shell by cutting around the wadding in three overlapped cuts so as to almost detach the load from the propellant then re-seal it with sealotape, this is tricky and shouldn't be used with a heavily choked barrel.

No, I took the shot side on. I checked the chokes on the shotgun first, the Brown Bess musket ball was too large, so I used the .60 caliber round ball which is slightly undersized for my 20 gauge. Ball & conical slug moulds are easily come by so you can make your own. You don't have to use them now, but if tshts, then you are ready.
Keith.

Brass cartridges are the easiest way to load.

 

[Ystranc]

How do you get on with reloading them after being used? Do they deform much?

 

[Ystranc]

Just checked, can't find any 12g or 20g Brass on the Magtech product list anymore. Either they've stopped making them completely or they're special order now. I'll look around at other makers.

 

[Keith]

How do you get on with reloading them after being used? Do they deform much?

I have not got around to using them yet, I loaded a couple. Before this I was using old plastic shells, used. I would not think that they would deform at all.
Keith.