Fraction for a hare. Success depends on preparation

Preparing for the hunt

When going into the forest, you need to decide on the type of equipment, what shot to use for a hare, and prepare a weapon. However, all this does not guarantee that the hunt will be successful. You need to have a good sense of direction in order to find the animal’s fat, understand where you can choose a hiding place and which side is best to enter from.

This is not a problem if the hunt takes place in the same place for many years in a row. But if it’s new, then you need to look for options: hire a guide, ask local hunters. Therefore, everything else should be ready for hunting and not cause headaches.

Modern industry offers many different types of equipment, weapons, ammunition and shot. The main thing is to clearly know what exactly you need.

Rabbit shooting technique

A correctly selected number of hare fractions will not provide the result. You can have excellent eyesight and the most expensive gun, but regularly miss the mark when hunting. Hunters attribute their mistakes to the weapon, to the shooting conditions, and only the last thing they think about is their technique. But following a few simple rules will greatly simplify the hunting process, and hare shot is last on this list.

• How comfortable is the gun in your hands?
• Which eye is dominant, right or left?
• It is necessary to zero the gun in order to know the recoil force and use adjustments to the sight.
• The weight of the gun and its dimensions must correspond to the hunter’s build.

No matter how quickly the shot flies at the hare, remember that in this short period of time it will have time to move 1-1.5 m. It’s worth shooting ahead of the curve. If a hare runs towards a hunter, then the shot is fired at the animal’s legs; if the side is exposed to you, then the aim is slightly in front of the head. When the hare leaves, the shot is fired at the ears, between the so-called slingshot or Roman numeral V.

In the end, it’s up to you to decide what kind of shot to shoot the hare with. In winter, they even use a zero for the hare. But while there is no experience and not enough personal observations to draw a conclusion, use small shot for the hare. It is small and hits farther and is quite capable of piercing the skin of an eared bird; 5-6 pellets stop both birds and small game. The smaller the shot, the more likely the success, especially if you don’t have a hunting dog, the likelihood of being wounded is high. A hunting dog will significantly diversify the hunting process, because it will see and smell what is inaccessible to humans. If you still don’t have such a faithful friend, think about it. Don't just kill game. After all, even a wounded hare can get into the weeds so that it will be impossible to find him without a dog.

Types of hares in Russia

Hares are animals that live almost everywhere on earth, including Alaska and the Arctic. But in Australia and Antarctica they are not.

The following species are found in Russia:

• white hare;
• brown hare;
• Manchurian hare;
• tolai hare.

Depending on the species, the habitat of the hare can be: arctic tundra or tropical forests, deserts or semi-deserts, plains and mountains (up to 4900 m).

The most common types of hares:

1. Belyak. It got its name due to the fact that in winter it changes the color of its skin to bright white, only the tips of its ears remain gray. The weight of an adult animal can reach 5 kg, length - up to 70 cm. It feeds on foliage and tree bark. Prefers to live in forests.
2. Hare. Practically does not change color in different seasons. Compared to the white hare, it is larger, with longer ears and a tail. Lives mainly in steppes and fields. Weight up to 6 kg, body length - up to 70 cm.

Where do the animals live?

The white hare prefers to live in mixed forests, on dense forest edges, in young aspen and birch groves. In winter, the animal's skin turns white. In the snow it is practically invisible; only the black tips of its ears can give it away.

The brown hare is larger than the white hare; its weight can reach 7 kilograms. In winter it remains gray in color because it does not shed completely. The animal prefers to live in open spaces, in the steppes or fields. It can roost under bushes in ditches, in grass, and even in plow furrows.

In addition to the hare and hare, they also hunt the tolai hare and the Manchurian long-eared hare, which live in Siberia, Central Asia and the Far East. And in the Black Sea region they hunt wild rabbits. As you can see, they are found in different places and are hunted by local residents. No matter what type of animal will be your prey, it is best to purchase 16 gauge ammunition. You can safely go after a hare with such ammunition. It could be a forest rabbit, a steppe long-eared animal, a cunning fox or a capercaillie. The hunt will be fruitful, and you will definitely come home with a trophy.

How to hunt a hare

It must be remembered that the hare is an animal with good hearing and poor eyesight. At the slightest sound that signifies danger, he begins to run away, and it’s probably not worth talking about the speed of his legs. Therefore, you need to choose the method of hunting for the “oblique” that will be most effective in order to get within shooting distance of him.

What are the different ways to hunt a hare?

1. Hunting from the approach. Most often used. You can hunt in groups or alone. You need to understand where the hare’s fattening area is, that is, where it continues to look for food in winter. The point is to get as quietly as possible to the animal and not allow it to notice the hunter. Then scare away the hare and fire a shot. Although this is the most popular method, it has disadvantages. You need to know the area where you are going to hunt very well; females and young animals often become victims, since they are more careless and allow them to get close to them. This type of hunting can be practiced both in winter and autumn.
2. Hunting for the Uzerka. This method also consists of tracking a hare in its roosting area. It differs from the first in that hunting takes place only during the short off-season and for the white hare. At this time, he had already changed his skin to bright white, but winter had not yet come, the snow had not fallen on the ground. The hunter must behave very quietly so as not to scare the animal. During this period, the white hare exhibits a special behavior - if there is a threat, it does not run away as fast as it can, but tries to hide. It is better to hunt the white hare in windy and damp weather, then the white hare chooses places on the edges and lies more densely.
3. Hunting by tracking. They track a hare using recent tracks in freshly fallen snow. In other cases, such a hunt does not make sense.
4. Drive hunting. Hunters are divided into two groups: beaters and numbers. The beater drives the animals to the number, which must shoot the hare. This method is possible with a large number of animals, but requires clear and coordinated actions of hunters. Otherwise, accidents may occur.
5. Hunting from ambush. Hunting is carried out in winter, preferably on a clear night. During the day, the place where the hare is supposed to be killed is selected, and the hunter is placed in a secluded place. The distance should be no more than 20 meters, otherwise the shot will be inaccurate.

What is a fraction?

Shots are lead balls that are used to fill a cartridge. It has numbers indicating its size. There is no uniform standard for marking shot sizes. In Russia and some other countries, the smaller the fraction, the larger its number. There are countries that mark the fraction backwards, so you need to pay attention to this when purchasing.

The difference between the fraction numbers is 0.25 mm

In addition to numbers, fractions have letters. They indicate the physical characteristics and method of production: soft or hard, rolled, cast or stamped.

Many hunters buy factory-made ammunition. Others make them themselves. This cartridge is called a self-roller. Some of the reasons why hunters make their own ammunition include:

• economic benefit;
• low-quality factory-made cartridges;
• I like the process of making self-rolls.

Rules for choosing a fraction for a hare

Choosing a fraction number is a very difficult task. If this is done incorrectly, the hunt will turn into disappointment and a painful and useless death of the game will occur.

There are recommendations for choosing a shot number depending on the territory and hunting season. Additional factors will be the experience of the hunter and the type of weapon.

Winter

The hunting season is important because the animal's pelt is much thicker in winter due to its thick fur. Small shot may not cause much harm to the hare and will simply become entangled in it. Therefore, in winter you need to choose a larger size.

In winter, No. 2 is suitable in the forest; in the forest-steppe, and if the expected shot distance is about 50 m, you need to take a larger shot - No. 1. If the hunter is experienced, has good shooting skills and a suitable weapon, then for winter hunting in open space you can choose shot with size No. 0 or No. 00.

Autumn

In the fall, the hare's skin has not yet shed; finer shot will do. As for the hunting territory, the range of the intended shooting and the presence of vegetation matter. For example, when hunting in the forest, where you plan to shoot at a short distance, shot size No. 3 is suitable.

On hilly terrain with copses and bushes, you will need a larger shot - No. 2. If hunting takes place in the field, then it is better to choose No. 1, it will help in shooting at long distances.

What shot to shoot a hare depending on the season and place of hunting?

Many hunters are concerned about the question of what to shoot a hare with. The best shot number for hare hunting is selected taking into account 2 factors:

• season;
• the territory in which the hunt will take place.

The choice of fraction may also depend on:

• shooting skills;
• cartridge quality;
• weapons used;
• target size.

in autumn

In the fall, it is recommended to use a smaller bullet or cartridge. What also plays a big role is what distance the hunter chooses for the shot:

• at close range you should opt for fraction No. 3;
• if the hunt takes place in a large mixed area, you can choose No. 2;
• in open areas the distance will be long, so No. 1 is suitable for shooting.

This is interesting: IZH 58 16: caliber, technical characteristics

in winter

In winter, the animal grows a coat of thick fur, which is more difficult to penetrate. Therefore, in order to catch a hare in winter, it is necessary to increase the fraction used by one.

Shot sizes for different territories:

• No. 2 is suitable for forests (its diameter is 3.75 millimeters);
• in the forest-steppe at an average distance of up to 5 m, it is recommended to use No. 1;
• for open spaces - No. 0 or No. 00 (for shooting at a moving object at long distances).

You also need to take into account the characteristics of the weapon. If it is possible to increase the sharpness of the shot using wads and a shutter, you can use shot No. 3.

Using different types of shot in ammunition

Many experienced hunters combine cartridges with different types of shot when loading their guns. This is done in order to simultaneously take into account several options for the development of events during the hunt. If the hare is at a great distance, he was scared away too early, then a larger shot from the second cartridge will help to penetrate to a greater distance. The same thing, if the hare is too close, you will need a smaller shot size.

Double-barreled shotgun

It is considered the best type of weapon for hunting hare, since usually only two shots can be fired. If you manage to shoot the third one, then only to finish off the animal. Typically 16 and 12 gauge shotguns are used.

If they want to combine shot, then one cartridge is loaded for short-range shooting, the second for long-range shooting. Typically, shot numbers are used: for a short shot - No. 2 or No. 3, for a long shot - No. 1 or No. 0.

If a double-barreled shotgun has a different choke, then the narrow one is loaded with small shot, the wider one is loaded with larger shot.

Automation

Since in semi-automatic weapons shots are fired one after another, the shot combination is performed in this way: the first cartridge is loaded with shot of caliber No. 2-3, then increased to No. 0. This is done on the basis that the shot distance will increase all the time and it will be necessary to shoot at someone who is already running away hare