Air Arms Owners Club

Hi I'm fairly new to hunting but not to shooting. Currently I have an AA TX200HC .177, every second I get I practice. Anyway the reason for me having a air rifle was for small game and currently I am going for woodies, I have had a good amount so far with good clean kills mainly heart/lung but a good few head shot too. Recently I have had a few fly away after being shot, all have been shot in the same areas as the previous kills, feathers were left behind but no pigeon! I am just concerned that I have had now three inhumane kills but no evidence as I have walked around and found nothing! I have always been using JSB exacts and I found they gave me the best accuracy and distance. the other pellets I have are H&N Hunter Barracudas but they're only really good for up to 25yrds plus I think I will have to re-zero my rifle to use these with good effect. Any help or information I will be thankful, also has anyone else experienced this before?

Andrew

Imnot a pigeon shooter but just a thought with the heart and lung shots could it be that they have a full crops and because of that your not getting full penetration for the h&l shot.

Woodies are big, tough birds. Shot placement is critical especially the frontal area of the bird. Any shot to the frontal chest or crop area will regularly result in a bird flying.
Shots from the side into the armpit will nearly always kill cleanly although a bird may fly for a short distance. Often when you have a good heart/lung shot the bird will trail its legs, if so watch it, it will usually drop within 50 yards. Head shots are best but it's a small target. My favoured shot is into the spine/cavity from behind.

Never tried a spinal shot, I am usually waiting for the bird to turn side on for a heart/lung kill. I haven't taking a front on shot unless head as I have heard that it's like body armor where the crop and breast bone is. I will look into the spinal shot, perhaps I should look around better!

Try and position yourself so any shots you take whether on the ground or in a tree the wind is blowing towards you, that means most birds will land facing away. Less likely to see you and giving you two target areas, spine or head.

I would hazard a guess that your broadside fly away's have been shot too low probably through the breasts.
I recommend that you dissect one lenthways from above and you will realise how high the vitals are on a woody.
Broadside, a top half inch shot is instantaneous.