The Return Of the Beast

            Air Arms Galahad
                                 The Return Of the Beast

Its been a long hot summer here for The Ole Hedge Creeper, what with all my vermin control job's running Really Wild Pest Control, that coupled with running the corporate events company Really Wild Adventures and all my duties heading up Pass It On young Sports, doing taster days and game fairs etc, then we started off the Pass It On Young Sports Air Rifle Range too, as you can tell I have hardly had 5 mins to put pen to paper as it were, although I have enough material and photos etc to keep writing for the next 10 years.

I have really been putting these Air Arms Galahads through their paces these last few months, Everything has fallen to them in fine style I telle, rats/feral pigeons/mixed corvids/wood pigeons/squirrels and the humble bunny have all been on its kill list.

I am not a ball pup fan but I telle this Galahad is a surgical instrument in my hands, it fits me like my favorite pair of slippers and hits like a steam train with pin point accuracy.

I have said before I don't write technical articles, its not because I cant its because they bore the living daylights out of me, the pellet weighed this and that, I washed it and sized them in this, the gun is made from this metal plastic and wood, my only interest is what does it feel like what does it shoot like and how much is the cost, the rest I will leave others to write about.

I do a lot of my vermin control shooting from the truck, you see my theory is that especially in Agricultural Vermin Control, the vermin are used to seeing the movement of tractors/trucks and the like and don't pay them much attention, it also means you are upwardly mobile over bigger distances, plus the fact its a comfy mobile hide and if the weather turns inclement its a dry warm place to be and still hunt from.

That said a lot of the equestrian centers I am doing rabbit control on the truck really has been the best thing, as the rabbits are as spooky as hell with people walking about due to folk taking pot shots at them whilst on foot, but the trucks they take no notice off even running under me as I am parked there.

I recall taking my secretary out with me showing her what we do so she can deal with my clients on the phone with some degree of knowledge, the rabbits just kept coming out on this VIP equestrian center taking no notice of the truck what so ever not even when I shot their mates, the moment I got out we did not see another rabbit for an hour, so I say the proofs in the pudding on that one, give it a try yourself see how you get on with it.

One tip is to put the sun visors down as this creates a mirror effect from the outside, thus making it harder to see inside the trucks cab, it works a treat I telle muckers, again this Air Arms Galahad shot like a dream and took the rabbits from 65 yards back to 10 yards without any trouble at all, of course it has a lot to do with the nut behind the but too, I recommend Hawk Scopes on any air rifle for me they are quite simply the best and I get on well with them, I also use Air Arms Field Diablo pellets in either 177 or 22 for me they are the best.

I also had Young Sport Nathan join me on my agricultural Vermin Control rounds, his Dad is Big Glyn my North Wales Regional Director for Pass It On Young Sports, Glyn was down for a few days helping me with some vermin jobs as well as we had one of our famous taster days for Pass It On Young Sport on the Sunday,.

Nathan joined me and borrowed my little Browning M Blade junior air rifle, its a nice very accurate junior air rifle and kills cleanly out to 25 yards, Nathan had never shot a live target before so I said I would give the boy some lessons Ole Hedge Creeper stylie.

We drove around one of the VIP horse places that are one of my oldest clients, I put his Dad on squirrel duty in one of the big woods with an Air Arms S400, I drove down towards the offices there sat two fat wood pigeons sunning themselves on the fence, a perfect chance for young Nathan 20 yards with a cracking open hill back stop right behind it.

I stopped the truck the pigeons did not move taking no notice of us what so ever, I whispered take your time get your breathing right and squeeze off the shot, he squeezed off the shot the distinct sound of a spring power air rifle was heard one pigeon flew off the other fell to the floor hardly flapping to a perfect head shot, Nathan squeaked I got it with a smile as wide as a Cheshire cat.

Now you have to go retrieve it I said, the look on his face was priceless what you mean I have to actually touch it, well yes lad how else are you going to pluck it and breast it and I show you how to cook it, what I have to take its feathers off he asked, I laughed and said yes of course boy they taste better with the feathers off.

I took some pics and sent them to his Dad who was overjoyed as was his Mum, so much so his Dad has now bought a Browning M Blade off my shop (www.theoutpostshop.co.uk) for the boy, Nathan retrieved it in fine style and now chews his Dads ear off to take him shooting with him, I think that's another young sport ambassador recruit for field sports don't you.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it, and if you want a ball pup that's an all rounder and as good as a full sized air rifle, look no further than an Air Arms Galahad with a Hawk scope mounted on it, you wont be disappointed I telle. ​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk