Hunting and shooting chair

**Freek Senekal** · 28-08-2009, 09:17

Hi everyone,

I recently stumbled acros this site and it appears to be realy interesting. Well done to you all happy0065 I've grown up in a family were hunting was no rare occurrence and with that came the exposure to firearms at a very young age. To say the least, I cherish my rifles very dearly as they provide good memories and fun. Don't understand me wrong I'm certainly not an expert in this field, every day I learn new things.

I've lately been actively involved with problem animal hunting on agricultural farms i.e. Bushpig, Baboon, Blackbacked Jackal and Caracal. With this type of hunting specificaly with regard to Jackal, and Caracal shots are sometimes taken over fairly long distances, 200m plus, at night. I've discovered the need for a stable platform/rest in order to make these long shots succesfull and thus designed and developed a hunting and shooting chair that fits on the back of the hunting vehicle. The chair has got a rifle rest, 12V power supply for spotlights and rotates 360 degrees to enable the hunter to properley survey the area arround him. I might place a few pics if you guys are interested.

Don't know if any one else on this site is also involved in this kind of hunting or using similar equipment. fighting0002 If there are people here with similar interests, it can only be good to here from you. ;)

**Freek Senekal** · 31-08-2009, 15:30

Looks like I'm the only man drifting on this Island at this stage... :-\ Is there any one around here that have shot his rifle out of a rotating shooting chair before? fighting0035

**SWATG** · 31-08-2009, 16:14

Freek I am no hunter nor do I have much knowledge on hunting, as I have never been attacked by one of these wild beasts of nature, so never really had the need to kill one hpy194 Just kidding, my only experience with hunting was many, many years ago in the Boshoff district where I accompanied some farmers on their evening culling trips, and had the opportunity to bag a couple of Springboks, not the easiest thing to do for a novice "hunter" especially 200m at night, but their .243 hunting rifles was something different I have to say. I saw once how one of these farmers took out some running Springboks from a very simple turning chair he made, if I remember correct it was a normal garden chair that he converted, but the shooting was spectacular to say the least!

**CasperC** · 31-08-2009, 19:20

Freek - put an ad in the smalls on the forum together with a pic. Maybe these guys need to see it first.

Go for it.

CC

fighting0002

**Freek Senekal** · 01-09-2009, 08:44

AAAAAH at last some reaction... 8) SWATG you are right this handy piece of equipment is a great aid to stabalize your rifle for accurate shooting. It is at this stage more comonly used by Namibian, Caroo, Freestate, Western and Eastern Cape hunters due to the nature of the terain in witch they hunt (open flats) whitch results in shots taken over fairly long distances. The chair is normaly mounted on the back of the hunting vehicle thus enabling the hunter to be mobile and able to cover a big hunting area. SA varmint hunters and farmers further developed and improved the hunting chair by adding a power supply system so that the chair can be usefull during night hunts as well, specifically for culling and problem Jackal and Caracal hunting. Two basic methods of 12V power supply are used namely a 12V car batery is fixed onto the rotating chair or one can use a slipring system at the rotating base of the chair. Both methods provide 12V power to the shooting deck for spotlights/hunting lights thus enabling the chair to rotate 360 degrees without electrical cables winding up around the hunter.

Despite the fact that the chair is designed for hunting purposes it can also be succesfully used by other/general rifle shooters at the shooting range (That is now if your local shooting range will allow you to park your vehicle behind the firing line next to the other shooting benches). We in the rural areas and on the farms fortunatly don't have this problem.

There are numerous designs of shooting chairs available in the field today as many a hunter will develop and build it according to his own personal needs and requirements. I've just completed such a project with the aid and input from problem animal hunters on the JARACAL forum (www.jaracal.com). Will certainly post a few pics for you guys once I manage to log on to photobucket again.

**Freek Senekal** · 20-09-2009, 09:42

**Freek Senekal** · 20-09-2009, 09:48

[img]http://[http://i431.photobucket.com/albums/q...02661.jpg/img]

**deonh** · 20-09-2009, 09:52

Hi Freek, slightly off-topic but what method do you use for bushpig control? We're having some issues with bushpigs in the Southern Cape. They like mielies. Too much.

**CasperC** · 20-09-2009, 10:12

Freek

Thats very well done my boy.

Post the price or are you also scared of the competition

CC

fighting0002

**Freek Senekal** · 20-09-2009, 19:02

Thanks for the feedback and compliments guys.

Deonh, yeh, those pigs you are mentioning here are not the easiest of prey to hunt. I've been hunting them for a couple of years and each hunt remains an exiting chalange. In the beginning I used to hunt them during day time only (to scared to stalk them at night, they are not called the poor man's lion for nothing... :P) and most shots taken were running shots. As the years progressed, I builded courage to hunt them during full moon nights in the potato and maize fields using a Musgrave model 80, 30-06 with 4x40 Hakko scope and 180gr PMP ammo (all that I could afford at that time). I don't want to sound like a pro bushpig hunter, but the best advise that I can give you through my experience is the following:

1. You need time and patience when you want to effectively hunt this animal.
2. They are super sensitive and clever (some say they teach other animals how to read and write...) so read and use the wind correctly when you stalk them and move as quiet as possible. Dress up correctly, using dark coloured clothing( preferably black) when you hunt them at night.
3. Night hunts are more succesfull
4. When stalking them at night I try to not use a spot light or flash lite at all - they are very sensitive to abnormal lite and will flee at the first flick of you spotlight switch. I only switch on my spot lite or flash lite after an animal is shot.
5. When you get a shot, make sure it counts. You don't want to wound this animal when your are out stalking them at night on foot.
6. If possible try to invest in a good quality night vision scope, preferably 2nd or 3rd generattion it makes your work sooooo much easier...
7. You can also create a feeding spot next to a maize field or any area where bushpig activity is evident. Feed them for a while and allow them to get use to the spoiling, then build yourself an elevated blind about 30m from the feeding spot. Again allow the pigs to get use to the new developments at their "restaurant" before waiting them in on a full moon nite. The nice thing about the elevated blind is, it is safer, they can't smell you - you are above the wind level, they can't hear you as you are sitting very quiet while awaiting them to come in, and finaly you can take your time and make sure that your shot counts.

Today I use an AERIES 330 WARRIOR night vision scope on my 303 rifle with 18" Truvelo bull barel. With this equipment I can hunt pigs more frequently an I don't have to wait for moonlit nights any more. I load my 303 bushpig ammo with 174gr PMP Pro-am bullets, not the best bullets available on the market today but they work for me and they kill the pigs very effectively; o yes they are also fairly cheap... fighting0035 fighting0002

All the best with your bushpig problem Deon, I know what damage they cause to crop fields and I don't wish that uppon any farmer... It's a pitty I'm so far from you guys, I would have loved to give you some help. I realy hope you get them and if you do shooooot the living sh&*%$T out of them... fighting0035

CasperC, I'm not sure if I should mention the price in the open as I don't want to scare the members away from this "lekker" site... I'll send you a PM. hpy180