Out last night.

[Smellydog]

Ticks looked almost full., good reason to keep dogs off the fox kills.

Saw bats last night and the hedgehogs are still out. Heard a woodpecker head banging yesterday!

 

[Smellydog]

Had a bloody weird one tonight....

Walked through first two fields, nothing doing. At bottom of field #2 stopped scan, nothing so climb gate into field #3. Just over gate, stream and hedge immediately on right leading off gateway. Move few yards into field and scan length of hedge. Sure enough, approx 60yds see fox just moving down bank towards stream to slip through hedge, back into field I just came from.

I move back towards gate, but before climbing over I scan to see if foxy in that field yet.... Just then I hear scampering feet running right at me FAST & a noise like a dog when it's rough playing, kinda growly. It felt like it was right on me & I'll admit I absolutely shiït a brick, I shouted "hey hey hey!!" & kicked out. I felt it brush against my legs then heard the gate behind me rattle as it squeezed under it (known run). God knows what he was playing at! I did wonder if there might have been another (unseen by me) fox chasing it after it went into hedge bottom??

Took few seconds then scanned over gate, see him running away about 60yds. Got rifle leant on gate, further now heading to fence line. I kept with him through scope hopeful he'd stop at fence. And he did, looking back towards me. Last thing he ever did as 32grn dropped him on spot @ just under 170. Good size dog, head full of ticks.

Carrying on up hill & spot another good distance up hill. Moved closer, and it hadn't moved at all. Rifle on sticks I could see it was curled up. Not sleeping,but sheltering from wind in a dip in ground. About 150yd away. I think she half thought something was up as she lifted head & looking right at me. But then huddle down tighter & flicked tail over nose. I flicked safety off + got on her.....then watched her. It was a winters night, windy, nearly Christmas week. If it had been nesting time I might have dropped her. But as it was, I put safety back on & enjoyed watching her at peace. I then went back way I'd come. Watched a tawny owl on ground for a bit then set off home. Nice to be out again (even if I did need a change of pants!!)

Ben it would be your deodorant!
It probably thought you were the vixen and you narrowly dodged being raped by a rampant fox!

As for the vixen confidently ignoring you....well, you always did have a soft spot for the girls....

 

[BenBhoy]

probably thought you were the vixen and you narrowly dodged being raped by a rampant fox!

I do always wear same trousers when out shooting & they've never been washed.... Scent camouflage!

 

[Smellydog]

I do always wear same trousers when out shooting & they've never been washed.... Scent camouflage!

Funnily enough I use to have a stalking jacket that purposely had deer urine on it and one day I had a red stag intent on either killing me or shafting me. A 30-30 bullet to the neck calmed him down!

 

[blueeyes]

Haha, he might have hit me with his walking stick.
Ken.
PS. Anyone want a 1person hide with built in chair.

Ken sent you a PM I would be interested in the Hide chair for the grandson tks

 

[kenbro]

Hi blueeyes,
I only bought this hide this week and that offer was really tongue in cheek, but, I doubt I’ll go “hiding” in it again so it could go.
Really not sure whether Parcel Force would take it because of size.
I will try (It has a mind of its own!) and fold it down small tomorrow and see if it will meet PF ‘s criteria for posting.
They have a silly formula something like 9 Deci metres plus 2 times the diameter. Not sure it will meet that but will try.
Cheers, Ken.

 

[Smellydog]

So tonight I popped over to my deer ground.
I've left them be for a few weeks and wanted to just see them. And I did, in the usual spot but only four of them. There was a dozen last December.
Anyway as I walked back I looked back and bugger me Charlietta is following my trail!
Bit of a tricky shot through some tall grass at a good 100+ yards but got the deed done.
I thought of my old mate FB as I ejected the brass and it fell into the grass lol.
After that I went to the farm where I had that big lad and I noticed a ewe bedded down at the back of the farm and as I was watching trying to asses her condition when bugger me a fox, I suspect a vixen came trotting across the paddock to also check on the ewes condition only to about turn and return from whence it came!
It time is running out! Guess where I'll be tomorrow night weather permitting?
Anyway, here is Charlietta from earlier.
She was not in season!

 

[Foxyboy43]

So tonight I popped over to my deer ground.
I've left them be for a few weeks and wanted to just see them. And I did, in the usual spot but only four of them. There was a dozen last December.
Anyway as I walked back I looked back and bugger me Charlietta is following my trail!
Bit of a tricky shot through some tall grass at a good 100+ yards but got the deed done.
I thought of my old mate FB as I ejected the brass and it fell into the grass lol.
After that I went to the farm where I had that big lad and I noticed a ewe bedded down at the back of the farm and as I was watching trying to asses her condition when bugger me a fox, I suspect a vixen came trotting across the paddock to also check on the ewes condition only to about turn and return from whence it came!
It time is running out! Guess where I'll be tomorrow night weather permitting?
Anyway, here is Charlietta from earlier.
She was not in season!View attachment 342321

Result - shame about the brass though.
Wanna borrow a metal detector ? Only used once…..

 

[Triggermortis]

I use one of these, I have permissions where leaving brass about under any circumstance is not an option, also used it to find a mag that I had dropped in knee height grass
They even work in water.
Amazon product ASIN B079Q7FPHT

 

[Smellydog]

The brass is scrap, never to be reloaded again.
Hopefully I will step on it one day and it will punch a hole in some new wellies maybe and I will laugh as the memories return to me.

 

[kenbro]

The brass is scrap, never to be reloaded again.
Hopefully I will step on it one day and it will punch a hole in some new wellies maybe and I will laugh as the memories return to me.

I lost 1 x 221 Fireball case about two weeks ago. It’s not really a surprise when you can’t find them as when you drop small objects indoors they just disappear as if by magic, why should grass be any different?
Anyway, at £1.80 per case I still have a quick look evert time I go past where I lost it.
K

 

[Foxyboy43]

A first for me at 6:30 this morning. A sea otter lying eating something on a rock - spotted it in the thermal but not quick enough to push the (right) button - then I couldn’t locate it in the Pard because of drizzle - bugger! I had heard they were being spotted locally so hope to see them again.
Consolation of plenty of woodcock in the sodden fields though..

 

[Smellydog]

I use one of these, I have permissions where leaving brass about under any circumstance is not an option, also used it to find a mag that I had dropped in knee height grass
They even work in water.
Amazon product ASIN B079Q7FPHT

That might come in handy locating the festering steel shot in your bowels one day!

 

[Foxyboy43]

As per my last post - they don’t half run!

 

[blueeyes]

Seeing plenty woodcock here also, and forecast for next week is rain rain and more rain and high winds so not looking good for me till after Xmas lol

 

[Triggermortis]

Definitely paired up round here, shot the vixen then the dog was in tow less than 5mins later, he followed her scent like he was on rails.

 

[Smellydog]

Sat in the infirmary tonight.
My new friend's came to say hello.

Eventually a fox appeared and I had a commanding view from the elevated position of the farm buildings. Then a larger second fox joined it in the field.
At this point I was convinced it's a dog and vixen.
They didn't come into my field but patrolled the next field, the field I'm baiting by the way and sure enough one, the lesser took some bait, a squirrel and relocated and settled down to a meal.
The other kept sneaking up on it and the lesser chased the larger away.
After a few times they settled down so I approached directly to a low hedge.
I powered up the sytong 66 and eased the rifle and myself over the hedge, found my dining Charlie still convinced it's Charlietta and pop one through the middle. Immediately reload and look for big boy but he had gone, at speed!
So I retreated and waited a while just in case it returned.
It didn't return and I soon found out why, I had shot a dog, not a vixen!
Just goes to show, assume nothing! Watching them had me convinced they were a breeding pair! Perhaps they were a gay couple!

 

[BenBhoy]

Beltex ewes??? Talk about rod for your own back!!

 

[charlie222]

I had a pair about 300m from the barn I was set up in tonight. Chasing each other about and totally ignoring my caller . They split up and one crossed in front of me still uninterested. There's no stealthy way to get over stone walls without destroying them, but my best efforts got me a little closer. The fox disappeared into a dip in the field and popped back up even further away, by which time it was raining 🌧. Theyll wait till next time...

 

[Smellydog]

I had a pair about 300m from the barn I was set up in tonight. Chasing each other about and totally ignoring my caller . They split up and one crossed in front of me still uninterested. There's no stealthy way to get over stone walls without destroying them, but my best efforts got me a little closer. The fox disappeared into a dip in the field and popped back up even further away, by which time it was raining 🌧. Theyll wait till next time...

Beats TV