Out last night.

Went out for another foray Friday evening. Arrived at chicken unit at 4.50pm. 4.55 sitting infront of a very large willow stump about 10 yds from where I shot the Vixen. Within 5 mins watching a fox in the adjacent properties field. Its about 200yds away behind the enclosure fence and stream. It didn't hang around for long so I expectedly waited for it to appear in the field of course it didn't!
After about 15mins I decided to have a stalk around and nothing except sheep.
Returned to the stump and had the urge to look at my phone. 2x quick txts look up quick scan with the thermal and WTF there is a fox in the field infront of me!
204 on sticks and wind mag up to 14x. Foxy is milling around so gentle squeak stopped it side on. Rest is history.
Waited for another 15 mins but no joy so at 137 paces pick up another Vixen.
D
 
I wasn’t out last night or more usually this early morning.
Yesterday I foolishly left my rifle leaning against the patio doors whilst I gathered up other bits for an outing down by the pens. On the way out I was talking listening to Lady FB and opening said doors with both hands full and wallop! The (unbagged) sainted triple deuce fell out the door, banged on the concrete steps with a resounding crash and just lay there….. Christ Almighty! I was utterly horror struck!
So once the hyper-venting and palpitations eased (believe me it took a while) I gathered it up and scrutinised the still warm body. Significant chip in the new Stalon‘s muzzle (bugger!) and some paintwork scratches (bugger!), mildly entertaining substantial ding in the Boyds stock no doubt caused by the step (bugger and damn!), leaving only the potential for more substantial unseen damage to the barrel itself and of course the Pard008p (short pause to thank the gods of IR that I had removed the Sirius that morning).
Things (nor I according to herself) did not look good - the expression “sick to my stomach” actually is very accurate but understates the feeling by some degree. I was convinced I had indeed killed it - is there such a word as ‘Remycide” or even “Pardacide”? The only good bit of news was that to my eye the barrel still seemed straight and the moderator was still true - time would tell…
Comforted by the fact that at least the Pard still turned on and crosshairs were visible but still with very heavy heart I drove out to the moss, walked out to my usual zeroing spot, set up a target and fired a few sighters - you ever fired a shot with fingers crossed?
By some magic the usual tidy group of three shots resulted though zero had moved a good two two inches at 7o’clock - so possibly the mount had been damaged but it still felt very solid. I carried on and made the required sight adjustments. To my delight she (for it is indeed a lady - getting old perhaps but still a lady) has survived the calamity, carrying a few more ‘wrinkles” thanks to my negligence perhaps but still laser accurate, bless her.
I on the other hand have aged visibly and am still amazed by just how many swear words, interrupted by prayers, I muttered whilst driving the Jimny to the test site.
On the plus side - if there is plus side to my near disaster, if the old girl and the Pard can withstand that sort of abuse then what have I to worry about!
What could have been a very expensive disaster was by some divine power prevented. I am blessed - for now…..
🦊🦊
 
I wasn’t out last night or more usually this early morning.
Yesterday I foolishly left my rifle leaning against the patio doors whilst I gathered up other bits for an outing down by the pens. On the way out I was talking listening to Lady FB and opening said doors with both hands full and wallop! The (unbagged) sainted triple deuce fell out the door, banged on the concrete steps with a resounding crash and just lay there….. Christ Almighty! I was utterly horror struck!
So once the hyper-venting and palpitations eased (believe me it took a while) I gathered it up and scrutinised the still warm body. Significant chip in the new Stalon‘s muzzle (bugger!) and some paintwork scratches (bugger!), mildly entertaining substantial ding in the Boyds stock no doubt caused by the step (bugger and damn!), leaving only the potential for more substantial unseen damage to the barrel itself and of course the Pard008p (short pause to thank the gods of IR that I had removed the Sirius that morning).
Things (nor I according to herself) did not look good - the expression “sick to my stomach” actually is very accurate but understates the feeling by some degree. I was convinced I had indeed killed it - is there such a word as ‘Remycide” or even “Pardacide”? The only good bit of news was that to my eye the barrel still seemed straight and the moderator was still true - time would tell…
Comforted by the fact that at least the Pard still turned on and crosshairs were visible but still with very heavy heart I drove out to the moss, walked out to my usual zeroing spot, set up a target and fired a few sighters - you ever fired a shot with fingers crossed?
By some magic the usual tidy group of three shots resulted though zero had moved a good two two inches at 7o’clock - so possibly the mount had been damaged but it still felt very solid. I carried on and made the required sight adjustments. To my delight she (for it is indeed a lady - getting old perhaps but still a lady) has survived the calamity, carrying a few more ‘wrinkles” thanks to my negligence perhaps but still laser accurate, bless her.
I on the other hand have aged visibly and am still amazed by just how many swear words, interrupted by prayers, I muttered whilst driving the Jimny to the test site.
On the plus side - if there is plus side to my near disaster, if the old girl and the Pard can withstand that sort of abuse then what have I to worry about!
What could have been a very expensive disaster was by some divine power prevented. I am blessed - for now…..
🦊🦊
You finally got the rifle abuser badge FB.
Ware it with pride though, it means you use a rifle a lot and is recognition that **** happens!
Rifles are tough 😎.
 
Aye Ben. They don't half have some issues.
Why do they have them over a more hardy breed?
Lambs sired by beltex tups consistently top £ at market. Slow growing lambs, but tremendous shape. But I'd imagine beltex ewes are a bitçh. Keeps the vet good practice at C sections o guess! Think most pedigree beltex breeders use embryo transfer into a mule. We use texel tips on our commercial flock.
 
I had a substantial dose of that which you describe, in the pit of the stomach, out on the Badgers near Farndon one night, on marching off from the car the sling parted company with the forward stud, A most pretty wooden stock was broken through at the palm swell ... but the rifle did sterling service same night after a check zero.
Rifle now wears an all weather resin job.
 
It was probably the actually listening part that was a step to far! Step...see what I did there....?
FB was also probably already thinking ahead about remembering to activate the record button.

I stick a Paste it Note on the wrist of the stock to remind me but have yet to record anything.
Ken.
 
A complete blank for me last night, took my son along as he’s just returned from Uni and thought we’d try a couple of different spots after factoring in the wind direction.
Saw lots more hares than usual and even quite a lot of rabbits, we don’t have many around these parts, also watched a few mice on the railway embankment which also coincided with a few owls.
We did however spend a good 20 or 30 minutes stalking a sheep that had decided to settle under a tree for the night at the opposite end of the field to the rest of the flock.
To top it all off, by the time we got away we had missed the chippy. 🎣🍟🙁
 
Might be out with a long time buddy tonight, weather seems to have a less wet run up til early hours, His last chance before flying back out Christmas day after a short visit from warmer climes.
 
I have another candidate over the garden wall. I've not put any bait out for a week or so and haven't checked the camera until last night. Sure enough Charles is seen wandering around regularly. I suspect more than 1 of course. I should really make a proper effort as there'll be hell to pay if it gets the Mrs's chickens, but I've had 6 in the last 3 weeks or so with the half-arsed method of a scan out of the bedroom window with the thermal every now and then between 6pm and 9pm.

Overnight he was there at 17:45, 1230, 0430 and 0530... I shall be on standby again this evening!!
 
If they weren’t so fit and healthy, I’d swear someone was releasing them around here! That’s another one out the bedroom window before tea! Quite chuffed with the shot in this howling gale.

but I don’t think it was alone as i saw one slinking off in the opposite direction 20 mins earlier which wouldn’t stand still for a shot.
 
My night went wrong....😞
Went ratting, went around the back of the farm to see a small fox heading towards me.
I let fly with ammo destined for short range rats and miss the fox at about 50yds 😞.
Carry on ratting. Return to where I saw the fox and it's returning!
Intersect it and miss it again 😭.
I knew this would happen while trying to burn crap ammo! If I'd of took decent ammo I'd of seen no fox at all!
Then it got worse!
Back on the rats I shoot one through some knettles and puncture the water pipe up stream from the bore hole pump!
I just don't believe it......🤦
 
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