Out last night.

[Crowstalker]

Just getting home, been to the same farm as the last shot (mis) I saw this boy running from the yard , give him a shout and dropped him at 168m View attachment 346357

Nice one, interesting rifle, what is it/calibre?

 

[Len the dog]

Not had chance to post for a while but that's now 3 completely blank outings on the trot. The first two I didn't even see a single fox (different patches) but the third has me pondering. I went back to my regular patch that almost always produces at least one fox with sometimes several others spotted in the distance, this time I hadn't seen anything until suddenly about 30 to 40 yds away I spotted something. First instinct was fox but something wasn't right about how it was moving, also it looked rather small for a fox even though it is nigh on impossible to judge through a thermal. I then thought badger but it moved across me and there was clearly a long tail, not a bushy tail rather a slender and long one, so defo not a badger.
Unfortunately this all took place in the space of no more than 5 seconds before it disappeared behind some branches that were right in front of me, I tried squeaking it as I could catch glimpses of it moving slowly but methodically along the top of the bank along a small beck but it didn't show the slightest interest.
Looking back, I am now convinced it was a mink (would have loved to have bagged that) so my next move will be to put out a trail cam & bait. Unfortunately I am now at work for the next two weeks so it'll have to wait, hopefully it will still be around.
When I go out to place the camera I will have a wade along the stream and see if there's any evidence of it, paw prints or scat etc. I've never seen a mink before so Googled their distribution around the UK and found that the feckers are literally everywhere.
I also thought maybe it could be an otter but I very much doubt it would be in that locale, however it should be easy enough to tell the difference when (if) I get the NV on it.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Not had chance to post for a while but that's now 3 completely blank outings on the trot. The first two I didn't even see a single fox (different patches) but the third has me pondering. I went back to my regular patch that almost always produces at least one fox with sometimes several others spotted in the distance, this time I hadn't seen anything until suddenly about 30 to 40 yds away I spotted something. First instinct was fox but something wasn't right about how it was moving, also it looked rather small for a fox even though it is nigh on impossible to judge through a thermal. I then thought badger but it moved across me and there was clearly a long tail, not a bushy tail rather a slender and long one, so defo not a badger.
Unfortunately this all took place in the space of no more than 5 seconds before it disappeared behind some branches that were right in front of me, I tried squeaking it as I could catch glimpses of it moving slowly but methodically along the top of the bank along a small beck but it didn't show the slightest interest.
Looking back, I am now convinced it was a mink (would have loved to have bagged that) so my next move will be to put out a trail cam & bait. Unfortunately I am now at work for the next two weeks so it'll have to wait, hopefully it will still be around.
When I go out to place the camera I will have a wade along the stream and see if there's any evidence of it, paw prints or scat etc. I've never seen a mink before so Googled their distribution around the UK and found that the feckers are literally everywhere.
I also thought maybe it could be an otter but I very much doubt it would be in that locale, however it should be easy enough to tell the difference when (if) I get the NV on it.

Interesting idea but don’t rule out Pine Marten. I was so stunned to have one coming to my squeak one afternoon I forgot to hit record on the Pard. Beautiful creature but hell with 4 paws and 4 miles from the nearest forest - just working it’s way along a hedgerow.
Unforgettable memory!

 

[Ade8mm]

Not had chance to post for a while but that's now 3 completely blank outings on the trot.

This could of course mean your fox control efforts are working?
Ade

 

[Craigsaun]

Nice one, interesting rifle, what is it/calibre?

Rifle is Bergara B13 222 , sl5 mod and ATN XSight it does the job

 

[Len the dog]

Interesting idea but don’t rule out Pine Marten. I was so stunned to have one coming to my squeak one afternoon I forgot to hit record on the Pard. Beautiful creature but hell with 4 paws and 4 miles from the nearest forest - just working it’s way along a hedgerow.
Unforgettable memory!

That's certainly a possibility, I think the trail cam evidence would prove useful and I suspect that an NV identification may not be conclusive enough to take a shot. Will have to see if it is about during daylight.

 

[Len the dog]

This could of course mean your fox control efforts are working?
Ade

It is certainly beginning to look that way, but we all know that if you lay off them for a while then it appears that you never achieved anything because new ones have moved in.
I am controlling them over three adjoining farms which is handy because then I have permission on both sides of the boundaries but one of those farms is also being shot by a part time keeper. Two of those farms have sheep and the other, the farmer feeds the ponds and streams for wild duck and also feeds the pheasants, so fox control is an absolute neccessity.

 

[Smellydog]

So just got in from ratting and saw some weird lights going straight up resembling tracer being shot in the air like AA flak!
Any ideas what I was observing?

 

[farrieral]

So just got in from ratting and saw some weird lights going straight up resembling tracer being shot in the air like AA flak!
Any ideas what I was observing?

Something like this??

Starlink satellites apparently!!

Had me wondering while sat waiting for a fox this evening. Just a single vixen for me and a miss! Thus ending my no miss streak

 

[Smellydog]

Something like this??

Starlink satellites apparently!!

Had me wondering while sat waiting for a fox this evening. Just a single vixen for me and a miss! Thus ending my no miss streak

That's them, what are they for?

 

[charlie222]

I saw some of Elon musks satellites earlier. I think they are called star link? They are a straight line of what look like stars traveling in the sky. Maybe thats what you saw?

 

[farrieral]

That's them, what are they for?

As Charlie says, Elons musk endeavour... something to do with Internet

 

[Smellydog]

I saw some of Elon musks satellites earlier. I think they are called star link? They are a straight line of what look like stars traveling in the sky. Maybe thats what you saw?

Think so now. What do they do other than spoil the night sky?

 

[Smellydog]

Looked out of the boss's office window today and across his field to notice a fox 200yds away. Told him and the first thing he said was, " have you got a rifle with you?"
Unfortunately I hadn't....

 

[charlie222]

Farrieral beat me to it. On a different note, saw my mate today he was delighted I've had five foxes off his farm this week. Then invited me to check out the fox tracks in the snow in front of his house. They just keep keep coming.

 

[charlie222]

Think so now. What do they do other than spoil the night sky?

I believe it's a system that will allow internet access anywhere in the world via the satellites. A frighteningly powerful tool if im correct. Provided you can remember your password of course.

 

[20-250]

I don't normally do write-ups but thought I'd share something for a change.
Saw a fox through the thermal a couple of fields away from home this evening so took the Drone Pro equipped 243, climbed over the garden wall into the fields and braved the cold for a couple of hours.
Nothing doing till I was on my way home. Saw a pair going into a garden, used lip squeeks to call one out, which sat and looked at me offering no safe shot. It gave up after 5 minutes or so and walked back towards the garden it had come from. Took a glove off and squeeked on the back of my hand. It turned and came back across the middle of the field, through a hedge into the next field and sat again. I moved and got a shot from a gap in the hedge, 95 yards away. Picked him up and walked towards home along a section of fenced-in path. In an ajoining field I came across what I took to be a hare. Squeeked just in case and the hare lifted a decidedly vulpine head. Up on the sticks and another dog fox down, 75 yards away.
Home to a frosty reception- I was only going out for 10 minutes- you know the drill, I'm sure. My dinner was cold, so nuked and bolted that down then nipped out in the car to collect the first fox from where I'd left it. Got home a few minutes later and scanned the field behind the house to see a fox sitting looking at me.
It walked off slowly, so i nipped inside, grabbed a coat and the 243 then climbed the wall again.
Caught up with the fox about 300 yards from home. It saw me, trotted off for a few seconds, then circled for a minute or so trying to get the measure of me before lying down with it's head up watching me. I got to 104 yards away according to the thermal's rangefinder before I decided i couldn't push my luck anymore. Quad sticks up, rifle on them and another 65 grain V-Max did the job.
That's 4 dogs and a vixen since Saturday, all within 5 or 6 hundred yards of the house.

 

[finnbear270]

Last visit before off to Gatwick, nothing seen, so I reckon I won't be needed for a week or so.

 

[norma 308]

Well his knibs started popping up
On last couple of shoot days which most keepers find embarrassing so a plan was hatched with a couple of my regular fox helpers who are reliable honest guys were keen so we had an evening out last night well 4 hours between us helper 1 who accounted for 2 last week had another by 6pm after work and helper 2 and myself had 3 so 6 in a week all dog foxs the small vixen who’s bringing them in was elusive
Back home by about 10pm good to make use of frost two came to phez distress the others popped out while we waited at known fox spots unlucky for them !
I’ll start a few snares mid feb too
7 roe spotted in one big field something 10 yrs ago I couldn’t have dreamed about

 

[Smellydog]

7 roe spotted in one big field something 10 yrs ago I couldn’t have dreamed about

Mine have gone. Been settled for about three years. Had siblings but they've all gone.