Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Ventured out for the first night-time shooting in a while - I normally give the foxes a break when cubs are dependent on parents, also means there are more about this time of year.
Funny old night, thick cloud but bright and very warm. The air was “thick” so I figured the Axion might struggle a bit but first sweep at far-off cattle was very reassuring. Half an hour of fruitless calling later I walked back to the Jimny and across the road was a fox watching me from a hedgerow. Not on my ground so we watched each other for a while then he tipped his hat and was gone. Bugger!
Next “port of call” was the clifftop fields about a mile over the hill where the backstop is two hundred foot cliffs and the Irish Sea; I thought the air was thick where I had started out but the sea was adding air-borne droplets which almost felt like rain - Irish Mist?
Anyhoo first field sweep and before even calling, the thermal revealed a fox poking through the long grass. A couple of mouth squeaks and in it came for a fairly straightforward chest-on shot.
Turned out to be a well developed cub. By the light of my phone this little smasher did give me some pangs of regret but it was in sheep central so had to join the many forebears I have shot in these fields.
The far end of that field drops down to the clifftop field and right over near the hedgerow a heat signature was obvious on my first sweep. However the air was so water-filled that the sight picture through the Zulus was very affected but fortunately clear enough to permit a shot at a fox which was eating something then quickly.. err…. evidently making space for more. Pinged at 170, steadied(ish) the nerves and took the shot, heard the strike and saw the fox go over then quickly get to its feet and run with “tail up” - usually a good sign. Sure enough it lay 25 yards away, hit slightly high but the 50gns Vmax had done the job as usual.
As before a moment or two to admire the beauty of these creatures, another little pang of regret (obviously gets worse with age) then home.
Funny old night, thick cloud but bright and very warm. The air was “thick” so I figured the Axion might struggle a bit but first sweep at far-off cattle was very reassuring. Half an hour of fruitless calling later I walked back to the Jimny and across the road was a fox watching me from a hedgerow. Not on my ground so we watched each other for a while then he tipped his hat and was gone. Bugger!
Next “port of call” was the clifftop fields about a mile over the hill where the backstop is two hundred foot cliffs and the Irish Sea; I thought the air was thick where I had started out but the sea was adding air-borne droplets which almost felt like rain - Irish Mist?
Anyhoo first field sweep and before even calling, the thermal revealed a fox poking through the long grass. A couple of mouth squeaks and in it came for a fairly straightforward chest-on shot.
Turned out to be a well developed cub. By the light of my phone this little smasher did give me some pangs of regret but it was in sheep central so had to join the many forebears I have shot in these fields.
The far end of that field drops down to the clifftop field and right over near the hedgerow a heat signature was obvious on my first sweep. However the air was so water-filled that the sight picture through the Zulus was very affected but fortunately clear enough to permit a shot at a fox which was eating something then quickly.. err…. evidently making space for more. Pinged at 170, steadied(ish) the nerves and took the shot, heard the strike and saw the fox go over then quickly get to its feet and run with “tail up” - usually a good sign. Sure enough it lay 25 yards away, hit slightly high but the 50gns Vmax had done the job as usual.
As before a moment or two to admire the beauty of these creatures, another little pang of regret (obviously gets worse with age) then home.
![20250724211728[1].webp](https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/data/attachments/383/383112-e28e97f9a00dc97c40ec831cb5f9ac1d.jpg?hash=YE9e9xWw9V "20250724211728[1].webp")
![20250725032349[1].webp](https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/data/attachments/383/383113-6b9d1ff2a41aa435d4cec128f87ae78a.jpg?hash=Wxug39LvcC "20250725032349[1].webp")
