Out last night.
- Thread starter finnbear270
- Start date
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Why is the image so blurred J?
Its the thick cover it was in SD
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
What thermal scope are you using jail55??
My forays have been curtailed, had to use SWMBO's van the other night, just spent three hours wrestling the starter motor off the truck, new one arriving DPD today, hopefully an event free route back to mobility.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Managed a couple of hours before rain hit - shocker!
Very mild night so not the best conditions for thermal spotting but I was (still) keen to try and get my 50th fox since last February on this hillside - as has been the case recently nothing stirred except the noticeable increased numbers of woodcock, snipe and even occasional rabbits - obviously nothing to do with the huge reduction in the bushy-tailed ones!
Got to the top of the hill without seeing much else at all and set the wee caller off with the rabbit squeal…. On the third or fourth sweep I could just make out a tiny speck some 500 or so away which was coming my way but kept disappearing/reappearing as it came through the patchy cover - very fox-like in its movements so assumed the position with the .222 and quad sticks. Never ceases to amaze me just how good a fox’s directional hearing actually is…..then at about 250 it just disappeared! Bugger!
Kept calling and even tried my hand squeak but for a few moments nothing - then from I know not where in my thermal it reappeared at the fence-line of my very field about 130 off - these foxes could teach the Vietcong or even Hamas a few things about tunnelling. I had to zoom out to 5x to try and acquire it in the Zulus (yes I know I could shim it but the reticle centres at 7x) but only managed a very quick spot before losing it again.
More frantic calling and thermal sweeping but no fox - like really? Then I lowered the thermal sweep to include the nearby ground and twenty yards away at my 2 o’clock was guess who? How do they do that? Anyhow, old foxy and err, old foxy looked at each other for a second then one of them decided to get out of Dodge at speed - more frantic scrambling about, lift and swivel rifle-laden sticks with thermal still held (almost) to right eye whilst trying to make a handless squeak in between muttered oaths is not easy but it can be done - especially the sweary bit….
By good fortune either as a result of my squeaking or for more comedic value the fox reappeared well to my rhs just over the little hump which holds the fence. A very quick target acquisition and a hearty thump confirmed the shot was good!
Number 50 and bloody hard-earned but done - as was I……
Very mild night so not the best conditions for thermal spotting but I was (still) keen to try and get my 50th fox since last February on this hillside - as has been the case recently nothing stirred except the noticeable increased numbers of woodcock, snipe and even occasional rabbits - obviously nothing to do with the huge reduction in the bushy-tailed ones!
Got to the top of the hill without seeing much else at all and set the wee caller off with the rabbit squeal…. On the third or fourth sweep I could just make out a tiny speck some 500 or so away which was coming my way but kept disappearing/reappearing as it came through the patchy cover - very fox-like in its movements so assumed the position with the .222 and quad sticks. Never ceases to amaze me just how good a fox’s directional hearing actually is…..then at about 250 it just disappeared! Bugger!
Kept calling and even tried my hand squeak but for a few moments nothing - then from I know not where in my thermal it reappeared at the fence-line of my very field about 130 off - these foxes could teach the Vietcong or even Hamas a few things about tunnelling. I had to zoom out to 5x to try and acquire it in the Zulus (yes I know I could shim it but the reticle centres at 7x) but only managed a very quick spot before losing it again.
More frantic calling and thermal sweeping but no fox - like really? Then I lowered the thermal sweep to include the nearby ground and twenty yards away at my 2 o’clock was guess who? How do they do that? Anyhow, old foxy and err, old foxy looked at each other for a second then one of them decided to get out of Dodge at speed - more frantic scrambling about, lift and swivel rifle-laden sticks with thermal still held (almost) to right eye whilst trying to make a handless squeak in between muttered oaths is not easy but it can be done - especially the sweary bit….
By good fortune either as a result of my squeaking or for more comedic value the fox reappeared well to my rhs just over the little hump which holds the fence. A very quick target acquisition and a hearty thump confirmed the shot was good!
Number 50 and bloody hard-earned but done - as was I……
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Managed a couple of hours before rain hit - shocker!
Very mild night so not the best conditions for thermal spotting but I was (still) keen to try and get my 50th fox since last February on this hillside - as has been the case recently nothing stirred except the noticeable increased numbers of woodcock, snipe and even occasional rabbits - obviously nothing to do with the huge reduction in the bushy-tailed ones!
Got to the top of the hill without seeing much else at all and set the wee caller off with the rabbit squeal…. On the third or fourth sweep I could just make out a tiny speck some 500 or so away which was coming my way but kept disappearing/reappearing as it came through the patchy cover - very fox-like in its movements so assumed the position with the .222 and quad sticks. Never ceases to amaze me just how good a fox’s directional hearing actually is…..then at about 250 it just disappeared! Bugger!
Kept calling and even tried my hand squeak but for a few moments nothing - then from I know not where in my thermal it reappeared at the fence-line of my very field about 130 off - these foxes could teach the Vietcong or even Hamas a few things about tunnelling. I had to zoom out to 5x to try and acquire it in the Zulus (yes I know I could shim it but the reticle centres at 7x) but only managed a very quick spot before losing it again.
More frantic calling and thermal sweeping but no fox - like really? Then I lowered the thermal sweep to include the nearby ground and twenty yards away at my 2 o’clock was guess who? How do they do that? Anyhow, old foxy and err, old foxy looked at each other for a second then one of them decided to get out of Dodge at speed - more frantic scrambling about, lift and swivel rifle-laden sticks with thermal still held (almost) to right eye whilst trying to make a handless squeak in between muttered oaths is not easy but it can be done - especially the sweary bit….
By good fortune either as a result of my squeaking or for more comedic value the fox reappeared well to my rhs just over the little hump which holds the fence. A very quick target acquisition and a hearty thump confirmed the shot was good!
Number 50 and bloody hard-earned but done - as was I……
View attachment 462207
Sometimes it goes like clockwork and others it's a royal fiasco ol' foxy .
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Maybe more accurately - “occasionally it goes like clockwork but more often by far it’s a royal fiasco” Smelly.
Not helped by my forsaking my B&Q quads for a well-known and rather expensive set with a swivelly hand grip at the front which has the mildly endearing habit of facing the wrong way when mounting the rifle. I keep meaning to film myself in these types of situations - it would view like a joint effort between Buster Keaton and Tommy Cooper….
wabbit warren
Well-Known Member
out again last night
first thought id been out foxed lol a fox appeared in the bottom of the field right next to the release pen (normal place when the winds right but it wasn't)
i left it thinking it would work its way down wind from the caller and come in from that side.
it started walking that way, then just disappeared.
i thought id caught sight of it several times over the next 3/4 hour up a hedge line on the next field over
i was just about to give up when it came back into the field i was in. not in any hurry but just doing its rounds
simple 60 yard shot when it stopped (didn't even know i was there)
one big old smelly dog fox
first thought id been out foxed lol a fox appeared in the bottom of the field right next to the release pen (normal place when the winds right but it wasn't)
i left it thinking it would work its way down wind from the caller and come in from that side.
it started walking that way, then just disappeared.
i thought id caught sight of it several times over the next 3/4 hour up a hedge line on the next field over
i was just about to give up when it came back into the field i was in. not in any hurry but just doing its rounds
simple 60 yard shot when it stopped (didn't even know i was there)
one big old smelly dog fox
I went out Sunday evening as it was dry, stayed at the usual observation point for a couple of hours but nout! Moved over to a pond and saw two heat sources behind a hedge 60yards away could be a pair of muntjac or a roe doe and youngster watched for 20 miutes thinking they might come through my way. then wham away they went tails up so muntjac, I thought they were spooked so waited and there was a body shape just the back couple of inches ,no head or tail so could be a fox behind the hedge. then it just disappeared completely.Not seen a sodding thing for a few nights now
Tonight though I had hundreds of waders and teal flying over low. It made it worth being out.
Went back to the side of the field that had a set aside flower seed crop and there was an owl (thought to be a barn owl) quatering across the field and disappearing from view dropping onto the crop for minutes at a time eating a mouse or rat? I watched for ages as it kept flying back and forth unconcerned I was there, then it flew up in to a tree and I could see it observing the field.
I went for another walk around and saw a fox 500yards away crossing a field in my direction but to my left, then it moved right into the next but one field over and disappeared again frow view due to the change in elevation. As it was now a cold westerly wind on top of the hill I decided to call it a night at 11:00 pm. no shot fired but a fascinating evening observing wildlife.
Very mild last night, Hundreds of Frogs and Toads all over the roads, difficult to avoid on a single track roads.
Nickb
Well-Known Member
Yep I saw 2 hedgehogs last night and the geese and golden plover were flighting.
I thought about going out last night but after the physio had assaulted me I didnt feel like it (well my knees didnt)
wabbit warren
Well-Known Member
yer i was going to say earlier i saw a bat behind my mates barn
Nickb
Well-Known Member
Im in tonight as at work but been out Friday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday night , wife thinks Im a strangerI thought about going out last night but after the physio had assaulted me I didnt feel like it (well my knees didnt)
Lol. Off to Derbyshire on reds tomorrow and Friday morning then on a CWD cull day on Sat the 07th...will be out of holiday by end of MarchIm in tonight as at work but been out Friday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday night , wife thinks Im a stranger
Lol. Off to Derbyshire on reds tomorrow and Friday morning then on a CWD cull day on Sat the 07th...will be out of holiday by end of March
Wet forecast up here !
I know mate
deer probably wont care much so just a case of "suck it up and get on with it" lol. Matt has been winding me up all week so looking forward to the banter if nothing else 
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