Another thing I noticed in full moon, Wood pigeons were all cooing away in the forest, 1 am,
Out last night.
- Thread starter finnbear270
- Start date
Unfortunately the weather doesnt make much difference...small is still smallMaybe the little guy would have been hiding in cool temps?
Daylight again last night and very still so another foray on the rats but put the .204 in just in case
Hadn't been on site more than 20 mins just got on a rat when I see a difuse shape in the thermal fox creeping behind some thick cover. Next thing it's looking at me at about 15 yds. Out of focus on Photon then it's gone! Frantic search in thermal and it's creeping away at haste.
Anyway ratting continued and 34 culled.
10 pm returned to truck put Daystate away and get .204. Over gate through stable yard and next gate scan with thermal. Rabbits on L field but none infront. Then shape next to water trough. Thought it was 2 rabbits but didn't look quite right. Then it looks like a fox curled up. Load 204 as quietly as possible N470 really didnt
need any external IR as so light. Mag to 10 x and clearly a fox. Simple shot at 100yds.
So another one gone but still a Vixen to catch up with.
D
Hadn't been on site more than 20 mins just got on a rat when I see a difuse shape in the thermal fox creeping behind some thick cover. Next thing it's looking at me at about 15 yds. Out of focus on Photon then it's gone! Frantic search in thermal and it's creeping away at haste.
Anyway ratting continued and 34 culled.
10 pm returned to truck put Daystate away and get .204. Over gate through stable yard and next gate scan with thermal. Rabbits on L field but none infront. Then shape next to water trough. Thought it was 2 rabbits but didn't look quite right. Then it looks like a fox curled up. Load 204 as quietly as possible N470 really didnt
need any external IR as so light. Mag to 10 x and clearly a fox. Simple shot at 100yds.So another one gone but still a Vixen to catch up with.
D
Looking at rain forecast from 17:00 right through to 11:00 am tomorrow here, looking to do tomorrow night to check for incomers.
Good going, well done
farrieral
Well-Known Member
Thanks! Not seeing the numbers I used to, hopefully that means taking a couple each week is now finally having an impact!Good going, well done
Had a good morning confirming zero on the 3 centerfires & gong bashing on the home farm too! Out to 350 (couldn't be bothered walking any further, must borrow a quad next time!)
Furthest I've tried the ballistic calculator on the alpex & .243, and it was bob on! 6.5 PRC found it a cake walk!
We are a funny lot when it comes to foxes. We need to control numbers but also love seeing foxes ... double edged sword
I have some ground where I always see foxes and other ground (albeit ground I have managed for 15 + years) where I see the odd one or two. One patch I keep a close eye on pre lambing and never see much...then once the second set of ewes lamb out ...thats where the trouble begins.
350 on the gongs is far enough mate...but for the PRC I think you should try a little harder and go out to 800
1200 very easy with PRC.We are a funny lot when it comes to foxes. We need to control numbers but also love seeing foxes ... double edged sword
I have some ground where I always see foxes and other ground (albeit ground I have managed for 15 + years) where I see the odd one or two. One patch I keep a close eye on pre lambing and never see much...then once the second set of ewes lamb out ...thats where the trouble begins.
350 on the gongs is far enough mate...but for the PRC I think you should try a little harder and go out to 800
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Lots of bakers on that land then?
farrieral
Well-Known Member
Definitely, I don't think any of us would want to see the last fox shot!We are a funny lot when it comes to foxes. We need to control numbers but also love seeing foxes ... double edged sword
I have some ground where I always see foxes and other ground (albeit ground I have managed for 15 + years) where I see the odd one or two. One patch I keep a close eye on pre lambing and never see much...then once the second set of ewes lamb out ...thats where the trouble begins.
350 on the gongs is far enough mate...but for the PRC I think you should try a little harder and go out to 800
Sounds a similar situation to the ground I shoot over. When I first started shooting it 5 or 6 a night was easily done.
Will put out some permanent gong stands out before long... unfortunately I had horses to shoe, so time was limited!
I have some gongs at 150 and 200 yards in our bottom fields ...but have to keep moving them when our neighbour rudely wants to silage the field and not break his machinery
200 yards is plenty far enough for the Creed 
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
The shot was a touch high but certain.
Interesting in that my little dog tells me if a fox is about by scent marking where they have peed. Today she marked this area again and tonight I actually witnessed this fox sniffing and scent marking where Jess had done it a few hours before!
Interesting in that my little dog tells me if a fox is about by scent marking where they have peed. Today she marked this area again and tonight I actually witnessed this fox sniffing and scent marking where Jess had done it a few hours before!
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Ive been resorting to desperate measures to remind myself what a fox looks like...
But tonight 2026 finally started!
#1 vixen appox 80yd. Noticed her scratching about base of muck heap. Watched & waited & she started crossing towards bait spot, but then turned 90° in wrong direction. Lip squeaked and she stopped to look.... 32gr sleeping pill.
But tonight 2026 finally started!
#1 vixen appox 80yd. Noticed her scratching about base of muck heap. Watched & waited & she started crossing towards bait spot, but then turned 90° in wrong direction. Lip squeaked and she stopped to look.... 32gr sleeping pill.
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Nice legs and tail, could of been a pole dancer that one.Ive been resorting to desperate measures to remind myself what a fox looks like...
View attachment 463909
But tonight 2026 finally started!
#1 vixen appox 80yd. Noticed her scratching about base of muck heap. Watched & waited & she started crossing towards bait spot, but then turned 90° in wrong direction. Lip squeaked and she stopped to look.... 32gr sleeping pill.
View attachment 463910
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
Interesting, I'm sure that foxes are attracted to in heat canines.
I've a couple of examples, one pretty conclusive.
That example is from a time when I kept a few working terriers. An in season bitch called Copper was chained up to a box within 10 yards of the bedroom window, one night she sparked up like a banshee, a look out of the window with the lamp and it was a dog fox circling around her, she was at full stretch on the chain, I shot that fox with a .410 when it stopped to drink from the fish pond.
He was definitely in horny mode.
Last nights sortie, I was alerted by a crowd of Lappie's bomb bursting in terror, two seconds later I was tracking it, picking up on the way to the pub later, (Didn't want to set the neighbour's dog off)
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