Hot weather foxing

Cyres

Well-Known Member
Well the say make hay while the sun shines so this week virtually every blade of grass appears to be cut. Started last Monday and on Tuesday eve we saw 7 foxs and shot 4 which wasn't too bad.

This week with temperatures of 30 c in S west even more grass cut. I was out solo on Monday eve from 9 pm and two really good fields were mown. Flitted between them up to 11 pm and only saw a moggy. Most disappointing.

Last night was very hot and post gardening watering I was on the phone to a SDF member in Sussex he was just going out as he too was overwhelmed with mown grass. Hadn't intended to go out but at 9pm thought what the hell lets give it a go.

On route down a very narrow lane had to stop to let a white van pass and turned out to be one of my permission owners so pleasantries exchanged and a heads up on so more mown grass.

Now this field is very productive but difficult to shoot due to the proximity to dwellings. Careful drive up a rough lane and slow pull into field. Bingo charlie just in front of me but traveling left. Hasty exit from car, extract .204 load and on roof, fox in scope quick shout and game over. Good start to night as an elusive dog fox succumbs.

Down lane to adjacent now baled field which was devoid of life previous night. Now with round bales everywhere not easy to scan with thermal but i spot something in the far corner. Drive around perimeter to get into position to find out its a brock, just visible in the scope.

Quick scan reveals something else but ID difficult, got the Leicas out and turns out to be a fox, just can't get on it so bit of hide and seek using bales. Eventually close to 70 yds, can just see fox in scope then it pounces on a mouse and vanishes but then pops back out, side on with lovely pale blue bale as backstop. No 2 deceased. Pick it up and scan reveals another up the far end of the field, but just cant get on it.

Decide to leave it and go back to the previous nights blank field. Its been rowed up to bale and there are 2/3 foxs in the far corner. Wind all wrong and impossible to get on. So decide to leave them. More of a drive around and a cat in a middle of a field thats all. 11.45 pm sees me back in the baled field and charlie is in Brocks place , so repeat performance.

He decides not to play ball and starts trotting up the field by the boundary hedge. So its another game of cat and mouse. Fortunately for me he decides to cut across the field. So at 80yds side on under Quality Street pink he succumbs. So quite a good night and at least 3 more to dispose of. Home well past midnight.

D
 
Well done, David - it certainly sounds as though you're having fun! I've been busy too - I've been hitting a farm that's just over the hill from here really hard - I've had 17 off it in just over a week!
 
Hay fields being cut as I speak, out spraying all this week 04:00 hrs each day
- so a bit tied up :rolleyes:

looking forward to the weekend on the hay fields - never fail to produce

busmans holiday I know but I enjoy sitting out waiting for the sundown and what it produces, somehow you can always get a decent head count

good luck

phil
 
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