A dog and a vixen. Nothing unusual at this time of the year but bear with me and I will tell the tale.
I have a good arrangement with the local fish shop,3 times a week I collect the heads,tails and various left overs. It’s mutually beneficial. I have noticed over the years that the oily fish remains are the first to go. Salmon,mackerel and herring are top favorites. Cod,monkfish etc are not high on the list of favorites for Charlie.
I have a few spots on the estate that have always worked and most evenings before dark I pop out a bag of guts and check the trail cameras .
Due diligence had shown a Fox (or two ?) showing up at one spot most evenings.
Never been in the Forces but one old military adage is “always take the high ground”. Accordingly at 730pm, it gets darker later here in Ireland, I pitched up at was is known on the estate as “Foxrock”. It was called that long before I started using it as a viewing point a good few years ago. It gives me a great view out to 500 yds of mixed grass,crops,gorse and forestry and I can watch a small isolated wood with a release pen in it.
Shortly after settling in I spied a fox making its way up a fence line,into a field and heading in the direction of my bait spot. I should add here that I use a XQ38f, great bit of kit! Charlie didn’t come to the bait site but veered off 100 yds away and trotted off in another direction. My thoughts were unprintable as I watched him walk off along the side of the wood. It’s 300 yards out and although I have shot foxes there in the wind I wasn’t going to chance it.
Suddenly a pheasant rose out of the gorse somewhere close behind me and cock cocked off into the distance. Now what had disturbed him ?
Quickly I got up,slipped on the rubber mat,banged my gammy knee,managed to smother the curses and went to have a peek out yonder. SFA.
Undaunted I continued watching in the thermal. 250 odd yards a group of sheep were all up and standing looking in one direction. A good sign a Fox is about,as though I hadn’t worked that out already. They were staring at a large area of gorse so I joined the party too !
After about 5 minutes a fox appeared and headed of smartly down a field in the direction of my fish pile. I managed to get back to my shooting mat unscathed this time. Cover off,IR on,Pard powered up and bingo there was Charlie. I sent one and heard a good thump at the far end. B##&er ! It started running but tail held well up, it was the death run and it piled up about 20 yds further on.
Delighted with a fox down I was mentally patting myself on the back when I decided to have another look around. Those sheep were still on their feet gawking at a stone wall that is our boundary. I took a seat on a large rock and waited, watching the sheep it was interesting to watch them change their stance as the fox,presumably, walked down the far side of the wall. Then they all relaxed, I jest you not. Some sat down and others stated grazing. I thought the fox had ambled off somewhere else until I saw a heat source(Fox) slip over the wall close to a wood which it ambled down through. The thermal is fantastic for watching something like this !
Anyway Charlene,as it turned out to be a vixen, was in her best mourning dress as she walked up to the dog fox to express her condolences.
I sent her on her way to join her companion. When I walked down to retrieve them they were in a tight little huddle. The vixen dropped on the spot. The dog fox despite a hell of a hole,50gr Blitzking out of a 22/250, had done a good run.
All done by 845 and off home. Hope you enjoyed the read.
I have a good arrangement with the local fish shop,3 times a week I collect the heads,tails and various left overs. It’s mutually beneficial. I have noticed over the years that the oily fish remains are the first to go. Salmon,mackerel and herring are top favorites. Cod,monkfish etc are not high on the list of favorites for Charlie.
I have a few spots on the estate that have always worked and most evenings before dark I pop out a bag of guts and check the trail cameras .
Due diligence had shown a Fox (or two ?) showing up at one spot most evenings.
Never been in the Forces but one old military adage is “always take the high ground”. Accordingly at 730pm, it gets darker later here in Ireland, I pitched up at was is known on the estate as “Foxrock”. It was called that long before I started using it as a viewing point a good few years ago. It gives me a great view out to 500 yds of mixed grass,crops,gorse and forestry and I can watch a small isolated wood with a release pen in it.
Shortly after settling in I spied a fox making its way up a fence line,into a field and heading in the direction of my bait spot. I should add here that I use a XQ38f, great bit of kit! Charlie didn’t come to the bait site but veered off 100 yds away and trotted off in another direction. My thoughts were unprintable as I watched him walk off along the side of the wood. It’s 300 yards out and although I have shot foxes there in the wind I wasn’t going to chance it.
Suddenly a pheasant rose out of the gorse somewhere close behind me and cock cocked off into the distance. Now what had disturbed him ?
Quickly I got up,slipped on the rubber mat,banged my gammy knee,managed to smother the curses and went to have a peek out yonder. SFA.
Undaunted I continued watching in the thermal. 250 odd yards a group of sheep were all up and standing looking in one direction. A good sign a Fox is about,as though I hadn’t worked that out already. They were staring at a large area of gorse so I joined the party too !
After about 5 minutes a fox appeared and headed of smartly down a field in the direction of my fish pile. I managed to get back to my shooting mat unscathed this time. Cover off,IR on,Pard powered up and bingo there was Charlie. I sent one and heard a good thump at the far end. B##&er ! It started running but tail held well up, it was the death run and it piled up about 20 yds further on.
Delighted with a fox down I was mentally patting myself on the back when I decided to have another look around. Those sheep were still on their feet gawking at a stone wall that is our boundary. I took a seat on a large rock and waited, watching the sheep it was interesting to watch them change their stance as the fox,presumably, walked down the far side of the wall. Then they all relaxed, I jest you not. Some sat down and others stated grazing. I thought the fox had ambled off somewhere else until I saw a heat source(Fox) slip over the wall close to a wood which it ambled down through. The thermal is fantastic for watching something like this !
Anyway Charlene,as it turned out to be a vixen, was in her best mourning dress as she walked up to the dog fox to express her condolences.
I sent her on her way to join her companion. When I walked down to retrieve them they were in a tight little huddle. The vixen dropped on the spot. The dog fox despite a hell of a hole,50gr Blitzking out of a 22/250, had done a good run.
All done by 845 and off home. Hope you enjoyed the read.
