BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Out last night. Pre decided I was going to head right up to top fields which border our woodland (don't often shoot up these as it too bloody far to trek!).
Much quieter than last week, few tawny owls heard & couple of hares spotted. One hedge bank alive with what must have been rats, not doing much harm there but also seen couple in cattle shed after spilt barley so they'll be a wet night shooting.
Carrying on to my chosen spot, much more autumnal feel in air, could even smell someone had log burner going. Approaching gate to field (30yds away) and a tiny fox slips under gate coming right at me! I freeze & so does she. Standoff. After 30 seconds she casually does a u turn & slips back under gate. I've not been foxing that many years, but picking up on foxy behaviour all the time. This customer didn't seem particularly alarmed, so I thought I'll give it 10 minutes where I am, then carry on, thinking she might come back being curious etc.
I climbed over gate, got rifle on tripod & had quick scan in direction fox had gone. She didn't return....because she never left!! Still there, not 40yds up hedge from gateway. In & out of long grass, nose to ground. After couple minutes she ventured further away from hedge, side on to me & textbook whomp of 32grn dropped on spot. Worked the bolt, safety back on, thermal scan..... wtf?? Very alive looking fox staring straight at me on spot I'd watched him drop!! Took me a second to realise another one had been in hedge bottom too. As I was watching it turned and moved further up hedge away from me, but as they do, it stopped again to look back, sitting down 70yds away head on. Aimed at boiler room, tbh, bit high, but still dropped where it was.
One dog one vixen.
Had call for another hour or so but nothing doing. Heading back, no rain in forecast, just as I got in car heavens opened!! Just one of those lucky nights!
Much quieter than last week, few tawny owls heard & couple of hares spotted. One hedge bank alive with what must have been rats, not doing much harm there but also seen couple in cattle shed after spilt barley so they'll be a wet night shooting.
Carrying on to my chosen spot, much more autumnal feel in air, could even smell someone had log burner going. Approaching gate to field (30yds away) and a tiny fox slips under gate coming right at me! I freeze & so does she. Standoff. After 30 seconds she casually does a u turn & slips back under gate. I've not been foxing that many years, but picking up on foxy behaviour all the time. This customer didn't seem particularly alarmed, so I thought I'll give it 10 minutes where I am, then carry on, thinking she might come back being curious etc.
I climbed over gate, got rifle on tripod & had quick scan in direction fox had gone. She didn't return....because she never left!! Still there, not 40yds up hedge from gateway. In & out of long grass, nose to ground. After couple minutes she ventured further away from hedge, side on to me & textbook whomp of 32grn dropped on spot. Worked the bolt, safety back on, thermal scan..... wtf?? Very alive looking fox staring straight at me on spot I'd watched him drop!! Took me a second to realise another one had been in hedge bottom too. As I was watching it turned and moved further up hedge away from me, but as they do, it stopped again to look back, sitting down 70yds away head on. Aimed at boiler room, tbh, bit high, but still dropped where it was.
One dog one vixen.
Had call for another hour or so but nothing doing. Heading back, no rain in forecast, just as I got in car heavens opened!! Just one of those lucky nights!
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