On route home from Mid Devon last night I had arranged to go out foxing with Paddy. I duly arrived at 7.20 pm and neither of us were optimistic as it was very clear, very bright nearly full moon and just on freezing.
A short drive saw us arrive at one of Paddys perms a free range chicken farm. We parked up with a superb elevated view and at approx zero c my thermal was just remarkable and in black mode definition was superb. A quick scan revealed a very long range rabbit and a couple of rats. Silent stalking was not on, frozen puddles and sodden ground put paid to that.
Paddy started off across a very wet sloping field and the thermal revealed an abundance of ground birds identified by their calls when we sprung them Snipe +++.
We ended up in the shadow of a hedge overlooking a big field of rough grass,tussocks and a lot of snipe. Approx 200 yds away was a scrubby strip. The only positive feature was a steady light breeze from our right. Paddy set up and put out the caller 50 yds to our right and we were ready to go.
Within 2 mins we both clocked a fox coming in from the strip it was trotting in at a slightly oblique angle and as I watched it dropped dead to what turned out to be an impressive neck shot. I said pretty impressive to which Paddy said he couldn't turn the caller off so had to shoot it. Well he is honest.
A change to a distress call soon attracted 2 barn owls which quartered over the caller. Then we both saw another fox well out probably 300 yds, it came in steadily only to be distracted by 3 snipe which it didn't catch, swung back towards us and then stopped. Then I saw a bright white patch appear on the fox instantly followed by a report of the bullet strike.
Gosh I thought that was a long way out thinking it was close to 200 yds.
!0 mins of further calling produced no other customers. The first fox at 69 paces was a very big dog fox I guesstimate getting towards 20 lbs in super condition. The second was at 180 paces and would have wagered it was a vixen turned out to be a small dog fox.
So that was it 2 foxs in 1 hour on a night which we both considered to be a waste of time, clearly not and one very happy shooter, guest and chicken farmer.
I must say it was an absolutely clinical display of fox control by a guy who is an expert in his field.
For info Paddy was using a Weatherby .204 shooting 32 grn BK, Swarvi scope with a PVS with additional IR. Trigger sticks and I think a Fox Pro Scorpion but Paddy will correct if I am wrong.
D
A short drive saw us arrive at one of Paddys perms a free range chicken farm. We parked up with a superb elevated view and at approx zero c my thermal was just remarkable and in black mode definition was superb. A quick scan revealed a very long range rabbit and a couple of rats. Silent stalking was not on, frozen puddles and sodden ground put paid to that.
Paddy started off across a very wet sloping field and the thermal revealed an abundance of ground birds identified by their calls when we sprung them Snipe +++.
We ended up in the shadow of a hedge overlooking a big field of rough grass,tussocks and a lot of snipe. Approx 200 yds away was a scrubby strip. The only positive feature was a steady light breeze from our right. Paddy set up and put out the caller 50 yds to our right and we were ready to go.
Within 2 mins we both clocked a fox coming in from the strip it was trotting in at a slightly oblique angle and as I watched it dropped dead to what turned out to be an impressive neck shot. I said pretty impressive to which Paddy said he couldn't turn the caller off so had to shoot it. Well he is honest.
A change to a distress call soon attracted 2 barn owls which quartered over the caller. Then we both saw another fox well out probably 300 yds, it came in steadily only to be distracted by 3 snipe which it didn't catch, swung back towards us and then stopped. Then I saw a bright white patch appear on the fox instantly followed by a report of the bullet strike.
Gosh I thought that was a long way out thinking it was close to 200 yds.
!0 mins of further calling produced no other customers. The first fox at 69 paces was a very big dog fox I guesstimate getting towards 20 lbs in super condition. The second was at 180 paces and would have wagered it was a vixen turned out to be a small dog fox.
So that was it 2 foxs in 1 hour on a night which we both considered to be a waste of time, clearly not and one very happy shooter, guest and chicken farmer.
I must say it was an absolutely clinical display of fox control by a guy who is an expert in his field.
For info Paddy was using a Weatherby .204 shooting 32 grn BK, Swarvi scope with a PVS with additional IR. Trigger sticks and I think a Fox Pro Scorpion but Paddy will correct if I am wrong.
D
