Full moon and Foxes .. Good or bad ?
- Thread starter Longstrider
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PhilSN12
Well-Known Member
Life is easier from a high seat when its bright.I was out Saturday night, it was so bright the trees were casting shadows. Still dropped 2 foxes from a high seat
Just remember your thermals and a big flask of tea.
Thermals? You mean the electric socks and gilet!
MagicLantern
Well-Known Member
.
Same with me, if they are busy mousing in a field I'm happy to watch them. If they walk past an open sachet of bait en route to the goose and hen pen, then they are obviously up to no good.As it turned out they were a pair - both in fine coat and pretty as a picture but deadly on my pal’s fowl so they had to go. As ever looking at them I felt quite remorseful for they are indeed beautiful and our apex predator.
Long may I continue to feel that way - I am a better man for it….
Thanks Smellydog.
NB the pictures are not anywhere close to what you see on the video or Pard.
PhilSN12
Well-Known Member
I should have said underwearThermals? You mean the electric socks and gilet!
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Well so pleased was yer man with his early morning double - inspired by Smellydog (clever boy) and still rubbing his throbbing bruise from Mrs FB’s vicious kick gentle nudge that he (other pronouns are available - ask anyone, body, thing…) did it again this very morning - same field as before and pretty much the same time - 6ish so quite civilised.
When I arrived I spotted a heat signature immediately with the Axion Thermal about 300 yds away which turned out to be a fox busily worming so sylph-like Istumbled, tripped and nearly fell stalked into it. It surely must be the very fox that bolted just as I was about to shoot the bastard it only mere hours ago - no mistakes, not this time. - no sirreee bob.
So sticks up, rifle comfortably in B&Q’s finest, Pard 008 quickly re-focussed (forgot I had been shooting a steel gong yesterday), target spotted again with the Axion andeventually seamlessly acquired in the Pard - still unconcernedly working the sodden field. Breathing now rasping firmly under control and a gentle squeeze of the trigger would see this particular fox on the express train to Valhalla or wherever foxes with a great hole in them go…
A soft squeak to get this doomed fox’s attentionm enough to stand still for just a moment - which worked brilliantly - textbook broadside on - crosshairs centred on the mid-shoulder, perfectly still and bang!
Only I missed! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! I also (wisely) forgot to press record so other than this SD in-confidence confession there is no record of that failure to connect.
Anyhoo, once the sobbing stopped I cunningly reasoned that a change of call (hand) from yesterday was required so I punched in Rabbit something or other on the Icotech, hit play and retreated to the cover of the same high gorse-shrouded bank. In truth I was not hopeful, three seen the am before - one spooked and two shot coupled with that very am’s earliermiss unfortunate episode suggested that chances were not high. Ah well, give it a go, I reasoned, sure it was great to be out - before dawn and able to witness the roseate fingers of dawn creeping over the seascape before me. Who am I kidding? Grey clouds scudding across the full moon and the shadow of my bank stretching across the increasingly visible field.
It might be a good time to explain that I was indeed “looking” across a seascape, only I couldn’t actually see it. The long field I was in stopped rather suddenly with a very thin hedge-line and a much more sudden 200 feet drop to the Irish Sea, what I could see however were lighthouses flashing on my coast and in Scotland only 15 miles away.
Anyways, caller on, thermal on and suddenly game on as through the Axion a very obvious fox came trotting into the field - running from my right to left and oblivious to me, clearly focussed on the caller.
Now I am a big fan of Pards, they have transformed my night time shooting but if I have a comment to make it would be the narrow field of view which is immediately obvious when trying to pick up a moving target - which this fox was. Between toggling between the thermal and the Pard and a loud shout the fix stopped and sat down, clearly bemused by this talking hedgerow, A quick panic adjustment, centring of cross hairs and this time the “whumpp” signifying a good hit - all caught on the Pard’s camera so another beauty for the FB’s Greatest Hits collection!
Happy FB, happy farmer and at least one more to go…
When I arrived I spotted a heat signature immediately with the Axion Thermal about 300 yds away which turned out to be a fox busily worming so sylph-like I
So sticks up, rifle comfortably in B&Q’s finest, Pard 008 quickly re-focussed (forgot I had been shooting a steel gong yesterday), target spotted again with the Axion and
A soft squeak to get this doomed fox’s attentionm enough to stand still for just a moment - which worked brilliantly - textbook broadside on - crosshairs centred on the mid-shoulder, perfectly still and bang!
Only I missed! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! I also (wisely) forgot to press record so other than this SD in-confidence confession there is no record of that failure to connect.
Anyhoo, once the sobbing stopped I cunningly reasoned that a change of call (hand) from yesterday was required so I punched in Rabbit something or other on the Icotech, hit play and retreated to the cover of the same high gorse-shrouded bank. In truth I was not hopeful, three seen the am before - one spooked and two shot coupled with that very am’s earlier
It might be a good time to explain that I was indeed “looking” across a seascape, only I couldn’t actually see it. The long field I was in stopped rather suddenly with a very thin hedge-line and a much more sudden 200 feet drop to the Irish Sea, what I could see however were lighthouses flashing on my coast and in Scotland only 15 miles away.
Anyways, caller on, thermal on and suddenly game on as through the Axion a very obvious fox came trotting into the field - running from my right to left and oblivious to me, clearly focussed on the caller.
Now I am a big fan of Pards, they have transformed my night time shooting but if I have a comment to make it would be the narrow field of view which is immediately obvious when trying to pick up a moving target - which this fox was. Between toggling between the thermal and the Pard and a loud shout the fix stopped and sat down, clearly bemused by this talking hedgerow, A quick panic adjustment, centring of cross hairs and this time the “whumpp” signifying a good hit - all caught on the Pard’s camera so another beauty for the FB’s Greatest Hits collection!
Happy FB, happy farmer and at least one more to go…
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Aye - I could see the Lough Ryan lighthouse this a.m. along with perhaps half a dozen others - an utterly special place to be standing on a bright dawn - unlike this morning. Spent a few hours in Stranraer last month on way home from Perthshire - much changed town since ferries went and bypass opened - probably better for it IMHO.
Re the ahem, unfortunate incident, clearly it anticipated my perfectly aimed shot and ducked or….. sliding down a steep stoney track at full crouch and the effort expended to deploy sticks, set rifle, turn everything on (and refocus the Pard) not to say find the still unaware beast, whilst hyperventilating (excitement - obviously) may together have been too much for your humble shooter.
Fortunately no evidence remains - apart from the two feet trench in the soft field 50 yards behind and the remains of a 50gns Vmax - currently lying a mile or so off shore…
This rascal was in exactly the same place as the one that bolted yesterday just as I was taking up pressure on the trigger so I suspect it is the same one - now minus a mate. Been surprised at how many I have seen with the early pre-dawn visits though - my usual silly o’clock visits would rarely show a fox there. Funny old world. Just looked at the photo again - really should have got it mounted - Mrs FB even offered to pay!
Anyhow, no shooting in NI tomorrow but Monday will see business resumed - now personal so may go before dusk and sit in an ambush position - watch this space!
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Out again this am around 5 - big bright moon again lighting everything up including me. More in hope than anticipation I set the Icotech out in mid-quagmire field and backed into the same gorse bank as on previous successful outings. All the lighthouses on the Scottish coast opposite me were not required it was soooo damned bright!
I had hardly put the triple deuce on the quads when my Axion picked up a very weak heat source working it’s way along behind the thick gorse hedgeline about two hundred yards away. A different approach in every way as this one went straight past the gap used by two of its recently deceased colleagues and instead worked along the hedge and the wind. I could see this might be a problem as the further it came along the hedge the more downwind of me it would become. Hmmm.
Whether my bank and high gorse interrupted my scent going straight to the fox or it simply ignored me the fox came right up into the corner of the field next to the gate and sat down to clearly study the Icotech - it never even looked my direction and as it turned out was a simple shot at about 140yds - number 4 in the same empty and sodden field and all under the very bright full moon!
As before I continued calling for another 20 minutes but nothing came my way so I went to the fox and was surprised to see it was a dog - number 3 so my thoughts that this would be the last one have been revised so more early mornings it is.
Yet again the sunrise over the Irish Sea alone was enough to make the sacrifice of being out in a cold morning worthwhile - another great memory and to my surprise I remembered to hit the record button again!
Love the Axion and the Pard 008P but especially the triple deuce!
I had hardly put the triple deuce on the quads when my Axion picked up a very weak heat source working it’s way along behind the thick gorse hedgeline about two hundred yards away. A different approach in every way as this one went straight past the gap used by two of its recently deceased colleagues and instead worked along the hedge and the wind. I could see this might be a problem as the further it came along the hedge the more downwind of me it would become. Hmmm.
Whether my bank and high gorse interrupted my scent going straight to the fox or it simply ignored me the fox came right up into the corner of the field next to the gate and sat down to clearly study the Icotech - it never even looked my direction and as it turned out was a simple shot at about 140yds - number 4 in the same empty and sodden field and all under the very bright full moon!
As before I continued calling for another 20 minutes but nothing came my way so I went to the fox and was surprised to see it was a dog - number 3 so my thoughts that this would be the last one have been revised so more early mornings it is.
Yet again the sunrise over the Irish Sea alone was enough to make the sacrifice of being out in a cold morning worthwhile - another great memory and to my surprise I remembered to hit the record button again!
Love the Axion and the Pard 008P but especially the triple deuce!
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Aye and apparently my FEO and an Armed Response Unit are joining us!Goodo foxy boy. Back just in time for tea and crumpets with the good lady
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
What've you done now?Aye and apparently my FEO and an Armed Response Unit are joining us!
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Couldn’t possibly say but if you read the latter posts on my “Contents of a not-so-little boy’s pockets“ thread it was absolutely heinous!
And just precisely what do you mean by “now”??
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Couldn’t possibly say but if you read the latter posts on my “Contents of a not-so-little boy’s pockets“ thread it was absolutely heinous!
And just precisely what do you mean by “now”??
I'm confused now
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
Couldn’t possibly say but if you read the latter posts on my “Contents of a not-so-little boy’s pockets“ thread it was absolutely heinous!
And just precisely what do you mean by “now”??
Take no notice of them FB
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Out again this am - moon very much on the wane but incredibly bright and casting a very clear shadow. Same drill, same field and 10 mins with the Icotech another vixen! I just don’t get why there are so many in this field. That said the numbers of snipe feeding spotted through the Axion has been phenomenal this year. I would have thought snipe would be a bit of a challenge though - even for Mr fox!
stephentri
Well-Known Member
Good shooting Foxy, what call is working for you on the icotec at the minute,
Thanks
Thanks
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Ordinarily I just use my hand but have been giving the Icotech 500 a real try this last week - the Wam and BFC have both worked well - start loud 7 then quickly turn down to 3/4- especially if you spot a fox early - shot 5 in 4 outings which is a lot on my ground.
Good luck!
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