Out last night.
- Thread starter finnbear270
- Start date
I got one the same been after all winter, think it might have been miss with night vision and ir before, as soon as you flick the ir on, its legging it, hoping for my thermal scope soon 
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
blueeyes
Well-Known Member
Ken they see the IR movement more than anything , I have a field I shoot from a small hillock with couple of whins, cause its the only spot for cover and safe back stop , and I am convinced they know I am there as seen them glancing up , if I would you and it was possible move your position in the same field , might make a differenceThis was one occasion (Couple weeks ago) when I remembered the "Foxy" button.
Complete miss from less than 50 yards!
Went back next morning with dog but nothing.
I shoot on a small farm and nearly always (Due to health mainly) shoot in the same field. Recently from the way Charlie is acting, when they appear I feel like I'm being sussed out nearly every time.
I'm not conspicuous but some (Not all) of them seem to look right at me when I'm thermaling.
Others definitely see the IR when the Zulus is fired up as they either change direction or leave quickly.
Sometimes I get lucky..
Thinking of giving the thermal sight a go, but really prefer NV for its versatility.
Anyone else have foxes spooked by ir?
Cheers, Ken.
kenbro
Well-Known Member
Yes, I’m sure you’re right.
All mine come up a gentle rise the levels out abruptly and as soon as they pop up they look in my direction. I know they have better eyesight than me but I’m well camouflaged backed into an Hawthorn hedge so it must be the ir.
I’ve just bought a single shot rifle to use as a dedicated thermal night rifle, so no more ir.
Hoping to zero it on Thursday and then see how it goes.
Ken.
kenbro
Well-Known Member
Yes, I’m sure you’re right.
All mine come up a gentle rise the levels out abruptly and as soon as they pop up they look in my direction. I know they have better eyesight than me but I’m well camouflaged backed into an Hawthorne hedge so it must be the ir.
I’ve just bought a single shot rifle to use as a dedicated thermal night rifle, so no more ir.
Hoping to zero it on Thursday and then see how it goes.
Ken
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
kenbro
Well-Known Member
kenbro
Well-Known Member
farrieral
Well-Known Member
I was indeed out last night... A break in the weather and a call from both mother (chickens hammered & attempted coop raid) and brother (lost a couple of lambs) saw me getting to the family farm at 8pm... saw one fox just after dark, not interested in the caller, or mouth squeak... stopped him momentarily with an "oi" and snatched the shot just in front of him and off he f**ked never to be seen again! I'll be back for that one!
I roamed what seemed every one of those 800 acres, looking in all the usual hot spots... never saw another fox! Although they've been active of late, brother has seen a couple in the day whilst turning lambs out and on his early am and pre dark checks!
Packed up at 2am, thoroughly disheartened as that miss sees the end of my 22 no miss streak
I did however fetch in an old ewe that had gotten cast in a rather deep ditch, not all bad!
I roamed what seemed every one of those 800 acres, looking in all the usual hot spots... never saw another fox! Although they've been active of late, brother has seen a couple in the day whilst turning lambs out and on his early am and pre dark checks!
Packed up at 2am, thoroughly disheartened as that miss sees the end of my 22 no miss streak
I did however fetch in an old ewe that had gotten cast in a rather deep ditch, not all bad!
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
We all get off days buddy.I was indeed out last night... A break in the weather and a call from both mother (chickens hammered & attempted coop raid) and brother (lost a couple of lambs) saw me getting to the family farm at 8pm... saw one fox just after dark, not interested in the caller, or mouth squeak... stopped him momentarily with an "oi" and snatched the shot just in front of him and off he f**ked never to be seen again! I'll be back for that one!
I roamed what seemed every one of those 800 acres, looking in all the usual hot spots... never saw another fox! Although they've been active of late, brother has seen a couple in the day whilst turning lambs out and on his early am and pre dark checks!
Packed up at 2am, thoroughly disheartened as that miss sees the end of my 22 no miss streak
I did however fetch in an old ewe that had gotten cast in a rather deep ditch, not all bad!
Last night was a masterclass in rust, and trying to see to shoot through lenses running like the Ganges.
Two determined Dog fox trying their hand in amongst the stock, struck a wire on the first one that sent him off site in double quick time, the other now rests with the last two.
Tonights and tomorrows weather looks equally challenging, every radiator in the house is now occupied with wet gear, all that is left now is to rod the barrel (that is increasingly hinting at me that it's time for a re barrel).... roll on the .222 build.
Hoping for a better weather picture for Galloway Monday.
Two determined Dog fox trying their hand in amongst the stock, struck a wire on the first one that sent him off site in double quick time, the other now rests with the last two.
Tonights and tomorrows weather looks equally challenging, every radiator in the house is now occupied with wet gear, all that is left now is to rod the barrel (that is increasingly hinting at me that it's time for a re barrel).... roll on the .222 build.
Hoping for a better weather picture for Galloway Monday.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Sitting having lunch with a pal and HRH - phone rings - wouldn’t normally answer it when out but it was the landowner on one of my better bits of ground so excused myself and spoke. Worried man - just got a pup and a fox with very obvious mange is running about his rather large manicured lawns where his wife likes to play with their new pup. Simply has to go FB…….
Soooo after lunch called home picked up .17 hmr and Pulsar thermal spotter and headed down. Set up Icotech and decoy twirly thingie and retreated to nearby small stand of hawthorns and quickly set up on B&Q’s finest quads then realised hadn’t brought the Pard 007 so if a fox appeared I would be spared the by now customary embarrassment of forgetting to hit the record button - oh well, every cloud….
I reckon I was there 20 seconds and a very dark fox came hurtling in from my hard right, spotted me and skidded into a perfectly controlled semi-“Polo” then scuttled back in to the very heavy cover. I hadn’t even got the sticks swivelled when it popped up again stared at me and then disappeared totally. I of course was fingers and thumbs personified cursing myself for putting the Icotech on as I set it down but at setting 3 I can’t hear the calls from more than 10 yards away….
Undaunted I trekked round the acre or so of very heavy cover which was once a duckpond and halfway round started calling again - bingo - there it was, clear as err, daylight, in the thermal but as I quickly discovered utterly impossible to see through the scope. It then turned into a now you see me (thermal), now you don’t (scope) pantomime as the rascal lay watching me through the jungle but try as I might I could not see it in the scope. Bugger, bugger, bugger! Inevitably it got bored with me and clearly visible through the Pulsar, sloped off…. That’s that then thought your hero as he turned homewards, en route again passing the spot where the fox had first been called out.
More in frustration and hoping for a consolation rabbit I scanned with the thermal and to my astonishment the fox was maybe 25 yards away clearly watching me through the heavy cover! I half-heartedly mounted the sticks again and looked through the scope expecting to see the usual tangle of briars and hawthorn which indeed filled my picture but, dead centre was a gap of about four inches square and clearly visible was a flash of red and cream - game on! Bit of an anti-climax really, gentle squeeze and a loud whummmppp and the fox fell through my little branch-shrouded window; quick confirmation through the thermal and it was definitely down.
Retrieval was a nightmare - remember overgrown pond? I ended up phoning the owner who reminded me of a long-forgotten ornamental bridge which got me across the 8 foot wide ditch and onto relatively solid ground though beating through it with the sticks was a nightmare. Anyhoo, with the aid of the thermal I located the fallen - an absolutely beautiful fox and definitely not the one spotted by the concerned owner. I did phone him and sent him a picture cunningly mentioning that the best chance of getting the manged fox was after dark - something which he has refused for more than 20 years - he even locks his avenue gates at twilight! To my delight he said to go for it anytime so a little bit of inconvenience and quite a bit of effort has paid dividends - happy FB. Just wish it would stop raining….
Soooo after lunch called home picked up .17 hmr and Pulsar thermal spotter and headed down. Set up Icotech and decoy twirly thingie and retreated to nearby small stand of hawthorns and quickly set up on B&Q’s finest quads then realised hadn’t brought the Pard 007 so if a fox appeared I would be spared the by now customary embarrassment of forgetting to hit the record button - oh well, every cloud….
I reckon I was there 20 seconds and a very dark fox came hurtling in from my hard right, spotted me and skidded into a perfectly controlled semi-“Polo” then scuttled back in to the very heavy cover. I hadn’t even got the sticks swivelled when it popped up again stared at me and then disappeared totally. I of course was fingers and thumbs personified cursing myself for putting the Icotech on as I set it down but at setting 3 I can’t hear the calls from more than 10 yards away….
Undaunted I trekked round the acre or so of very heavy cover which was once a duckpond and halfway round started calling again - bingo - there it was, clear as err, daylight, in the thermal but as I quickly discovered utterly impossible to see through the scope. It then turned into a now you see me (thermal), now you don’t (scope) pantomime as the rascal lay watching me through the jungle but try as I might I could not see it in the scope. Bugger, bugger, bugger! Inevitably it got bored with me and clearly visible through the Pulsar, sloped off…. That’s that then thought your hero as he turned homewards, en route again passing the spot where the fox had first been called out.
More in frustration and hoping for a consolation rabbit I scanned with the thermal and to my astonishment the fox was maybe 25 yards away clearly watching me through the heavy cover! I half-heartedly mounted the sticks again and looked through the scope expecting to see the usual tangle of briars and hawthorn which indeed filled my picture but, dead centre was a gap of about four inches square and clearly visible was a flash of red and cream - game on! Bit of an anti-climax really, gentle squeeze and a loud whummmppp and the fox fell through my little branch-shrouded window; quick confirmation through the thermal and it was definitely down.
Retrieval was a nightmare - remember overgrown pond? I ended up phoning the owner who reminded me of a long-forgotten ornamental bridge which got me across the 8 foot wide ditch and onto relatively solid ground though beating through it with the sticks was a nightmare. Anyhoo, with the aid of the thermal I located the fallen - an absolutely beautiful fox and definitely not the one spotted by the concerned owner. I did phone him and sent him a picture cunningly mentioning that the best chance of getting the manged fox was after dark - something which he has refused for more than 20 years - he even locks his avenue gates at twilight! To my delight he said to go for it anytime so a little bit of inconvenience and quite a bit of effort has paid dividends - happy FB. Just wish it would stop raining….
Had number 19 since New Year just as it got duckish this evening. It started to drizzle so I moved to a spot where I can shoot in the van out the passenger window, but nothing showed. Went back to pick up the body and if I had stayed in the drizzle, I would have had number 20 from the first spot.
. I am thinking of knocking the fencing business on the head and going into umbrella sales , I think there’s a market for them 
kenbro
Well-Known Member
That’s a chunky Charlie, looks well fed up!Sitting having lunch with a pal and HRH - phone rings - wouldn’t normally answer it when out but it was the landowner on one of my better bits of ground so excused myself and spoke. Worried man - just got a pup and a fox with very obvious mange is running about his rather large manicured lawns where his wife likes to play with their new pup. Simply has to go FB…….
Soooo after lunch called home picked up .17 hmr and Pulsar thermal spotter and headed down. Set up Icotech and decoy twirly thingie and retreated to nearby small stand of hawthorns and quickly set up on B&Q’s finest quads then realised hadn’t brought the Pard 007 so if a fox appeared I would be spared the by now customary embarrassment of forgetting to hit the record button - oh well, every cloud….
I reckon I was there 20 seconds and a very dark fox came hurtling in from my hard right, spotted me and skidded into a perfectly controlled semi-“Polo” then scuttled back in to the very heavy cover. I hadn’t even got the sticks swivelled when it popped up again stared at me and then disappeared totally. I of course was fingers and thumbs personified cursing myself for putting the Icotech on as I set it down but at setting 3 I can’t hear the calls from more than 10 yards away….
Undaunted I trekked round the acre or so of very heavy cover which was once a duckpond and halfway round started calling again - bingo - there it was, clear as err, daylight, in the thermal but as I quickly discovered utterly impossible to see through the scope. It then turned into a now you see me (thermal), now you don’t (scope) pantomime as the rascal lay watching me through the jungle but try as I might I could not see it in the scope. Bugger, bugger, bugger! Inevitably it got bored with me and clearly visible through the Pulsar, sloped off…. That’s that then thought your hero as he turned homewards, en route again passing the spot where the fox had first been called out.
More in frustration and hoping for a consolation rabbit I scanned with the thermal and to my astonishment the fox was maybe 25 yards away clearly watching me through the heavy cover! I half-heartedly mounted the sticks again and looked through the scope expecting to see the usual tangle of briars and hawthorn which indeed filled my picture but, dead centre was a gap of about four inches square and clearly visible was a flash of red and cream - game on! Bit of an anti-climax really, gentle squeeze and a loud whummmppp and the fox fell through my little branch-shrouded window; quick confirmation through the thermal and it was definitely down.
Retrieval was a nightmare - remember overgrown pond? I ended up phoning the owner who reminded me of a long-forgotten ornamental bridge which got me across the 8 foot wide ditch and onto relatively solid ground though beating through it with the sticks was a nightmare. Anyhoo, with the aid of the thermal I located the fallen - an absolutely beautiful fox and definitely not the one spotted by the concerned owner. I did phone him and sent him a picture cunningly mentioning that the best chance of getting the manged fox was after dark - something which he has refused for more than 20 years - he even locks his avenue gates at twilight! To my delight he said to go for it anytime so a little bit of inconvenience and quite a bit of effort has paid dividends - happy FB. Just wish it would stop raining….
View attachment 359273
Nice one.
Ken.
Sol
Well-Known Member
Uncle estimates he shot a couple thousand last year alone hell last weekend they shot 60 easy peasy within about an hour.
Would 100% say they've made a comeback in our area first time farmers ever complained about crop damage due to rabbits.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
In the mood for an air rifle myself Smelly but last time I had one it was a Webley (Junior?) in .177 - shot a lot of crows, rabbits and rats with it but that was before the last Ice Age soooo what would the recommendation be for a general purpose dependable (springer?) vermin rifle nowadays?
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
A chap of your tastes and kudos... A Weihrauch.In the mood for an air rifle myself Smelly but last time I had one it was a Webley (Junior?) in .177 - shot a lot of crows, rabbits and rats with it but that was before the last Ice Age soooo what would the recommendation be for a general purpose dependable (springer?) vermin rifle nowadays?
A 99 if you want to keep the weight down or a 57.
The 85 or 80.
The 77 and 97 are quite heavy but very accurate.
You will have a decent trigger in them.
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