Out last night.

[Foxyboy43]

Thats what happens now you've moved to Derbyshire!

You should make a compilation with @Foxyboy43

Oh poor boy!
Classic symptoms I am afraid with little chance of avoiding a slow decline into lunacy. Watch out for, at times, involuntary quacks - usually inexplicably slipping out just as a fox is getting out of Dodge.
I find Malt Whiskey helps - lots of it, like really lots….

 

[BenBhoy]

That bit of duck I'd chop into three bits

I tie it to the fence mate. There was another whole duck tied. The bit she found was what buzzards had pulled off.

 

[bumpy22]

#81 after playing vixen on heat for 20 mins decided to pack up at poultry unit and try somewhere else.
As everything was packed away safely in the land rover. A quick scan before departing revealed a fox coming straight towards bait post.
A bit of a rush to get gear out quickly and quietly resulted in a decent dog fox

 

[Smellydog]

I'd of loved to be out early this morning as the storm abates, they'd be moving now !

 

[Smellydog]

Very frustrating night. Seen three fox's and everyone out smarted me and I missed one, so that's buggered that, it'll never forget me now! The only hope is they are coming to bait so fingers crossed....

 

[Bo Diddley]

Ya lucky bugger, I had a walk & stalk session and didn't see bugger all again.
A little bait is going in one area, so I have one about, stuck on #49... #50 needs to be a good 'un.

 

[bumpy22]

#82 another very big dog fox.
While watching the ever increase of badgers again. I spotted something through thermal on wood edge.
A quick squeak to see if there was a reaction revealed another Badger coming through hedge.
A quick scan the opposite side revealed a fox. Must of come out after I called. Got rifle up and ranged him at just over 260.
A few hand calls had it run in to 140 for a straightforward chest shot.

 

[finnbear270]

One on other side of road to me at 19:50, so no shot available, three tries to regain hard track after the recent liquid sunshine.

 

[BenBhoy]

#82 another very big dog fox.
While watching the ever increase of badgers again. I spotted something through thermal on wood edge.
A quick squeak to see if there was a reaction revealed another Badger coming through hedge.
A quick scan the opposite side revealed a fox. Must of come out after I called. Got rifle up and ranged him at just over 260.
A few hand calls had it run in to 140 for a straightforward chest shot.View attachment 450875

Big lump.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Eejit here decided to go out in last night’s near gale - well I had been on the sick-bench for a week….
Twenty minutes later after a chat with the farmer and a guided tour of his new barn now filled with 2 and 1 week old calves I set off up the lane. Very first gate a quick sweep showed a strong signature walking across the next field heading my way and upwind of me.
On with the caller and rifle quickly put on sticks as I braced myself on the very welcome tall stone gatepost. Two things became apparent very quickly - even braced against a couple of tons of stonework I could not hold the rifle steady and unless the fox stopped immediately downwind of me i.e. at my 12 and at close range an accurate shot would be very difficult. The thought was kinda overtaken by events as the fox sat then just lay down - clearly this fox had no interest in my calling…

A very frustrating time ensued - said fox continued to absolutely ignore my efforts instead preferring to curl up then sit up regularly looking in the direction from whence it came but all the time as can be seen plonked right in front of the farmer’s sister’s bungalow! Bugger!
On two occasions I tried moving downhill and found small gaps in the hedge which ordinarily would have enabled a safe shot but it was utterly impossible to hold still in the conditions so each time back I went to the stone gatepost, called and waited and waited again…
Whether this fox had been stood up - likely, it eventually decided to retrace it’s steps back across the field at the same angle as before.
Your hero decided that at some stage the path would coincide with my desired 12 o'clock and give me a chance of a killing shot.
Slowly the plan came good - kinda. By the time it was in the desired position it was pretty much going straight away from me. The usual cacophony of calls, yells and yes even quacks ensued but to no avail.
As an aside I think I have invented a new call and word - “squack” - a gale entering your lungs at force precisely as you quack is all that is required…
For just a second the departing fox turned slightly across me giving me a slim last chance at 170 or so, which I very quickly took….

And missed!
And that chaps was the only fox I saw last night; I have a theory that most are now in Shetland for that is where the gale was bound…

 

[Smellydog]

Eejit here decided to go out in last night’s near gale - well I had been on the sick-bench for a week….
Twenty minutes later after a chat with the farmer and a guided tour of his new barn now filled with 2 and 1 week old calves I set off up the lane. Very first gate a quick sweep showed a strong signature walking across the next field heading my way and upwind of me.
On with the caller and rifle quickly put on sticks as I braced myself on the very welcome tall stone gatepost. Two things became apparent very quickly - even braced against a couple of tons of stonework I could not hold the rifle steady and unless the fox stopped immediately downwind of me i.e. at my 12 and at close range an accurate shot would be very difficult. The thought was kinda overtaken by events as the fox sat then just lay down - clearly this fox had no interest in my calling…

A very frustrating time ensued - said fox continued to absolutely ignore my efforts instead preferring to curl up then sit up regularly looking in the direction from whence it came but all the time as can be seen plonked right in front of the farmer’s sister’s bungalow! Bugger!
On two occasions I tried moving downhill and found small gaps in the hedge which ordinarily would have enabled a safe shot but it was utterly impossible to hold still in the conditions so each time back I went to the stone gatepost, called and waited and waited again…
Whether this fox had been stood up - likely, it eventually decided to retrace it’s steps back across the field at the same angle as before.
Your hero decided that at some stage the path would coincide with my desired 12 o'clock and give me a chance of a killing shot.
Slowly the plan came good - kinda. By the time it was in the desired position it was pretty much going straight away from me. The usual cacophony of calls, yells and yes even quacks ensued but to no avail.
As an aside I think I have invented a new call and word - “squack” - a gale entering your lungs at force precisely as you quack is all that is required…
For just a second the departing fox turned slightly across me giving me a slim last chance at 170 or so, which I very quickly took….

And missed!
And that chaps was the only fox I saw last night; I have a theory that most are now in Shetland for that is where the gale was bound…

Bloody ell ol' lad, got some grit you have.

Fox's often look confused in them conditions. Probably a sensory overload, that and crazy ducks quacking away like they've hit the whisky!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Bloody ell ol' lad, got some grit you have.

Fox's often look confused in them conditions. Probably a sensory overload, that and crazy ducks quacking away like they've hit the whisky!

Very astute observation Smelly - just got the order of events back to front!

 

[jall55]

Fairly simple fox to bait tonight - had 7 rats too

 

[Rogerp]

Out tonight not seen anything the last couple of weeks but had this vixen tonight

 

[AJC]

Out last night, 2 vixen, 2 dogs in 3 different locations. all came in to ACME caller after about 5-10 minutes each. 2 x 100 yard shots, 2 x 200 yard shots.
Was 3 of us out which was great help in spotting and tracking them.

 

[AJC]

Won’t allow me to upload other pictures. Says file too big

 

[buckfever]

Out the other night 2 vixens 1 dog. Seen fox few fields away started squeaking with back of my hand . Looked through thermal 2 foxes about 80 yards infront of me shot first fox the other ran about 30 yards then dropped that 1 as well. put gun in motor jumped fence had a check with thermal and there was another fox sniffing the 1 i just shot. Jump back over fence gun out motor and dropped that 1 as well

 

[Smellydog]

Well I had a disaster and hopefully the dog will help me later today

 

[finnbear270]

Well I had a disaster and hopefully the dog will help me later today

Pour Quoir.

 

[Smellydog]

#77, eventually!
I've hardly slept after , as it transpires causing a real flesh wound to a fox.
The shot in the video looks good but somehow it went left. Possibly wind but needless say a zero check will follow.
The fox went and lay down hardly visible to the thermal or sight.
I waited to see if another fox would arrive as I was confident this chap had lay down for good!


After non other arrived I set off to retrieve my fox. Keeping down wind and viewing regularly the low down fox never moved so I moved in and just using natural light I couldn't find it!
It had legged it with me less than 20yds away!!

The cold wind turned an instant blue! I was furious with myself. Why didn't I view it through the scope, what a stupid mistake!!
So that was that, I went back home cursing myself and couldn't rest all night. I felt rotten.

After work today I shot home. Grabbed the dog and shotgun and went to the ground but the other side to keep the wind in Jess's face.
But as I parked I got the car stuck!
Half an hour or more was trying to get the car out which I managed by letting the tyres down some and occasionally digging. I need better tyres on this car!

I was hoping she would find a dead fox but while she was hunting squirrels in a deep ditch full of blackthorn, bramble, hazel and oak suddenly her nose scents the air and her ears come forward! This is right where I calculated where the fox went from me the night before. Jess looks at me with eyes on storks now and I point to tell her to get on.

Straight away she gave voice, and she has a distinctive voice when on a fox. I legged to the highest point and soon had the fox running around in front of me with Jess on its tale so I couldn't shoot! She lost the fox but I knew it was still in the ditch. Jess didn't give up and moved it a few more times until it had had enough from the relentless terrier/hound combination and spied it's chance to escape downwind which meant it would run past me upon which it received some old S&B #5 shot at about 30yds which was instant lights out.

I was so relieved to see a flesh wound. He had been licking it. The little 17 bullet from the night before had cut the skin on its right front leg!
When Jess arrived at the scene she was so wound up she would not stop ragging the corpse untill I pulled her off.
I laid the dog fox to rest and gave him a sip from my hip flask and apologised for the inconvenience!
Jess was covered in her own blood by now also, due to her catching her split ear in some fencing and finally splitting it to the end of the lobe.
She later went on to work some squirrels then when home a good shower and a feed.
She will dream of this for days!
I can sleep now...