Gents Ive just had a refreshingly successful couple of nights out and feel the need to pass this on!
I fox regularly (once or twice a week) on a friends permissions as he has approx 11,000 acres over Wales way. Its a mainly sheep and dairy but there is a constant need to keep all vermin species under control throughout the year as we all know. The landowner of a smaller plot who had rare breed goats and minature sheep told us she'd seen Charlie round and as we hadnt visited in a couple of weeks cue a trip ito deepest darkest Wales on a bitterly cold evening.
The permission is in a valley with the farm on one valley wall and the other side being bordered by a Fox rich area of common. We set up the caller and as both me and my mate are fully NV'd up started scanning with IR torches and various NV spotters. Less than two minutes from the caller going on (vixen in heat), a Charlie appears moving briskly into the caller from a tree line approx 120yds away. Its my mates turn to shoot (we alternate) and he lines up his Steyr and 55 gns put Charlie down on the spot.
Result! 1 down in 3 mins.
He goes and recovers the carcass (one of last years Vixens with a darker fur tone we've seen on three or four from this area) and I start sorting my life out to 'take the conn' so to speak. I'm on my belly checking NV illum, NV scope etc etc when my mate is tapping my shoulder 'Charlie half right'. I'm genuinely not ready for this, bipod legs wrong length, the ground I chose turns out to have bloody mountians and craters everywhere so im struggling to get a vaguely stable shooting platform. 'He's leaving mate chop chop!' comes my oppo's dulcit tones and finally after what seemed like an hour (in reality about 45 secs) I spot Charlie. He'd come in to about 100yds but the loud volume of the caller (in the furore I didnt get a chance to turn it down as he approached) had unsettled him and he'd started to exit the area. I pinged him at 180. He paused. Mistake! Number two for the night in less than 15 mins!!
Top is a last years vixen from local gene-pool (dark fur) bottom is a two or three year old dog (not from round ere'!!!)
Last night had a call from another mate who has an FAC application ongoing. One of the people who've given him permission have had chickens and ducks taken recently and a marauding vixen and a couple of cubs (we think) were spotted loitering around on Tuesday evening. He asked me to popover with my .223 and after a quick chat with the landowner for confirmation/permission we're off to the area.
The farm is not far from Hereford city and comprises of a farmhouse/barns area at the foot of a rising feature to the west with approx 300yds of fields before the brow of the hill. The land is all within this area and provides excellent backstops in all the possible areas for a shot. We set up on the back of a trailer the farmer has, the caller goes on (chicken in distress) and 20 mins of scanning with IR provides nothing except very cold fingers and toes. My mate is stood to my right and I happen to chance a glance behind him in to the adjoinong field (where Charlie can't POSSIBLY have got to without being spotted) and..........30 yds away there one is. BUGGER! Charlie has us bang to rights now and breaks left through a gate up the hill at a brisk run. Once in the far field stops shy of the hill brow (thank god) for a glance over the shoulder. I take the shot and my .223 50gn Z-Max (for zombies you understand) drops her on the spot. Happy days.
We leave it where it is and the caller goes on (vixen in heat). 10 mins later my mate taps my shoulder 'Eyes right moving along the fence line'. This causes me a problem as the rifle and the trailer are orientated East-West, this is directly South and I cant get on it without re-locating (probably very noisily). 'He's not happy and speeding up!' my mate says. I decided that a left-handed shot was my only chance. I've shot left handed before and although un-natural for a right-hooker I found it ok and was happy enough for it. I cack handedly set myself up and Charlie very thoughtfully paused for a sniff at about 120 yds. 50gns sent, 50gns recieved. Two young vixens from last year in beautiful condition (apart from the extra holes). Shame really.
Job done (well enough for now anyway) out and back home in 75 mins in time for the MIGHTY ENGLAND to smash the WELSH!!
I understand that compared the experience of some of the members on the forum this may be nothing special or exciting, but I was bloody happy!
Happy Foxing.
Deano
I fox regularly (once or twice a week) on a friends permissions as he has approx 11,000 acres over Wales way. Its a mainly sheep and dairy but there is a constant need to keep all vermin species under control throughout the year as we all know. The landowner of a smaller plot who had rare breed goats and minature sheep told us she'd seen Charlie round and as we hadnt visited in a couple of weeks cue a trip ito deepest darkest Wales on a bitterly cold evening.
The permission is in a valley with the farm on one valley wall and the other side being bordered by a Fox rich area of common. We set up the caller and as both me and my mate are fully NV'd up started scanning with IR torches and various NV spotters. Less than two minutes from the caller going on (vixen in heat), a Charlie appears moving briskly into the caller from a tree line approx 120yds away. Its my mates turn to shoot (we alternate) and he lines up his Steyr and 55 gns put Charlie down on the spot.
Result! 1 down in 3 mins.
He goes and recovers the carcass (one of last years Vixens with a darker fur tone we've seen on three or four from this area) and I start sorting my life out to 'take the conn' so to speak. I'm on my belly checking NV illum, NV scope etc etc when my mate is tapping my shoulder 'Charlie half right'. I'm genuinely not ready for this, bipod legs wrong length, the ground I chose turns out to have bloody mountians and craters everywhere so im struggling to get a vaguely stable shooting platform. 'He's leaving mate chop chop!' comes my oppo's dulcit tones and finally after what seemed like an hour (in reality about 45 secs) I spot Charlie. He'd come in to about 100yds but the loud volume of the caller (in the furore I didnt get a chance to turn it down as he approached) had unsettled him and he'd started to exit the area. I pinged him at 180. He paused. Mistake! Number two for the night in less than 15 mins!!
Top is a last years vixen from local gene-pool (dark fur) bottom is a two or three year old dog (not from round ere'!!!)
Last night had a call from another mate who has an FAC application ongoing. One of the people who've given him permission have had chickens and ducks taken recently and a marauding vixen and a couple of cubs (we think) were spotted loitering around on Tuesday evening. He asked me to popover with my .223 and after a quick chat with the landowner for confirmation/permission we're off to the area.
The farm is not far from Hereford city and comprises of a farmhouse/barns area at the foot of a rising feature to the west with approx 300yds of fields before the brow of the hill. The land is all within this area and provides excellent backstops in all the possible areas for a shot. We set up on the back of a trailer the farmer has, the caller goes on (chicken in distress) and 20 mins of scanning with IR provides nothing except very cold fingers and toes. My mate is stood to my right and I happen to chance a glance behind him in to the adjoinong field (where Charlie can't POSSIBLY have got to without being spotted) and..........30 yds away there one is. BUGGER! Charlie has us bang to rights now and breaks left through a gate up the hill at a brisk run. Once in the far field stops shy of the hill brow (thank god) for a glance over the shoulder. I take the shot and my .223 50gn Z-Max (for zombies you understand) drops her on the spot. Happy days.
We leave it where it is and the caller goes on (vixen in heat). 10 mins later my mate taps my shoulder 'Eyes right moving along the fence line'. This causes me a problem as the rifle and the trailer are orientated East-West, this is directly South and I cant get on it without re-locating (probably very noisily). 'He's not happy and speeding up!' my mate says. I decided that a left-handed shot was my only chance. I've shot left handed before and although un-natural for a right-hooker I found it ok and was happy enough for it. I cack handedly set myself up and Charlie very thoughtfully paused for a sniff at about 120 yds. 50gns sent, 50gns recieved. Two young vixens from last year in beautiful condition (apart from the extra holes). Shame really.
Job done (well enough for now anyway) out and back home in 75 mins in time for the MIGHTY ENGLAND to smash the WELSH!!
I understand that compared the experience of some of the members on the forum this may be nothing special or exciting, but I was bloody happy!
Happy Foxing.
Deano
