Whilst ratting....

[Smellydog]

....I noticed a fox loitering at the back of this farm intent on retrieving a shot rat for supper.
It was not fussed by the 22 thumping rats at all but did start to go around the farm to get a better wind so I got my skates on and cut it off.

When I did get to the other side sure enough there it was, about 200 yds off so I gave a squeak and it heard it and started coming to me!

Thermal down, on with the sytong 66, little mouse squeaks keep it coming and it stops at about 60 yards for a nice bib shot off the gate post simples. Pop goes the CCI subbie and fox runs away!!!!!
What the chuffing heck
Staying calm about it the fox stops at 200 yards and settles down.
Ok I thought let's watch...
Eventually this fox starts working its way down the field paralleling the farm track I'm on, so I shadowed the fox to the end of the field.
Soon it comes to crunch time!
Now or never, resting on a fresh cut hedge I turn the nv on , find fox, give some hold and squeeze...shot gone and a good thwack comes back! Fox collapses immediately.
But get this, on retrieving I pace back to the firing point, 110 paces!
Ok I'm tired, let's call it 80-90 yards.
So how come I missed the first bloody time?
Anyway, all's well that ends well.
Oh and I got 17 rats.

 

[captain jon]

Last week I shot three at over 200 yards and yet how do I miss them 60 - 70 yards , it’s not the gun it’s me

 

[The Singing Stalker]

I ever make mistakes me. Cough.

 

[Rogerp]

Been out tonight, missed the easiest fox in my 40 years of foxing, couldn’t believe it no more than 50 yards. Did end up with 2 but can’t stop thinking about the missed one

 

[old keeper]

Over the years I've missed a few at around fifty yards or a bit less. If you shoot enough it will inevitably happen. Possibly not to all of us though, I once spoke to someone who tried to convince me he'd shot just under a thousand foxes and never missed one! He said the locals called him the fox man, I could possibly think of some better names!