onelesscharlie Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 We had a hunt committee meeting a week or so ago and at the end one of the members called me aside for a chat. This particular chap owns the farm on which our kennels are located and has been a supporter for many years, however , unfortunately he had been losing warrens and muscovy ducks in increasing numbers over the last week or so and had to curtail the problem before releasing the 20 new warrens he had in the barn. He knew the location of the culprit having followed the trail of feathers to the earth over recent days, it soon became apparent that it was a vixen and four very large, hungry cubs who were comfortably residing in a large, unused badger set only two fields from a full pack of foxhounds. As such I was tasked to remove them as soon as practical with rifle and if necessary night vision. Night one Thursday night was mild and moonlit with occasional showers but I positioned myself at 9.00pm about 150 yards above the earth in long wet grass and watched and waited.... and watched and waited.....and watched and waited. Ten thirty arrived along with a very heavy thundery shower (at this point i realised that I had left my hood in the truck)but still no show and by 11.30 I decided that enough was enough and quietly packed up to go home. Night two Friday night was very wet and I decided that there was little point in venturing out just to get absolutely soaked and anyway what right minded vixen would be out in that weather. Well apparently this vixen.... I had a phone call first thing Saturday informing me that she had got into the barn and liberated three of Rays new Warrens. Night three Saturday night was a non starter as I had to go to a fundraising race night and would have a beer or two... so as such no firearms. I really should have gone foxing instead as the highest placed horse I picked was fifth. Night four Sunday evening was warm, sunny and still so I decided on a change of tack. At eight o clock I was comfortably positioned above the earth with lamp and night vision at the ready, unfortunately I hadn't factored in the setting sun and it just happened to be directly behind the earth, this stopped me from effectively spotting through the scope but good old fashioned hand over the eyes did the job. Nothing happened for the first hour but at just after nine as if by magic a large cub which I at first thought to be the vixen seemed to appear from nowhere, this was quickly dropped in long grass about 20 metres from the main entrance to the earth. Within five minutes another two cubs appeared at the entrance, after allowing them a stretch and a sniff they were also accounted for. It then went quiet for a further hour and it was time to use the night vision for spotting as it was getting particularly gloomy under the trees, but soon enough a fourth cub appeared from a pop hole just yards from where the first cub had appeared. It soon started sniffing the first cub which gave me enough time to fit the add-on nv and take the shot. As far as I was concerned I now had the vixen and three cubs but still has one cub left to cater for.... but within minutes it became apparent that I had only had the cubs as the vixen started calling from the wood behind the earth. Her calling became more and more frantic but she would not show herself. I waited for about half an hour, occasionally getting glimpses of her with the nv in the wood but with no shot, then I realised I had a distressed cub call for my U caller so thought I would try it having never used it before. Instant result, the vixen slinked up to the fence allowing a full view and thanks to the night vision she had no idea I was there, I took the shot and finished the job. So...one happy farmer, 17 happy chickens and one happier wife who thought that I only dissapeared for hours during the winter months. Unfortunately it wont be long before new foxes move in and off we go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandy Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Good result for the landowner there, bet he's asked you to keep this on the quiet though if he is a staunched hunt supporter. I have had the same issues being asked to discreetly deal with problem foxes. Cracking write up though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onelesscharlie Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Dear Gandy I know what you mean.... Luckily ours is a forward looking hunt and I am the appointed rifleman for the occasions where we cant use the hounds (pair flushing to guns of course). At least this way the hunt still offers a service rather than using an external gun. Thanks for looking Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6mmBR Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I like stories with happy endings A good result Cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
223magic Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Good write up Colin I know how cunning those Welsh hill foxes are. You could have used your 308 from the farm house window !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh but I forgot you would need a decent bit of NV kit for that.!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cragman Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Same problem here. Bumped into six cubs yesterday morning on land where I help out beating/fox driving. Informed the keeper. These must have been moved from the cubbing earth away from this place as no where on here has held this year...or so the keeper tells me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22/250 foxer Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 good work. I have a permission 5 mins away from where I live. its only around 100 acres but seen a good number of foxes on there. the farmer has wanted the foxes thinned out a bit so the local owl population flourish more on his ground. the ground is a little flat in places. and is bordered by houses to the one end of the farm. the other end has a local hunt kennel. i have seen the hunt guy a couple of times well out but he seams ok to me. to be fair he hasn't got much choice if he likes it or not. i have permission and they haven't ran the hounds over this part of the farm for a bit anyway. downside is ground is pretty small but good side is its close and i have allways seen foxes there when lamping it. great for a quick 50 min look out. drive to 1st field off road. and I can see the rest of them from that firing point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxwhistler Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Well done Colin, good result. As a matter of interest, the chairman of our local hunt is also my lampman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gandy Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 The hunt last year had real trouble our way from antis, someone must have given the meet list out, this year its a much quieter affair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 good work. I have a permission 5 mins away from where I live. its only around 100 acres but seen a good number of foxes on there. the farmer has wanted the foxes thinned out a bit so the local owl population flourish more on his ground. Dont bank on that, I have only an odd fox these days, 30 owl nesting boxes in trees and very few are used. The main killer of barn owls is road traffic IMHO. The do fly far faster than they appear, had one appear in a pheasant drive a few years ago, he was keeping up with a Rose pheasant. No one dare shoot at the pheasnt for risk of nailing the owl behind it my mistake. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ionic Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Nice one Collin, although it would have been deader if you were using homeloads! Getting out of the Welsh Game Fair was fun, even in the L200. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onelesscharlie Posted June 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Nice one Collin, although it would have been deader if you were using homeloads! Getting out of the Welsh Game Fair was fun, even in the L200. Dave Hi Dave The Welsh game fair was fun, however, you soon notice the difference between a shower proof coat and a waterproof one If you fancy the challenge I should have the new 243 in a week or so and you are just the man to develop some ammo for it... im sure there will be plenty of advice from contributors on here. Likely to be a t3 varmint but havent made my mind up yet. speak soon Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ionic Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Hello Collin. Yep, would love to give you a hand develloping a load. Just give me a call when you are ready to go. dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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