Some weekend fun

woody · July 5, 2011

Hi Guys.

It's been a long time since I reported on any activity in my neck of the woods so I thought I'd send you an update.

I thought this year had been quite quiet really. I took the 3 days off in between Easter and the royal wedding giving myself 11 days off for 3 days of my annual leave. I was helping out with Lambing back home so regularly got up and out the door by 5am. If there was no activity in the Barn, or someone else was in control I would go for a dawn skulk about. In those 11 days I saw not one bloomin' fox.

I've been pretty busy in between, moving house etc and have not had many nights out with the lamp. I have had some good afternoons with the .22 rimmy as there are plenty of rabbits about.

I went for a quiet walk about last Saturday. It had been a lovely day, bright sunshine and really warm. I took my new really really expensive fox call with me, a plate of greenhouse glass and a block of polystyrene. I had my .223 with me to administer the medicine should the chance arrive.

In one of our fields there is a lovely big oak tree, with the trunk perfect for sitting against. I had the long bipod legs on which I have become a real fan of. When they are collapsed they are the right size for lying down shots, when they are extended they are just right if you sit with your back to something.

I wet the glass and within a few minutes a big old fox came bounding out of the woods. It was only a 100 metre gap and he was coming straight for the noise. At 50 metres he realised something was up, veered off left and bolted. Cursing I sat still for 5 minutes, this time rifle in shoulder and ready to go. I gave the glass some more squaking and after 5 minutes he appeared at the bottom of the field, 220'ish metres away. I put the crosshairs on his nose and squeezed off the round, giving him the good news.

Then on Sunday evening I went to the farm next door who had been having 3 youngish foxes sitting watching the lambs and the chicken sheds.

I had the .223 again and from the moment I arrived I glimpsed them, but they dissapeared into the woods. I set up on top of some stacked hayledge bales. Little legged bipod allowing me to shoot down. All shots safe. I put the lamp onto the scope, and waited, and waited........waited, squeaked a bit, and waited. When I squeaked them I got a reply, quite a long way in the distance. Finally I lit up some eyes near the den where I first saw them. The .223 sorted him out. when i scouted around with the lamp the others were close by and didn't even foxtrot oscar. I waited for them to settle and smoked the next one. About 45 minutes later the 3rd one showed up again ansd was sniffing around the den. This time the vmax pretty much clattered him back down the hole he was looking in.

What a fantastic result. Took a few hours but job done. Combined with the one in the afternoon son it made a pretty enjoyable weekend. 4 in the bag.

I've already spotted another big den that needs looking at.

Cheers

Woody.