Tank Posted July 1, 2012 Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Due to the Diamond Jubilee, Football and general seasonal stupidity I've not been out foxing much. Tonight was the first night that I've been able to get out for a while. I text the farmer and said I'd be up there at about 10pm for a couple of hours, fine, no probs. On the diprive up I saw the full moon, 'oh great', I thought but still, I'd give it a go. I shot a cub there about 5 weeks ago but had no sight of the adults. Dannywayoflife had shot a nice dog there a few weeks prior so I was keen to get back at them. I got kitted up and put my bait,( stinky crap dog food from Asda ) in my bag and headed off. The farmer had very kindly parked a trailer at a convenient angle which provided a perfect platform. The light had all but gone lawns the clouds were obscuring the moon, result! I went out into the field, about 100yds and found the only patch of short grass close to a copse that there was. It's a hay farm so the grass is bloody long in places which is a real pain the arse. I put out my stinky dog food and smeared over about a metre squared area. I headed back to my vantage point and got ready. I had to shuffle about a bit but got in a good position and turned on my NV mono. Literally 5 minutes passed when I heard a cuffuffle from my left. I looked in to the field and sure enough there was a fox! Jesus, that was quick. I got behind the rifle, flicked the safety off and out the lamp on. I was still moving towards the bait so I flicked the lamp off, watched a few seconds longer and just bided my time. It stopped, lamp on, I quick mouth squeak, it looked at me, I shot it in the Swede with a 35grn vmax from my little Hornet. I went over and sure enough it was a nice vixen, the bullet hit her in the left eye but had not exited the skull. Dead as dead could be, happy Tank. :) I went back to my position and layer her on the floor. I'd literally sorted myself out again and begin scanning with the NV when I saw a dark shape to my right, about 30yds away. Initially I mistook it for a rabbit due to the long grass but as I watched I saw yet another fox. I carried on watching till I had a clear shot and could confirm it was a fox. I flicked the lamp on but it was still moving so I just watched and waited. When the time was right I gave another squeak and it stopped and looked at me. Then it dropped. It was a vixen cub, much bigger than the one I shot some time ago, I was amazed at how fast they grow. 2 x vixens in 15 minutes, what a night!! I'm well chuffed with the Hornet, it's proving to be a nice little varmint round. Tank p.s. sorry about any typos, i posted on my Ipad last night and the auto spell is a real pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannywayoflife Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Nice little write up mucker. Sounds like a great night! We will have to get out together again soon mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hornet is a much underestimated round once accuracy issues are sorted. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Posted July 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Nice little write up mucker. Sounds like a great night! We will have to get out together again soon mate! Yep, there are plenty more out there that need to be sent to fox heaven!! Hornet is a much underestimated round once accuracy issues are sorted. A I find it a really nice round to shoot. With my homeloads it groups nice and tight,(Dannywayoflife has seen this first hand)and it is a nice little fox round. TBH i'v been using more than the HMR because i can head shoot the rabbits and it is fox capable. I don't like the HMR for foxes so i take the Hornet out of preference and practicality. It does seem to be a bit of a 'Marmite' calibre but i still think it's overlooked and is ideal for the British small game/vermin shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeksofdoom Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 I'm intrigued by your use of the cheapo tin of dog food. Do you find that it really does draw the foxes in? would teh sent from it be that strong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no bull Posted July 6, 2012 Report Share Posted July 6, 2012 Hornet is a much underestimated round once accuracy issues are sorted. A Hi A, what are the accuracy issues you mention mine shot great straight out of the box Rehards Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Posted July 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 I'm intrigued by your use of the cheapo tin of dog food. Do you find that it really does draw the foxes in? would teh sent from it be that strong? I've been using it for a while now. It absolutely stinks! The scent would be pretty strong and i have no doubt that the foxes pick it up from a fair old distance. On one farm i shoot they live in the valley at the back which is out of bounds to me. I put a tin out one night and within 20 minutes a vixen came over from the back. The valley is a good 1000metres away! They've got such an accute sense of smell,(approximately 40 times stronger than ours) that they'll pick it up from a fair distance. This is from what i've seen. It would vary with differing topography and vegetation density i.e. the more vegetated the more the scent will hang around whereas if it's an open area the scent will dissipate and move on. I work a dog for a living so i try to put my knowledge from that in to use when foxing. Valleys tend to act as wind channels so the scent will generally blow down the valley. The wind obviously plays a massive part in it too. Sorry if i'm sucking eggs, but yes, the dog food is great. It's cheap and plentiful. Sometimes i put out two tins. It's also really easy if i'm passing my shoot, i can just spread some on the deck and leave it to get them coming in. It's also really good becasue they can't pick it up and run off with it,(i learnt the hard way )and if you smear it around they spend longer in the bait area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camo304 Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 I've been using it for a while now. It absolutely stinks! The scent would be pretty strong and i have no doubt that the foxes pick it up from a fair old distance. On one farm i shoot they live in the valley at the back which is out of bounds to me. I put a tin out one night and within 20 minutes a vixen came over from the back. The valley is a good 1000metres away! They've got such an accute sense of smell,(approximately 40 times stronger than ours) that they'll pick it up from a fair distance. This is from what i've seen. It would vary with differing topography and vegetation density i.e. the more vegetated the more the scent will hang around whereas if it's an open area the scent will dissipate and move on. I work a dog for a living so i try to put my knowledge from that in to use when foxing. Valleys tend to act as wind channels so the scent will generally blow down the valley. The wind obviously plays a massive part in it too. Sorry if i'm sucking eggs, but yes, the dog food is great. It's cheap and plentiful. Sometimes i put out two tins. It's also really easy if i'm passing my shoot, i can just spread some on the deck and leave it to get them coming in. It's also really good becasue they can't pick it up and run off with it,(i learnt the hard way )and if you smear it around they spend longer in the bait area. Must say this is what i do, always have a tin or two in the car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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