problem lamping

[spitfire]

hi all

i appear to have this problem where i am lamping, pick up the foxes eyes at about 130 yards the eyes are really shinning back at me but i am unable to see the body just the eyes, is that normal, i am using a lightforce lamp with a 100 w blub and red filter, any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks

[Wsm]

hi all

i appear to have this problem where i am lamping, pick up the foxes eyes at about 130 yards the eyes are really shinning back at me but i am unable to see the body just the eyes, is that normal, i am using a lightforce lamp with a 100 w blub and red filter, any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks

 

Ditch the red filter and get an amber or just use the clear lens

 

The reds only good for less than 100 yards in my opinion

[foxing2night]

Either use an amber filter or use a lower watage bulb and see if that helps???

 

Also try and get hold of a dimmer switch

 

All the best darrel

[nemasis243]

The red filter is a last resort if the charlies havent seen the lamp before he shouldnt take much notice of the light , if there a bit spooky try as another guy suggested an amber filter . depending on your calibre and your capability try taking them at further distances if you can it will certainly boost your shooting skills and your ego.

[foxshot]

i very rarely use the filter on the lamp and most of the time you can see it is a fox ,but as always the one behind the rifle makes sure it is a fox before the trigger is pulled

[Redfox]

Ego should have nothing to do with it.

You shoot at a distance you absolutely know is safe and will give a clean kill.

Night shooting is the easiest time to foul up big style and shoot something you shouldnt. Like the that which promotes growth and vigour head that shot a yellow labrador on the end of its wander lead, or the one that shot at distance and killed a bread van ( luckily not the driver), there are incidents every year and the pressure is growing to ban night shooting altogether, so lets not give any further excuse.

If you Look through binos or the rifle scope you will see the fox much more clearly and there is no excuse for rushed shots, you have plenty of time and there is always another night.

You are using decent kit and can ring the changes on filters such as amber or green as well as red they all work from time to time. White is less effective as most foxes particularly when young have ad near death experiences with cars, which have white headlights and will usually start to run out of the way after a few seconds ( as in all things not every one does) It is better and more interesting if you get someone to do the lamping, you soon learn what works and what doesnt and it leaves you free to make sure what your shooting at. I have lamped for years on my own and with two particular lads who are good at lamping and calling and I know which is best, a good ahot shared is far more satisfying than telling about it the next day.

Its also true to say there is far more satisfaction on calling a fox in to easy shooting range than taking long range shots, as you are outwitting a clever animal in order to shoot it.

Longer ranges have a place and are sometimes necessary on lamp shy or suspicious foxes but should be the exception not the norm.

Its really a lot to do with knowing and understanding your quarry, I know all the land I night shoot over very well ( and you should for safety) and can tell you where a fox is most likely to show, so I get myself in a good position to take a sub 100yd shot. I also call many of the foxes to get them into shootable range, using various calls depending on the time of year etc. I also put interesting ( to foxes) bait out , such as rabbit carcases or pigeon for instance to get them to hang around and to investigate a spot where I have a good backstop.

There is, or should be a lot more to vermin control than buying the most powerfull rifle, biggest scope and highest wattage lamp, the real pleasure as said before is understanding and outwitting the animal on its own ground, callin a fox from over three fields away and stopping it at the right time to take a shot gives far more satisfaction than blazing away and hoping for the best.

There are many lads out there who have the kit and ability to take long shots and garauntee success, but they certainly didnt start off there and have aquired their skills over time and many shots and practise shooting during the day first.

Redfox

[spitfire]

thank you all for your advice, i will try another filter, and reduce the blub wattage, if that fails i will get my eyes tested as i am getting to that age now, i havent tried called yet but willing to give it a go.

 

you are quite right about night shooting it can go very wrong if you dont take your time for risk accessment and there is always another opportunity.

 

all the best for the new year

 

ps if anyone fancies a night foxing in the southend on sea, essex area please give me a shout.

 

ian

[Guest dead-eyed-duck]

Redfox has it pretty well covered.

 

Get the best pair of binocs that you can, and use them all of the time - I use Swaro 10x 42 EL, and I wouldn't go out at night without them.

 

I tend to use an amber filter, unless it is very dark and then may move on to red.

 

Once you have seen what you think is a fox I have found that if you place the beam at the feet of the fox, then there is less chance of spooking it. All the shooter then has to do is to locate the beam, move up and there is the target.

 

I very rarely take a shot beyond 180 yards - I suppose that you can if you have very flat large fields, but most of my permissions involve small fields and hilly country. Practice calling and varying the call, and there is a huge amount of satisfaction in getting the fox in close and making the shot as safe and easy as possible.

 

Hope this helps

 

Don

[JohnGalway]

thank you all for your advice, i will try another filter, and reduce the blub wattage, if that fails i will get my eyes tested as i am getting to that age now, i havent tried called yet but willing to give it a go.

 

you are quite right about night shooting it can go very wrong if you dont take your time for risk accessment and there is always another opportunity.

 

all the best for the new year

 

ps if anyone fancies a night foxing in the southend on sea, essex area please give me a shout.

 

ian

 

I blame the red filter as well. Even with a 140 lance at 130 yards a standing fox should be clearly visable, even on my difficult ground where they blend in.

 

Do you need to use a filter at all, is your area heavily lamped, a lot of lamp shy foxes? If it's not heavily lamped I wouldn't bother the filter, otherwise go with amber as you won't loose as much light as with red.

 

Calling is great. I use digital and mouth calls (currently downloading a lot of free MP3 calls for CD/MP3 player) as I only scare foxes away trying hand or lip squeeks. Still, if your job is to thin out foxes and one stands for you within your (not just your rifles) range, sit him on his ass

[spitfire]

do you know i never even thought of using binos at night, and i will try the amber filter will let you know how i get on. thanks for the advice.

[reloaderdan]

long range shooting is great if you have the land to do it over and the back stops to catch a round if god forbid you miss, but i find it a lot more fun spending a little time getting to know the fox by calling him in to me before he leaves this land with a head ache a little practice with a squeeker and some good feild craft can get the fox coming to you like a rocket then when you are 100% he is a fox in the scope send him a parcel of lead it dose not work every time he can scent you in the wind hear you move or just not play ball at all but when it dose work its grat to know that you were able to fool a wild animal into thinking you were food then telling him you wernt