treble for the treble on New Year's day

[bewsh]

I am posting this by way of an intro as I haven't been active on here since I registered.

this write up probably goes against the longer range theme of the site but here it is anyway!

 

I picked up a BRNO Fox Model 2 in .222rem for a song a few months back and have been putting a dent in the fox population on a few local golf courses. Have to say I now love it! Cut down to 19" with a PES T12 Scout mod, I stripped it, reblued action and barrel and refinished the stock.

It's quieter than the .22WMR, knocks out 50gr VMax at 3100fps with 22.5gr N133 slapped together with a Lee Loader. Its zeroed an inch high at 100yds for a 180/190yd actual zero and a 230yd point and shoot MPBR (+/-1.5" from line of sight).

They drop on the spot and I almost never get exit wounds, which given the ground I shoot is most important.

 

I lamp solo and use a cheap and cheerful Bresser NV monocular for spotting and a Deben Tristar LED scope lamp with red filter and an Chinese eBay Lithium battery in a AIM cheek bag so I am not "tied" to the rifle. I have two old mobiles on PAYG, one (the "Nokia Screamer") has it's ring/text/MMS tones changed to rabbit distress, mouse squeak and vixen in heat and it's voicemail deactivated, the other is a flip phone and has two felt pads on the "send" and "end" buttons so I can call from my pocket without looking at it.

 

 

Achieved very little on New Year's day for the obvious reason.

 

Everyone else sloped off to bed early so that left me with nothing to do and with no rain there was only one thing for it....a spot of urban foxing!

 

I have been using quad sticks recently to good effect but the last trip out I missed a chance due to the limited panning ability on quads

So this time it was back to the trusty twin sticks

 

parked myself with my back to a small tree on the edge of my favourite golf course.

It is basically behind the tee box of the first tee with the course opening up to the right and a small copse running up the boundary on the left.

 

the copse on the left and more importantly the ground beyond is where the dens are (at least two) so the traffic left to right is usually enough to provide an evening's sport.

 

I ran a line of cat food up the fairway from about 20yds out to 100yds, just a nugget here and there every 5yds or so. It usually stops them in there tracks as they cross the line on their way home...and then the .222 does the same but more permanently.

 

The twin sticks are not as comfortable to have the rifle sitting in when staking out an area but I looped the front of the sling round one fork of the sticks to stop it slipping and hooked the stock over my shoulder.

it keeps the muzzle down and makes a quick target acquisition possible.

 

I stuck my (patent pending) "Nokia Screamer" in the practice nets about 20yds to my right as I couldnt be bothered walking out to my usual spot out in front about 100yds away. I dont like having it on me as it just draws attention to me and I want them going somewhere else!

Every now and then I gave the "vixen mating call" a couple of 30 second bursts.

 

after about 20 mins I picked up a dog and a vixen in the NV monocular, they were messing around in the left hand copse at about 50yds but couldn't get a clear shot.

10 mins later I picked up a dog making its way home down the left hand side, it stopped at about 75yds winding something (cat food I suspect!).

at one point it actually sat down!

 

I swapped from NV to scope and picked him up in the red filtered beam as he stood up, quick squeak from the lips and he took a 50gr VMax in the chest and rolled over.

Relatively easy process but had my heart racing and left me with a shake!! Calm down!!

 

One corpse usually does the obvious and attracts another fox but in this case about 20 mins later I picked up a pair of eyes of a small vixen way off to the right at about 250-300yds.

Had I been on quad sticks the simple panning action and foot shift would have been a far more arduous affair of height and width faffing.

 

This fox seemed initially to be on her way home but she altered course and instead of passing in front of me at 60-70yds she came straight for me then down to my right.

I had to move very quickly but another squeak and she stood broadside at what turned out to be 18yds!! no problems here, dropped like the proverbial!

two down in 40 mins!

 

I gave the "Nokia Screamer" a bit more attention and called it a few times from the phone in my pocket. I can do this without needing to bring it out of the pocket as it is the only number stored in the phone and the "send" and "end" buttons have a bit of foam stuck to them so even with a thin pair of leather gloves I can feel the buttons.

I kept it going a bit longer and called it every 10 mins or so.

 

Then the worst thing happened...I heard a fox steaming through the copse directly behind me.

The copse is only ten yards wide and 20yds long and sits between the car park and the course

Whilst I male chickened my head round without moving my body I couldn't see him I knew he was within 5-10yds of me and had clearly stopped when I moved my head.

There are a lot of lights in and around the edge of the course so it is very difficult to pick up silhouettes and I was hoping he was also struggling to see what I was.

 

I already had my hand on my pocket and pressed "send" twice on the phone, the Nokia starting screaming about 20 yds to my right and distracted him enough to continue on his way.

As the 2nd fox was lying out in front of the caller this one made a bee line straight for the body, it paused long enough for me to slowly move the sticks round and flick the light on, the fox was in full view as was I! the red beam was obviously not visible as he was looking away out in front of me when I squeaked for the 3rd time and a big dog fox took a shot to the chest at about 17 1/2 yds!

 

I thought I would call it a night as I had not expected a hat trick.

Fox one was a small dog with no exit wound

Fox two was a nice sized vixen with a very small (20p) exit wound

Fox three was a good sized dog with a decent sized (50p) exit wound

 

A cracking night and the account opened for the year.

 

Beats watching crap TV any night!

 

 

There was a rumour that a local fox sanctuary had been releasing foxes but these are all very healthy with huge fluffy winter coats and the dogs are very big by urban fox standards.

 

[gunnery]

nice write up intresting read thanks and welcome

[foxing2night]

Welcome on board, Good write up and some nice pic,s ,,,

 

I to was out last night, but sadly did not manage to get my first of the year out of the way ,,

 

Did do well last year, but now I am back to zero,,,

 

Darrel

[Swamp Donkey]

Nice write up buddy, and welcome to the site. I've been out a few times so far this year, 1am into the new year, last night and at sundown, saw one but couldn't take a safe shot as some numpty was also walking a dog 200 yds behind it. Blimming dog walkers, bane of my life

[happyhunter]

Good going mate, great when it all comes together like that. Bagged myself a good sized dog fox on some marsh ground last night. When I retrieved him it looks like he had a close run in with a shotgun and no 6 shot before my bullet dropped him, front leg riddled with shot and broken just above the foot! Was in supprisingly good condition otherwise. Keep up the good write ups and photos.

[Tank]

Nice going mate and a good start to the year. Long may it continue!

[gaz6br]

Welcome mate and very good going, keep up the good work

[Toby]

Nice result, congratulations. Love those winter foxes....

[22-250jock]

welcome Brewsh

 

be even easier catching up with charlie when you finish your NV add-on

 

keep up the good work

 

cheers jock

[tony]

Good interesting read mate and well done that man

[Grim Reaper]

Awesome write up and good going. Welcome aboard.