Mountain Goats

[sandersj89]

No not shooting them, more myself and Southerner needing to be like them this evening.

 

We paid a visit to a new permission tonight. I met Brian at the farm for 7.30, left my car there before heading up to the ground in Brian’s landie about a mile from the farm house.

 

Weather could have been better, near full moon, little breeze and cloud cover very slim or nill at times.

 

Pull off the lane onto a track that takes us down to the bottom of the ground and then up a rough track, through one gate and we climb up onto the south downs. Half way to the top we stop by a fence and sort our gear out, me with 243 in case Charlie shows his face and Brian with his .22 for some bunnies.

 

As this was out first real trip to the ground and the first at night we did not know really what to expect so we set off for a look see, the area is about 300acres and ranges from near vertical downland to level arable fields. 3 main woods off a few acres each plus scattered scrub, small trees and gorse on the steeper bits.

 

And some of this is very steep, easily 1in1 or even steeper in places. If you slip and fall you would slide right to the bottom in places.

 

We decided to head into the wind and “contour” around the hill about 100’ below the ridge line, this still put us a few 100 feet up from the bottom and gave us a great view.

 

It soon became apparent this place is bunny heaven, loads of them with huge burrows into the chalk. We don’t think they have been lamped much either as we could watch them vary easily under an amber filter.

 

Brian popped a few though we struggled to find some as they rolled back into burrows. Walking up and down the hills to retrieve them was also hard work on the slope.

 

As we searched for one rabbit, nice head shot, we were hit by a very very strong smell of Charlie so we moved above that bit of scrub and started calling for 20 mins. Nothing showing other than more rabbits so Brian had a little play again.

 

Carried on walking for a bit and then dropped to the bottom of the ground to cover some wheat that looked like it had been mullered by the rabbits. Nothing much doing until we get to the middle of the field and scan the edge of a wood beyond and bingo, eyes in the edge of the wood at 200m. I get set up and we start calling but we cant get them to show again.

 

15 mins and we move closer and just as we get to the end of the field we spot them again, along with a dark body, I drop ready for the shot but again we cant get them to show. We call for 20 mins but nothing.

 

As we stand Brian realises he has been almost lying on a fox scat, a large pile of it no more than a few inches from his nose….oops!

 

By now it is getting late and we have the climb back up to the landie to complete, steep and hard work.

 

For a first visit it shows great promise, plenty of rabbit about, nice terrain for shooting and signs and site of more than one fox. There was also a lot of pigeon about in the trees so roosting and decoying will be on the cards.

 

Summer evening trips to cover the warrens with the HMR will be high on the list I am sure!

 

Jerry

[ChrisR]

Sounds like you have a cracking bit of land there Jerry, soon be time for the DSC1 trip!

 

Chris

[silentsoulsleave308holes]

have a chat to varminter, he mounts goats so he can tell you all about mountin goats

[craigyboy]

have a chat to varminter, he mounts goats so he can tell you all about mountin goats

 

 

, why did he change from sheep to goats, are goats better?????????