Fast Shooting

[sandersj89]

Out last night with Brian to see what was about, met at 8 at a rabbit spot but it was blowing a gale and the rain was washing over in waves, any self respecting rabbit would have been tucked up in their burrows so we moved further East in the hope that things would dry up.

 

Got to the next spot hoping to see the wheat cut here but not yet, though a field of set aside had been topped and all the hay was cut and baled.

 

We waited for the light to drop and then mounted up to go around the wheat field margin first, Brain with the shot gun to hand and his .223 on the rack ready if a fox shows his face. No rabbits about, still a bit wet to be honest. As we came up the last hedge a roe doe came out of the wheat and ran in front of us. Something not right with here, here gait was not comfortable but it was hard to spot a problem in the light of the lamp, looked like it was front leg related.

 

Will have to watch her in future.

 

No rabbits in the first field so pulled over the lane to the set aside field, through the gate and swing the lamp over to the right and first set of eyes for the night, long way off though. I kill the lamp while Brian swaps from shotgun to rifle. I give the WAM a few blows whilst he is doing that and then try the light again, eyes still there and moving a little to the right but coming in. I edge forward in the landrover trying to reduce the distance a little, foxy moves back a bit to the hedge line and does not want to play ball, we try hand calling but nothing on shot wise and he slips through the hedge away from us. Shame.

 

We carry on around the 3 fields at this spot and don’t see anything of interest.

 

We then move to the third spot, here the wheat is cut and we have shot 4 foxes in recent weeks. Down the track to the fields and the first bit of fun is getting the 2 trucks out of the ruts on the track and into the stubble. The ground here is really greasy clay/chalk, I was happy driving along the track with full left lock on but still going dead straight, Finally get one wheel out and then through the gate. Brian has the same fun in his landrover but he has decent off road tyres on his so 1 nill to my Hilux with little more than standard tyres on it.....

 

Park up and my turn to shoot so I get up in the back of the landrover and sort my self out, Brian flicks the lamp on while I am getting my intercom in my ear and he says, 100 yards dead ahead, get a move on!

 

I think he is joking, stick my head out the top, load a round in the chamber and there is Charlie looking over her should at me. She moves away a bit and to the right and then stops side on at about 90m. Squeeze the trigger and bang, one in the bag.

 

After all the messing around getting in the field, engines reving like made, banging over the ruts I am amazed she hung around!

 

We them start to drive the fields and get another set of eyes within 1 mins across a hedge in another field, we move through the gate and position ourselves to get a safe shot but all I can see is the head as the fox is sat behind a small ridge. Call wont make it come out so edge in closer only to see him slip into the cover behind....damn.

 

We hang around and drive all of the fields but nothing see other than a badger.

 

Time to move to the final spot up on the hills.

 

Swap over so Brian is shooting and he is ready with his 223. Should have been the shot gun to begin with, rabbits all over the place on the downs. At one point there must have been 20 plus in the beam of the lamp hoping all over the place. No big sets of eyes though. Up onto the top of the downs and more rabbits again and then fox eyes way out in front but not on our ground, we move in and call but he is gone, Have seen a fox out that side many times but he never comes in towards us and knows we can follow....crafty so and so.

 

Get to the end of the top down and turn around to descend to the bottom to check the fields there. Along the rack up to the first field, lights turned off as we edge over the ridge to the first gate and then flick the lamp on and eyes at 150m, I open the gate and pull through but this one is off like a scalded cat and goes up on the downs and wont stop.....

 

Drive around and again plenty of rabbits, get to the far end and turn for home when I flick the lamp to the right over a bit of set aside and there is Charlie walking to the right with out a care in the world. I tell Brian where to look and he has to snap of a very quick shot, result is number two in the bag.

Mine is the larger fox, vixen cub in great condition, very good weight, the smaller fox was a dog and obviously a very late cub.

 

So two in the bag and both taken as very quick shots, funny old night but still good result.

 

Jerry

[ejg223]

Well done,

very nice read.

edi

[nemasis243]

Nice one buddy , nice vixon in real good nick

[bob tail]

Well done and a nice write up too .

cheers

chris