Back on Track

[kip270]

Well it’s been a while since Dan & I have been out foxing due to other commitments, but things are starting to slow down now and we will be out doing some serious shooting.

 

We were out Pheasant beating last Saturday, and when we arrived up the farm the Keeper had been watching a big fox walk across the field and into one of the woods where the pen is, and as we were talking about it, I spotted another one walking the same field!!!!.

During the day I got some stick from the other beaters, as I hadn’t been out after these foxes, but sometimes other things are more important and need to be sorted so they don’t interfere with shooting later on………

 

 

Tuesday night was the first chance we had to get out, and it wasn’t the best night for it, no cloud cover and a lovely bright moon, but we had to try our best.

I had my FoxPro FX3 and was going to use the Fox rally, especially if they are pairing up.

We arrived at the farm at 10.30pm as I had been working till 9pm; I was the lamp-man and caller while Dan would be the shooter with my Tikka .222.

The first few fields failed to produce anything, so we headed to the field where we had spotted the fox on Saturday; I set the call down and pressed the button, and scanned around with the Lightforce, then a pair of eyes on the crest of the hill. It sat there and watched us for a while, but wasn’t committed to come into us, so I pressed mute and changed the call to pheasant distress, waited for a bit then let the call do its thing.

The Fox made off back over the hill, so we left the call where it was and made our way up to the next gateway, to see if we could get a glimpse of the Fox, but scanning around nothing, then from our left the fox came out to our right at about 70 yards and stood broadside, the moved again, so I made a small “Oi” it stopped and Dan dropped it on the spot. A nice Dog Fox.

 

We picked up the Fox and headed back to the call by the first gateway, had a chat about the shot and then what we were going to be doing now.

We climbed over the gate and headed off and I had a scan around and then back to where we had shot the Fox, and then about 100 yards to the right we spotted another Fox, but this one too was on the brow of a hill, so not a safe shot, so I got out the FoxPro and put it on the Fox rally and pressed the button, it made two barks then the batteries died on me **** **** ********!!!!!!!!! And I didn’t have any spares with me!!!!!! A lesson learned as they say…….The Fox then made off.

 

There was nothing else for the next 5 fields, and then in the distance in the 6th field I spotted a Fox led down in the middle, at around 500 yards. Now the wind seemed to be good but the ground was crunchy underfoot, so this was going to be a slow long stalk.

We had to back track a bit, then up the valley in the same field the Fox was led in, I had the occasional scan with the lamp to make sure it was still there, and it seemed to be happy, so we slowly carried on.

I got out the Leica 1200 and scanned, 290 yards so 90 yards to go and Dan would be in a good position for the shot, I would have been happy at 250, but as Dan was the shooter he had to make the call.

We got to 210 yards, and Dan started to lie down for the shot off the bi-pod, but something spooked the Fox and it was off like a shot. Oh well there will always be next time.

We didn’t see anything else for a while so headed back the way we came and towards the Farm, when we got to the gateway where we spotted the second Fox, I scanned around and spotted the Fox sat the hedgerow, so we walked along the lane to try and get a better view of the Fox for a shot.

After a good 20 minutes of trying this spot that spot I stood up and thought I had a good chance of a shot, but I would have to use Dan as a rest, using his shoulder, I placed the cross-hairs on him and squeezed off my shot, but shot a small branch just in front of it.

 

We will be back out after them next week…….

[nemasis243]

Back at them buddy ,thats the hammer, have a good one

[6mmBR]

Good on you Kip it's great to be out in the field and at them.

Cheers

Dave

[varminter]

Good to hear you are out and about again Kip!!!!! ;)

Enjoyed the writeup too!!!

All the best.............

RAY.................................