THE HILLS HAVE EYE'S

[nemasis243]

Well isnt it nice to have some dry weather for a change, it gives the ground a chance to get a bit firmer and gives us the oppotunity to drive some areas rather than walk.I say this as a place which I have been trying to get onto is a very large piece of ground up in the Hills and walking never does it justice, So we had an oppotunity to get on and do some,well needed fox control .

We started out in the week and in the first session we managed to track down 5 charlies, didnt report on this as I had left the mobile at home and didnt take any snap shots and the shots were nothing much of interest , just drive into a field scan with the lamp , fox there, bang.

Last night was a little different , after the first outing we knew that there were other charlies about as we had spotted them ,but as soon as the lamp hit ,they were moving away. Funny thing was all the foxes that were lamp shy headed off into the same direction , after speaking to the farmer the day after, we were told that he had been having trouble with guys from up the line running dogs without permission, its become abit of a problem down here at the moment

Anyhow we had a think and planned to attack it from another way, the reason we never do it from this direction is that access is very tricky and there are fields with peat bogs in them ,so you have to be carefull.

Yesterday afternoon I set off to recce the route, using my GPS from work to mark any downfalls, I walked the 2 1/2 mile route and back and was happy with the plan and on the way placed some net bags filled with cat food which I hung from some old fence posts along the route.

So last night off we set , taking our time . every now and then having a scan with the red filter just to try and not spook anything.

Eventually came to the first bag ,had a scan and here was a fox within 5yrds of it .

There wasnt much wind so that wasnt to be an issue, so we stopped the truck side on so I could use the bonnet to shoot off,

My mate held the red light just off the fox , so I could get set up on him,we where 250yrds plus away and the red filter wasnt giving enough light to take the shot , so as we normally do , when I am set up lined up on the target, the other light we carry is switched onto the target, No filter on this baby , just clear white light , as the light went on you have about 2-3 seconds before you get a reaction if charlie is lamp shy,

It only took a second , as I eased pressure onto the trigger and sent the red tipped messenger of death to say hello

Nice shot And,was the reply from the cab.

We got down to the fox and it was a very small vixon,which had no signs of having any cubs ,

 

So I collected the bag and off we trundelled,I collected this as it was right by a footpath and somebody garrenteed would have a look and F**K things up we kept scanning and then caught another pair of eyes as we drove over a bank, the fox was only 30yrds infront but as soon as the light hit him he was moving.

I got out and my buddy changed lamps , it didnt matter what colour for this one he wasnt gonna stop.He started moving away quartering and then turned straight as he started climbing the hill, he was out to about 180yrds now and still going for it , I followed him and I heard "he's slowing down" from my buddy, he got to just over 200yrds and it went from a trot to a walk.

I said "stop him Sime" ,my mate gave his favorite sheep impression and the fox stopped and looked back, BOOM - Texas heart shot time , charlie didnt like that much , he just flipped head over heels and rolled down the bank abit.

 

Then the mist started comming in , a shame as it was a lovelly night to start, so we started to speed up a little ,

A quick scan and here's a pair of eyes a couple of fields away, when I say a couple of fields they were only about 100yrds wide each so there wast much distance to cover, I got out the truck and the fox was sitting right on top of a mole hill, I locked the bolt as Simon , changed lamps and as the white was ficked on ,I went to work, sending a 58grner to say hello

All I can say "is Charlie didnt like it " a nice little head shot at 230yrds.

So that was that , the mist was in and 3 in the bag, we had shot we saw, and took 8 charlies off there in two visits , but there are more to be had, I decided to leave the other bait bags out there as 2 of them are in good positions for a long shot with the BR and there had been a bit of interest from the feathered things as there was loads of crap on the posts that they were hanging from .

Cheers Andy

[foxwhistler]

Good shooting Andy. It`s nice to hear your getting through them.

You seem to be having the same problem i`m having down here with people spooking foxes with lamps and dogs.

Problem here, it`s mostly the farmers sons doing the lamping.

I`m doing a few early mornings and late evenings at the moment and sorting a few like that.

[kip270]

Nice shooting Andy, if you were shooting them in the good old days you would be making a fortune for the furs.

[6mmBR]

Good result, hopefully will soon see your exploits on video

Dave

[Guest martin]

'Red Tipped Messenger of Death'.... ....You mad bugger!

[snap_shot]

not a bad night at all, well done.

 

snap.

[varminter]

Nice going there Captin on some tricky foxes!!!!!

Speak to you soon buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

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

[JohnGalway]

Cloning, that's what ye're at. Cloning foxes, has to be it, ye can't be breeding them that fast

 

Good bit of foxing there and well told account as always

[between the eyes]

Well done and a nice write up mate.