Foxpro Scorpion Trial

[eric]

Stand by this is a long story. About 2 months ago I purchased a caller from ( Gary) shooting bags,and Tuesday night 14th was the first time I I could give it a real try out. About 9-30 Tuesday morning I recived a call from a farmer who I did not know saying that he had got my number from a farmer freind of his wrer I do fox control and could I help him out. He went on to explain that on Monday night / Tuesday morning 1-30ish He was help out the vet with a caesarean section on a cow

when they both heard a hell of a noise outside on going out to see what the noise was all about they saw a fox taking a new born lamb. having scared off the fox which accordind to the farmer sat just out of shotgun range. The vet put down the mauled lamb. Next morning the farmer found another mauled lamb could I help ? I went round to have a look at the farm in day light and found the farm to be about 100 acres and very flat allowing only standing shots off cross sticks and no more than 150 200yds to be safe also the farm was at the end of a small village so a moderator had to be used.

Any way we arrived at the farm ( Joan and me )about 10-30 tuesday night got kitted up and away we went. Put the lamp across the first field no more than 20yds from were we had parked up .Lit up a set of eyes by a water trough 80yds or so out in the field flicked off the lamp and passed it to Joan while I got set up on the X sticks on with th lamp fox now closer 50yds squeeze trigger one dead milky vixen. On to the next field nothing to be seen likewise the next 3 fields, so decide to try the foxpro with a jackrabbit distress call set up a bout 18" high. After 3/4 mins we see a set of eyes coming in fast from the right from the bottom of the next field I get set up only to have the eyes vanish and reappear father out and to the left and static so we decide to sneak up and see if we can get a shot only to find that the one was now two sat side by side , Joan puts the lamp on one which slopes off to the right so i take the other one which was a dog . thats two for two. Joan puts the lamp round again and picks out more eyes at about 300yds or so so we try to sneak up to this one, nogood away it go,es so we walk back to the caller while i decide to try another call this time a snowshoe distress. I turn round to look behind and theres another fox running in to the call, and thats when the wheels fell off the fox stopped up with the rifle squeeze the trigger missed thats it I said that knackered it anyway the fox plays us up for the best part of half an hour just coming in so far and haning back out of my self imposed safty range so I give it best and try another call this time a Snowshoe Squeal a different set of eyes light up way out to the letf about 500-600yds anyway in it comes flat out only to stop then circles round decides all is ok and comes on in stope again up with the rifle another milky vixen 117yds. We leave all 3 in the back of a farm trailer and head off home it,s about 12-30 now. Wednesday I phone the farmer to tell him the score . He,s walking ten foot tall and over the moon,and keeps on asking how much he owe,s I tell him it might not be over yet ( me and my big mouth ) Thurday morning 16th 8-05am farmer calls two more dead lambs. so its out tonight if its not raining to hard or misty it wont be so easy this time So the Foxpro did the job Hope I did not bore you all the best Eric.

[shootingbags]

Hi Eric,

 

Glad to see the Scorpion is working well

[1967spud]

any body got a seconhand one they dont require

 

mark

[bigun]

good read and nice going on the foxs ..not trying to tell you your job here but this is what i would do ..get your self as many plucks as you can from the butcher for free and put them on this land were you think the foxs are coming in to the field so they can find them and keep it topped up .that will stop the foxs killing the lambs why theres food for free ,also giveing you time to set up and wait for them to come in to the bait after a day or so ..once a fox knows there is food there he will not leave it even if you have shoot at it it will be back at some time and wont go far ..best of luck

 

[eric]

good read and nice going on the foxs ..not trying to tell you your job here but this is what i would do ..get your self as many plucks as you can from the butcher for free and put them on this land were you think the foxs are coming in to the field so they can find them and keep it topped up .that will stop the foxs killing the lambs why theres food for free ,also giveing you time to set up and wait for them to come in to the bait after a day or so ..once a fox knows there is food there he will not leave it even if you have shoot at it it will be back at some time and wont go far ..best of luck

 

 

Hi Bigun. Thanks for the info. I had a word with the farmer this morning and he,s going to leave out the dead lambs 4 and put out some of the after births in two seperate piles for to night. Eric.

[Alycidon]

Might be an idea to tie those lambs legs to something, stops the snatch and run brigade.

 

A

[bigun]

cut the lambs bellys open with a knife ,the smell will let them know they are there that little bit sooner ..wait till they start to take or eat them then get set up ..saves on time if you keep up the bait the foxs will be there as soon as it gets dark after a few days ,and day time also if its put some were they think there safe..

[eric]

cut the lambs bellys open with a knife ,the smell will let them know they are there that little bit sooner ..wait till they start to take or eat them then get set up ..saves on time if you keep up the bait the foxs will be there as soon as it gets dark after a few days ,and day time also if its put some were they think there safe..

 

Hi. We had already tied the legs and pegged them down so that they had to eat them on the spot so to speak.Any way we had a look last night until 12-30ish nothing to be seen. So maybe they are coming at first light or a little before. The farmer said that no after birth or lambs had been eaten, and no lambs had been killed last night . So we will after see what happens next .... Eric