Fox Drive

[eric]

Tuesday 21st. 9am Guns and beaters meet up at the keepers house, after a bit of a chat to sort out which drive first we are off to the first one of the day . The drive consists of blanking in two woods into a third as all three woods are linked to each other seperated only by a couple of rides. Only one fox seen and this slips out the side of the wood with no chance of a shot. So on to the second drive which is a large block of forestry with a vast covering of brambles this is to be blanked into another wood which will give the standing guns a better chance of seeing charlie. One fox comes through like an express flat out the gun just down from me gives it a shot but just as he shoots the fox go,es behind a hazel bush ,one miss. He then crosses the ride between the gun and me which gives me a chance with the 20bore down she go,es. I am feeling quite chuffed as the fox was realy moving. Next there is the sound of a shot from the next gun who is up on the top of the ride this was a miss as the fox was out a fair bit or so he said .From further down the line another shot rings out this time it,s a dog fox these old retired keepers seldom miss. When we all meet up at the end of the drive the beaters tell us that a fox sliped out of the back of the wood so that makes four in this bit.

On to the next drive which is a larch wood also with a good covering of bramble .A fox bolts straight to the same gun who missed one before ( he was just below me on the last drive) this time he makes no mistake another dog fox in the bag. Just as the drive is coming to a close two of the standing guns make the mistake of standing together and talking and wouldnt you know it out bolts a fox , they should have known better. The next drive is a complete blank. So we decide to have a sarnie.and a drink before starting the next drive which results in the old keeper shooting dog fox that refused to move out of a blackthorn thicket. so on to the next one which gives us the second blank of the day, And so onto the last drive of the day which results in a barren vixen so out of 9 seen 5 were shot not a bad day so far. Time for tea watch the news and out again this time I sit under an oak tree and wait for a vixen to show up as we found a litter of cubs two days ago I wait untill its to dark to see your hand in front of your face and give it best. Back home to swap the 222 for the 243 and grab hold of the wife and onto the farm where I tried out the scorpion. and the lambs where taken last week. When we get there I put the lamp over the fields nothing to be seen so I give a few calls with a new plastic mouth call £10. I picked up at the gamekeepers fair on Saturday I already have one of these but this one as an higher pitch. nothing so I try the scorpion with the same 3 calls as last time still no response . Ok I scroll through the menu on the caller and try out the Juvenile Red Fox call. Bingo a set of eyes light up in the far boundry hedge the fox makes no attempt to come on in so we leave the caller on while we try to narrow the distance down ,I forgot to say I had flicked off the lamp at this stage anyway on with the lamp the eyes have gone I say to the wife we will carry on till we come the barbed wire fence and see if its in the field, no good its gone, well I think it carnt have gone far so I try the mouth call sure enough eyes light up in the hedge again off with the lamp

get set up on X sticks a few more calls on with the lamp he,s out in the field about 50/60yds out from the hedge I send 70gr bt his way down he goes about 100yds We take him back to the trailer where I find the farmer has left an envelope for me which contains a note that I had asked for and £50 for my trouble. The farmer can pick him up in the morning, and its off home its been a long day started at 9am finished at 12-30am. The farmer calls the next morning says thanks and did he leave enough money and could he give me a call if he has anymore trouble. (I should say so ) Eric

[1967spud]

been on three different estates in the last three days we done 9 woods in total and shot 1 vixen and 1 dog betwean 8 off us i personally shot f all

[Guest varmartin]

Sounds like you had a busy day Eric...

 

Getting the wife involved too...way to go..nice to hear the ladies doing the business..

 

Whats even better ...the fact the farmer appreciated it by way of a generous tip !