The auld one and the AWOL hen

[JohnGalway]

I got home form the city a bit later than expected. One of my farmers had texted, we're getting very modern here now ye know, that a hen was missing. I did have a look out last night, although I saw one fox the weather hampered any effort to do something about it, bloody horrible night.

 

Tonight is crystal clear, very cold, calm and we have probably the biggest full moon I've seen in a long time. The hot spots for fox on this farm have been identified long since, so I pick a hill, lay down and wait.

 

I'm there about 25 minutes and have stood up to get warm, frost has settled on the over ground water pipes that criss-cross the farm to various fields, when the inevitable happens. For a fleeting second I see a fox below me, about 100 yards away, who can clearly see me against the sky. Over the stone wall it goes, ambles ten yards and into the thick stuff. I could only see him in a gap between a hillock and the thick stuff so there wouldn't have been time to attach the lamp never mind have a decent shot.

 

Directly after that I see another fox about 350-400 yards from me, near an electricity pole. I'm wondering if the first fox will come out of the thick stuff and onto the hillock opposite me, and if that doesn't happen I hope the other will amble along it's hill towards me as they do on that route.

 

I don't want to use any call. Turns out the close one won't re-emerge and the far one retreats back around it's hill. I wonder if that's the one I saw last night, as it wasn't hugely keen on the lamp.

 

I settle back in my spot on the hill. It's too calm to do much walking and the black clay and peaty ground is too saturated to walk quietly. The frost is getting a grip now and it's audible crunchy underfoot. I always like frosty weather, hope we get a decent spell of it.

 

About 10 minutes pass and I catch the glint of an eye through the branches of a tree on one of the hillocks opposite me. I've to move slowly 10-15 yards uphill to my right to get a better view. A second fox comes into the lamp light, and just as soon makes for the hills. I'm presuming that was the far off fox.

 

The remaining sionnach is rambling along the crest of a nearby hill. It's an unfortunate place for it to be as a hillock behind gives me a perfect backstop. After picking my fox out in the scope I squeeze off a round and hear a very foxy sounding thump.

 

I use the squeaker for a few minutes afterwards but never do see the second fox. One for another night.

 

Ranged the old vixen at 195 yards. She'd practically no bottom teeth left. Called into the farmer later on and was promised some lamb later on, sounds good to me!

 

 

[kip270]

Well worth waiting for John, she certainly reached a ripe old age, hope you get to grips with the lamp wise fox.

 

All we have had is rain,rain,rain oh and some rain, but not as bad as others i know, but still depressing when it stops you getting out and about.

[JohnGalway]

I'm sure I will Kip, lots of long nights left yet. I'm hoping to get out again tonight, but the weather is gone very wet again, though there's supposed to be a clear spell comin in from the Atlantic later in the night, getting out will depend on whan or if that arrives really.