Lamping,

[Alycidon]

I have always lamped from a vechicle but in the winter it gets too wet and in the early summer the crops are in the way. I am toying with having a walk but have some pretty big hills.

 

For those that do both how do you find your success rate in a vechicle compared to on foot ?

 

A

[craigyboy]

I walk about 95% of all my lamping as the ground I hunt is a bit rough for driving over, its hard going I am lucky if I can cover about 100 acres in a night, I used to use a nice compact cluson shootalite lamp and its wasnt too bad, but I have started using a lightforce 170 with 18ah belt pack and its awkward and heavy makes life alot harder on my own, wish I hada kept that cluson setup but I will get used to it and the extra reach and saftey aspect of the bigger lamp makes it worth it for the foxes anyhow.

[Guest Hoot]

I use all 4 different methods. Depending upon the time of year, location, and how energetic I'm feeling after a days work.

 

Its hard to equate the success rates of the various methods due to a number of factors. Time of year, location and the amount of ground covered. Its the old saying "horses for courses". You have to be adaptable , and adopt the method that will bring the most productive results in the time.

 

Particulary later on in the year I'm a real fan of baiting points.

[village idiot]

99% on my feet and alone. One piece of ground is covered by a keeper and I, he goes out regularly in a vehicle with 3 or 4 mates, covers 2000 acres and tells me the next day they never saw a thing, I can only cover 500 acres in a 2-3 hr spell on my feet but with a bit of calling and using the wind it is very rare I do not see a fox, I may not get a shot, but I know where to find one next time out. Personally I think it is a matter of evolution that foxes will get wary and bugger off when a vehicle drives into a field, a lamp shy vixen could well pass on this trait/behavior to her cubs.

[foxshot]

a few year ago all my lamping was done on foot this was untill my mate got a 4*4 then i bought one so now it is possible to drive most of the farms we shoot on,however it is not practible to drive some areas so this is when we go on foot the success rate for both are about equal

[6mmBR]

All our foxing is on foot so we don't cover the area you guys in vehicles do.

Cheers

Dave

[kip270]

I voted with a friend and vehicle.

 

When i first started Lamping Foxes i was always on foot, and 95% of the time with company, but i also had a few trips solo, with good results. The keeper now lamps using a 4x4, and while you cover the ground quicker i don't feel it is as affective as on foot, but maybe that is just me.

My personal choice is to lamp on foot as i get the exercise and can manoeuvre as required with the wind conditions.

[Redfox]

Where I shoot mostly, if you walked you would see nothing as they would see you first and be gone.

Most foxes are well used to vehicles both farm and road and know they are not a threat unless coming at them fast. I have even followed a dog fox up a side road into a field for a safe shot ( Texas heart shot!) and he didnt even look back as I went slowly at a distance. It also keeps your smell in the vehicle so wind is less of a problem.

I know all the usual routes and favourite places and often leave a present of pigeon or hen carcase or rabbit leftovers, just to encourage them to come back for a look round and it works. There are a couple of farms in a different area which have stone walls and thick hedges, where you can walk and do ok.

Same with rabbiting, I used to do it semi professionally and the lamping out of the vehicle was vastly more successful than walking, every time.

Redfox