The last few week’s lamping trips

[kip270]

I've been so busy working the last few weeks; I have managed to get out lamping, but not had the time to write about it.

 

 

3/9/2010

 

 

Father & Son

 

Due to shift patterns trying to arrange a lamping session with my son hasn't been easy, but we managed get together, and Dan would be the rifleman with me on the lamp. I bought a Andre Georgescu whistle, and this was the first chance to get out and put it to use.

 

The maize had been cut so we were really hopeful that we would spot a few out looking for an easy meal, but after about half an hour we hadn't spotted anything, now this was unusual as even if we don't get any we spot one or two. The problem with this ground is that is easy for poachers to get access too, and if they are not that good at it they end up spooking the foxes rather than thinning them out.

 

We had a couple of stands and had a good call, but nothing spotted, so we headed off to the top of a valley, I had a good scan with the lamp, and then got the fox whistle out and boy is that loud!!!! I was scanning around all the time I was calling but no sign of a fox, we were there for a good ten minutes, (Dan's patience isn't too good) so he said lets move on, I had a quick scan with the lamp and there was a fox roughly 600 yards away (known from daytime shooting and my leica RF), well this fox was coming like a greyhound, Dan was down and ready on the bi-pod, and I kept calling. This fox was looking for an easy meal, then at around 90 yards it slowed down and was sneaking through the tussocky grass, it stopped behind a big tussock, so a lip squeak brought it out for a shot, "Thump" dams shot dropping it on the spot. A long Dog fox with a bit of weight too.

 

 

 

 

We didn't spot anything else on the way back to the car, but hopefully the next few weeks my shifts will fall right for some serious lamping sessions.

 

 

 

8/9/2010

 

 

A new rifleman.

 

 

I managed to write the details for this lamping session, and that's here;

 

http://ukvarminting....?showtopic=9751

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25/9/2010

 

 

Out with the Keepers

 

With the amount of land that we have to shoot over, to try and cover it on foot would be really hard work (but I would rather go on foot sometimes) the keepers had a welder make up a frame to go on the back of the Daihatsu (forgot to take pics of it, but will do next time) so it's a safer way to cover all the ground, so the Head keeper was driving with me on the lamp and Jas with the rifle.

 

It was a cold wind, so being on the back of the truck would make it a bit colder, while Nell had the heater blowing….maybe next time I'll drive….

 

 

Due to recent unsettled weather the maize was still standing, but we had a fare bit of ground to cover, so we headed off down the bottom of the farm where jas had a double last time we were out, we spotted one but it was off as soon as the lamp was on it, so a drive round the field, and off to our next spot.

 

This spot we have two pens either side of a valley, and as we drove down the track I spotted a set of eyes, but it was off up the valley and heading into to wood, we tapped on the roof for Nell to stop but he thought it was just us bouncing on the back!! (we are going to fit a small red light from the back to the front using a pressure switch, so when we spot something the driver will be notified by the light)

 

The fox was heading along the edge of the wood and just as Jas was going to take the shot, it slipped into the wood, but the wood wasn't too thick so I kept calling and the fox was slowly making its way closer downwind, then it stopped in a clear patch and jas dropped it on the spot. I stayed where I was so Nell & jas headed up with the other lamp to retrieve it, a vixen, and one that we wanted to get being in between the two pens.

 

 

 

We drove around some more and only spotted one but due to the terrain we were unable to get a shot off.

 

 

So hopefully next time the maize would be cut and we would cover more ground.

 

 

 

1/10/2010

 

 

Just the two of us

 

Jas and I had try to arrange a lamping session all week but the rain had other ideas for us, but Friday night was looking good, we were up the farm by 8:45, and the plan being a would drive the mule, with jas on the back spotting and with the rifle, I had my .270 stowed safely with me for back up.

 

They had managed to cut a few fields of maize but still have some way to go, but it would give us a few more acres to shoot over.

 

The first field we spotted one at the top of the field but was off heading for a small wood, I tried a few calls but it wasn't stopping and was gone in a few seconds.

 

So off to the cut maize fields the first one close to a pen we spotted a fox just on the outside of a small copse, and then another one just off to the right, but the first one was making off. We headed down to try and cut them off, hopefully jas would get the chance of a shot, but due to the terrain and long maize stems a shot off the bi-pod wasn't possible, so we headed back to the mule to get my sticks. Jas got on the back of the mule hoping to get an elevated position, but the fox had other ideas, so I grabbed my rifle and my stalking sticks and headed back down to where we were stood. A scan around with the lamp and nothing, so out with the fox whistle, after a few minutes Jas put the lamp on and the fox was only 10 yards in front of us, and was off, I tried stopping it but no luck, by now it had managed to get to the small copse, so a change of call.

 

I use an old wooden squirrel call that the rubber bulb has broken, and blowing it gives a bit of a hare call, so a quick call and the fox stopped on its heels and turned back around and came back towards us, when it was around 90 yards I shouted and stopped it, "Boom" the fox dropped on the spot. A quick scan around and the other one came out to see what was going on, I had reloaded and was ready, the fox was around 150 yards away, I settled for the shot and squeezed the trigger, but pulled my shot, looking to my left to see if I had shot it or not………no follow through……..not happy with myself at all.

 

 

We collected the fox that I had shot a small vixen, and then headed back to the mule, and headed off to the next field, we passed the spot where Jas managed to get the vixen last week, and carried on to a large stubble field and I then decided to put the FoxPro out and put the pheasant in distress call on.

 

After only a few seconds we spotted a fox by a lone oak tree making its way to a large wood, but it wasn't at all interested in the call, so I tried the fox whistle and still nothing, so time for the wooden call and still nothing. The fox just kept to the outside of the wood and was making its way to our right, and was gone before Jas had a chance of a shot.

 

 

Now it was time to head off to the other side of the farm and hope we would get lucky there, they had cut a few fields for silage, so we may catch something out.

 

We parked the mule by the gate way and headed off on foot for this part of the farm, as this field would take us to a large valley, and we were hoping to surprise something.

 

As we got to the point where we could see over the whole valley I scanned below us and spotted a fox mousing in the long grass, Jas hadn't seen it, "can you see it" I whispered, and then Jas spotted it and was down on the bi-pod. The fox had no idea we were there, so no need to call, just wait for it to present a good shot, it was facing away from us heading up the valley, so I made my "baa" call and stopped it, "thump" the fox dropped in its tracks, I told Jas to reload and scanned the fields and spotted another one up in the top field a good 500 yards away, so out with the old wooden call and this fox wanted to see what was making all this noise.

 

It took a while for it to get within range, coming past the other side of a small copse, and under a gate, it sat there looking at us, "Click" a misfire, so Jas reloaded and was ready again "thump" his shot hit home but the fox ran to the left and made it's way into the copse, so I told Jas to reload again. He wasn't happy about the misfire, we stayed where we were and kept scanning around to see if we saw any sign of the fox, "lets give it a good ten minutes before we head off to search for it", I headed back to the mule to get my shootalite as its easier to search with that one rather than my Light force Blitz.

 

 

When I got back to Jas we checked out the misfire cartridge and you could see the mark from the firing pin…so he chambered it a squeezed off his shot into the bank, and it fired no problem at all.

 

We headed off to look for the pair, searching for the that made it to copse on the top side first, but no sign, so then we looked for the one that dropped in the grass, you wouldn't believe how hard it was looking for it in the grass that was only shin high, but after about twenty minutes Jas found it.

 

I then got into the copse and searched for the second one, and headed for the spot where it made in, and found it lying there. The shot was a little too far back, so then I said to Jas what he thought went wrong with the shot, the fact that he had a misfire was on his mind, and he thought he pulled the shot too, so a few hours back at the targets is on the cards just to settle things.

 

 

Hopefully all the maize will be cut this week, so we will be out lamping hard over the next few weeks.

 

 

[6mmBR]

Been a busy chap there.

Good to get out and about again.

Cheers

Dave

[sako75]

Hi Kip, nice going and those whistles really do work well I’ve had mine for some years now, wouldn’t be without it

ATB Bob

[SteveW]

Great read Kip,

They are also due to cut our maize this week. I had an accident on Friday night and now need to get a new WAM call, I slipped crossing a gate and crushed my call and my nuts. Typing that lot would make my finger hurt, thanks for taking the time.

 

ATB Steve

[foxshot]

Good write up Kip nice to see people admit to misses,how long did it take to get the hang of the Andre Georgescu call

[kip270]

The fox call i found really easy to use, and over time it has got easier, when i first used it i was trying to blow to hard, but now a gentle breath is all that is needed.