shovel leaner

Good idea for a thread Stavross .

Hi Si , thanks mate , I’ve been on the case myself, and I contacted HPS and they can send me the 70 grain Sierra Blitzkings in . 243 and spud1967 has the 50 grain vmax . Should have them next week . I want to use my local guy as much as I can , but he doesn’t really carry varmint rounds as he is a target shooting business. But thanks for the offer

I’ve run out of bullets now . I’ve got loads of brass , loads of primers and loads of powder . I’ve been getting my bullets from HPS target rifles in Newent, but their trade counter is shut now . Going to have to be Spud1967 or Henry Krank . Any other ideas ?

You won’t go wrong with a Winchester.

I can’t see it myself, I think it’s “false news “. Do you think car insurance would be invalid if the owner had an accident on a unnecessary journey? If you cover yourself with a letter from the FEO and a letter from the farmer , there is no way you are not covered.

The BASC are a joke . Their back up for members is bad . The infighting at their head office is embarrassing. The insurance isn’t as good as NGO or CPSA . They have failed in every way to represent shooting. The first lead ban over wetlands saw them roll over and capitulate quicker than a Frenchman . They haven’t had a penny off me since .

No , Bunch of C@@ts . NGO

We haven’t had proper holiday for two years . So we went for it . I warned the Mrs , I’m going to be in the basspro shop all day , and I was .

I’ve been on the holiday of a lifetime. Florida, Caribbean cruise, back to Florida, Everglades and the keys . One of the highlights was visiting the Basspro shops at Dania and Islamorada , absolutely unbelievable!!!

During this time when it is impossible for some to get out and shoot , I thought I would share my shooting with you all so that you may experience although vicariously an evening of fox control on a poultry unit , I hope this helps to while away a few moments of imprisonment . Over the last week I’ve been attending a free range egg producer with the aim of reducing the predation from foxes . Signs of kills were everywhere , and it was clear that there was more than one culprit . I hadn’t been to the farm for a while as I’ve been on an extended holiday . What a difference a month or so can make !!! The first fox I shot was from my favourite and most productive vantage point which is a pallet of celcon blocks , which overlooks a small sloping paddock at the back of the farm. There is a deep ditch with lots of bramble and cover at the bottom . This seems to be where a lot of foxes spend the day and at last light cross that paddock to access the chickens. As if on cue I switched my thermal on to have a scan as it had got too dark for the binoculars and there was the familiar white glow of a fox shape stood at the edge of the brambles sniffing the air and aware of something not quite right . He was right and I flicked the Digisight on and quickly lined up the shot and dropped him at about 60 meters . I spent time scanning with my thermal, I could see foxes all over the place , the farm is set at the bottom of a deep bank , which is dotted with patches of cover and a Christmas tree plantation . But no other shots presented themselves that night . The following night I sat in vigil but saw nothing around the chickens and packed up and was driving towards the entrance but continuing to scan from my truck when I noticed a fox . I pulled up got the rifle on the bonnet gave a couple of squeaks to stop him and dropped a big dog fox , in fine condition. The following night the farmer called me to say there was a fox in the run with the chickens. I came straight away and sure enough there it was , sat watching the birds without a care in the world . Shooting it would not be easy as it was behind a big galvanised fence . A bit of a think was called for and I asked the farmer if he had a step ladder . He ran off and fetched it and I set it up against this giant feed silo/ hopper . My creaking and clattering hadn’t disturbed it and I somehow managed to drop it off steps in broad daylight at 50 meters . I’d been seeing foxes all over the place and decided that last night I was going to bring them to me . There is a flatbed tractor trailer parked in this one field which I shoot off , it offers a good vantage point with a safe backstop . I brought out the icotec fox caller and walked out and set it up . I also scattered a tin of cat food in a large area around it . I went back to the trailer and turned on the caller and got the thermal out . Straight away a fox was coming in and I hadn’t even got my rifle loaded, fumbling around and cursing my stupidity under my breath I somehow managed not to put it off . I looked through the digisight and it was grazing on the cat food , oblivious to my clattering and the clunking of the bolt . It stopped to eat and presented itself perfectly for a broadside chest shot at 60 meters . I reloaded and scanned around , “bloody hell” there was another in the field and seemed to be intent on a cat food dinner , it was to be disappointed however as the 223 50 grain vmax homeload quenched its appetite. I felt sure that that would be it in that field and put on my latex gloves to go and pick them up . But before I went I picked up the thermal, the rabbit distress caller had been going the whole time and to my utter disbelief there was number three moving towards the caller and winding the cat food . This was like shelling peas . The third and final fox was brought to book at about 90 meters . The noise had brought the farmer out to have a chat and I proudly gathered up the three foxes which he slung in the bucket of his tractor, otherwise I would have taken a photo. This is the fox I shot off the ladder . Planning another trip out soon as there are more foxes on the bank making a problem .

FairPlay. Nice work sausage

Talking of tight , how are you finding the two pairs of glasses as apposed to one pair of proscription glasses? Are you from Yorkshire?

I’m afraid you are probably right . But putting aside weather or not the police are overreacting or we are seeing the birth of our own version of the Stasi . My experience of shooting at night and being out and about with firearms is that the general public and a lot of police find the fact that members of public “like me and you “ have guns , horrific. I’ve had the police called out to my nocturnal shooting activity’s on a couple of occasions in the past . So now if I plan shooting in areas where I am likely to be reported to the police ( near housing) I ring it in and tell them .This I’m sure has saved them time and me a red face a few times . Keeping the police informed and keeping yourself covered is nowadays a big part of being a responsible shooter . It’s sad and I know it goes against the grain . But if the police want me to jump through hoops I will jump through as many as they want .

I asked , they said if it’s pest control it’s ok . They haven’t changed their position yet .

What you are saying makes sense to me !! But when has common sense and being reasonable been good enough for the police ??? Some forces Derbyshire for one have gone way beyond their powers . I would say to anyone, contact your local FEO by email and find out where you stand . Foxdropper has been advised to stop , I haven’t . So I’m still going out . If I get an email or phone call saying stop , then that is what I will do . I cannot imagine life without my firearms or shotgun, this situation will be over soon enough. I go out with a screen shot of my email from the FEO and an email from the poultry farm . I only live a minutes drive from it and haven’t seen anyone on the way but you can’t be too careful.