An eye opening eggsperience

[JohnGalway 1,043]

It has not been the nicest of days. Bucketing it down in fits and starts. I've spent the day semi drenched sorting out sheep and lambs after a wire gap opened, God knows how. I was still thinking about the night before, wondering if that was 2 or 3 foxes that I'd seen. Either way my phone beeps and I'm informed about another missing hen in less than 160 characters.

 

Back home, farting around the interweb for a while, I check on the weather. There's supposed to be a spell of dry, I say dry, they say heavy showers, weather moving in from the Atlantic after dark, it'll do. But, what time will it come as these foxes seem to be on the job early enough, so there's a little nervous waiting in store.

 

After a hefty and definitely unhealthy dinner to keep me warm, washed down by a mug of tea, it's time to go hunting. What a difference from last night, when God had a spotlight turned against the world. It's heavily overcast, comparatively warm, not much of a breeze though, great night for waiting out on a hillside.

 

I'm not two minutes on my perch, keeping watch on the valley opposite when there's a glint of an eye low and to my left, less than 100 yards from me. Here we go. I turn the rifle on the grass and crawl in behind it attaching the lamp. Here's the problem with this place, there's my fox only his head visible above some dead rushes, with a hill to his right and a dip to his left. For about one second I've the crosshairs planted on his forehead. I don't honestly like head shots, so I instinctively hold off waiting for a neck shot. And he's dropped the shoulder and away behind the hill to his right... I can't see him now but he goes below the farm house, through some trees, over the lane way and I pick him up 200 yards away again heading into more thick stuff. I could have shot him, Texas heart shot style but I don't believe my little .223 is up to that particular task on a fox sized animal. Your card is marked friend.

 

About 90 minutes pass, I'm kept amused watching the sparse traffic on the roads below, and doing my best to turn each sheep's eye into a fox's eye. There's nothing particularly interesting to keep an eye on, no shooting stars or big moon or frost glittering like last night. Just me, the dark, and the sheep. I may have said too much...

 

BING! Gone.

 

What the hell? That was a fox. Had to be. Where is he? I search the valley opposite. Doubts start to creep in, no, maybe a hare? Maybe my mind playing tricks on me? No, no, no, I did see something! I know I did.

 

BING! Ahhhhhh, got you now. takes me a few seconds to pick out the fox shape in the scope. It's looking at something on the ground. I'm higher up, so I've a lovely vantage point, this time a head shot is definitely on the cards. As the rifle pushes against me I can see the fox violently swatted to it's right, and thump! That'll do.

 

Dog fox, 160 yards, some mange on him. About 20 yards uphill from where I shot him I found an egg, clearly broken by teeth, and a fox scat beside it.

 

 

Edited December 4, 2009 by JohnGalway

[Deker 3,455]

Good read as always John, just got in myself after a trip out with Mr L, pretty horrid afternoon/evening but we got a bit of variety...anyway...

 

What are those scope mounts...I'm sure everyone else knows but they are new to me...Cheers

Edited December 4, 2009 by Deker

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Cheers Deker, they're Warne mounts, don't ask me what size though.

[dave1372 83]

Good writeup and crackin photo...more of them please.

[Deker 3,455]

Cheers Deker, they're Warne mounts, don't ask me what size though.

 

 

I'll have to check them out, unless I'm going blind they do not appear to wrap right round the tube, have to admit I don't think I have ever seen that before!!

 

Looking at the results I take it they work ok and you are happy with them!?!?

 

Cheers

[SNAP SHOT 194]

good stuff there again.

 

Snap.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Cheers Deker, they're Warne mounts, don't ask me what size though.

 

 

I'll have to check them out, unless I'm going blind they do not appear to wrap right round the tube, have to admit I don't think I have ever seen that before!!

 

Looking at the results I take it they work ok and you are happy with them!?!?

 

Cheers

 

They're OK, I wouldn't say they're anything special to be honest. If I had the money I'd be going for some fancy brand or other. They do go all the way around the tube.

[dave1372 83]

Make sure you put that photo in the fox shooting gallery!

[jamie g 17]

They're OK, I wouldn't say they're anything special to be honest. If I had the money I'd be going for some fancy brand or other. They do go all the way around the tube.

 

top shooting john. i like the warne mounts i have not long got some there soild. fiddly to fit 1st time round but god they wont move a mm

[blackfox 9]

Good shooting there.

 

Sam

[clay man 0]

:whistling: nice shooting i think that fox has eyes only for you john :whistling:

[Mr_Logic 5]

That fox certainly does win the competition for funniest death pose...

[The Seeker 3,048]

Eye Eye... Good read nice shot