Foggy Start

[sussex 5,803]

Driving over to the farm this morning I was thinking this could be a waste of time , thick fog , no wind with the visibility less than 100m ..on arrival I had a coffee while waiting for light , even then it was virtually impossible to set out . By the time I eventually set of it was about 9am , still with thoughts of calling it a day I headed down hill bumping two small groups within ten minutes ..glassing constantly and moving as slow as possible l eventually managed to get on a small group of ten only to watch them melt into the fog before I could get a clear shot ..

Two hours in I thought this is a waste of time lets pack it in ...so started back up the hill I'd spent two hours stalking down only to turn a corner to see a pricket standing looking at me from my left , three paces on as I passed a small tree I dropped to the floor as quickly as a fat sixty year old could ,straight on the bipod , couple of seconds to aim , squeeze ..done ..quick check and push on up hill for the quad ..until no more than 120 m from were I just shot one a group of about 30 were grazing , laying down on the bank , totally unfazed by my shot . These must have been on this bank when I stalked down , completely unseen . A slow crawl through some bracken and corse grass got me to within m . The chosen target , a pricket was laying down , lifting his head occasionally the 128gr 6.5 did for him instantly...checked out it was up and on for the transport then around to the gralloching tree ..

By the time they were sorted out and loaded in the motor the sun was out and was quite warm I thought I would walk down to the lower fields to see if there were any sunning themselves ,it's always a favourite place when it's warm. Twenty minutes later I was watching about 50 or 60 spread out right across the 30acre field ..getting any closer was not an option so at 215 m I selected another pricket , engine room shot he staggered in a 5m circle to fall sideways to the ground ..waiting and watching he stopped moving after a few minutes ..quick check then back for the quad again and another trip to the gralloching tree ..

In the chiller at 68 lb , 56lb 52lb ...

 

 

 

 

[hutchey 147]

Nice one Rich, this fog and mist has been a right spoiler recently.

[sussex 5,803]

Out again in the morning h , forecast is more of the same !