Bit of foxing using the XQ38F

[walshie 2,804]

I haven't had time to zero the N355 on my hornet, so we went out for a few hours last night with the usual lamp and 223, but the XQ38F to spot with. Cool, light breeze and no moon.

I had a vixen in the bag shortly after we got there, but then the usual barren patch for a couple of hours. The XQ proved there really was nothing stirring. Time for coffee.

A while later I spotted a fox through the XQ and it was limping quite badly. All there was behind it was houses so I kept the spotter on it as it went into some really deep undergrowth. It looked like it walked out the other side of it, so we went round there just in time to see it go back into the bushes again. This time we knew that shooting from this side, all there was behind him was a high grassy bank so we kept following him hoping to get the shot.

Sure enough he was standing there just outside the bushes and Jack took the shot. The fox went down then got up and decided to run 30 yards into the thickest part of the bush. I spotted him through the XQ and we battled through the brambles to retrieve him. He was pretty much turned inside out and stone dead, so how he ran that far I don't know. We definitely wouldn't have found him without the spotter. There was a massive bomb hole in the centre of the bushes, about 10-15ft deep and 20 yards across, so probably where he lived.

While Jack was pissing about bagging the fox I scanned around outside the bushes and there was another fox skulking in some trees and was also limping? When he came out I told him about the fox but she seemed to have moved on. We moved into a better position to scan and waited. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes she popped her head out from behind a tree and Jack potted his second of the evening.

We've seen some strange stuff out at night, like foxes that have had recent surgery, but to see 2 both limping seemed a bit odd. When we got to this vixen, the first thing I noticed was she only had half an ear. Only closer examination, she had a fair size bite on her back and the other ear was only half an ear too.  I thought at first it might have been rough mating between these 2 that caused it, but it's a bit early and the ears had both completely healed. 

Strange evening, but a dog and 2 vixens in the bag. Would have been only 2 without the XQ.  

 

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Interesting evening!! Do you think that you might have had some dumped on you ? I had a look at the N355 in the local gun shop , and it’s definitely a step up from my N970 and a very good sight . I’m sure you will love it when you get it on your rifle . 

[walshie 2,804]

10 minutes ago, shovel leaner said:

Interesting evening!! Do you think that you might have had some dumped on you ? I had a look at the N355 in the local gun shop , and it’s definitely a step up from my N970 and a very good sight . I’m sure you will love it when you get it on your rifle . 

We've shot foxes here that have been to the vets, but I cant see why a vet would cut ears off. 

Yeah, the N355 is a great bit of kit. I've used it to good effect on my rimfire. Only just got a rail to mount it on my hornet and not zeroed it yet. 

[j j m 6,477]

nice going

[Deker 3,450]

A little unusual injuries.  

Any big cats on the loose in the area!?

[walshie 2,804]

9 minutes ago, Deker said:

A little unusual injuries.  

Any big cats on the loose in the area!?

Not any more...

[Underdog 2,337]

Nuts int it, some bunny hugger phones the rspca that some vermin is in peril.

Rspca collect vermin and give it expensive treatment.

When healed they relocate vermin.

That's the illegal bit!

Muppets.

Well done gaffa.

 

U.

[Stavross 13,706]

Cracking write up, looks like someone has put a lot of effort into that fox, to get it into a good shootable condition for you 

[Deker 3,450]

1 hour ago, walshie said:

Not any more...

Hope you took some fuzzy, distant pics or nobody will believe you!

[David.evans 5,323]

• Yep great write up Dave what colour did the have the xq on in the end 
• fec these dot I can't get them off 
• Atb 

[walshie 2,804]

34 minutes ago, David.evans said:

• Yep great write up Dave what colour did the have the xq on in the end 
• fec these dot I can't get them off 
• Atb 

I started with the purple, whatever that's called, then blue, and ended up with the red hot? The black and white pic with heat showing up red. Found that far better on the eye.

[David.evans 5,323]

Which ones that then 

i use black hot but the heat don’t show up red? 

[walshie 2,804]

14 hours ago, David.evans said:

Which ones that then 

i use black hot but the heat don’t show up red? 

It's the 2nd one down on the colour menu.