Back at them

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Me too mate . The ones I’ve been seeing are more or less able to fend for themselves. However they will have been having food brought for them by the adults. I will be concentrating my efforts around that old orchard now and hopefully get them . 

[delswal 3,817]

19 hours ago, shovel leaner said:

We have just had the 2nd silage cut here, and it’s for me a good chance to get around the shoot and start to make a dent in the fox population. I’ve been finding litters and doing my best to deal with them . I’ve had a go with the terriers and been trapping, but now the gloves are off and I will now be nocturnal for a while. I have decided that with all the kit I take with me for a nights foxing I needed a special bag to put my binoculars, thermal spotter , bullets , torch , latex gloves etc . Instead of them rolling around the seat and taking me two or three trips to load up and unload the truck . When I get it I will show you all . Last night I shot two cubs and a dog fox , all in the same area . I shot the dog and panned around before I picked it up and saw a cub by the wood , I closed the distance a bit and shot it at about 120 meters, I waited a minute and saw another cub and shot that too . All within 10 minutes. I wish I’d gone home then , because I drove around for another 2 hours and didn’t shoot another fox . Anyway , they finished silageing and I was out again . I thought I’d wait at dusk near to where I’d shot the dog and cubs the night before . 10 o’clock and it was just getting too dark to see through my binoculars and I got the thermal spotter out , I could see a fox moving in the wood , I kept watching it and at the same time , got the rifle ready. It didn’t take long before it walked clear of the wood and gave me a shot . I waited a while to see if any more joined it but none did so I picked it up , just a smallish cub . I know it’s a shame but that cute little cub will soon be a poult killer . Then I went on to the cut silage , nothing on the first three fields, I was starting to think that there were no foxes coming out tonight, when my thermal picked up a heat source. I pulled into the field and turned the engine off and got the rifle out , good it was still there and wasn’t interested in me . Number 2 in the bag . It was a vixen , by the look of her she had had cubs but she was drying up . On again and another lap of the estate. Back to the first fields where I’d drawn a blank earlier and I spotted a familiar shape running for the hedge , I closed the distance down a bit and gave some squeaks , it popped out of the hedge and closed in fast , I shouted” Oi “ and it stopped in it’s tracks face on . I dropped it at about 50 meters. I drove into the next field which is the other side of a small orchard from where I’d just shot that last fox which was a large dog . And there was another fox preoccupied feeding. I drove as near as I dared but something told me this one was a bit warier than most . I tried squeaking but it just looked at me . I used my laser range finder on my scope and it was 184  meters. Well I’ve been shooting well with my home loads so I felt confident to make the shot , “whomp”, the bullet found it’s mark , I continued to watch through the scope as it’s tail twitched , then it got up and ran half tumbling and falling straight to a thick hedge in the orchard, i went to pick it up but couldn’t find it , I will be back in the morning to find it , hopefully I will , otherwise it doesn’t go in the book ,” thems the rules “!!! I’ve added a picture of tonight’s foxes , I do hope that it doesn’t upset any antis or vegetarians who may read this post , so just to show that I’m “all about being inclusive “ , there is the picture of a lettuce I shot  earlier. 

Bit of overkill on the lettuce, .22 rimfire would have been more than capable for the job

[shovel leaner 7,648]

7 minutes ago, delswal said:

Bit of overkill on the lettuce, .22 rimfire would have been more than capable for the job

I’ll bare that in mind , I’m out again tonight, I saw a little gem near it’s earth , it’s going in a salad .

[forest of dean redneck 11,190]

15 minutes ago, delswal said:

Bit of overkill on the lettuce, .22 rimfire would have been more than capable for the job

Them Romaine's are tough feckers to bring down .

[shovel leaner 7,648]

2 hours ago, forest of dean redneck said:

Them Romaine's are tough feckers to bring down .

I just go for the trophy Romaine, unfortunately I don’t eat them , it’s a devicive subject I know, it’s the taking  of a lettuce, and it not going into the food chain , I know some may find morally reprehensible. 

Edited May 28, 2019 by shovel leaner

[forest of dean redneck 11,190]

4 minutes ago, shovel leaner said:

I just go for the trophy Romaine, unfortunately I don’t eat them , it’s a decisive subject I know, it’s the taking  of a lettuce, and it not going into the food chain , I know some may find morally reprehensible. 

Have you considered using a 2.43 on them for the extra oomph?

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Just now, forest of dean redneck said:

Have you considered using a 2.43 on them for the extra oomph?

They call that the coleslaw shot !!

[delswal 3,817]

8 hours ago, shovel leaner said:

They call that the coleslaw shot !!

Airgun lads will along shortly asking your advice...........should I use a .177 or .22 on them  

[Sausagedog 7,381]

9 minutes ago, Stavross said:

Good to find the cubs if you have taken the adults out, I hate the thought of them starving to death this time of year

They don't starve stav, they can survive on very little. They soon learn to catch bugs.

[Longshanx 833]

Cracking write up SL. I wish I had somewhere for foxing, the farm I go on has plenty but the farmer likes to sort them out

Just shows hard work and perseverance pays off

[Stavross 13,720]

7 minutes ago, Longshanx said:

Cracking write up SL. I wish I had somewhere for foxing, the farm I go on has plenty but the farmer likes to sort them out

Just shows hard work and perseverance pays off

Orrr, poor little long one, get that monster.308 sorted mate and I take you out for a go at them, we’ll see if you can turn a couple into rugs with some big heavy rounds

[Longshanx 833]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

Orrr, poor little long one, get that monster.308 sorted mate and I take you out for a go at them, we’ll see if you can turn a couple into rugs with some big heavy rounds

Behave, my pet lip is quivering , going to try and get on the farm this week weather permitting, think I'll end up turning them into dishcloths never mind rugs

[David.evans 5,323]

with that round you could use them for straining the veg off 

[Stavross 13,720]

When you go to buy ammo for it make sure you tell them you want 190 grain, your dealing with northern foxes

[Longshanx 833]

2 hours ago, Stavross said:

When you go to buy ammo for it make sure you tell them you want 190 grain, your dealing with northern foxes

I'd like my own shoulder to be left in place thanks, so might only get the 180grn