Few hours out despite the big moon

[walshie 2,804]

We went out for a few hours last night despite the big moon.

We met in the usual layby up the road from where we shoot. We'd only been there a few minutes when a police car with 3 cops in it pulled up beside us. The driver asked "What you doing lads?" I said we were going shooting at so-and-so place and he just said "That's fine. Crack on." and off they went. 

It was almost like daylight and there wasn't much about. We saw the tail end of one fox going in the bushes then nothing for about half an hour. A dog fox presented itself and he was the first kill of the evening. Scanning round with the thermal we saw a badger, a mouse and a few roe, but no foxes. My mate thought he saw a goat but he's nuts. 

A little while later we saw a vixen which might well have been the "ghost fox" with the bad leg we have seen a few times before. She was totally oblivious to us but she was a fair way off. I took aim and fired. I thought i had pulled the shot as she bolted, but my mate said it definitely hit. As we got near to where she had been, we saw the blood on the ground and went in the long stuff looking for her. She was a few feet in the deep undergrowth, dead as a dodo with a chest shot. Wouldn't have found her without the thermal even though she was only a few feet from where she was hit. Why she was limping was obvious. Her back leg looked like it has been broken at the joint but it had healed into a big golf ball of bone growth, so her leg wouldn't bend,

We gave it a while longer but didn't see one living animal of any species, so called it a day. We're going back next week and the moon will be smaller by then.

Still, being out is better than watching TV.

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Good stuff. 

I saw my ghost fox on some cut grass I visited on the way home from a squirrel session. " I'll be back" before dusk!.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Nice going Walshie . The moon and lack of wind has made shooting difficult. Sunday should bring a bit of damper conditions. I’ve been knocking a few foxes over myself recently , amongst other things .

[David.evans 5,323]

That pretty much the same as me Walshie, big bright moon no wind and hard work 

but hay hoo , anything is better than Fukien them soaps 

good shooting mate

[walshie 2,804]

Tried again tonight at a different place. Went out as soon as it got dark before the moon came up. Set up the caller and tried most of the calls to no avail. Went for a good mooch in every single field - nothing. Sat in the truck, drank coffee and scanned for another hour or so - nothing. In 2 1/2 hours we saw one hedgehog and one vole. At least I don't have to clean my gun. 

 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

5 hours ago, walshie said:

Tried again tonight at a different place. Went out as soon as it got dark before the moon came up. Set up the caller and tried most of the calls to no avail. Went for a good mooch in every single field - nothing. Sat in the truck, drank coffee and scanned for another hour or so - nothing. In 2 1/2 hours we saw one hedgehog and one vole. At least I don't have to clean my gun. 

 

How it goes sometimes, it would get boring otherwise.

[David.evans 5,323]

No rabbits down  your way mate , I’ll always take a few if no foxes are about 

and a good bit of practice to boo 

+ free lunch for the old folks home 

atb

[walshie 2,804]

5 minutes ago, David.evans said:

No rabbits down  your way mate , I’ll always take a few if no foxes are about 

and a good bit of practice to boo 

+ free lunch for the old folks home 

atb

Hardly any mate. Saw one in the field last week. Hopefully there's another and they'll breed. 

[David.evans 5,323]

Knowing your luck Dave 

they will be gay

[walshie 2,804]

15 minutes ago, David.evans said:

Knowing your luck Dave 

they will be gay

There's none of that sort of thing round these parts.