Bother!

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Right! I watched it come light in the area I was. Nothing. All was quiet. Pheasant came off roost and where settled. The sheep were relaxed.

My dog however would sniff at places I have for months off and on seen them at night!

When convinced no fox was about I moved to where I took the shot and marked in the hedge where it was. The hedge bank rises and is a good back stop. I quickly looked at my zero check I took on the night for reassurance and then jumped the ditch and paced 70 strides again.

At the hedge my dogs nose was going again! She went to where I marked the shot and blow me there is an earth in the hedge! My dog kept sniffing down the hole so I did! Yep not just the smell of fox but the smell of dead fox!

There was also evidence of something digging too and broken twigs.

Thinking about on the night I did think she went through the hedge, I usually see which way they run before folding up etc.

I am now 75% sure it got down an earth and expired. I still don't know if it's slinky though!

Thinking about it on the night it was making for there in a hurry and I know slinky knows my lamp and she has just vanished around there before . Maybe the earth was her little secret!

I guess using a low power rifle this can be expected but I can live with it.

Anyway, just though I would up date you all.

It wasn't a wasted trip. Got a winged varmint and two pheasants #14&#15 I think this season so far.

SD.

[Meece 1,957]

Before I just read your last post and was going through the previous posts, I was going to reassure you that you had hit it. And I was going suggest that you went back to the place and put the dog on the case.   Dogs don't lie.... they can be mistaken but they don't lie. The next thing to do is get back out there tonight unless it is thrashing down and see if its mate is out there.  Ps ghosts don't exist ( just like Big CATS, the YEHTI, and the LOCH NESS MONSTER.) Foxes do get educated though. I did have a very difficult charlie who was illusive but it's luck ran out when it went into a wood.  The dog went in and Charlie came out the other side and that was it. But my dog went over to it and Charlie wasn't finished and bit my dog in the front leg.  It didn't do it again !!

[FLATTOP 3,679]

Good on you for chasing it up myself I would have dug it out just to 100% give me peace of mind, nice job on the pheasants I’ve been chasing a covey of partridge the last week which keep giving me the slip I had a rabbit though which gave me a bit of hope as they have almost been wiped out where i shoot.

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Thanks for your kind words.

I do want to go back and look again. I would of sooner if it weren't for a stomach bug I had upto yesterday.

I'm out now with the rifle and between heavy showers and rain shot  nine squirrels and two rabbits.

The rabbits shot off hand and the bullet has gone where I last saw the sight.

70 good strides.

87 good strides.

It's not the rifle and I didn't pull the shot....!

[Baldcoot 2,352]

Plenty of wabbits up here they must have a submarine though the roads around here were called rivers when i were a lad

[FLATTOP 3,679]

That off hand shot on that rabbit is excellent always satisfying to get a head shot.