Pure pest control

[Stavross 16,896]

53 minutes ago, BenBhoy said:

It amazing ,as where I work we have own farm shop all our meat goes through & we can't get enough wild rabbit, both domestic and restaurants people always asking for it

we have a local butcher and every now and then you can get wood pigeon and sometimes rabbit, the problem is now they are not ment to buy direct from the shooter so he told me that financially it’s not worth buying from a game dealer because people won’t pay 4 quid for a pigeon 

I was asked to supply all sorts for a dog food factory, not that long ago, deer, rabbit, hare, geese, we had came up with prices and it was looking like a good little earner for me, then the people behind the legislation on running the factory moved the goal posts and wanted to see traceability ( for f*cking dog food ) so the whole thing fell through and the lad never opened up

[Longshanx 833]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

we have a local butcher and every now and then you can get wood pigeon and sometimes rabbit, the problem is now they are not ment to buy direct from the shooter so he told me that financially it’s not worth buying from a game dealer because people won’t pay 4 quid for a pigeon 

I was asked to supply all sorts for a dog food factory, not that long ago, deer, rabbit, hare, geese, we had came up with prices and it was looking like a good little earner for me, then the people behind the legislation on running the factory moved the goal posts and wanted to see traceability ( for f*cking dog food ) so the whole thing fell through and the lad never opened up

There is a place near Newton Aycliffe, he pays £1 a rabbit, just wants them gutted and all ofal left in. If you had a freezer build up a number of them and he buys them deep frozen. All goes into dog food. 

[Longshanx 833]

17 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Had a look out tonight to a farm that has a few rabbits. Well I was surprised there was loads munching on a new crop. So its war on them now taking no prisoners , they must go as the farmer hates them.

That's a cracking night out in the hoppers FH. 

Like most are saying the numbers in most places have fallen right off. I'm lucky if I get half a dz at the minute 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

4 hours ago, philpot said:

Very nice result there FH, .22lr or .17 ruger

Phil

.22lr . This was only after 2 hours skirting 2 fields. Problem was after a shot , the thump would clear the rest of the rabbits from the field as it's very open. I will keep chipping away at them and have a look on lamp once the moons off.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Need to get yourself nv mate ,game changer for sure .

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

1 hour ago, foxdropper said:

Need to get yourself nv mate ,game changer for sure .

Not going down that route as dont want to wipe everything out , always ensuring future sport. No foxes left up here due to thermal and nv wiping everything out. I know it has advantages but still do ok without it. This is my hobby would be different if it was my job

[philpot 5,067]

I can sell some rabbits to a butcher for £1, gutted and skinned but to be honest I cannot be arsed, I prefer to leave them as fox bait.

Phil

[Dervburner 2,549]

51 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Not going down that route as dont want to wipe everything out , always ensuring future sport. No foxes left up here due to thermal and nv wiping everything out. I know it has advantages but still do ok without it. This is my hobby would be different if it was my job

That’s a fair comment Mark. Are you still low on squirrels up your way?

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

2 hours ago, Dervburner said:

That’s a fair comment Mark. Are you still low on squirrels up your way?

Yep , have you got many ?

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

12 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Not going down that route as dont want to wipe everything out , always ensuring future sport. No foxes left up here due to thermal and nv wiping everything out. I know it has advantages but still do ok without it. This is my hobby would be different if it was my job

We are going to have to differ mate .All nv does is allow you to get into their world ,it’s not the end of anything and fieldcraft very much  comes into it still .

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Have to agree to some degree....in fact I find my NV somewhat of a faff and fiddle! Sometimes I bag it up and switch to lamp just for simplicity

[Dervburner 2,549]

11 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Yep , have you got many ?

Quite a few at the moment. Numbers I’ve seen seem to have increased, a lot of young ones about now. I missed my post season squirrel bashing this year , would have been February/March but with everything that’s been going on and lockdown etc....... Still, should catch up through the summer

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

2 hours ago, foxdropper said:

We are going to have to differ mate .All nv does is allow you to get into their world ,it’s not the end of anything and fieldcraft very much  comes into it still .

Still decided not for me as in my experience did a spell of around 7 years with a guy with thermal and nv and the foxes were literally wiped out , now suffering the consequences of doing a thorough job with literally very few foxes left , I know the case is the same in Wales with the once  abundant fox population taking a hammering in some areas. I have nothing against it just not for me as I find it takes no field craft apart from getting the wind right , spot fox shoot fox basically. As said previously if it was my job that changes things but as I'm recreational I want to preserve some sport for the future. No point in having all this expensive gear and nothing to shoot ☹ Have also shot rabbits in the past with nv and it was devastating,  rabbits at present in the UK are in serious decline in most areas and dont deserve to be wiped out , the countryside would be a poorer place without them so I am quite happy to continue lamping them and leaving survivors.

[BenBhoy 4,706]

2 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Still decided not for me as in my experience did a spell of around 7 years with a guy with thermal and nv and the foxes were literally wiped out , now suffering the consequences of doing a thorough job with literally very few foxes left , I know the case is the same in Wales with the once  abundant fox population taking a hammering in some areas. I have nothing against it just not for me as I find it takes no field craft apart from getting the wind right , spot fox shoot fox basically. As said previously if it was my job that changes things but as I'm recreational I want to preserve some sport for the future. No point in having all this expensive gear and nothing to shoot ☹ Have also shot rabbits in the past with nv and it was devastating,  rabbits at present in the UK are in serious decline in most areas and dont deserve to be wiped out , the countryside would be a poorer place without them so I am quite happy to continue lamping them and leaving survivors.

I wholeheartedly agree that nothing we shoot should be exterminated, whether its job or not. But I do use NV. Just because you can see something & it's in range doesn't mean you have to shoot it, just have self restraint. I was out Saturday night & shot 8 rabbits. Could easily have had more but I didn't need more so left them be for another night. 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Exactly what I’m getting at mate .Dont have to pull the trigger but thermal and NV does allow a fair gauge of population .What the shooter does  with this is down to them .Saw 4 foxes on thermal last night but I only pursued the one that went into a shelter pen on the organic chicken farm I do .Shot a barren vixen at 176 paces with the .243 and pard .Watched  a badger do the same and saw it emerge with a chicken but hands are tied until the cull starts .

I agree NV and thermal are devastating if abused but a bit of restraint and common sense will see populations kept to a manageable level .Lamping was always my method but the cull taught me discretion in the use of thermal and NV and now lamping would seem very alien to be honest ,almost abusing the darkness .