The Unintended Keeper ( Diary of a keeping blagger )

[shovel leaner 7,648]

1 hour ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Yep those greys are tough little buggers. I've seen them shot in the head many a time and when picking them up they're still alive.

 

I reckon lb for lb a squirrel is the toughest animal in this country. I’ve also put a hole in a foxes chest big enough to put your fist in and the still run 50 yards . 
             If I don’t find the body , they don’t count on my tally . 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

1 hour ago, shovel leaner said:

I reckon lb for lb a squirrel is the toughest animal in this country. I’ve also put a hole in a foxes chest big enough to put your fist in and the still run 50 yards . 
             If I don’t find the body , they don’t count on my tally . 

I've had them run on 100 yds unaware they are dead , incredible really.

This fox last night though was knocked over and struggling to move , cant believe I never found it this morning with the dog , I thought it would be a formality.  Must be underground or tucked under some tight cover ?

[Stavross 13,781]

Feeding today so thought I’d go mid afternoon, take the thermal and have a look what’s coming back in as the light dropped, I’m quite happy with what I seen heading back towards the pens and getting up to roost over the piggeries, the beaters will dread it because they are spending their day in the thick bramble cover, we will be a bit limited on drives now as, the oak wood, tip drive, piggeries tree side and probably the roadside drive are all a bit open and cold now, with what I seen today I’m sure we’ll make a day of it on the 7th of January 

the squizzers are getting a bit out of hand up there, shot another 5 but must of easily seen 25 without really looking, I’m going to have to have a day where I just have a walk around, could have a 20 squizzer day I reckon

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Have a shotgun day on the squizzers mate and I will give you a hand

[foxdropper 17,092]

You need a feeder set up mate . Peanuts win over corn every time .Going to start mine up soon .Looking forward to it tbh .

[Stavross 13,781]

If it was a bit closer it would be an ideal place to run a couple of feeders, it’s ok now I’ve cut back on the pheasant feeders, I know which feeders they will be swinging off now before I get to them 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

1 hour ago, Stavross said:

If it was a bit closer it would be an ideal place to run a couple of feeders, it’s ok now I’ve cut back on the pheasant feeders, I know which feeders they will be swinging off now before I get to them 

Yep if you've got pheasant feeders no need for anything else but I prefer to mooch about stalking them with the shotty and shooting them fleeing through the trees.

[foxdropper 17,092]

Peanut feeders will outdo corn feeders by a country mile mate .Stick a lid on it and not too expensive either .All real serious squig shooters use them while the part time ,whack a rat types struggle with double figures in a winter

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

20 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

Peanut feeders will outdo corn feeders by a country mile mate .Stick a lid on it and not too expensive either .All real serious squig shooters use them while the part time ,whack a rat types struggle with double figures in a winter

Utter bollocks I'd rather be mooching about than freezing my bollocks off sitting in a hide being bored  waiting to shoot a couple off a feeder.

I've had 50 so far this season so not doing bad and pretty much on top of .

 

[ianm 2,594]

Another shoot today but just a short morning affair, very pleasant all the same. I let my grandson shoot today and to be honest I have seen him shoot a lot better but he really enjoyed it anyway. He only managed a duck and a pheasant. I am going to get him to the clay ground for some coaching to iron out his problem. Total bag was 38 head. Of which there was 18 mallard, 14 pheasants, 2 Teal, 3 partridge and a really big nice pigeon that my ferret has had for Christmas dinner a day early. 

[Dervburner 2,548]

On 22/12/2022 at 18:45, foxdropper said:

Peanut feeders will outdo corn feeders by a country mile mate .Stick a lid on it and not too expensive either .All real serious squig shooters use them while the part time ,whack a rat types struggle with double figures in a winter

Agreed Tim, although I enjoy mooching around after squirrels with a shotgun, peanuts draw them in for a decent tally off the feeders…

[paulus 26]

Without pheasant feeders being out, This time of year squirrel's have just about finished off the Autumn bounty, A peanut feeder is easier and does make a focal point for them to come to. They do out do corn feeders if i am honest but if corn feeders are already down then there is no need to add a peanut feeder. Just my opinion. 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Both methods work , more than one way to skin a cat as they say.

I prefer the sporting way of stalking them with the shotgun, would get bored sitting for hours with only getting a couple of shots. 

Air gun shooting is just target shooting but shotgun gets more varied , running flat out on the ground , running up trees and along branches plus the chance of right and lefts

Plus the chance to add other flying quarry to the bag

 

[Dervburner 2,548]

11 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Both methods work , more than one way to skin a cat as they say.

I prefer the sporting way of stalking them with the shotgun, would get bored sitting for hours with only getting a couple of shots. 

Air gun shooting is just target shooting but shotgun gets more varied , running flat out on the ground , running up trees and along branches plus the chance of right and lefts

Plus the chance to add other flying quarry to the bag

 

That’s a cracking mixed bag Mark

[foxdropper 17,092]

On 22/12/2022 at 19:11, FOXHUNTER said:

Utter bollocks I'd rather be mooching about than freezing my bollocks off sitting in a hide being bored  waiting to shoot a couple off a feeder.

I've had 50 so far this season so not doing bad and pretty much on top of .

 

I’ll do that in two sessions on the feeder mate .