The Unintended Keeper ( Diary of a keeping blagger )

[ianm 2,594]

5 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Reloading used to be a cheaper option but with todays prices plus the cost of setting up it is no longer. 

You will need to be using a serious amount of ammo before recouping your investment which most recreational shooters never will.

A lot easier to walk into your local shop. 

Trouble is no shop in the country sells anything as good as i load myself. 

Cost is neither here nor there for me as i have had my gear for years and stocked up whilst prices and availability was very good.

[Stavross 13,711]

12 hours ago, ianm said:

I am surprised you haven’t set yourself up to reload. It is cheaper and you can tailor the rounds to suit your rifle far better than factory stuff. I have just prepped some cases for loading this week. Crow and magpie battering season is here so I will need them.

I was offered all the loading gear years ago but never took the lad up on the offer, looking back I should of done because setting up now would not be cost effective, so I’ll have to stick with off the shelf, they have all killed well so far

[Stavross 13,711]

Had a trip up the shoot for a couple of hours this morning as the old girl has been on at me for logs to be chopped, I managed to get a couple of others from the shoot to give me a hand plus the old girl on the Matbro, I thought she must be getting low on logs, the pile in the log shed would outlast me never mind her, but if it keeps her happy we’ll chop more

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

1 hour ago, ianm said:

Trouble is no shop in the country sells anything as good as i load myself. 

 

I appreciate that but only really needed for long range shooting, factory ammo is good enough for the average guy with most shots sub 200 yds and most probably around 100 yds.

I've shot factory ammo for 30 years with no problem, foxes and deer don't notice the difference

[KimE 487]

4 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Reloading used to be a cheaper option but with todays prices plus the cost of setting up it is no longer. 

You will need to be using a serious amount of ammo before recouping your investment which most recreational shooters never will.

A lot easier to walk into your local shop. 

Reloading set 200£, premium bullets 80£, primers 8£, powder 60£, tools for one cartridge 50£ =400£/100 or 450£ for 150 cartridges

450£ premium centerfire cartridges in a store 3,5£ gives 129 cartridges.

So how long does it take you to use 130 rounds?

 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

130 rounds will last some people on here 10 years

[ianm 2,594]

3 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

I appreciate that but only really needed for long range shooting, factory ammo is good enough for the average guy with most shots sub 200 yds and most probably around 100 yds.

I've shot factory ammo for 30 years with no problem, foxes and deer don't notice the difference

But crows and magpies aren’t the same size as foxes or deer, unless it’s different where you live.

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

1 hour ago, ianm said:

But crows and magpies aren’t the same size as foxes or deer, unless it’s different where you live.

I don't shoot crows and magpies with mine ...shotgun for .that.

[ianm 2,594]

Back to the sheep and game farm last night. The previous night I had about 8 alerts on my cameras. It showed two foxes where about but unfortunately it was pouring down rain and high winds. Anyway as I was getting my gear together tonight the camera alert went off and when I checked a fox was already there on the bait at six o, clock. I had several more alerts as I was driving there so I knew it was hanging about. After driving through the farm to the bait site I could see the fox a hundred yards or so away to the right of the bait. It had obviously been taking bits of bait there to eat. It had seen or heard me though and was just sat watching. After a 20 minute stand off it ambled off through the tree’s and up the bank. I repositioned myself meanwhile and waited watching the banking 180 yards away. Thirty minutes later it returned and I waited until it was at the clearing of the bait site. As it stopped to pick up a meal I gave it 55grns of bad news out of the 243 Drone combo. It turned out to be a barren vixen of 12lb.

Edited March 26, 2023 by ianm

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Techno foxing at its finest

[Stavross 13,711]

1 hour ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Techno foxing at its finest

 

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

8 minutes ago, Stavross said:

 

Is that you

[Stavross 13,711]

I was going to put this in view from the office thread but decided to put it here, where I been working over the past couple of weeks is a big spot with 9 acres of land with it, as I’ve got to know the people better they have shown me what there aim is for the place, they are very much nature lovers and they have deer, rabbits and an active fox earth which has produced good litters for the past 15 years, her favourite saying is “ a place for nature “ now I know a few would say they would shoot them but the videos she has shown me and what they have created there is something special and I have nothing but admiration for them

anyway, I’m just finishing off dinner and then I’ll be out up the farm

[Stavross 13,711]

8 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Is that you

You knows I’ve got all the moves

[sparky the hunter 69]

Listening to David Attenbrough talking about how we can leave the country in a better state for the next generation got me thinking.

I walked around one of my permissions and saw Lapwings, Oystercatchers and grey partridges.  I feel that all the Predator control i carry out must fall into this category but the BBC wont acknowledge it.  We did not create modern land use practices but we seem to be supporting the wildlife that does poorly in our modern agricultural landscape, when do you think the mainstream media will wake up to this?