Foxes, courtesy of foxhunter .

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Travelled up to County Durham from Wiltshire last Wednesday to spend a few days on Foxhunters ground .After a cup of tea and something to eat we were straight out lamping .We went to a place that has had big problems with foxes in the past with both sheep and gamebirds becoming prey .Made our way to a high point and i had a squeak .A fox showed the other side of a small streamand ran in to us very fast .It stopped at the stream edge and couldnt get through the sheep netting .Making its way down the fence,it found a way and was soon only 50 yds from us but making its way down wind and around the hill top.Foxy was lamping and we waited for it to arrive for a shot .The crafty bugger came up over right on the sky line , winded us and was gone .Onwards towards a patch of forestry and another fox ,only 50 yards over a gate.This one wasnt so lucky and i shot it off the extended bipod.

It was late by now and i was knackered from the drive so we turned in .The next day ,Thursday we travelled up to Foxys mates in the borders of Scotland .We had a walk around his permission with the shotguns after duck and snipe.I shot like a twat ,shutting one eye and stopping the swing ,but foxy was on form ,killing a mallard ,teal and a snipe .

Some fantastic ground here with a grand snipe bog alongside a river .

After that we went to a patch of forestry ,courtesy of Foxys mate ,to try for a roe buck.Foxy was in a high seat and i was to go with Laurie .Stalked down to a gulley where we came across a buck and a doe on the far side .The Gods were on his side however as he disappeared into a patch of scrub along with the doe .We watched the area until dark but they never reappeared.Back to Lauries and after tea we were out lamping again .Went the othe side of the farm to where we were shooting earlier and spied a fox down in some rushes .I sqeaked and it came running to the base of the slope we were on .Unfortunately for me ,i had the bipod extened and couldnt get high enough to see it .Charlie didnt wait around for any adjustment and went back out into the rushes .Took a shot at what appeared to me to be about 120 yards but whether i hit it or not we will never know as it was very thick in there and hard to walk let alone find a fox .

Came back towards the farm and lamped another which stayed out at about 60yds on the sky line .Foxy and me stalked in to get a higher shot and i shot it off his shoulder at no more than 40 yds .

Next day ,all 3 of us drove to a deer forest nearby to try for a sika stag .Id never seen sika before so i was quite excited to say the least .Foxy and Laurie ,having been before to this place ,were allowed to stalk an area each by themselves and i was accompanied by the stalker .We set off up a track that took us up into the forest tops .Around a corner ,we came face to face with a sika hind and i was surprised how small they were .Let the hind move on and carried on up the track to a split ride and onto the hill top.Stalked along a gulley bottem and spied a hind and calf with 2 more hinds in procession .

The going underfoot was wet with the spagnum moss associated with fir plantations and i was careful to step where the stalker did as the ground moved as we went .Saw several other hinds in various coat changes .Came up around a ride and i immediately saw a stags head to my right ,just off the tree line and only 6 yds from me .I froze and got the sticks set up but the stalker hadnt seen it and was still walking on .Looking back at me ,he twigged but by now the stag had us fixed and a second later ,he vanished into the trees .That was to be my only sighting of a sika stag unfortunately .Met the other two back at the cold store and went for lunch .Back to the same place for the evening stalk whre i was put in a high seat overlooking two rides .I had a walkie talkie and asked the stalker if i could move and he said to try down the gulley we had seen this morning.Saw 10 more hinds from here but no elusive stag .

Salmon fishing the next day by arrangement with brno17 off the site .We drove to the arranged spot but couldnt find him so we waited until his phone had a signal and he came to meet us .Tried several pools on the beat but the water was low and needed a fresh run and we both blanked here again .Lamped that night at Foxys favourite spot in the Borders .

Sloping ground and sheep everywhere made for testing shooting .We lamped a fox and followed it through a flock of sheep until it stood for a shot and i shot it off Foxys shoulder at about 30 yds .A good size dog fox with a woolley coat .

Many thanks to both Foxy and Laurie for a very enjoyable few days sport .Cheers lads .

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Hi FD , I bet you were knackered when you got home , its hard going walking these Scottish hills

 

I enjoyed being out ,just a pity the sika stags werent rutting yet

 

A few more pics of your trip ...................

 

Cracking sika ground this ..

 

 

A few with the shotgun...........

 

 

Lauries stag..........

 

 

Nice having you up mate , great weather as well with a bit of shooting thrown in !!

[SportingShooter 0]

Thoroughly enjoyed the read!

 

Great to see Pals sharing the shooting they have, what is better?

 

And that ground looks superb!

 

Nice one Guys.

 

SS

[mossyh07 64]

Great post

[martin 332]

A good few days FD but a real shame you didn't get your Sika Stag,I know you were looking forward to getting one.Never mind mate,plenty other times ahead..............Martin.

[The one 8,594]

Nice one sounds like you had a great time

[outdoors kid 1]

that was a great read,

 

some great ground up there by the looks of it

[IanB 0]

Sounds a good do out, nice one lads

[Aled 599]

A few days in the countryside with some mates doing a bit of fishing and shooting. Nice one guys.

Cheers

Aled

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Cheers for those pics foxy .Yes it was some beautiful ground for the deer .Thanks again mate .

[brno17 5]

great write up FD it was a pity about the salmon fishing, ironic really after pissin it down all summer it dried up the week you were coming

 

great to meet you anyway mate and put a face to the name, hopefully if your up next year we can get the water right.

 

all the best

 

alan.