TONY R Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 He cant work the ground to wind direction as he has only 2 back stops if he is elevated he has many back stops in any direction Use a shotgun , even if you park up a sprinter van get on the roof its going to make it easy safe enough at close range. Dont need much elivation to keep things safer if you are woried. but i think shotgun myself i like using a shotgun in daytime calling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam1e Posted July 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2016 (edited) The "problem fox" has been sorted out. With the help of "Robbiep" who was good enough to lend me an NS200. After hiding here and there, trying to shoot safely into the wind, with a good back-stop, and avoiding the fox picking up my scent, this is how it ended.... I dropped the seats in my Ford Kuga, so I could sit in the back leaning against the back of the drivers seat. I put some camo netting across the boot/hatch opening, around half way up, then pulled the tailgate down as far as I could, while still having view of the whole orchard. The gap to look out of was around 2 feet in height. I also covered the front windscreen so I had no silhouette if the fox looked into the open hatch area. I had my camo clothing on, along with camo gloves, hat, and face veil. Then the waiting began..... Just to add, by this stage the land owner had been throwing dog food about in the target area for a few days by now, and also did this while I was setting up. He also added a tethered dead crow I gave him for good measure. Almost bang on time as the previous few nights, the action started! At first I saw a biggish fox cub casually come out from the copse to the left. I don't know if everyone gets this, but my adrenaline started instantly pumping and I was a little shaky looking through the scope! Amateur....... I watched as a second cub appeared, who was a little more cautious than the first, looking around the area, before joining the other cub, in gobbling up the dog food. I was desperate to take a shot, but waited to see if the vixen turned up. After what seemed like hours! (around 1 to 2 minute to be honest..) and sure enough, the vixen popped out of the same copse. She was very cautious, circling the area, and staring into the darkness. She seemed to look and stare into the back of the car! I sat motionless, and after a short time she turned away. Talk about frustration! Eventually, she took a few sniffs of the crow, and started on the dog food. I presume the cubs had eaten most of the dog food, as she made her way to the crow. She was almost broadside now, but her head was slightly towards me. That was enough for me, I slipped the safety off a quietly as possible, and took the shot, aiming just behind her right shoulder. She instantly dropped, and I rapidly reloaded. She was totally motionless. Both cubs bolted in different directions. The cubs were quite big, so I presumed they may have been last years cubs? Is that likely?? Anyhow, I wanted to wait in case a cub came back out. Around 2 minutes later, sure enough one cub partially popped it's head out of the copse. I would have had a clear head shot, if it wasn't for a small tree branch swaying about, and obscuring my view. I have to add here, that at this point, I had moved forward slightly, and the rifle was resting on a small, adapted fishing tripod. I got the reticule bang on the cubs head, steadied my breathing, and was about to take the shot when the tree branch swayed clear. As it did, I took the shot and totally missed! I saw a clod of earth in front of the cub fly off the ground. The cub bolted back into the copse, and out of sight. Doh!. I waited a while, but nothing..... I left my car and scanned around with the NS200 for a while, but saw nothing..... I went back to collect the dead fox, and took it to my mates big bonfire mound so it can be burnt. The 55 grain V-Max from my .223 had done the job perfectly. A small entrance wound just behind the shoulder, but not exit wound. I was quite surprised that there was no exit wound, as I had shot it at around 80 yards away at the maximum. I checked her over, she looked in good condition, and wasn't lactating. She had huge canine teeth! Her teeth were in pretty good condition, with some tartar coming down them by around a third of the length. I was curious to her age, but other than the tartar, I don't know how you age a fox? A big thank-you to "Robbiep" who loaned the NS200 out, and my mate has decided to buy it, so a good job all round really. By the time I shot the fox my mate had asked the farmer who owns the land adjoining his, if we could shoot the fox if we saw it just over my mates boundary line. The farmer not only agreed, but gave myself and my mate written consent to shoot on his land any time we like, which amounts to 500 acres, consisting of open fields and woodlands. Talk about a great ending!! Thanks to everyone who gave me advice. I've not seen a fox with these type of colouring's before, but then again, i generally only shoot "problem" foxes.... Edited July 16, 2016 by jam1e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted July 16, 2016 Report Share Posted July 16, 2016 A double win, well done, perseverance pays off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thegogg Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Well worth the wait for you in the end mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam1e Posted July 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Thanks both. It was starting to get embarrassing! And in all honesty, a fair bit tedious. The 500 acres i've scored have to be the best mixture of land i've had. A very good result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted July 17, 2016 Report Share Posted July 17, 2016 Glad the NS200 proved useful ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisa Posted July 18, 2016 Report Share Posted July 18, 2016 Good result in the end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted July 18, 2016 Report Share Posted July 18, 2016 Dekers ...I wonder why that is?? I have also noticed that even if a window is open they will shy away, even though I have never missed one. Maybethey saw their pal fall over. I have been having a bunch of rooks and jackdaws hitting my bird feeders about 15yrds from the house and after about five died, if that particular window was open and the curtains closed they would not come near. Learning to sit still, move only when the fox is turned away and not falling asleep is imperative to success :-) Same as deer. I dread to think how many have walked by whilst I was snoozing over the years :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donegalcharlie Posted July 19, 2016 Report Share Posted July 19, 2016 Just rent a cherry picker and put her fair smack in the middle put her up full whack an get the tea an biscuits out an wait lol 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 Nicely done mate, good result. Ref the cubs you will find some big old cubs around this time of year especially if they are an early litter. I shot one a couple of weeks ago that was virtually full grown, had to check the teeth to confirm it was a cub which it was. Dekers ...I wonder why that is?? I have also noticed that even if a window is open they will shy away, even though I have never missed one. Maybethey saw their pal fall over. I have been having a bunch of rooks and jackdaws hitting my bird feeders about 15yrds from the house and after about five died, if that particular window was open and the curtains closed they would not come near. Learning to sit still, move only when the fox is turned away and not falling asleep is imperative to success :-) Same as deer. I dread to think how many have walked by whilst I was snoozing over the years :-( nothing worse then a sly snooze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted July 21, 2016 Report Share Posted July 21, 2016 He cant work the ground to wind direction as he has only 2 back stops if he is elevated he has many back stops in any direction Then he calls it when the wind is right for the terain backstops whatever, Use a shotgun for day calling too, this helps in such cases as you describe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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