Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Fox control Don and i were out on our local patch after a fox that has evaded us a couple of times. The farmer is being driven to distraction with this one as he has caught it twice trying to chew its way into his goose coop. We have seen it twice in the same place but either the wind has been wrong or it has managed to make good its escape before we could get onto it. the weather is perfect with the wind in the right direction as this is a boundary field and thus only one avenue of approach. We walk into the field and almost straight away spot the fox just inside our boundary, at the call it sat down and looked at us. lamp and call shy we are going to have to be quick here! As i deploy the bipod and estimate the range at a 220yds i am completely confident as i practice on our range at 250yds. i have already made the neccesary mental adjustment for holdover and know my shot will drop 2 inches at this range. i am shooting downhill so only 1 inch neccesary. as i am ready and at this range i want to make sure of what i am shooting at as i can only make out the eyes and to be sure i ask don to remove the filter from the lamp. The filter comes off and a clearly identified fox appears in the 12 X crosshairs, a gentle squeeze on the trigger and the thump of a succesful shot as the fox collapses without a twitch. We decided to pace the range and realised it was a little farther than we thought and at 240 yards we reached the troublesome vulpine interloper. A long shot that one, i much prefer to get them in the 100-150 yard area but i am sure that we had no chance of getting any closer, cue two very happy fox shooters and an ecstatic farmer. Ferreting. Don and i are out today with junior YTS trainee, on another of our local patches. A small holding but we have scored well here in the past so hopes are high as the day dawns clear and bright and quite mild. We are off to a good start as we net up a small set under a hedge and a bunny bolts before we even get a ferret in the ground Woo Hoo!! as the ferret enters and underground mayhem ensues we have another 2 in quick succession. Next onto a larger set again at the base of a hedgerow and as some 70+ nets have gone down we stop for a restorative coffee. Suitably refreshed we post the ferrets and the underground rumbling commences on cue. The first bolt is at junior YTS feet and as he bends down to scoop up the enmeshed bunny Abi whizzes out of the hole and nails the bunny. which is more than the trainees frail nerves can stand at the moment as disentangling an irate poley who is firmly stating that this is her rabbit is beyond his willingness to do....... he will learn.......another 10 years apprenticeship methinks. As i persuade abi to let go and post her back down a different hole don is kept busy and bunnies start to bolt his side and he proves how spritely he still is (despite creaking joints) by only missing one that to be fair the net was set in a difficult area. We move along the large set playing ferrety leapfrog with some fine bolts for us all to deal with and as we reach the end we are into double figures already woo hoo. The next hedgerow is only 1/3 of the size of the previous one and we soon have it netted up including a 15 holer in the open field. we rattle 2 out of the set in the open and another 2 from the hedgerow and with lunchtime fast approaching we retire back to the car for a fry up and to plan the afternoon assault with 14 in the bag. Suitably refreshed with morrisons finest lincolnshire sausages and smoked bacon we set off to do the final hedgerow. we quickly net up and with some 30+ nets down the ferrets are posted to do their thing. Don again gets a couple bolt at his feet and we are operating like a well oiled machine...... must be the bacon grease... as don deals with the bunnies whilst i set fresh nets. Junior YTS gets a bolt on his side and as we reach the end of the hedge we have another 4 giving us 18. With the afternoon getting on at 2pm we are going to call a halt when don finds a nice easy couple of sets in the open. we quickly net up and rattle out number 19. As we approach the final set we post the ferrets and stand back. My albino quickly escorts a bunny from its set into junior yts hands and we box her up as we haven't seen abi nor has she bolted anything. Out with the locator and we eventually find her 2 1/2 feet down and not moving. Out with the spade.....and we had been doing so well. it is easy digging and we are soon down to the roof of the tunnel and as we break through the tunnel roof and extremely irate abi is going potty launching herself into the tunnel. We quickly fish her out and a grey backside shuffles into view and as don grabs said bunny and produces it aloft with a flourish another backside shuffles into view, as i deal with the first the second is dealt with by don....... abi has done really well today and is a first rate addition to the team. with the time at 3.30pm we call a halt to what has been a cracking day. Both ferrets are safe in the box and as i take a picture of the slain and a group of very happy ferreters all is well with the world. Deerstalking. I have been watching the weather like a hawk for my trip to scotland but the weather gods have conspired against me with wind and rain forcast. But undeterred by such trivialities (some would say obsessed with deer...... they would be right HA HA) i point myself north and hope for the best. I arrive at 0745 with the wind howling but the rain holding off. I make my way round seeing very little in the way of deer. As i approach the last fell a doe crosses the track in front of me at some 90yds range. it is not agitated nor has it sensed me so i carefully approach where it crossed alas no sign of it in the area as it made good its escape into the forestry but at least i have seen a deer. After a long day of stalking and much walking for seeing one deer the weather has kept the deer in the forestry blocks so i make plans to visit the area i saw the doe first thing tomorrow and hope for a break in the weather. After being kept awake half of the night by the rain drumming on the caravan roof a tired and bedraglled stalker heads off to try his luck as the day dawns overcast but with a yellowish tinge in the sky...... the wind has dropped too.... fingers crossed. As i tiptoe along the forest trail i make a stealthy approach to the area i saw the doe yesterday and as i pass the fell...... the doe bursts from the undergrowth at my feet where she had been sleeping (good grief i nearly jumped out of my boots). As she takes off across the fell the rifle comes smoothly onto the sticks i am tracking her in the scope as she approaches the woodland fringe. She has slowed now and as i am about to try to shout at her to stop her she puts on the brakes and looks back to see what woke her up.... no mistake from your humble scribe and at 90 yds a perfect shot into the heart/lung area sees her collapse into the undergrowth. The gralloch reveals a healthy youngster some 18 months old and 2/3 grown. perfect venison for the table. Just goes to show you never know your luck, though of course you make your own luck to a degree as i have spent hours on the range practicing that type of shooting and today it paid off. i stalked for the rest of the day until 2pm with only a brief stop for lunch and coffee without seeing any other deer. Well after a small refreshment break and photo a happy stalker heads for home. I have worked hard for my success this trip, both physically and technically(shooting) and loved every chuffin' minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve42 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Bet your well chuffed , good write up and nice pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Well done gents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon123 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 :good: :good: :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoTshoT-16 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Good writeup great shooting and photos to match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Great report! Looks like you had some decent weather in Scotland for stalking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper3 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Superb report and pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miroku4399 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 great write up and amazing photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocker3 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 great read realy enjoyed that well done you have been busy where in scotland do you do your stalking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Fox Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Good read - Thanks for that & well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecooper1 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Cracking write up, good pics aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted February 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 thanks for the kind words everyone. My stalking grounds in galloway, near newton stewart, south west scotland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 This post is a wind up. I have never seen Gonna without a face like a grizzly bear. He shaves about once a month at best, and then with his blunt gralloching knife Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully7s Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 nice one good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left & right Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Good going and good write up well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator69 Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Cracking read and pics fella well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Great post, with some cracking pictures,well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wboulter Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 you have been busy nice wright up nice pic to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southeastpete Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 cheers for sharing, just out of interest, how come so many rabbits are bleeding from ferreting? do you use a priest or something? cheers pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted February 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 yes we use a priest to kill the rabbits in the nets. Much quicker than removing from the nets and necking them, it works for us anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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