poacher boy Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Was down staying at the caravan last weekend when i decided to go out and see if there were any foxes about. Left the caravan about 19.00hrs and was on my permission 10 minutes later with my .223 tikka at the ready. As i was strolling down the lane with the sun still shining i could smell the odour from were a fox had been, five minutes walking and i was at the bottom of the lane which over looks a small valley. I set up beside a gate with a good all round view, and within 10 minutes spyed my first fox on the opposite side of the valley walking across a newly cut field . The fox had been attracted into the field because in the ajoining field there was a pheasant making a right racket. The fox cut right across the middle of the field and then kept close to the hedge row as he edged to-wards the bottom of the field. The pheasant was sitting at the bottom of the ajoining field and must have seen or heard the fox coming down the field, because as soon as the fox got to the bottom of the ajoining field the pheasant flew up into the tree which joined both fields. It was a moment to savor as the fox looked up into the tree at the pheasant who just sat perched up the tree. You would have thought they both knew i didn't have permission to shoot them were they sat . How ever Mr fox got fed up and crossed the ditch into my permission and made his way across the bottom of the field and stopped after about 15m, at this point i had him in my sights about 100m away knocked the safety off and a slight squeeze of the trigger and down he went right through the neck the spinal cord severed he didn't feel a thing and as for the pheasant he was still perched up the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 22, 2011 Report Share Posted May 22, 2011 Well, that's a first. No, not your post - welcome, by the way - your choice of aiming point for a fox. Never heard anyone going for the neck before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Neck shots generally severe the spinal column and once you do that nothing is gonna move. It's as dead as dead gets. Heart shots are more usual BUT the beast can run 'cause it doesn't always know it's dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon123 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Well done mate, Good shooting :good: OH and nearly forgot to say, Welcome to the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Well, that's a first. No, not your post - welcome, by the way - your choice of aiming point for a fox. Never heard anyone going for the neck before. Too much media attention to broadside heart shots thats why, a good hunter should be able to kill cleanly from most angles with good knoledge of kill zones- well done you, its good to watch and wait isn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Too much media attention to broadside heart shots thats why, a good hunter should be able to kill cleanly from most angles with good knoledge of kill zones- well done you, its good to watch and wait isn't it yep probably because one gives you an inch of kill zone and the other 6 inches plus, neck is ok if thats all you can see but you have to hit the spinal cord or the bullet goes through giving you a strong runner with a perforated wind pipe. Bullet has next to no resistance to get it to expand really only a shot for the very confident Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Guys, I don't doubt that you're right. It's just that head or chest have always done it for me. Without exception, using the 223 together with 55 of those V Max grains from that nice Mr Hornady travelling in very close formation, nothing has ever moved. Having said that, you're never too old to learn and point noted and inwardly digested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Neck shooting foxes? A new one on me... Did you eat it afterwards or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Hey they can be a little funny in Lancashire don't discount the "expert" shots also eating their vermin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Now't wrong with neck shooting foxes :yp: certainly drops them Good shot PB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan-250 Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 What an awesome looking gun in the post above, I killed a fox last night. No gun, just made a mess of my headlight, :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 yep probably because one gives you an inch of kill zone and the other 6 inches plus, neck is ok if thats all you can see but you have to hit the spinal cord or the bullet goes through giving you a strong runner with a perforated wind pipe. Bullet has next to no resistance to get it to expand really only a shot for the very confident Sorry total rot, how the heck do you figure a 6" kill zone on a fox broadside more like half that prob less once you look at a fox without its coat on targets are in respect of range and gun al4x (no i am not going all ackers here) but 1" kill zones are very doable with a good shooting posision with a well rested composed shot with any decent small calibre centrefire - at sensible ranges! I wouln't try that with your HMR though that said i see plenty who couldn't be relied upon to make a good shot into a barn door if they were not sat at a bench or laid prone with a bipod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 the issue is why go for the 1" target when you have a substantially larger target that allows for the animal moving or you pulling the shot or mis judging range or wind. Personally as we don't like lamp shy ones missing isn't a good option so we take the easy shot rather then the snipers one to save the meat :blink: Believe me our hertfordshire foxes must be bigger then yours as the boiler room is substantially over 3" and realistically a Vmax put into the chest cavity anywhere tends to put them down and not receive any arguments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Personally as we don't like lamp shy ones missing isn't a good option so we take the easy shot rather then the snipers one to save the meat :blink: So how many of your Pheasants are out in the fields watchin foxes at night? he wasn't lamping :lol: and realistically a Vmax put into the chest cavity anywhere tends to put them down and not receive any arguments I've had runners with .22 250 and .243 after chest shots, but none with neck shots I think your just arguing for arguments sake here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 On the grounds that you will shoot both dog and vixen, it's best to take the the worst scenario regarding target size into account. The photo's in Chapter Nine of "Foxing With Lamp And Rifle" made me sit up and take notice. Best have a look, Al4x, with respect they just may have the same effect on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 I've had runners with .22 250 and .243 after chest shots, but none with neck shots I think your just arguing for arguments sake here not in the slightest, I just wouldn't use neck shots on foxes as the ideal unless it was the shot of last resort. I guess chest shot runners don't worry me as I know firstly that they won't go far and secondly that I will find them as the hound will be in the back. The neck shot slightly low and you have an injured fox you won't find. Wymberley I wasn't intimating I needed that size target just that you have that available as an area that will stop them on a normal sized fox, of course like rabbits they vary in size hugely from cubs up and with it so does the size of their neck vary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 A .243 in the neck of pretty much any animal will generally kill it stone AND you won't see it run. Central nervous system totally wiped out whereas heart might be obliterated but beast can still run and often does. I wouldn't trust a .17 HMR to do that on a fox mind but then I don't use mine on stuff bigger than hares. Even BIG Reds (deer not foxes) simply can't move once the spinal column has gone BUT you've gotta know your animals anatomy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 I think we will have to agree that the type of shot taken is down to the individual,calibre, experience and situation,I have been nailed to a post on this forum about head shots on deer( and by the same individuals). Any type of shot can result in a slow death for any animal,thats how it is. Without going on and derailing this post, nice story and great shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poacher boy Posted May 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 Well lads i am sorry to see i have opened a can of worms . I was happy enough to take the neck shot i was prone and using a bipod and had been watching the fox for 15 minutes, so it wasn't a snatch shot and yes i could have missed i am human after all.PS thanks for the welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 This is what makes it worth reading, welcome to the madness poacher boy, the skill is to remember this lot are just alot of keyboard punchers, to take nothing to heart and reply with venom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poacher boy Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 This is what makes it worth reading, welcome to the madness poacher boy, the skill is to remember this lot are just alot of keyboard punchers, to take nothing to heart and reply with venom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poacher boy Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Thanks Redgum . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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