Axe Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Went out last night on a new shoot and spent all night for just two rabbits. But the evening was hightened by the eventual stalk and call of a dog Fox after 30 mins. Got me buzzing all night and all morning. Still on the buzz at 11:30 this morning, I decided to go see a Farmer of a small holding who's wife is anti shooting,. She works during the day so day visits are ok. I explained that I wouldnt be there too long and spent whjat actually turned out to be three hours there. Of course I didnt expect to see much at all and managed 3 rabbits in total. Having decided to give and return to work, I grabbed my last two Rabbits and started the walk to a feeding post I had set up. Anyway I opened the first gate only to find a long red fox like image working its way to the lambs. I positioned my self against the fence and gate post and got on the bi-pods. Gave a couple of loud calls from my hand and in she came. Called he in to 40 yards when she stopped to assess the situation looking straught on at me. Gently squeezed the trigger and the 17 gran V-Max smacked straight through the heart. Fox Inspection (Tics?): Aberage size and average condition for this time of year. Her teats looked recovered and showing hair growth. So her cubs must be on solids. Her right shoulder had 3, of what I only assume to be ticks and her left shoulder one. Help me out here as i'm not sure. The were about the size and shape of a large baked bean. Grey in colour with a slight mauve tint. The area around these looked sore and showed signs of dried blood. Todays pic: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyCM Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Great stuff Axe, amazing how much fun you can have in a few hours. Cheers AndyCM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Nice shooting Axe, The Sako quad is obviously working well then. Cheers Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Yeah she is doing me proud, best pennies I ever spent. Had to go for the boiler room shoot as the wind was blustery and didnt want to risk and bad shot. But I think this prooves the 17HMR is good for that sort of shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunganick Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 nicely done mate once ive got this new long gun we will have to meet up and upset the rabbit and fox population a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Your on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 good going one more for the HMR. I must confess to prefering boiler room shots on foxes rather than head shots just gives you that bit of leeway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenzie Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Nice one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Help me out here as i'm not sure. The were about the size and shape of a large baked bean. Grey in colour with a slight mauve tint. The area around these looked sore and showed signs of dried blood. Todays pic: Sounds like Ticks Axe. Well done with you afternoon hunt mate Great stuff. The boiler room shot worked a treat by the sound of it, nothing like a well placed shot in the boiler room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will1992 Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Good shooting mate!! Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Frank, I dont know too much about tic's but these 'lumps' were fairly big and I wasnt sure that a tic would get that big. Either way I kept them at arms length. If you look closely at the pic you can just make out the one on the left shoulder. Next time I see anything like this i'll take a closer snapshot. Can I ask, are these harmless or should I approach them with care and consideration of disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard_Archer Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Nice shoting Mate, Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miffy Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Nice shooting Axe Just been to the gunsmiths and had my quad barrel shortened so i hope to get it zeroed asap and get out after some bunnies myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr Pieman Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Axe, some time ago we talked about going out one night. I know you and some others shoot a bit together now but, if you want to give that new musket of yours a proper trial, I'll take you to bunny heaven. I shot 208 rabbits there again last night. I'd post pictures but don't really see the point. PM me if you are interested sometime PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Axe cut what you think may be ticks open, If it's full of blood, your right. Well done BTW LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 (edited) Can I ask, are these harmless or should I approach them with care and consideration of disease. Leave well alone Axe, ticks are nasty little *******. Most of them carry whats known as Lime disease, a deadly dose. Edited April 5, 2006 by Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted April 5, 2006 Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 Here is a link Axe about them and the disease they cause. http://www.ccspublishing.com/journals2a/lime_disease3.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve3562 Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 nice bag mate when did you bag the fox??? thanks steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Thanks Frank, I'll have a good read up . Steve, It was taken yesterday lunchtime somewhere between 1:30 and 2pm, The sun was shinning bright and the Fox was very hard to miss against the spring fresh grass. Tracked accross the field towards the lambs when I started calling it in. Came in almost straight away, I thought I might have to yell at it to stop. the rest is obvious. Speaking with the Farmer he said it was strange as they normally see the Fox at around 4:30pm. Oh well, he was extremely happy and muttering about half a butchered Lamb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Frank after reading the page on Lymes I decided to track down some images on google. I am almost convinced they were ticks. Fully gorged from all accounts and very much resembled the following picture, but very large. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 they sound like big ticks, best left well alone but pretty harmless once they are on a target animal. Limes is rarely caught mostly by Deer stalkers as deer carry loads of them and when stalking in long grass etc they are easy to pick up. Unlike fleas they are not very mobile but I still have a policy of not hanging round dead foxes much due to the chances of fleas and mange! usually they get placed in the nearest hedge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Nice shooting Axe, and nice rifle too. Those definatley sound like ticks to me. I really cant think of anything I find more repellant then the little ******** (apart from maybe tapeworms...) If you look on that piccie, there is a small spade-shaped bit just above the mouth parts. That is the top of the ticks carapice, and that is the size of the little blighter before it starts to feed. The big grey-blue bit is its engorged stomach, which goes to show that they can get pretty big when theyve had a decent meal. As others have said, lyme disease is a nasty business, but engorged ticks are not too dangerous as they cant move very far, or very fast. I usually cant resist killing the little &$%£ers when I find them on something I have shot, but as I have already said, I have a pathological hatred of them! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Dont worry Pete, by the time they figure the Fox is dead and drained all the food, they will also notice they are six feet under mud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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