al4x Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 After a few posts about our sport and shooting alone its sometimes you get reminded why you do it, I was out last night about 5.30 so I could sit for one of the last foxes we have at the moment. lamp shy as you get and cunning with it parked up and got out of the truck, at that point I saw a magpie floating over the wood next door shortly followed by a sparrowhawk hitting it and both landing in the wood. the following 3 or 4 minutes you heard its cries as the sparrowhawk dealt with it, I've seen it on doves but they literally eat their way in while the bird is alive. Pretty horrific but that is nature and the bit that is rarely publicised in bunny huggers weekly. On getting down to the field which is about 30 acres of stubble with half down to cover it was alive with pheasants a couple of coveys of french partridges and a small covey of English. As it went on the pheasants were going to roost a few hares were about, half an hour before last light a pair of muntjac appeared the far side of the field and worked their way towards me. Then a large fallow buck crossed the field within 50 yards of me which the dog rather liked the look of but we let him go for the moment as the fox is more important. He didn't look the best so possibly starting to go back or simply down to rutting starting, looking round one muntjac was on the grass strip at the top of the field and the other was coming down the hedge towards me, got to 20 yards by which point the dog was really suggesting it was worth a shot and it indeed has got a very good set of head gear on him so another time. Just on dark lamp on and where the second muntjac had been there were a cracking set of eyes in the grass. being as its been very shy before I had been hoping to see it before dark and really didn't want to take the red filter off so left it thinking it could well be a deer. Tried the caller and it looked but didn't move on either rabbit squeek or a fox vixen call, then tried a chicken call and that was it it legged it towards the hedge I was sitting on and that was that job done. But it was a reminder you have to be out to see these things and last light is a great time to be out and being alone with just the dog for company you tend to see an awful lot of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Great write up...I'd love some land with all that wildlife and potential quarry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) Sitting alone at first and last light and being at one with your suroundings watching the wild life going about its business is as good as it gets . I have had a fox and a roe buck pass me within a couple of paces and a hedge hog litterally sniffing my boots . Harnser . Edited October 19, 2012 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I can do the hedgehog bit as one has taken up residence in my garden, much to tw disgust of my terrier. He tries to grab it. It hurts. He gets more angry and tries to bite it harder. It hurts ad infinitum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted October 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 that reminds me of a hilarious event with my old terriers oscarsdad, they found one the night before my sisters wedding. Gave it a bit of grief but didn't harm it, anyway the wedding happened and the following day loads of the relatives were sitting about watching presents being opened with the dogs on laps. I looked over and you could see the fleas jumping off the dogs onto the people who really only just tolerated them. Obviously I found it hilarious and ejected the dogs ASAP but I have seen a few times fleas being really active when they have come from hedgehogs. worth remembering when they come inside as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huffhuff Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Nothing more I like than walking through the woods at dusk. All of the wildlife stops, not a sound to be heard apart from the twigs that break underfoot. Silence surrounds you until you stop, sit and listen. Slowly but surely, the wildlife comes back... You have become one with nature and are no longer a threat! Aaaah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 that reminds me of a hilarious event with my old terriers oscarsdad, they found one the night before my sisters wedding. Gave it a bit of grief but didn't harm it, anyway the wedding happened and the following day loads of the relatives were sitting about watching presents being opened with the dogs on laps. I looked over and you could see the fleas jumping off the dogs onto the people who really only just tolerated them. Obviously I found it hilarious and ejected the dogs ASAP but I have seen a few times fleas being really active when they have come from hedgehogs. worth remembering when they come inside as well I got covered in fleas from picking up a hedgehog when I was a child and my mum washed my hair in Dettol to get rid of them.Never been the same since. Currently we have a resident hedgehog that gets fed every night with meal worms or peanut butter and raisins, and has just about discovered the hedgehog house I've built for him. I'm also fitting some infra red CCTV cameras so we can see it more easily, I've had to strip out my gun NV for the missus to watch him thru til that is set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynny Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Dusk and dawn are lovely /the best times of the day to be out and about on the farm, I totally agree mate ATB Flynny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzy518 Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 My son likes to put cat food out for our resident hedgehog on the decking around the conservatory , then sit there watching it. I have however had to insist the feeding place is moved cos I'm fed up of going outside for a smoke and treading in hedgehog poo. Even more so when I have bare feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 At dusk/dark the other evening I heard about ten thousand pheasants in the Duke of Beaufort's woods as I was walking back across the farm. Amazing. Would have been a bit eerie were it not for me being definitely the scariest thing in that wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I can do the hedgehog bit as one has taken up residence in my garden, much to tw disgust of my terrier. He tries to grab it. It hurts. He gets more angry and tries to bite it harder. It hurts ad infinitum... Great wright up mate. Superb why I used to enjoy fishing so much, alone of course lol. Oscarsdad my is exactly the same and its not just confined to the garden, most embarrassing lol. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 I had a barn Owl nearly land on my head two or three times down the marsh the other day lovely to see them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon pete Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) this magpie knows what if fells like Edited October 19, 2012 by pigeon pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 we see things the antis and bunny huggers will never see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 How very very true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gutty Boots Posted October 19, 2012 Report Share Posted October 19, 2012 Nice write up, guess I'm not the only one to have been admiring the sunrise, wildlife & scenery as the first few birds exit the shore directly overhead unseen !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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