Pigeons, corvids and another bonus fox

[hedge]

Went out last Sunday with my mate on our dairy farm permission.

 

He was there 2 hours before me using his nice CZ .22 to bag some corvids and feral pigeons in and around the yard.

 

We used those as decoys in the yard and adopted the slightly unconventional approach of sitting on fold up chairs partly hidden by a small bush and just waited to see what happened. We really couldn't be bothered with setting up a hide or trying to be stealthy in the bushes. It was a nice day and bit like sitting on the beach with the odd feral dropping in and a few corvids coming to have a look.

 

We bagged a few of both any my mate managed to bag 3 woodies. For some reason we had flocks of 30 birds flighting past to nail a freshly drilled field about 1/4 mile away (not our permission). One he shot sitting down and it was really going some. I couldn't help but be impressed. He went to pick it up and doing so he spotted a fox in the same small spinney as us. He called me up and I walked through but nothing came out. We were either side of some bushes and couldn't see each other which wasn't ideal. Had it been anyone else but him I wouldn't even have contemplated it.

 

No sign so we walked back this time in a line facing the same way and I nearly trod on it. Bolted out to my right - quick shout at my mate - he nearly kicked it, waiting for it to move away and nailed it nice and cleanly. A good looking dog fox.

 

I went for a walk to see where all the woodies were going and tried to get under a flight line before they went off our permsission. Didn't have much joy but kept 300+ pigeons off the neighbouring fields for a while. On the walk back I saw what must have been the vixen trotting along the hedgeline away from the farm. I was about 40 yards away in a field and everytime she vanished behind a bush I took a few steps. I was slightly too far away and wanted to almost run to get close enough before she was gone. Sadly I spooked a pheasant that told everyone I was there, the fox looked my way and was off on her toes. I was about 30 yards away but wan't comfortable with taking the shot with 30g 6's. Not sure I would get a clean kill. Have looked up "fox shooting cartridges" on here and some feel that is acceptable and others say closer or use bigger load/shot. I have now got some 36g BB's to use for that occasion and would probably be happy using them up to 40 yards.

 

Anyhow. We finished with about 20 ferals, 3 woodies, 9 corvids and a fox. Not bad for `deckchair` shooting. Very relaxed and a lot of fun for 5 hours.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Very well done with your unconventional approach!