jimmyb79 Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Well, having patiently waited for my 223, went out on the foxes last night. I set up in the corner of the field and started calling. Within two mins I had my first one on the track in front of me. I lit it up, it could only have been 40 yards away so held it a little below its head. I pulled the trigger- thud and the fox goes down. I wander up the track to see my first ever fox shot only to find no fox at all. I shone the lamp further up te field and he's scarpering away! At my feet is a rabbit which has clearly taken the full force of my 50gr ballistic tip! He must have had it in his mouth when I shot him. So, my foxing rifle is still unchristened and I was laughing in disbelief for hours over what must have been the worlds luckiest fox at that moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peskyfoxs Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Sure it won't be long before you get your first one, I never head shot foxs only boiler room shots as they can move their heads abouta fair bit. Happy hunting and don't forget pics on your first successful hunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Sure it won't be long before you get your first one, I never head shot foxs only boiler room shots as they can move their heads abouta fair bit. Happy hunting and don't forget pics on your first successful hunt + one, I have a mate who head shoots rabbits with his air rifle and is very good at it; however his habit spilled over when he got his .243. I was doing his mentoring for him and one night he missed 2 foxes…I know the gun is good as I spent time with him on a 200 yard zero. After the second fox I asked him what the **** he was doing? Head shooting was the reply; my reply was head missing…! Take the percentage shot I told him, what do you mean he asked, I said the body is 70% bigger than the head. He is on 16 foxes after that with only one miss as we all miss… TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Well, having patiently waited for my 223, went out on the foxes last night. I set up in the corner of the field and started calling. Within two mins I had my first one on the track in front of me. I lit it up, it could only have been 40 yards away so held it a little below its head. I pulled the trigger- thud and the fox goes down. I wander up the track to see my first ever fox shot only to find no fox at all. I shone the lamp further up te field and he's scarpering away! At my feet is a rabbit which has clearly taken the full force of my 50gr ballistic tip! He must have had it in his mouth when I shot him. So, my foxing rifle is still unchristened and I was laughing in disbelief for hours over what must have been the worlds luckiest fox at that moment! some years ago i made the same mistake on a close range fox with a .22, charlie did a runner, but left a big old cockerel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Simple answer at that range if you aimed below its head you may have been shooting surprisingly low, one thing you didn't do is shoot the rabbit in its mouth with the fox behind it as you would have dropped it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted July 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 You are probably right there Al4x. I made the mistake of thinking that the gun would shoot higher than I thought at such close range. In fairness I only assumed the rabbit was in the foxes mouth but I didn't see it before I fired which may mean that it was in fact on the ground below the fox, just about to get taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 You are probably right there Al4x. I made the mistake of thinking that the gun would shoot higher than I thought at such close range. In fairness I only assumed the rabbit was in the foxes mouth but I didn't see it before I fired which may mean that it was in fact on the ground below the fox, just about to get taken. So, in the time you aimed and pulled the trigger, the fox bent down to take a rabbit, that you hadn't seen, which you then shot and missed the fox? I'm obviously missing something here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted July 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Bottom line- I don't really know how it happened. I had to take a quick shot, the fox was definitely there, I aimed too low and I thought I'd hit the fox due to the noise from the bullet strike. When I went to check, I saw the fox in my lamp beam further up the track and a rabbit turned inside out on the ground. I assumed that the only way that could have happened was the rabbit must have been in its mouth when I aimed a bit low, but posts on here have made me doubt that. At the end of the day who knows..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 The only one who really cares is the fox, body shot next time and bag Charlie before he helps himself to something else. How many foxes to make a rug? Anyone done it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 That was quite an experience and lets hope that the fox has not gone off with part of it's jaw missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 My money is on the rabbit being on the floor somewhere between you and the fox. At 40 yards there is no need to aim low, the bullet is still rising but it will only be a matter of less than an inch below your point of aim. If you aimed low and then the shot was slightly low too that would bring you down to good sized bunny height. I would have thought that if the fox was holding the bunny, with a 50gr V-Max from a .223 he still would have gone down? It's not something I've ever done but I'd be very surprised if no fragments passed right through such a small target. If he was holding it then I think he's going to be very hurt if he isn't dead already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redgum Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 At close range you have to compensate for the scope which is usually around and inch and a half higher than the barrel so will be low, sure you didnt just shoot at a pair of eyes, those of a rabbit ? If you have your rifle zeroed correctly and boiler room shots you shouldnt need to compensate, just aim and shoot out to 200yds. Ps njc110381 the bullet never rises ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Regardless of how you missed the fox you have hopefully learned a lesson from this experience. It will all fit in together in time, however it might pay dividends to get out and shoot a few paper targets at different ranges to get your head around any holdover/holdunder needed at different distances - And don't forget that distances look so much different on the lamp mate. Good luck in your quest for your first fox! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted July 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Cheers Frenchieboy. I've done plenty of practice at 100-200 ranges but didn't really consider anything under 100yds as wasn't expecting to shoot anything that close. I've been shooting rimfires for a couple of years and always make sure I've got some range reference points in my mind - but you're right- lesson learnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Ps njc110381 the bullet never rises ! Don't be silly man. How do you suggest it reaches the sight line?! It rises doesn't it, then falls again... Unless you're shooting down hill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 No it does not rise. Its comes out like the water out of a straight hose pipe. The scope it pointing down so it gives the illusion that the bullet is rising. It will rise if your shooting up hill or your on a bipod low on the deck shooting up at the fox lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Right then, having taken the advice from the helpful members here and learnt my lesson - tonight was outing number two on the foxes with the 223. Result below: (Not sure why its upside down though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 God result Jimmy! Nice shot placement resulting in one very dead fox, well done mate. You will remember your first fox for a long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camokid Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 tex book shot mate don't bother with heads to much rick on a face shot.. it could leave the fox in pain for a while you have so much more room for error on heart/lung shots .. nice big old fox he looks congrats he will stay in your thoughts a long time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyb79 Posted July 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Cheers boys - much happier this morning than I was the other day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Don't be silly man. How do you suggest it reaches the sight line?! It rises doesn't it, then falls again... Unless you're shooting down hill! As already said, no bullet ever rises above the line of the barrel, they only fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Two things: Firstly well done jimmyb79 for getting your first fox. I knew it wouldn't be long. Secondly, although it is not an area I have much experience in I am interested in whether a bullet rises before falling away. There must be a defintitive answer to this question. There seems to be diverse opinions about this from at least two experienced rifle shooters on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Two things: Firstly well done jimmyb79 for getting your first fox. I knew it wouldn't be long. Secondly, although it is not an area I have much experience in I am interested in whether a bullet rises before falling away. There must be a defintitive answer to this question. There seems to be diverse opinions about this from at least two experienced rifle shooters on this topic. As already said, no bullet ever rises above the line of the barrel, they only fall. Definitive answer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katash Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 As already said, no bullet ever rises above the line of the barrel, they only fall. Definitive answer! I think the point being made is the bullet leaving the barrel is in an upwards trajectory relative to the scopes POA, I don't think anyone here actually means the bullet generates lift when exiting the muzzle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 (edited) No, the rifle barrel is on a level plain with the rail in a downwards slope, the cross hair will intersect the line the bullet takes on two different points, because of this it is thought the bullet travels upwards. it doesn't. lol I can see where Neil is coming from though http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/TargetShooting3.gif Edited July 16, 2013 by activeviii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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