Alan Maughan Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I am thinking of buying his book Foxing with Lamp and Rifle but would be intereted to hear from anyone who had read this along with his new book Go Foxing. My question is do I really need to buy both or does the newer book contain the best bits of the original plus the more recent developements. Also if anyone has these books for sale please drop me a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I am thinking of buying his book Foxing with Lamp and Rifle but would be intereted to hear from anyone who had read this along with his new book Go Foxing. My question is do I really need to buy both or does the newer book contain the best bits of the original plus the more recent developements. Also if anyone has these books for sale please drop me a PM. I have read the two books, Foxing with Lamp and Rifle is a good read, I personally didn't think much of the second book Go Foxing, so sold it on. Only my opinion. Reggiegun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Maughan Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have read the two books, Foxing with Lamp and Rifle is a good read, I personally didn't think much of the second book Go Foxing, so sold it on. Only my opinion. Reggiegun Can you tell me why you were less impressed with the second book? Doesn't it cover any new ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 His first book covered a lot of ground, most of it well (though not everything 100% correct IMO) it is non the less the best work on the subject matter. I doubt you can add another completely new book with only a few updates on new kit HMRs didn't exist then (so what) and Night vision was still quite basic and the electronic callers were not so available / LED lights etc. But what the heck we get inundated with those developments in the shooting press. I should honestly say (though I haven't read his second) that a new 2nd Edition of the first with amendments / updates with the option of a hardback and leather bound might have been a smart move as there have been quite a number of new guys taken up the gun against Mr Fox from the first edition. Perhaps I a being unfair having not read his second but how do you fill such a book without mostly re-covering old ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Maughan Posted March 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) I guess my point is does the new book Go Foxing cover the most up to date thinking and therefor make the original a little out of date. Im not the best reader, I get bored quite easily so dont fancy chewing through two books if one will suffice. Edited March 5, 2014 by Alan Maughan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Foxing with Lamp and Rifle is my bible. Must have bought it 20years ago I should think. Superb book that covers everything you need to know about lamps and rifles. (Doesn't cover NV as there wasn't much of it about when it was written). I have now shot more Charlies than I can remember but I still refer to this book whenever I get a problem. Met Robert again last week and had a mardle about this and that. He is a super chap who really knows his business. Have not read the second one - I have perused it - but everything is in the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 Just for info, A new work published at the end of 2013 is now available. 'A Foxer's Year' by Patrick Hook has been particularly well reviewed in 'Keeping The Balance' - the NGO magazine. One indication that it may well be worth paying the asking price - £25 - is the glowing foreword by none other than Robert Bucknell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) Bought 'Foxing with lamp and rifle' some years ago and enjoyed it very much. Met him at a BASC evening a few years ago and had a good natter, but I've never considered buying hos second book. I dont think things have changed so much to warrant another book by the same author on the same subject. Can thoroughly recommend his first book though. Edited March 5, 2014 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tis1979 Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 I think you can take something useful from all the books mentioned, I'm reading a foxers year at the moment, great read. Atb Tristram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I have read the two books, Foxing with Lamp and Rifle is a good read, I personally didn't think much of the second book Go Foxing, so sold it on. Only my opinion. Reggiegun As above. The first book was excellent and made good reading. The second one, in my opinion was'nt worth the money, and I too, sold it on. An excellent book to read is 'A Foxing Life' with Gun and Rifle, by Mike Powell. It's not's meant as an educational book, more about his lifetime of shooting foxes. Highly recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 It depends on your starting position and knowledge base. I have his first book and I have never been that impressed, I also have Fox Control by Sean Frain, another book that has left me thoroughly underwhelmed. I am not going to suggest that either was entirely useless, and it was interesting to note similarities and differences in approach, but I struggle to image what would make me spend money on any other Fox books, and certainly not follow up books to either of these! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 It depends on your starting position and knowledge base. I have his first book and I have never been that impressed, I also have Fox Control by Sean Frain, another book that has left me thoroughly underwhelmed. I am not going to suggest that either was entirely useless, and it was interesting to note similarities and differences in approach, but I struggle to image what would make me spend money on any other Fox books, and certainly not follow up books to either of these! I started shooting at the age of 10 and am 70 in a few weeks and am still learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 I chat with Robert on the phone about once a month and have read both of his books, I went to his house and brought one for a lads birthday and Robert very kindly donated and endorsed the second one. I believe you need to have spent a good number of years learning field craft, this time served will allow you to absorb what is written in these books.... TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 I started shooting at the age of 10 and am 70 in a few weeks and am still learning. So am I, and so what, what has being underwhelmed with his book got to do with that? I actually DON'T agree with many things I read, just because its in a book doesn't make it Gospel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Dekers said, " It depends on your starting position and knowledge base." I disagree 100% with that statement it depends if you have an open or closed mind. With an open mind you progress, with a closed one only stagnate. We all come at this subject from a different angle, I don't think the author does a lot of his foxing in the back gardens of the suburbs so you might know more than him but lets be fair to the chap he has been at this job of foxing a while and has a well proven competitive past on the range also. Still I try to keep an open mind and learn a little every day (often from those with less experience than me as good ideas come from unusual places at times IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN MIND) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) Dekers said, " It depends on your starting position and knowledge base." I disagree 100% with that statement it depends if you have an open or closed mind. With an open mind you progress, with a closed one only stagnate. We all come at this subject from a different angle, I don't think the author does a lot of his foxing in the back gardens of the suburbs so you might know more than him but lets be fair to the chap he has been at this job of foxing a while and has a well proven competitive past on the range also. Still I try to keep an open mind and learn a little every day (often from those with less experience than me as good ideas come from unusual places at times IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN MIND) Disagree all you like, the use of the book is dependant "on your starting position and knowledge base", it is a simple straightforward statement and has nothing to do with having an open mind, if you are a rank beginner it will be more useful than if you already have 40years of fox experience under your belt, FACT, that has nothing to do with an Open mind. Edited March 7, 2014 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 the use of the book is dependant "on your starting position and knowledge base", if you are a rank beginner it will be more useful than if you already have 40years of fox experience under your belt, Would you not concede that that is the whole purpose of the books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Disagree all you like, the use of the book is dependant "on your starting position and knowledge base", it is a simple straightforward statement and has nothing to do with having an open mind, if you are a rank beginner it will be more useful than if you already have 40years of fox experience under your belt, FACT, that has nothing to do with an Open mind. That pretty much defines a closed mind to me. A man can have 40x 1yrs experience or 40 separate years of gaining some new new knowledge every day / week or each individual year of his life. This was said to me by one of my early Bosses and its the truest thing that guy ever said (in most things he was a pathological liar ) You know i am constantly learning because i have an open enquiring type of mind / attitude and i have many decades of experience about a few things. The fact that someone has been at something for a fraction of the time and experience i have doesn't mean i cannot learn something from them. Though Mr Bucknall is not exactly a spring chicken newbie anyhow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) That pretty much defines a closed mind to me. A man can have 40x 1yrs experience or 40 separate years of gaining some new new knowledge every day / week or each individual year of his life. This was said to me by one of my early Bosses and its the truest thing that guy ever said (in most things he was a pathological liar ) You know i am constantly learning because i have an open enquiring type of mind / attitude and i have many decades of experience about a few things. The fact that someone has been at something for a fraction of the time and experience i have doesn't mean i cannot learn something from them. Though Mr Bucknall is not exactly a spring chicken newbie anyhow That pretty much defines a lack of comprehension to me, which part of anything that I have said says I don't continue to learn or have a closed mind. It seems that it is you that has a closed mind and cannot grasp comprehension. Edited March 7, 2014 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Would you not concede that that is the whole purpose of the books? My post was a response to the OP question, what is the issue, I don't have anything to concede, I made a simply factual statement which some appear to be struggling with. #11 "It depends on your starting position and knowledge base. I have his first book and I have never been that impressed, I also have Fox Control by Sean Frain, another book that has left me thoroughly underwhelmed. I am not going to suggest that either was entirely useless, and it was interesting to note similarities and differences in approach, but I struggle to image what would make me spend money on any other Fox books, and certainly not follow up books to either of these!" That was a sensible honest review of the situation/books, I am struggling to understand what has caused any confusion and what has led anyone to think I have a closed mind and I don't regularly learn something new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Ok you cant learn anything from these books its just because as you say "you have a higher starting point", its got nothing to do with a closed mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) Like I have said more than once before comprehension seems a problem for you, just where exactly did I say you can't learn anything from them and where did I say I came from a higher starting point. Like I have also said more than once historically, if you want a debate take it to PM and I happily enlighten you on your comprehension. Edited March 7, 2014 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Try reading your own post 16 Now tell me its my comprehension but that seems rather bold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 Try reading your own post 16 Now tell me its my comprehension but that seems rather bold What on earth are you on, did you completely miss every lesson on comprehension at school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted March 7, 2014 Report Share Posted March 7, 2014 What on earth are you on, did you completely miss every lesson on comprehension at school. Hey I am only reading your words. I think its hard to misinterpret what you have been saying about starting points and 40 years experience. But hey ho. You know there is a fair old Bibliography in Robert Bucknell's first book so I guess he has a very different attitude to people of your experience and starting point, some of which are even from the RSPCA and LACS so I guess he has an open enquiring mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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