A first time.....

[Lancs Lad]

My permission over the road has started to get a few more bunnies on it now, I left it "resting" late last year when I noticed the mixy taking its toll.

 

I took a fair few bunnies from it, keeping the girls at work in bunny pies etc but didnt want to over shoot it.

 

Farmer planted barley in it at the end of the season and its been doing fairly well with not much bother from winged vermin or cotton tails.

 

Went over for a bit of a walk this evening and set up with the Semi behind a fallen tree hoping to take one or two as they frolicked in the sun.

 

There I was crouched down, I heard some rustling under a holly tree to my front about 10 yds. Game on I thought, I saw something small moving around in the bush but couldnt make out exactly what it was, so I held off giving it 32g of no 6 Gamebore clear pigeon....

 

It went quiet after a few mins and nothing "came out". So I stuck where I was and waited, I saw a bunny about 50 yds away and out of range for the semi as far as I was concerned.

 

Again the rustling came from the holly bush,,,,,again I never fired as I couldnt be 100 percent sure,, last thing I wanted was to wipe out someones tabby cat............

 

Another bunny popped up about 40 yds away, so I thought lets give this a crack. First shot miss, second fell short and behind.......................bunny escaped.

 

I unloaded the 3rd round and went for a quick walk up the siding of the field I saw quite a few scratches and holes. As I was walking back up the field to pick up my gun bag I came across another hole.

 

Out popped something that wasnt a bunny.......it was tiny..................it was giving it a little growly barky yelpy noise.

 

Looking at the size of my puppy at 12 weeks old, this one must be about 3 weeks or so I guess.

 

A little fox cub, I must have been about 4ft away from him, no sign of mum or dad, he was scratting around under the holly bush and off he popped down a hole that was the size of a bunnys. Im assuming that they have taken posession of the warren. I had a good look around an found an entrance that was bigger than a bunny hole, must have been about 10 to 12 inches wide. So I am guessing this is where mum gets in.

 

I was in two minds what to do................................should I or shouldnt I............................

 

Ive never come across a set before, and have NEVER been that close to a cub before. It was a pleasureable experience and I wouldnt mind shooting it with the camera instead of the semi.

 

Now, bear in mind, that there is no poultry, game, or other kept birds in my "permission" and local area. My farmer has never asked me to control charlie. If he did then Mr Fox would end up with a BB load.

 

But I think I will continue to enjoy watching these little fellas grow up and help me with the rabbit control in my field. Maybe end up with a few shots with the SLR...

[Cranfield]

They are quite nice to watch in the right circumstances and the cubs can be very bold, if the vixen is not about.

Make sure they are not the Farmers pets.

 

One thing I always establish very carefully with "my" Farmers and Landowners, is exactly what I am permitted to shoot.

I will even go through a list of possible quarry, just to make perfectly sure.

 

Over the years I have had them not want foxes shot (due to the Hunt), or only shot from harvesting until Spring time.

Others have said shoot all foxes anytime, but no lamping.

One had an earth at the bottom of his garden and I wasn't permitted to shoot those, his wife use to feed them on the lawn.

Its rarely straightforward.

[invector]

One gamekeeper, on ground I shoot, stops shooting foxes when the game season is over, even though he rears pheasants.

[chunk]

One of the farms i shoot the farmer doesnt want foxes shot. Its all dairy, no chooks and he likes to see them about. On an adjacent farm i shoot any in range. Have to think where i am sometimes.

[naddan28]

Family farm i shoot when the first things I was told when met my partner's uncle to shoot the farm, "When you ever get a proper gun (only own an air rifle at mo) bowl over any foxes you see on sight." That makes things pretty clear for me!