First Foxes with the HMR

[NickB65]

Well the wife was away for the weekend so it has been a weekend of clay busting, pigeon shooting and this afternoon a little late afternoon / early evening rabbit bashing.

 

Although the sun was strong and very warm I was fully heard up with camp jacket, hat, face veil and gloves as I was determined to bag a few bunnies. The wind was to the NE so I would have to walk around the edge of the fields and start furthest away - the reverse of my normal trek. But what a walk - the sun was hot and the birds were out in full song. As I walked french and English Partridge took flight and made me long for the start of the season. The odd cock pheasant ran down tractor tracks looking like some fancy road runner and the deer were lazy but very alert. After what seemed an age - but a glorious one - I arrived at the furthest point. The edge of the field nestled up against a tall skinny and I knew there were some warrens along here. I could see where they had been grazing but the grass was so long I needed the shooting sticks as the bi-pod was just too short. I sat legs out front with the shooting sticks set just right and the gun propped up ready. Skylarks were singing and woodies glided into the skinny right over head..... not today. I had been there about ten minutes when the first rabbit hopped less than 25 yards from me. I raised the scope and all I could see was a slightly blurred head pocking up above the grass. I squeezed and over he went.... Never shot from sticks before so was pleased at how steady they were. An hour passed but nothing else showed so off I mooched. slowly I walked the hedge row but all the warrens that normally bustled with bunnies were over grown and vacant. I have taken quite a few from here so I was not overly surprised to find some vacant but this seemed weird. Along I went and still nothing but overgrown warrens and no tracks.

 

As the hedge went along it came to a corner and then at 90 degree to my left. I was about 90 yards away from the corner when I saw some movement. I slowed right down and crept forward. There opposite me under the hedge facing was a fox cub... just sat there. Kneeling I got into position but the sticks where too low as now I had crops between me and the cub. I sat up more and extended the legs and noticed another cub playing just in front of the other. I lined up on the first and squeezed off the shot. Worked the bolt and by luck the other just sat wondering what that noise was..... then he dropped to a second shot. I worked the bolt again and as I looked through the scope a third slightly younger cab appeared and stopped to sniff the air near its siblings..... another shot and he dropped. I worked the bolt again and waited for 30 minutes but nothing more showed.

 

All three were shot in the head and at 70 yards. My zero is 75 yards so bob on...... Just across our border, over the field is the keepers house and about thousands of poults he is rearing in pens..... When I texted him he was a little more than happy as they had lost a few birds and had spotted the vixen near the pens..... Shooting young of any species is not sporting but if they are vermin and cause loss of crops or game then I am afraid the rules change.

 

DO NOT VIEW IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SHOT FOX CUBS - your choice. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ga76xgyfngz02lf/IMG_0517.jpg?dl=0

 

A part of me is chuffed to bag my first fox with the hmr and so cleanly while a side of me is sad as they are / were such beautiful animals to watch.

[WelshMike]

Well done mate. At the end of the day it about pest control and cubs can cause havoc. In my opinion if it is acceptable to shoot an animal size is irrelevant, they had a good life and quick death, better then us humans can hope for in a lot of cases. Keep up the good work.

[Whitebridges]

Sometimes you have to swallow your own spit. Lovely cuddly critters fox cubs. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths until you find them wrecking carnage.

You did a very good humane job by the looks of it.