Fox club

[oowee]

Good to see you out Foosa and nice result too.

[WelshMike]

Cheers Mike, tonight looks like a washout but drying up a bit after that so hopefully get out a bit more!

Good luck mate. I am hoping to get out myself but have a new pickup and dont want to get it muddy

[oowee]

Good luck mate. I am hoping to get out myself but have a new pickup and dont want to get it muddy

New pick up How is it the welsh guys have all of the money? Wont be the same when you leave the EU

 

[Dougy]

Nice one on the fox foosa, but sorry to say the pictures lacking a bit of effort, very little thought on compilation and focus is pants.

 

But nice attempt.

 

Lol

 

PS was it a box brownie by any chance ?

[Alpha Mule]

Was out out and about on one of my perms, looking for rabbit. I went there once when I first got the perm, but it looked barren.

So I've been re-walking a lot of places and noted this is now far from barren.

So I set up my HMR on stick jammed into the hedge opposite a 100m long hedge - about 80m out from the middle.

Not a lot was happening so I sat down and started fiddling with my home made NV to get the focus slightly better. Popped my head back up and found loads of rabbit out.

I had taken 2 before they scarpered the first time. A wee wait and they were back out, but as I lined up on #4 a fox walked past slightly behind my intended.

A quick whistle stopped her and she turned ever so slightly in my direction.

So I sent her the bad news.

now the bit I've never experienced before:

I saw it hit.

I heard it hit.

Then she jumped straight up (as rabbits sometimes do) and landed on her side.

I went up straight off to check her over.

I hit her on the right side about 2 inches forward of the exit wound (as seen in picture),

 

Apologies for the unimaginative framing, but it was in an old corn field.

Edited February 7, 2017 by Alpha Mule

[WelshMike]

New pick up How is it the welsh guys have all of the money? Wont be the same when you leave the EU

 

Cheeky devil....Nice new VW Amarok....company owned of course as I couldnt afford a push bike

 

Was out out and about on one of my perms, looking for rabbit. I went there once when I first got the perm, but it looked barren.

So I've been re-walking a lot of places and noted this is now far from barren.

So I set up my HMR on stick jammed into the hedge opposite a 100m long hedge - about 80m out from the middle.

Not a lot was happening so I sat down and started fiddling with my home made NV to get the focus slightly better. Popped my head back up and found loads of rabbit out.

I had taken 2 before they scarpered the first time. A wee wait and they were back out, but as I lined up on #4 a fox walked past slightly behind my intended.

A quick whistle stopped her and she turned ever so slightly in my direction.

So I sent her the bad news.

now the bit I've never experienced before:

I saw it hit.

I heard it hit.

Then she jumped straight up (as rabbits sometimes do) and landed on her side.

I went up straight off to check her over.

I hit her on the right side about 2 inches forward of the exit wound (as seen in picture),

 

Apologies for the unimaginative framing, but it was in an old corn field.

Well done mate. The .17 HMR will stop a fox but you will often get a reaction or some sort of jump or dash unless you smack them between the eyes (I am sure to get some abuse from Oowee as he uses the girly rifle all of the time as the police wont let him have a proper rifle yet) . I have chest shot a few with the .17 HMR and all have run on a little bit whereas all of the head shot ones havent moved hence why I prefer to head shoot them.

 

Keep up the good work bud

[Alpha Mule]

Well done mate. The .17 HMR will stop a fox but you will often get a reaction or some sort of jump or dash unless you smack them between the eyes (I am sure to get some abuse from Oowee as he uses the girly rifle all of the time as the police wont let him have a proper rifle yet) . I have chest shot a few with the .17 HMR and all have run on a little bit whereas all of the head shot ones havent moved hence why I prefer to head shoot them.

 

Keep up the good work bud

 

I've dropped big dogs at 50m with a .22 LR sub between the eyes (ok it took days to set up) and plenty of others with head shot HMR, but never seen one go straight up. Typical though: I've been humping my .22-250 around for yonks looking for fox and see none. The night I take out the HMR one walks (almost) through the cross hairs.

Can't complain though.

[WelshMike]

 

I've dropped big dogs at 50m with a .22 LR sub between the eyes (ok it took days to set up) and plenty of others with head shot HMR, but never seen one go straight up. Typical though: I've been humping my .22-250 around for yonks looking for fox and see none. The night I take out the HMR one walks (almost) through the cross hairs.

Can't complain though.

Always the way of things

[racing snake]

Rain stopped play for me last night. Had just seen a couple of foxes mooching around a permission when the heavens opened. I'm like the wicked witch of the west when it starts to rain "Aaargh..I'm melting I'M MELTING!!"

[foosa]

Well I decided to have a proper look about last night after suffering weeks of can't be botheredness so I grabbed the .204, thermal and ico tec caller and headed for the hills. The first field showed a fox sitting up watching me and was duly dispatched off the bonnet at around the 200 yard mark, a good start! Much walking around later and a fox was spotted mooching about a few fields away so I got into a good position and watched as it came bounding in to a vixen call through the thermal before a simple shot of the sticks put it down on the spot.

That was enough for one permission so I headed off 10 min down the road to another only to find I'd left my sticks where fox number 2 fell! After much cursing and kicking of lumps of mud I went back for them and thought I'd have a quick look, sure enough fox number 3 was in the same spot as the 2nd one, all of a sudden leaving my sticks there wasn't such a bad thing! They are the photo of the 3 together.

Anyways I was off to the second permission and on getting there could hear a fox calling not to far away so I got set up again and switched on the dog fox call, after a few minutes I watched it creeping along the hedgerow looking to see who was making all the noise and after a while it sat down and presented a safe shot, fox number 4 in the bag. He's the photo of the single fox.

It was getting late by now and I'd had a few soakings from the nights showers so decided to head home but couldn't resist a look at one place on the way, the thermal revealed two fox sniffing around a long way off, to far for a shot of the sticks so I tried calling but they didn't want to now and carried on about their business, the night was to moonlit to attempt a stalk so I flicked the lamp on to see if I could make any thing out and saw the eye shine way to far I thought, to my surprise one of the pair on seeing the lamp headed up my way and close enough for a shot, fox number 5 taken care of, a quick scan with the thermal revealed the second fox following the exact same path as the first so was dropped within 10 yards of the first, number 6 accounted for and off home to bed after that. They are the two together with the rifle.

[Dougy]

Nice going again foosa, I've been kept in these few nights, full of a bloomin cold, getting withdrawal symptoms.

[steve_b_wales]

Brilliant. Well done on getting them.

[bornfree]

I'am sitting in a nice warm office waiting for a fox that has been grabbing ducks heads through a 2" gap in the bottom of a roller door. This is the kind of foxing i like.

[racing snake]

Nice shooting foosa.

 

No rain tonight but moon being a right PITA at the moment. Having to resort to finding some cover, run the caller and hope something comes in, and from the right direction. Didn't see a dickie bird at my first two permissions tonight but running the caller at a third brought a dog fox in from my left. Lost him in some scrub as he was coming in so muted the caller and mouth squeaked him into view. Only 50 yards away when he reappears. Night night.

 

Edited February 9, 2017 by racing snake

[WelshMike]

Well I decided to have a proper look about last night after suffering weeks of can't be botheredness so I grabbed the .204, thermal and ico tec caller and headed for the hills. The first field showed a fox sitting up watching me and was duly dispatched off the bonnet at around the 200 yard mark, a good start! Much walking around later and a fox was spotted mooching about a few fields away so I got into a good position and watched as it came bounding in to a vixen call through the thermal before a simple shot of the sticks put it down on the spot.

That was enough for one permission so I headed off 10 min down the road to another only to find I'd left my sticks where fox number 2 fell! After much cursing and kicking of lumps of mud I went back for them and thought I'd have a quick look, sure enough fox number 3 was in the same spot as the 2nd one, all of a sudden leaving my sticks there wasn't such a bad thing! They are the photo of the 3 together.

Anyways I was off to the second permission and on getting there could hear a fox calling not to far away so I got set up again and switched on the dog fox call, after a few minutes I watched it creeping along the hedgerow looking to see who was making all the noise and after a while it sat down and presented a safe shot, fox number 4 in the bag. He's the photo of the single fox.

It was getting late by now and I'd had a few soakings from the nights showers so decided to head home but couldn't resist a look at one place on the way, the thermal revealed two fox sniffing around a long way off, to far for a shot of the sticks so I tried calling but they didn't want to now and carried on about their business, the night was to moonlit to attempt a stalk so I flicked the lamp on to see if I could make any thing out and saw the eye shine way to far I thought, to my surprise one of the pair on seeing the lamp headed up my way and close enough for a shot, fox number 5 taken care of, a quick scan with the thermal revealed the second fox following the exact same path as the first so was dropped within 10 yards of the first, number 6 accounted for and off home to bed after that. They are the two together with the rifle.

Well done Brendan At least you managed No 3 for your trouble when you forgot your sticks. I did this when I was in Dorset after Sika. Went to get my stick and by the time I got back my mate had shot a massive 8 pointer.....good for him not me

 

Had a tooth pulled out yesterday so moping on the couch for me last night and probably tonight as well.

Nice shooting foosa.

 

No rain tonight but moon being a right PITA at the moment. Having to resort to finding some cover, run the caller and hope something comes in, and from the right direction. Didn't see a dickie bird at my first two permissions tonight but running the caller at a third brought a dog fox in from my left. Lost him in some scrub as he was coming in so muted the caller and mouth squeaked him into view. Only 50 yards away when he reappears. Night night.

 

Nicely done mate

[oowee]

You have all been busy

Alpha Mule nothing wrong with the HMR the foxes don't go far. I was using a .22lr and that sorted them too.

Foosa when you make the effort you certainly go for it. 6 in a night well done.

Born free that's my type of shooting too.

RS listen you are setting the picture standard way too high.

 

Last night we were after a few rabbits and for some reason at 1030 we decide to go to a hill to set up the Photon. Difficult when you have not read the instructions

Then spot a fox way up on the hill. Swapping the scope back to the original it trots towards us and we make a quick dash up the hill to reduce the distance. Happy with the exercise as I was freezing at this point and can't hold the lamp steady. Shot taken at 160m and its down. Have to find it in daylight for the picture.

 

Still waiting for my new rifle getting impatient now its been on order for three months.

Had a call from the FAO to come and check out some land with me (another farm and my garden). This is the first time its happened as I normally send it in and they check it on their own. Visit next week so better make sure I know which fields are included. Gives me another chance to bang on about an open ticket. I called to ask about using the .243 for zeroing in the garden (cleared for HMR) to be told I can only have it if I have target species in there and then I could zero it there if agreed. So wait till next thursday to see what they say.

[Dougy]

I called to ask about using the .243 for zeroing in the garden (cleared for HMR) to be told I can only have it if I have target species in there and then I could zero it there if agreed. So wait till next thursday to see what they say.

They come out with some silly comments don't they.

 

So if you have a Red Deer appear in your garden (I'm assuming it's considerably bigger than mine lol) you may then legally zero in your garden.

So 1st shot to zero and that's all your getting assuming the Deer ain't deaf. Because any further shots will go against your conditions.

 

 

Unless of course your garden is actually a County;-)

[WelshMike]

They come out with some silly comments don't they.

 

So if you have a Red Deer appear in your garden (I'm assuming it's considerably bigger than mine lol) you may then legally zero in your garden.

So 1st shot to zero and that's all your getting assuming the Deer ain't deaf. Because any further shots will go against your conditions.

 

 

Unless of course your garden is actually a County;-)

I am led to believe that Oowee refers to it as a back garden but it appears on the map as Somerset

[oowee]

I am led to believe that Oowee refers to it as a back garden but it appears on the map as Somerset

Put it in for fox and deer. See what they say. I would be happy with the shot lets see if they agree. Truth is the deer struggle to get in so much now as I have put up sheep fencing to try and keep them off my trees.

Total madness the whole process.

[bumpy22]

I am led to believe that Oowee refers to it as a back garden but it appears on the map as Somerset

it has a small drawbridge at the front of his house and a modest moat to stop peasants. to be fair he does have plenty of shooting positions out of the numerous towers for the hmr

[FOXHUNTER1]

Jealous that you boys are getting some foxes . I am really struggling at the minute not seeing much and if I do manage to see one , no chance of a shot.

 

Never mind will still struggle on , forever hopeful .

[Dougy]

Jealous that you boys are getting some foxes . I am really struggling at the minute not seeing much and if I do manage to see one , no chance of a shot.

 

Never mind will still struggle on , forever hopeful .

I've not been out for a week, got a very, very bad cold. Really bad.

 

Planning on going Fri night with 17 rem now I've sorted a load.

[foxbuster]

After a few days and nights of being confined to my sofa/bed due to a major bad throat/cold I finally felt well enough to get off my bum and go for a walk with my 22.250 and relatively new NV kit. NV kit comprised of a Yukon Photon x11 and Black Sun B502 IR illuminator (supplied by Clive Ward) and a NV pistol grip spotter (supplied by Dave G aka 'somebloke').

As we're in full swing with the lambs at the moment it's so important to keep the foxes in check, I actuallly watched a 'stand off' between a fox and a ewe protecting her lamb in broad daylight yesterday afternoon.

Left the house at around 22:00 and walked into a head wind the first few fields, stopping every so often to scan them. With the almost full moon breaking cover of the clouds every so often minimal ir was needed, could see 400yrds easily.

Could hear a few lambs calling for they're mothers over a brow so proceeded slowly to the top of the hill and had another scan with the spotter, spotted one very small lamb laying on its own about 100yrds away and another in the hedgerow, I presume trying to keep concealed, at around the same distance. They're mothers, unusually, another 200yrds or so away from them to my right.

As I carried on scanning I caught the unmistakable glinting eye shine of a fox working its way up the hill towards the lambs, about 300yrds from my position.

Slowly I crouched down, dropping the legs of my Harris as I did so, then into the prone position. Another quick check through the spotter to confirm position of Charlie, and then swapping to view her through the Photon. A slight adjustment on the Photons focus ring had her pictured beautifully, she seemed absolutely oblivious to me as I tracked her through the scope. Watching her getting closer to the lambs (and myself) until at around 150yrds from myself, well within range now, I release the safety catch and give a little 'squeak'. She stops dead in her tracks at looks in my direction side on. Crosshairs pointed at her 'boiler room' I squeeze the trigger and send the 55grn BT on its way, I see the impact and hear the 'thwack' as the bullet hits home and drops her in her tracks.

I've no doubt in my mind, one, if not both lambs would have been killed by this vixen, just so happens I was in the right place at the right time tonight.

This vixen was the first fox I've taken using this NV combo and have to say, both worked brilliantly. Still getting used to the kit but on tonight's performance I'm sure to have many more foxes over the next few weeks.

Wish I could post the pic of the Vixen and my set up, but keeps telling me the picture file size is too large:-( If anyone would be able to help I'd appreciate it.

Finally a big thank you to Clive Ward for supplying the x11 mag Photon and IR torch, and to Dave G for supplying his home built spotter, both quality bits of kit at very good prices-cheers guys.

Hope that didn't drag on to much? looks like an essay!:-)

[Dave-G]

That's magic thanks foxbuster, I usually skip through the list of topics and can honestly say I hadn't noticed this foxclub thread. I'll be watching it in future - I enjoy reading stories about how a result is got - regardless of the mention.

 

I think Clive is doing very well with those Doubler Photon's he sorts out - he keeps running out.

 

EDIT:

 

Well I've read the whole thread now and like the banter and studied art work that will take some beating. Looks like Mike is being greedy and must be spending most of his life in fields and I dunno what to make of a bloke who makes all that effort to get in front of someone's house then dress up and hide his beard to entice some bird with a white skirt and yellow blouse over for a frolic.

 

I'd like to think I could join your club as the weather eases off enough to allow me out in some fields. Last time I went out in some frost with a member off here I wasn't far off needing an air ambulance with chest issues.... after about only 3 minutes out the car looking for the rabbits I'd shot.

 

So I'm only going to be a fair weather shooter these days and need to replace the scope for my 17REM that I sold off to see me through a bit of a short term fund crisis. Things will get better when her indoors gets her deferred pension back pay and regular monthly cheque so I should be good to go out again in a few weeks.

 

That then leaves the issue that most of my local patch is already spread very thin of fox with a few guys taking care of them. I'll hopefully do better further afield and have just today swapped my 05 Galaxy cab for an 03 X-Trail that I found with underseal... but that's for another thread.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Dave-G

[WelshMike]

it has a small drawbridge at the front of his house and a modest moat to stop peasants. to be fair he does have plenty of shooting positions out of the numerous towers for the hmr

Jealous that you boys are getting some foxes . I am really struggling at the minute not seeing much and if I do manage to see one , no chance of a shot.

 

Never mind will still struggle on , forever hopeful .

Winge winge winge...big girl....