WelshMike Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Nice one Mike. Cheers Steve. Hope you are keeping well mate. Good shooting Mike, some healthy looking foxes there that won't be bothering the chickens. I'm hoping to get out tonight if the weather plays ball. Thanks Brendan. I am always keen to get the foxes shot at this farm as once the pop holes shut at night anything that is out seems to go wandering out of the pens and then all hell breaks loose when the foxes find them. Good luck for tonight mate, hoping to get out tomorrow night on another 4 or 5 farms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpy22 Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Headed out last night when the weather finally decided to behave. I wanted to get out to one of the chicken farms I look after before they let the 60,000 or so young hens out today. Parked up in a couple of spots just waiting for the rain to stop before I took a wander. Up onto a nice bank overlooking a few acres, put the caller on with a mix of distress calls and then the vixen call and spotted a nice tell tale set of eyes a couple of hundred yards away. Over to the NV and confirmed it was a fox. I was tempted to take the shot where it was but turned the caller onto the Gekkering call to see if that worked...it did...the fox turned and hurtled across the bank . I was pretty sure that he would cut across the bank and come out about 100 yards away from me. I got set up ready to go in a nice prone position in the mud, the fox appeared as expected and at 80 yards a quick squeak stopped him followed by a 58 grain .243 round in the chest. Nice dog fox though he was missing the majority of his brush. Headed back to the truck with a view to covering the other half of the ground. Quick flick with the torch was met with another nice set of eyes but they didnt reappear. Headed into the field and picked up a set of eyes (different fox) across the other end of the field. I set the sticks up and watched him through the NV to see what he was doing. I noticed he was limping and watched him get to a sensible range before I lay down for the shot...big mistake...I was in something that resembled a deer wallow.....I got the shot away as quickly as I could and dropped the second dog to a chest shot at around the 120 yard mark. A good nights works and a happy farmer. Good work mike. Foxes are taking a break at the minute had a walk round on one bit of ground sunday where i have not been harvesting venison. The roe need serious attention counted 15 in 2 fields. But hopefully foxinf friday south of here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Good work mike. Foxes are taking a break at the minute had a walk round on one bit of ground sunday where i have not been harvesting venison. The roe need serious attention counted 15 in 2 fields. But hopefully foxinf friday south of here Cheers Ed. I wasnt sure if I had upset you with all of my abuse I am jealous about the roe as usual mate. I will have to come down and get an education about stalking from you mate. I will bring down one of my nice handbags so you can give me yet more abuse. I thought you would be out with Grant tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Tidy work Mike! Good effort considering the **** conditions we've had. I'm fed up of being rained off. Tonight's looking more hopeful because it's snow instead of rain forecast! Hoping to get out but will have to see how its looking later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpy22 Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Cheers Ed. I wasnt sure if I had upset you with all of my abuse I am jealous about the roe as usual mate. I will have to come down and get an education about stalking from you mate. I will bring down one of my nice handbags so you can give me yet more abuse. I thought you would be out with Grant tonight? plenty about been shooting good numbers. give it a month and you can come over and shoot one with head gear. grant came over and helped me butcher a deer tonight but no shooting till friday. as for the abuse mike i think it was all pretty much as you described us to be fair i will do the write up next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Well, another night trashed by the rain. That's an hour round trip that was a waste of time. Seem to be stuck in a rut of dry days followed by wet nights at the moment - really hacking me off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Tidy work Mike! Good effort considering the **** conditions we've had. I'm fed up of being rained off. Tonight's looking more hopeful because it's snow instead of rain forecast! Hoping to get out but will have to see how its looking later. Cheers mate. I spent about an hour washing the mud out of my kit when I got home last night. Looks like if I get out tonight I will need to take a Canoe to get about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 plenty about been shooting good numbers. give it a month and you can come over and shoot one with head gear. grant came over and helped me butcher a deer tonight but no shooting till friday. as for the abuse mike i think it was all pretty much as you described us to be fair i will do the write up next time Cheers buddy. I did warn you boys about saying anything unkind before I got back..though I know your sense of humor is able to cope. If the weather carries on the way it is I will bring my arm bands with me Well, another night trashed by the rain. That's an hour round trip that was a waste of time. Seem to be stuck in a rut of dry days followed by wet nights at the moment - really hacking me off! Totally agree with you there mate. Lovely day here as well yesterday then torrential rain all night....gets in the way of shooting.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonker Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 What a daft rear end! I thought I'd try my luck last night, must have a hole in my head. It was dry when I left, proverbial hissing it down when I arrived. Waited to see if would ease a bit, and it did. Was parked on a private drive at the back of a huge Cider orchard, and to get to where I wanted to be, I needed to be a Mountain goat. 15 minutes later and three stops to calm my heart rate found me on top of a hill with three woods surrounding me ideal for a fox I thought when I got out of the truck. ( big mistake) Wind howling, couldn't stand still, eyes streaming, rain by now coming horizontal, wet *** where I had slipped and fallen over in the muddy gateway, cold and the caller was a waste of space as nothing would hear it. 20 mins up there and couldn't feel my face. Decided to give it best and go around the other side of the hill down low towards the Motorway to get a few rabbits with the HMR. Parked up on the Farm drive, got sorted and off I went, 4 Rabbits in the first field, things are looking up. Through the next gate and there is a track through a wood with 5 gates off to different fields, ideal when foxing because it keeps you in the dark. Anyway the tractor had been up and down and created slippery water filled ruts, Yep, feet flew out and I was horizontal, came down in a rut,laid in about 4''of water, soaked right through, worse still, I came down on top of the rifle that was over my shoulder, heard a crack,and when I got out of the rut the screen on the add on had snapped off and was hanging by the wire, and everything was full of water, needless to say I was a trifle miffed, the air was blue and it wasn't the cold. swearing all the way back to the truck, and heater on all the way home at full chat to try and get warm. Now that that everything is clean again, apart from the busted add on, I can see if anyone was filming my escapades last night, it would have been hilarious to watch, so I thought I'd pass on how an expert hunter( not) goes about his business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosa Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Well,I stuck my head out the door last night about 7 o clock and was immediately convinced my the howling gale to stop being so silly and go sit back down by the fire!😊 tonight maybe OK for a look about, We shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 What a daft rear end! I thought I'd try my luck last night, must have a hole in my head. It was dry when I left, proverbial hissing it down when I arrived. Waited to see if would ease a bit, and it did. Was parked on a private drive at the back of a huge Cider orchard, and to get to where I wanted to be, I needed to be a Mountain goat. 15 minutes later and three stops to calm my heart rate found me on top of a hill with three woods surrounding me ideal for a fox I thought when I got out of the truck. ( big mistake) Wind howling, couldn't stand still, eyes streaming, rain by now coming horizontal, wet *** where I had slipped and fallen over in the muddy gateway, cold and the caller was a waste of space as nothing would hear it. 20 mins up there and couldn't feel my face. Decided to give it best and go around the other side of the hill down low towards the Motorway to get a few rabbits with the HMR. Parked up on the Farm drive, got sorted and off I went, 4 Rabbits in the first field, things are looking up. Through the next gate and there is a track through a wood with 5 gates off to different fields, ideal when foxing because it keeps you in the dark. Anyway the tractor had been up and down and created slippery water filled ruts, Yep, feet flew out and I was horizontal, came down in a rut,laid in about 4''of water, soaked right through, worse still, I came down on top of the rifle that was over my shoulder, heard a crack,and when I got out of the rut the screen on the add on had snapped off and was hanging by the wire, and everything was full of water, needless to say I was a trifle miffed, the air was blue and it wasn't the cold. swearing all the way back to the truck, and heater on all the way home at full chat to try and get warm. Now that that everything is clean again, apart from the busted add on, I can see if anyone was filming my escapades last night, it would have been hilarious to watch, so I thought I'd pass on how an expert hunter( not) goes about his business. ...that doesnt sound like much fun mate, glad you didnt inure yourself in the proceedings. I will have to keep an eye out on youtube to see if your antics were caught on film Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Well,I stuck my head out the door last night about 7 o clock and was immediately convinced my the howling gale to stop being so silly and go sit back down by the fire! tonight maybe OK for a look about, We shall see. Good call mate. Off out tonight and back to the patch where the woman shouted at me last week. Farmer has cleared it all up though she wants to keep an eye on the horses...she may be watching them for a long while as I have left it open ended in terms of what time I arrive ....and doesnt want the torch pointing towards the house (which it wasnt last time).....I will take the NV spotter with me so she doesnt see the torch or know where I am. If I have any more issues I will call it a day on this ground as I want to enjoy my hobby not be annoyed by idiots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonker Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Mike, you got to laugh at it now, the only thing hurt was my pride. if anyone was there I'd never live it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) Mike, you got to laugh at it now, the only thing hurt was my pride. if anyone was there I'd never live it down. I think it is good to laugh at yourself but better to laugh at other people I also like the fact that we worry more about being seen then what happened. I was out with the shotgun when I was a teenager and crossed a brook via a dead tree that snapped when I was halfway across. I was fully submerged but managed to keep the shotgun from getting wet. The farmer came home to find me sat on the couch in front of the fire with a set of his clothing on...he howled with laughter for a fair length of time.... Edited March 2, 2017 by WelshMike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 (edited) What a daft rear end! I thought I'd try my luck last night, must have a hole in my head. It was dry when I left, proverbial hissing it down when I arrived. Waited to see if would ease a bit, and it did. Was parked on a private drive at the back of a huge Cider orchard, and to get to where I wanted to be, I needed to be a Mountain goat. 15 minutes later and three stops to calm my heart rate found me on top of a hill with three woods surrounding me ideal for a fox I thought when I got out of the truck. ( big mistake) Wind howling, couldn't stand still, eyes streaming, rain by now coming horizontal, wet *** where I had slipped and fallen over in the muddy gateway, cold and the caller was a waste of space as nothing would hear it. 20 mins up there and couldn't feel my face. Decided to give it best and go around the other side of the hill down low towards the Motorway to get a few rabbits with the HMR. Parked up on the Farm drive, got sorted and off I went, 4 Rabbits in the first field, things are looking up. Through the next gate and there is a track through a wood with 5 gates off to different fields, ideal when foxing because it keeps you in the dark. Anyway the tractor had been up and down and created slippery water filled ruts, Yep, feet flew out and I was horizontal, came down in a rut,laid in about 4''of water, soaked right through, worse still, I came down on top of the rifle that was over my shoulder, heard a crack,and when I got out of the rut the screen on the add on had snapped off and was hanging by the wire, and everything was full of water, needless to say I was a trifle miffed, the air was blue and it wasn't the cold. swearing all the way back to the truck, and heater on all the way home at full chat to try and get warm. Now that that everything is clean again, apart from the busted add on, I can see if anyone was filming my escapades last night, it would have been hilarious to watch, so I thought I'd pass on how an expert hunter( not) goes about his business. Oooo bad one Tonker! I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, but there's some inbuilt mechanism in the human brain that always seems to find a sadistically humorous side to someone falling over (provided they're not hurt that is) . Gutted about the NV though. So the forecast is for a dry night tonight....and I'm stuck in a meeting until at least 9pm tonight. Starting to feel like its a conspiracy. Might try and get out after but it'll be heading towards stupid o'clock. Edited March 2, 2017 by racing snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonker Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 RS, Hope you get out ok, I think I'll sit up the tower on the Chicken farm tonight with the triple and photon. See what's about, haven't been there for quite a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Unlucky Tonker, hope you get the nv fixed, your pride may take a little longer though. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbuster Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Fair play for going out racing snake. Gutting about the NV, hope you get it sorted soon. I was planning on going for a wonder last night, but wind had really picked up here by midnight so gave it a miss. Tonight is also a no go as we're having really heavy downpours:-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Finally got out tonight after some disasters with the weather and managed to drop 2 vixens. 2 nice long shots 255 and 270. Don't like the short ones. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Missing the shooting already. Soaking up the sun whilst reading about you lot in the mud and rain lol. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Finally got out tonight after some disasters with the weather and managed to drop 2 vixens. 2 nice long shots 255 and 270. Don't like the short ones. Lol Well done mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Back out last night as the forecast looked ok. Got to the first piece of ground and after 15 minutes the heavens opened so off to one of my mates for a brew. Left my mates at about 10 with a view to calling at one of my new permissions...if the rain had stopped...which it had. The new permission is about 100 acres, split by a river (so a mix of flat and hilly ground), and has around 1000 ewes currently lambing. The owners are really nice so a pleasure to get out on the ground. I pitched up about 10 and headed out to a bank that overlooks a couple of the flatter fields. Had a hand squeak for about 30 seconds before spotting a flash of eyes in the lamp. Over to the NV and the fox was coming across the fields like a fool. Got set up for the shot and had to shout to stop him at about 70 yards. 1 fox down and only there for 5 minutes. Poor fox was covered in mange so glad to have shot him. Spent the next 2 hours chasing various foxes (I reckon another 2) around the farm but no safe shot, hedge in the way, sheep in the way etc etc.... Looks like I will be back over again in the next couple of days now I have a better idea of where the gates are between the fields Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosa Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Good shooting as usual Mike, well done. I managed to get out as well and picked up another dog and two vixens, I had a better chance to get used to the photon last night and so far I'm very happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshMike Posted March 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Good shooting as usual Mike, well done. I managed to get out as well and picked up another dog and two vixens, I had a better chance to get used to the photon last night and so far I'm very happy with it. Same goes for you buddy, well done Poor little foxes dont stand a chance with your setup now I am hoping to get back out to the same farm in the next 2 or 3 nights before they turn many more lambs out as I was a bit concerned to see 3 foxes on such a small patch without making much effort to call them in. At least I have a slightly better idea of which direction they come in from so can get set up in a more sensible position next time. Keep up the good work mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 (edited) Dougy, Mike, Brendan, well done all! Great to see you're managing to get out. Those 2 vixens look heavy with cub Brendan - tidy work. As expected it was too late for me last night, and sod's law it was dry all night. No-go for tonight, and rain forecast for Saturday night. Toys will be going out of the pram shortly. *Edit* Actually Saturday's now looking OK. I'll hang on to my dummy for another day. Edited March 3, 2017 by racing snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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