Fox club

[Strongman]

Top work that everyone.

I had a quick look about last night but saw nothing. Probably didn't help with a 3/4 moon making it like daylight and no wind so it was an early night for me .

[WelshMike]

2 hours ago, FOXHUNTER1 said:

Well done Mike ......hope you have a bit more time now for playing with the rifle ...

Cheers Mark. This weekend is planned as follows : 

Cherry picker delivery Friday 

Weekend- Cap chimney, new guttering on the front and back of a 45ft shed and trim the trees that are all around the phone line down the lane (all 200 metres or so) .....

No shooting for me 

28 minutes ago, Strongman said:

Top work that everyone.

I had a quick look about last night but saw nothing. Probably didn't help with a 3/4 moon making it like daylight and no wind so it was an early night for me .

I have had good results on fully moonlit nights before just a little more tricky. I tend to find a spot where I can get tucked up under a hedge or in the shadow of a tree and try the caller.  Always good to spot them 150-200 out not 30 yards as they tend to do a Usain Bolt impression 

[Strongman]

1 hour ago, WelshMike said:

I have had good results on fully moonlit nights before just a little more tricky. I tend to find a spot where I can get tucked up under a hedge or in the shadow of a tree and try the caller.  Always good to spot them 150-200 out not 30 yards as they tend to do a Usain Bolt impression 

It was pretty open on the farm where I was last night. I did try calling for half an hour or so in the shadow of a tree but nothing doing. I was going to bin off my Thursday outing but I will try some land which has a large wood on it and that I can conceal myself and call. Have you had any luck with the lamp on such nights or just with NV?

[WelshMike]

25 minutes ago, Strongman said:

It was pretty open on the farm where I was last night. I did try calling for half an hour or so in the shadow of a tree but nothing doing. I was going to bin off my Thursday outing but I will try some land which has a large wood on it and that I can conceal myself and call. Have you had any luck with the lamp on such nights or just with NV?

I think it is the same as most fox shooting , sometimes you have a good night and sometimes its a waste of time 

Since I have the NV I dont tend to bother with the lamp as whenever I take the lamp out I find the lamp shy ones.  I think that whatever works for you is the most important buddy. If you go out in the cold and dont get anything please dont shout at me 

[racing snake]

Nice shooting on that pair Mike. Gun looks so much better with the mod on.

At last a few hours out for me tonight. Pain in the **** moon so a case of finding some cover in the shadow and running the caller. First spot brought two in straight after each other, obviously paired up, dog and vixen. Tried a couple more spots but nothing else seen.

[FOXHUNTER1]

Nice work again RS ,interesting that they both have black brushes.

[FOXHUNTER1]

I had a trip to the Scottish Borders yesterday to try and find some Scottish foxes.

3.15pm I set up to watch a bank of gorse til dark hoping something would emerge , I literally had just sat down when this dog fox popped out and sat down 120 yds away , couldn't believe my luck and spoilt his day with a 100 grainer ...

When it was dark I set off to try for another . The weather wasn't great -2c , hard frost and nearly full moon making it appear like daylight.

I called  near some gorse with lil jack and had this dog fox come into around 100 yds and sat down , very obliging I thought

Carried on til about 10.30pm but weather was against me and nothing was moving.

Still a good trip with 2 accounted for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WelshMike]

17 hours ago, racing snake said:

Nice shooting on that pair Mike. Gun looks so much better with the mod on.

At last a few hours out for me tonight. Pain in the **** moon so a case of finding some cover in the shadow and running the caller. First spot brought two in straight after each other, obviously paired up, dog and vixen. Tried a couple more spots but nothing else seen.

Cheers bud, the rifle sounds a lot better as well 

Nice pair and good work as usual. 

5 hours ago, FOXHUNTER1 said:

I had a trip to the Scottish Borders yesterday to try and find some Scottish foxes.

3.15pm I set up to watch a bank of gorse til dark hoping something would emerge , I literally had just sat down when this dog fox popped out and sat down 120 yds away , couldn't believe my luck and spoilt his day with a 100 grainer ...

When it was dark I set off to try for another . The weather wasn't great -2c , hard frost and nearly full moon making it appear like daylight.

I called  near some gorse with lil jack and had this dog fox come into around 100 yds and sat down , very obliging I thought

Carried on til about 10.30pm but weather was against me and nothing was moving.

Still a good trip with 2 accounted for

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well done mark. Couple of bonny wee foxes there. 

[bornfree]

. We've had the odd goose killed but not regular. I drove around all the geese Monday night at 3.15am and nothing dead but next day three killed so I expected a late one last night. Put the tower in place yesterday afternoon and went up the farm at 11.30pm walked up and could not believe a big dog fox was already there , I could not move anywhere to rest the rifle so had to take a standing shot  so I was more than pleased to drop him at 105 yards . Only got two more weeks of foxing left and iam level with my best of 36 hoping to break it.

Edited December 2, 2017 by bornfree

[FOXHUNTER1]

Congrats on levelling your PB ...........

I also broke my PB this week ...on 78 for the year , would like to get in the 80s but foxes are thin on the ground now.

Anyone in the North East got any foxes to sort ?

[racing snake]

Good work on that pair Mark, and also well done bornfree for getting to your previous PB.

Got rained off last night, but hopefully out tonight.

In two minds whether to put anymore details into fox club if I'm honest. Looks like some are starting to get their knickers in a twist about shooting foxes wit IR and thermal. Disappointed to read some of the comments on a shooting forum. I thought we were a snowflake-free zone.

Live and learn, I guess.

Edited December 3, 2017 by racing snake

[oowee]

Some good write up's here well done all. Very good effort Born free on your PB. 

We have been having a few over the last few weeks out and about but last night i stayed in to get get one bothering my chickens. It has dug under the pen trying to get in. Only the wire on the bottom has stopped it. I have sat up a few nights till 0100 but no luck, so last night i stayed up on a vigil . About 0330 I was ready for bed but a last scan and i saw the fox traversing the top of the field behind the house. I swapped the rifle to the other side of the window, switched on the nv and sure enough no sign of it. 

I decided to wait a bit longer and 0430 there it was again. I moved to line up the rifle and it was off. It must have seen me inside the house from 100m  Such a bright night it was bright enough to cast shadows but i never thought it would see me in the window with all the lights off.  Just have to make sure the chicken house is secure for the next few nights until i can pluck up the effort to have another go. Camera is set so hopefully i can work out a likely arrival time for the next effort.

[FOXHUNTER1]

Keep posting RS or we will have no Fox club , very few members to start with.

You do a great job and I enjoy reading your posts.

 

[bumpy22]

.

1 hour ago, racing snake said:

Good work on that pair Mark, and also well done bornfree for getting to your previous PB.

Got rained off last night, but hopefully out tonight.

In two minds whether to put anymore details into fox club if I'm honest. Looks like some are starting to get their knickers in a twist about shooting foxes wit IR and thermal. Disappointed to read some of the comments on a shooting forum. I thought we were a snowflake-free zone.

Live and learn, I guess.

Take no notice just jealous. I must admit I have been stuck in the dark ages a bit. Thinking a car battery in a bucket and a car lamp was the ultimate way to go lol. But the thermal and nv is the way to target troublesome foxes that the so called foxers have been at before.we have shot a lot more this year with it in so many different scenarios. Grant needs to start doing more write ups he is lazy :-) I think the main difference on here  is we could shoot foxes regular with no digital callers nv thermal etc it just makes it easier and less time consuming to get our problem ones. 

[Strongman]

Wow, 105 yards standing, unsupported is some shot and you have every right to be pleased Bornfree, I certainly would be! Good way to equal your PB too. Good work on your PB too Foxhunter, good luck with breaking 80!

Keep posting RS. Reading your posts on the other thread you provided a well balanced and sensible point of view, which is obviously not to the liking of some. This is a shooting forum and to have a troll into the ethics of technology is puzzling. Do we go back to shooting over open sights to level the playing field?!! I thought it was pest control unless I have missed something.

A clean safe kill with a rifle is all that counts. If this is aided by TI, NV or lamp then I cannot see the problem.

[bornfree]

22 minutes ago, Strongman said:

Wow, 105 yards standing, unsupported is some shot and you have every right to be pleased Bornfree, I certainly would be! Good way to equal your PB too. Good work on your PB too Foxhunter, good luck with breaking 80!

Keep posting RS. Reading your posts on the other thread you provided a well balanced and sensible point of view, which is obviously not to the liking of some. This is a shooting forum and to have a troll into the ethics of technology is puzzling. Do we go back to shooting over open sights to level the playing field?!! I thought it was pest control unless I have missed something.

A clean safe kill with a rifle is all that counts. If this is aided by TI, NV or lamp then I cannot see the problem.

Thanks luckily he was broadside on and he was a big boy.  And he was worth £150

Edited December 3, 2017 by bornfree

[WelshMike]

Gents, and specifically RS, DO NOT STOP POSTING....Please... 

I cant say I have been great at posting of late but with a new house and some family issues I sort of have an excuse. RS has some of the most detailed posts and I always enjoy reading these as well as all the other posts from our regular posters (dont want to mention Mark as he is very rude to me ). 

One of the main reasons I started Fox Club was to avoid the general stupidity of the main parts of the PW forum and daft comments from people who had probably never shot a fox. 

PLEASE please please keep on posting boys....

[bumpy22]

6 minutes ago, WelshMike said:

Gents, and specifically RS, DO NOT STOP POSTING....Please... 

I cant say I have been great at posting of late but with a new house and some family issues I sort of have an excuse. RS has some of the most detailed posts and I always enjoy reading these as well as all the other posts from our regular posters (dont want to mention Mark as he is very rude to me ). 

One of the main reasons I started Fox Club was to avoid the general stupidity of the main parts of the PW forum and daft comments from people who had probably never shot a fox. 

PLEASE please please keep on posting boys....

Well said the man with the hand bag

[WelshMike]

27 minutes ago, bumpy22 said:

Well said the man with the hand bag

 Thanks Ed. With my current bad behaviour I dont think I will be getting a new Man Bag for xmas. Looks like Man Bag Mike may need a new nickname...no suggestions unless they are polite 

[WelshMike]

Guys 

Racing Snake and I are going back to basics and selling all our rifles and kit and investing in : 

A cave, fur clothing, spear,large rock and a bow and arrow. 

May be a while before we have any pics of foxes to post 

[Strongman]

I hope the clothing is made from genuine fox fur and not some modern synthetic stuff!!!

[oowee]

3 hours ago, WelshMike said:

Guys 

Racing Snake and I are going back to basics and selling all our rifles and kit and investing in : 

A cave, fur clothing, spear,large rock and a bow and arrow. 

May be a while before we have any pics of foxes to post 

Looking forward to the next post 

[Dougy]

I'll catch up with my nights out shortly, but nice going folk. 

[racing snake]

Hey up gents, sorry about yesterday's bit of a tantrum, was just really annoyed by reading some of the comments I'd read. Not vastly different from stuff I've read before elsewhere, but first time I'd seen it in a shooting community. I thought there was a universal understanding of what we do and why we do it within the shooting community, much the same as mine for every other aspect of country sports, so was pretty disappointed.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mark, Ed, Mike, Strongman etc, it was much appreciated.

Anyway....I managed to get out last night! Yey! Went up to the new block, parked up the car at the first spot, got out and only then could you fully appreciate that bloody moon! It was horrendous. First part of the block is an area that used to be a smallish quarry, but has been regenerated and now it's a lovely amphitheatre which descends down to an ornamental lake at the bottom. It's bookmarked by two woods, one a smallish deciduous and the other, a much larger conifer one. I walked over to the small lodge that overlooks the lake and had a peak down at the water with thermal, mainly just for a bit of a nosey. Heard a bit of a kerfuffle coming from some coots on the water, but couldn't make it out clearly in the thermal so laid down on the on the wooden veranda and got the gun on its bipod and had a bit of scan of the lake. The row didn't appear anything more than a bit of domestic dispute between the various waterfowl, so while I was lying there I went back on the thermal and had a proper scan around the sloping sides, starting at my right, all the way round until I spot what looked like a fox laying on a woodpile not 60 yards away to my right. I sure looked like a fox in the thermal, but the fact that it hadn't bolted when seeing me appear on the veranda did make me suspect I might also have encountered a local dog. Got back on the drone and sure enough Charlie's lying on a pile of stacked logs, swapping his attention between me and the ducks etc on the lake. Got him squared up in the scope, flicked the safety off and sent one, express delivery. Number 1 in the bag, another cracking dog fox.

 

Left him there to pick up on the way back, and made my way over to the far corner of the permission. Given the moon, the only option for tonight was finding some cover and do some calling. There was just no point walking around - I could pick rabbits out on the billiard table smooth sloping sides with the Drone at 5/600 yards with no IR switch on! Got set up with the foxpro on a post and took cover in a small copse edge at the top of a smallish rise. Ran vixen call periodically for 20 minutes or so with nothing doing, so gave it a break for ten minutes then ran distressed rabbit for a while. Soon spotted a fox going across the top of the far side, heading towards the conifer cover. Wasn't interested in the caller, it just seemed as if that was his route. He stopped for a couple of glances, but well over 400 yards away, so just had to watch him disappear. Same thing happened with another fox about ten minutes later. Again coming from the left (the deciduous wood). Did get a little bit of interest, it kind of made a half-hearted approach down the slope, but just seemed disinterested and it soon followed the other into the conifer wood. Going to be one of those nights eh?

Got the gear back in the car and drove up to the top of the block about a mile away. Normally I'd walk it but little point in that moon. Parked up at the farm on the top and went to an area where a stream runs parallel with the road, but between the two the meadow sloped down extremely steeply. Idea here was not to call, but to just sit and wait. Theoretically, anything coming up from part of the bottom section would be funneled through the zone between the stream and the road. That was the plan anyway .... but after 2 hours sat under a holly tree, kind of got to thinking this wasn't going to work tonight either. It almost felt as if the foxes were as bothered about the moon as I was!

Thought I'd try one more spot before calling it a night, so walked the half-mile or so to an area that marks the boundary of the block. Thought I'd go back to some calling, but again it would be the foxpro, as was concerned was such a moon, when you're hand-calling you're always getting the foxes to look straight at you - not the best idea with this much light. Again went to vixen call first, nothing doing. Bit of a break, snowshoe....nothing doing. Was thinking it was probably time to call it a night, but would just give distressed rabbit a few cycles, not expecting anything though - was wrong about that!

Call had been going about 5 minutes when I spot a heat signature on the edge of the wood about 4-500 yards away, up the slope. Definitely looked interested, so let the call run, and he slowly but steadily started to make his was down the slope. Watched him in the thermal (didn't want to spook him with the IR on the Drone), as he made his way down, then I spot another fox over to the right, also heading down the slope. Two at once incoming! There was definitely some submissiveness with the second fox. He stopped when he saw the first one heading to the caller, and turned away a bit. First fox kept coming into the caller, so got it on mute, got over to the gun and tracked him the last part of the way until he came through the hedge and made his way to the caller about 100 yards away from me. Gave him a squeak to get his attention and he stops head on, looks straight at me - and down he goes. Left him where he was and got the caller back on, second fox had disappeared, but surprisingly he soon showed up again once I got the caller going. He was definitely a bit more unsure than the first, he wouldn't commit to coming through the fence, wasn't sure if it was because of the caller or the thought that the other fox was still about. Eventually he presented a shot when he paused in a gap - looking at him through the Drone it certainly looked like he wasn't in the best of from. Couldn't put my finger on it, but something didn't look 100% with him. Definitely a fox though, so '- BANG'

 Went to pick them both up, first was another stunner of a dog fox. Second one...now he was just 'a bit weird'. At first I thought it had mange, but on closer inspection it looked like a really big cub. Some of his belly fur was missing, but it was uniform, not patchy like mange, he had no winter coat to speak of, still a very light summer coat (poor **** must have been freezing), and he just looked a but runty, completely ginger. Definitely looked like a genetic problem as opposed to disease or malnutrition. Weight-wise he seemed to be doing OK, but, as said, just a bit runty. Called it a night after that - 3 bagged when I wasn't really expecting any.

[Strongman]

Nice write up RS and a good result given the moon!

I’ve not ventured out as the lamp is a bit useless when it’s near daylight! Another plus for technology . Will look at getting out Wednesday or Thursday night depending on the cloud cover.