Fox club

[WelshMike]

17 hours ago, bumpy22 said:

no night shooting is boring mike are we having a write up on your deer efforts?any luck yesterday?

I agree..the boring bit is wandering around in the cold and mud and not seeing sod all..thats the boring bit 

Off down to Exeter tomorrow so if I have a successful weekend I will write it up next week. 

[belly47]

Nothing about on the first permission I visited last night, so tried another and got this dog fox at 170 yards. I watched him trotting in but he stopped and sat looking towards the caller and wasn't going to venture any closer, so took the shot and he dropped on the spot.

TIKKA T3X .222   50gr V Max

[Brad93]

1 hour ago, belly47 said:

Nothing about on the first permission I visited last night, so tried another and got this dog fox at 170 yards. I watched him trotting in but he stopped and sat looking towards the caller and wasn't going to venture any closer, so took the shot and he dropped on the spot.

TIKKA T3X .222   50gr V Max

Nice work.

how do you find the T3X I’m looking at getting one in 223 next month. 

[racing snake]

Nice shooting Belly.

Out on big hill number 1 last night. Was due a full walk around so got geared up at the farm and made my way up. Unfortunately the highest you can get up this piece by vehicle is still 1,000 ft short of the summit, so you're always blowing a bit by the time you get near the top. Had decided not to take the caller tonight, getting to be that time of year when I find it can be more of a hindrance than a help, so made my way up and over to the far end for a sit and wait by the conifer wood. Only about an hour passes before I see my first fox of the night. Came out of the wood about 600 yards away and headed down and to my left, but she turned up and headed around the slope but lost her when she was still too far for a shot. Judging from her new direction I reckoned she would be heading through a field behind me, so quickly redeposited myself facing the other direction and waited. Soon spot her coming through the field on my right and heading pretty much straight at me. A few minutes later she pops through the fence not 70 yards away and number 1 in the bag.

 

Walked the entire hill after dropping her, and nothing else seen, so headed back down to the farm to check the lower fields at the bottom. There's a series of fields that I can check as I walk along the track at the bottom, nothing seen in nearly all of them, but at the very last one I see a fox coming along the fence about 150 yards away. Got the gun on the gate post and waited for his closest point of approach, about 100 yards, got him in the scope and a good sized dog fox was put down.

 

 

A quick scoot over to the quarry for a finial check. Onto the flatbed for a sit and wait. Nothing for a good long spell but after getting on for a couple of hours a fox comes over the rise and heads down to the small patch of scrub that holds a decent number of rabbits. Watched her through the thermal as she made her way through it with the thermal, and switched over to the gun as she came though the thinner stuff at the bottom. Was able to follow her all the way down, and as she popped out of the fence at the bottom of the cover she stopped for a pause and that was long enough. Number 3 for the night, another vixen.

 

[bumpy22]

 

4 hours ago, belly47 said:

Nothing about on the first permission I visited last night, so tried another and got this dog fox at 170 yards. I watched him trotting in but he stopped and sat looking towards the caller and wasn't going to venture any closer, so took the shot and he dropped on the spot.

TIKKA T3X .222   50gr V Max

Good work mate. I have a 2 t3s but am thinking of going for a sako 85 now but I know it wont be anymore accurate

11 minutes ago, racing snake said:

Nice shooting Belly.

Out on big hill number 1 last night. Was due a full walk around so got geared up at the farm and made my way up. Unfortunately the highest you can get up this piece by vehicle is still 1,000 ft short of the summit, so you're always blowing a bit by the time you get near the top. Had decided not to take the caller tonight, getting to be that time of year when I find it can be more of a hindrance than a help, so made my way up and over to the far end for a sit and wait by the conifer wood. Only about an hour passes before I see my first fox of the night. Came out of the wood about 600 yards away and headed down and to my left, but she turned up and headed around the slope but lost her when she was still too far for a shot. Judging from her new direction I reckoned she would be heading through a field behind me, so quickly redeposited myself facing the other direction and waited. Soon spot her coming through the field on my right and heading pretty much straight at me. A few minutes later she pops through the fence not 70 yards away and number 1 in the bag.

 

Walked the entire hill after dropping her, and nothing else seen, so headed back down to the farm to check the lower fields at the bottom. There's a series of fields that I can check as I walk along the track at the bottom, nothing seen in nearly all of them, but at the very last one I see a fox coming along the fence about 150 yards away. Got the gun on the gate post and waited for his closest point of approach, about 100 yards, got him in the scope and a good sized dog fox was put down.

 

 

A quick scoot over to the quarry for a finial check. Onto the flatbed for a sit and wait. Nothing for a good long spell but after getting on for a couple of hours a fox comes over the rise and heads down to the small patch of scrub that holds a decent number of rabbits. Watched her through the thermal as she made her way through it with the thermal, and switched over to the gun as she came though the thinner stuff at the bottom. Was able to follow her all the way down, and as she popped out of the fence at the bottom of the cover she stopped for a pause and that was long enough. Number 3 for the night, another vixen.

 

Good work stu. Certainly put the leg work in mate.

We had 3 and another we could not find last night. All called in by hand to be fair which has not happened for a while since pairing up. Grant will do a write up when he gets up I am sure

[racing snake]

Nice work Ed. They're definitely getting a bit tricky at the moment.

[belly47]

5 hours ago, Brad93 said:

Nice work.

how do you find the T3X I’m looking at getting one in 223 next month. 

I love it, it's my first centrefire so don't have much to compare it to, but it's very accurate and have no complaints at all.

I am thinking of replacing my cz452 .17 hmr with the new tikka version

[Strongman]

Good stuff Stu, Ed, Grant & Belly.

Ive just shot a vixen in the field behind our house. I recon its the one I saw the other night but couldn't get a safe shot. Put some bait out and a couple of hours later she trotted straight to it & tucked in!

I have a Tikka T3 in .223, I can't fault it in any way.

 

[oowee]

Bumpy and I were out last night for business as usual.

Parked in a a lane and walked up the track and spotted one on the hill at about 200 and down it went. Good start to the evening shot within 15 mins. 

Over to the other side of the farm and parked in the yard. Clanging through the entrance gates, walked just a few metres and spotted one in the field just at the back of the farm house at about 80 yds. Two moments later and we were taking its picture.

Another 20 yards and we start to call at the back of the yard and in a few minutes we have one less than 20m away.  Close ones are always a little tricky and this proved the rule. The shot bowled it over and for a moment it was down but it quickly became camera shy and legged it to the next field. A hot pursuit followed as we did our best to get another shot on it. To be honest I think we were both convinced it could not last more than a few minutes but it managed to make it into thick cover. We spent a good 30 mins searching with the thermal and torch but to no avail 

Then off to the far end of the farm as we had made so much racket there was unlikely to be any more at that end. We pulled into the gate way to be faced with ruts at least 2 feet deep so we were out and walking. The field had been churned to soup and then a foot of slurry dumped o the top. We called and again within a few minutes we had one close in and this time it was quickly dispatched in the ditch at less than 20m.

It was getting late by this time and we still had two more farms to look over. Arrived at the next where we were on the look out for a lame if not three legged fox last seen by the farmer jumping out of the upstairs window of the calf barn. Right on cue there it was on the dung heap behind the farm . No shot and our hushed discussion saw it leg it to the other side. Up the dung heap we went . A very dodgy stick placement as we could see it maybe 150m plus and it was coming into the call. We were standing a fair way apart and one higher than the other so when the fox eventually stopped the shooter could not see it under the dung. The rifle was passed over and the three legged lame fox lives another day 

A good night which started great 

[racing snake]

Nice shooting Rich, Grant. Yeah agree the close ones are always the worst!

Also got a Tikka T3X in .223. It's been 'almost' faultless. Couldn't ask for a more accurate gun but I've had a few niggles with the mag follower not liking to feed the second round occasionally. It's like it doesn't like 4 in the mag and goes skew-wiff after picking up the first round (necessitating dropping the mag and shorting it out, it can't be cycled out) . Got into a habit of loading one, dropping the mag and loading it with 3 and its fine. Only ever topping the mag up after that during the night so no big issue. Only happened a couple of times but it did cost me a fox. Have had 2 light strikes from it too but as they were from the same box of Hornady I've put that down to the ammo.

Edited February 17, 2018 by racing snake

[Daieye]

Well Done Stuart,Ed, Grant, Rich and Belly

Had a trip up to Mid Wales on Friday night,into the 1st field and there's foxy watching me but no shot as he's in front of the solar panels

Up to the top of the farm, where I can scan five fields nothing around except some Roe deer in the furthest field put the caller on for a while but nothing

One last scan and there's one about 50 yds away get on the sticks and he leg's it no stopping this one, he eventually stops and sits down but a good 300 yds away

I'm on the sticks against a fence and this fox is at a 10 o'clock position so not happy about taking the shot,so try a few squeaks and slowly he comes in at about 180 yds he sit down again I ease the trigger and hear the thud down he goes Dog fox 

Check the field out where I saw the1st fox and there's foxy again but sky lined this time,his luck won't last

[babs2020]

right lads was out  Tuesday night with  my lamping  buddy and he is like a  bear with a saw if hes not got   a smoke  and is flint broke on is lighter and mine dose not work in truck  so call in at  1st pub dont  sell lighter s so go to    next pub and  he get is  lighter and can start now  but have  gone the wrong way around our shoot to normal so 1st field we scan a see a pair of

so get out on bonnet with bi pod  and bang  good night     home for any early bath

 

 

 

so was out on friday night not much about scanned some fields on the right and the left but nothing  about so go to end of road and turn  around  start driving back and a set eyes coming down road were we just scanned  darts into field but not sure were it went to so scanned both sides of fields nothing to be seen drive  back to were we first seen it nothing 

drive up to gap in hedge row so we can see in field  sat looking at me 50 yards  dose not move  good night 

 

 

[bumpy22]

1 hour ago, Daieye said:

Well Done Stuart,Ed, Grant, Rich and Belly

Had a trip up to Mid Wales on Friday night,into the 1st field and there's foxy watching me but no shot as he's in front of the solar panels

Up to the top of the farm, where I can scan five fields nothing around except some Roe deer in the furthest field put the caller on for a while but nothing

One last scan and there's one about 50 yds away get on the sticks and he leg's it no stopping this one, he eventually stops and sits down but a good 300 yds away

I'm on the sticks against a fence and this fox is at a 10 o'clock position so not happy about taking the shot,so try a few squeaks and slowly he comes in at about 180 yds he sit down again I ease the trigger and hear the thud down he goes Dog fox 

Check the field out where I saw the1st fox and there's foxy again but sky lined this time,his luck won't last

 

16 minutes ago, babs2020 said:

right lads was out  Tuesday night with  my lamping  buddy and he is like a  bear with a saw if hes not got   a smoke  and is flint broke on is lighter and mine dose not work in truck  so call in at  1st pub dont  sell lighter s so go to    next pub and  he get is  lighter and can start now  but have  gone the wrong way around our shoot to normal so 1st field we scan a see a pair of

so get out on bonnet with bi pod  and bang  good night     home for any early bath

 

 

 

so was out on friday night not much about scanned some fields on the right and the left but nothing  about so go to end of road and turn  around  start driving back and a set eyes coming down road were we just scanned  darts into field but not sure were it went to so scanned both sides of fields nothing to be seen drive  back to were we first seen it nothing 

drive up to gap in hedge row so we can see in field  sat looking at me 50 yards  dose not move  good night 

 

 

top shot that dai 

babs good shooting we just need a smile now

[Hammo]

Out again last night, after drawing a blank the previous couple of outings.Nothing showing at the first two perms, onto the third which is two fair sized paddocks with a few sheep. Owner reports seeing a big fox bolting to the lamp at 10pm the last three nights. I am confident I will bag him, If he shows. I deploy the face veil and get in position. The hedge has been newly laid, and the first car along the lane lights me up like a beacon 

Surprise surprise, two hours and no show. Although a young badger did liven up proceedings by bursting out of the hedge and gaily skipping across the paddock like a loon. I decide to cross the lane onto another perm, and mooch about there for the best part of an hour seeing nothing. Later I see a fox through the thermal hurrying through a scrubby hedge near the farm yard, I give him a few blasts on the mouth caller, he seems interested but moves on after pausing deep in cover. He manages to work his way 180 degrees around me, I get intermittent sightings but it is a full 10 mins before he appears in the next field over. I set the rifle up on the sticks, great eyeshine but I am looking through the branches of a tree! I take the shot and there is the solid thump of a hit, but the fox seems to do a forward roll then vanish. 

I walk on across into the field, and head straight for the patch of dead ground, supremely confident the fox will be sprawled out there. No dice. I finally find him, under a thick and very prickly holly bush. A full 15 mins of stumbling about with the thermal on close focus. 

 

[oowee]

Good find Hammo we tried ours on close focus for the one we lost but no joy. Bumpy was in his element scrambling through the bushes you have to put the effort in. 

Some good work Babs as always but as Bumpy said lets have at least a grimace if not a smile 

Daieye good restraint on the 300 yarder 

RS equipment issues especially in the dark are the worst. I have had a couple of light strikes with the girly gun (HMR), and a couple of split cases jammed in the breech in the last couple of weeks.  

[racing snake]

Were your reactions similar to mine Grant?

"Oh you mother ******* son of a ******* bitch **** ******"

As fox trots off into the distance.

[bumpy22]

8 hours ago, racing snake said:

Were your reactions similar to mine Grant?

"Oh you mother ******* son of a ******* bitch **** ******"

As fox trots off into the distance.

Its like a scene out of faulty towers stu. Picking up a golf flag smacking the gun while screaming. Luckily its late there is know one there except rabbits and foxes laughing

[racing snake]

7 hours ago, bumpy22 said:

Its like a scene out of faulty towers stu. Picking up a golf flag smacking the gun while screaming. Luckily its late there is know one there except rabbits and foxes laughing

[babs2020]

will try lads but always  knackered after fetching foxs back  from distance lol

[WelshMike]

Fair play boys there is some good shooting going on and some good comedy moments as well 

I headed down to Exeter on Friday and off we headed in search of roe. We arrived in a stunning spot and my mate duly took me to where I was going to sit and watch a wooded area. As we headed up the ride we saw 2 does so all looked good. I had a short walk up to the shooting spot and bumped a nice big fox on the way up. I headed over to top of the bank that looked down into a wooded area and could see the 2 roe grazing. A short crawl got me to about 90 yards. The first doe turned toward me and fell to a nice head shot. After the shot 2 more roe popped out and made a hasty retreat. There was a stunning buck in velvet who will make a nice outing for my mate in April. One of the other does presented a shot around the 100 yard mark so down that one went to a high neck shot. 

Saturday saw us off after fallow. I headed out to a good position with a view across a grass field under a large block of woodland. I was still getting set up when 3 fallow came out for a nibble on the grass. These deer are very skittish so best not to take to long waiting to see what else comes out. 100 grain soft point later and 1 was down to a chest shot at around 230 yards. The others didnt hang around and nothing else came out. 

Sunday afternoon in dorset saw 3 hours lying in a likely spot....but not seeing anything. Thats the way it goes some times. 

A cracking weekend and a nice fallow in the freezer 

Apologies for the lack of pics but the pic of the roe wasnt pretty and the fallow was a pain to recover so didnt have a chance to get a photo. 

May have to try and see if I can shoot a fox at some point 

[Strongman]

Nice one Mike, sounds like a top weekend. How's the house coming along?

[WelshMike]

46 minutes ago, Strongman said:

Nice one Mike, sounds like a top weekend. How's the house coming along?

Cheers buddy. 

Had the structural engineer round to make sure that moving the stairs wont make the house fall down  which it wont. Hoping to get started on the weekend with taking part of a chimney breast out. I am getting some ackrow props next week as we need to support 2 beams and 4 purlins before I can remove the other chimney breast and one of the walls. A bit of blockwork and a few steels and hopefully we can then get the stairs moved. In between we need to strip off some cement render so that we can have the walls rendered with lime based render in order to deal with the damp and then we can have central heating sorted.....hopefully we should be done by summer.....2025  

[bumpy22]

On 20/02/2018 at 12:10, WelshMike said:

Fair play boys there is some good shooting going on and some good comedy moments as well 

I headed down to Exeter on Friday and off we headed in search of roe. We arrived in a stunning spot and my mate duly took me to where I was going to sit and watch a wooded area. As we headed up the ride we saw 2 does so all looked good. I had a short walk up to the shooting spot and bumped a nice big fox on the way up. I headed over to top of the bank that looked down into a wooded area and could see the 2 roe grazing. A short crawl got me to about 90 yards. The first doe turned toward me and fell to a nice head shot. After the shot 2 more roe popped out and made a hasty retreat. There was a stunning buck in velvet who will make a nice outing for my mate in April. One of the other does presented a shot around the 100 yard mark so down that one went to a high neck shot. 

Saturday saw us off after fallow. I headed out to a good position with a view across a grass field under a large block of woodland. I was still getting set up when 3 fallow came out for a nibble on the grass. These deer are very skittish so best not to take to long waiting to see what else comes out. 100 grain soft point later and 1 was down to a chest shot at around 230 yards. The others didnt hang around and nothing else came out. 

Sunday afternoon in dorset saw 3 hours lying in a likely spot....but not seeing anything. Thats the way it goes some times. 

A cracking weekend and a nice fallow in the freezer 

Apologies for the lack of pics but the pic of the roe wasnt pretty and the fallow was a pain to recover so didnt have a chance to get a photo. 

May have to try and see if I can shoot a fox at some point 

good work mate after our conversation last week i could see you needed time out from castle rebuild. shame we could not meet up hopefully in a few months. did you take any bags with you?

[babs2020]

well guys here is a few of what i have shot this is some one  who  takes  them off me and skins he s just sent  pic s any  one do any thing with there foxs 

[oowee]

Thats a fair collection I fancy doing something with them but I dont know how to do them, or how hard they are to do? I guess a quick search on youtube would show it.  Probably start with a deer skin first.

A mate was telling me yesterday of a trick with a split stick to strip the fox tail from the bone. Even after he told me I am not sure i understood what he meant.