henry d Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Had a great day yesterday a friend was having a few fox drives then we would all retire to roost woodies for the remaining afternoon. The forecast was bright with very little wind and that is what we got or it was to start with, as the wind soon got whistling down Strathearn. First drive was a simple one, the beaters were lined out along the roadside and the wood tapered to a 100yd front and the foxes would cross the grass field to the guns inside the wood opposite. I was on the left hand and in front of the guns by 150yds as I had a rifle as well and was to shoot any crossing the field towards the neeps that I was in. The beaters started off whooping and hollering and firing randomly into the air and by the time they were 2/3 through the wood I saw the sheep in the grass field scatter and a fox ran almost into the gun to my right and he easily dropped it with one shot. 2 minutes later 2 shots rang out on the far right and 2 minutes after that 4 shots. I then saw a fox running down the road on my left and I awaited a shot, but Toddy had other ideas as (s)he ducked into a ditch 250+ yds away and disappeared into a ditch that went away from me and off to a 4 acre plantation which has plenty of cover When the drive finished I went back hoping to see 3 foxes, but there was only 2 One had crossed the line between 2 guns and they held back as the shot was unsafe until it had passed them, they both shot once before it made the thick wood behind and said it was limping. We hadn`t planned to do this wood but decided to try and find the fox and finish it off. Unfortunately no-one saw it when we drove the wood out to some standing guns Next drive nothing was seen but there were lots of woodpigeon flighting and everyone was watching to see which woods they were going to After a nice lunch of venison stew and rolls we headed for the 4 acre wood that I saw the fox go into. It was a long walk for the walking team as they had to drive 2 woods up from the valley floor !! I was stationed at the end of the ditch I saw it run into and the standing guns were 200yds to my right and apart from a steady stream of pheasant hare and roe nothing else came out, we had perhaps left it too long and it had slipped back to the original wood it came from looking for it`s mate. Last drive I was again on ambush duty, the wood was shaped like a letter "P" the beating team started at the base and the guns were lined at the top, I was to the side where a small copse ran to another wood via a small neck, I had a good hide behind some wind blown limbs from an old oak and saw a steady procession of roe and a couple of hare whilst waiting for the beaters to get to the part where the wood thickend out and they would slide down to join up with me and we`d push it out to the guns. I was to fire 2 magazine loads from my remi when I started off to move anything that may have ran down my way ahead to the standing guns. Well I did and I started off, I had gone 150 yds and saw Toddy cutting around me 70yds out and making for where I had been sitting I tried to cut it off by firing shots in front of it but it wasn`t for turning. These foxes are smart cookies ! Unfortunately due to us doing one more drive than anticipated due to the injured fox, I only had 30 minutes at the roost shoot and unfortunately I had drawn the last wood we had come through and came away with a jay and a single woodpigeon for 3 shots. I hope to find out the final tally later today and whether the `keeper found the fox as we could easily have walked past it`s body or if still alive it may have clamped down in thick cover. Pics of one of the foxes, the other was a little gorey, 4 barrels of BB`s and 1`s will do that and a piccy of the scenery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Brilliant write up henry d. Hope they find the fox. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikkamark Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Brilliant write up henry d. Hope they find the fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john faul Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 godd write up well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted February 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2008 Good and bad news, bad first..............87 woodpigeon, most shot after I left Good news fox found dead 25 yds into the wood, we must have walked past it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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