sandersj89 Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 (edited) Bang Flop Plop, what on earth are you on about I hear you ask.....well read on. Last night spent a very very enjoyable evening in the company of a couple of friends at one of my permissions. Glorious evenings weather, warm and only a slight breeze. First plan was to head up to the middle of the site, about 3rds of the way up on the side of the downs to a ridge so we could watch a big area and try for some rabbits whilst waiting for the light to drop and then get out the lamps. First activity though was to re zero Rob’s 22.250 as he had swapped mounts recently. We all sorted out our rifles and then Brian walked out the target board to 100m ready for Rob. Whilst waiting I was busy glassing the side of the hills above us and spotting rabbits ready for when we were ready to start shooting proper. I glanced to my right and a patch of scrub and see an adult fox moving above us just as Brian makes it back from setting up the targets, he is a little out of breath but grabs his AR 223 and tries to get a bead on him, I range find it at about 220yards but Charlie is not going to stop, I start squeaking but he losses himself in the patch of scrub. We call and glass for 10 mins or so but nothing to be seen other than rabbits. Rob sets himself up with his rifle on the sand bags and starts the re zero process, first shot not even on the board so we pull the board back to 50m and try again. This time it is on the board but low and right. Way low in fact. Adjust the scope and slowly get the shots into the centre of the target. All the time I have my back to Rob most of the time and carry on glassing the area where the fox was, and I get him again, sat looking right as us. I grab my 243 and try and set up so I can see him in the scope over the grass but cant get a clear shot before he walks into cover again. Rob’s shooting was away from him and he did not seem too fussed by the sound. Robb is now ready for the target to go back to 100m and he fine tunes the zero and gets a nice tight group that is ideal for the action to follow. The light is starting to go, the sun has is slowly setting behind the down to our west but we let Rob set up on the bonnet of the land rover to take the first rabbit, a black one across a valley at about 230m I think. He settles himself for the shot and bang then the pop of the strike. Cracking shot. We then spend a very enjoyable 45mins hardly moving from the spot sniping long range rabbits……..this is where the title of the post first got thought up. You find a rabbit in the glasses, direct the shooter onto it and they take the shot….Bang! Watching the rabbit you see it flop over and tumble down the bank! Then you hear the Pop of the bullet strike bounce back at us. A perfect demonstration of the difference in the speed of light vs sound. Some of the ranges the shots were taken at were very spectacular and Rob was grinning like a Cheshire cat. The 22.250 is so flat shooting and OI certainly see the attraction of the calibre. The light was now dropping fast and we started to use the roof mounted lamp to spot a few more rabbits before moving off in fox mode. We sorted ourselves out and Brian got behind the wheel, Rob shooting out of the roof and myself working the lamp and ready with the calls should they be required. First route took us back to the base of the downs and a move around to the far end of the permission so we could get up to the very top for a scout around. This is the route where Brian made a valiant effort to try and tip us over the other week but no excitement this time. Plenty of rabbits around but no sign of Charlie so we head back to the bottom and move towards the other end of the permission to cover the lower grass land. Into the first field and there about 250m in front is the tell tale eyes we are looking for, I start to call on the WAM and this fox comes in like a steam train though at a slight angle. It is running full pelt and wont stop but we loose sight of it where the hedge line turns and there is a bunch of ewes and lambs. Brian edges the land rover to the left and forward to open up the angle but we cant see anything and I swing the lamp back to the left and there are more eyes are out on the far hedge line, Brain moves forwards a little and then stops to Rob can take the shot as it is safe. I call to hold the fox and bang, first fox in the bag. Great shot, just under 170m I think and the fox did not move an inch, ¾ grown dark dog fox. We scout the rest of the area for 30mins but nothing doing so we move to where I shot the 2 large cubs last week. This area has now had the hay baled so visibility is much improved. Park up the landrover and set up the gear, Rob still shooting, me on the lamp and Brian carrying the sticks should they be needed. As we are about to leave the landrover I flick the lamp up onto the hill behind us over a wheat field, there in the top corner is a bare patch and we get a set of eyes. I start to call and they move around a little but hard to make out. Rob settles down on the ground with the rifle resting on the fence and he can make out it is a fox but it is not a clear fox, we range it and it is 300 plus metres. The fox is moving in and out of site and is joined by another but we loose them in the wheat, it could be they came in to the call but with the standing wheat we would not be able to see them. We call it quits and move across another wheat field to get to the baled hay fields. First field were we shot the first one last week and nothing showing so we carry on around to the second field but again nothing. We walk through a gate to the field I shot the second one in last week and get a set of eyes about 40m out to the right, I kill the lamp and Rob lies down prone, once he is ready I raise the lamp power but the fox has moved but is sat around to the left and at about 70m, Rob quickly lines up and another shot is sent on it’s way. Again, not a twitch and a late season vixen cub is in the bag. We carry on around the next couple of fields but nothing is seen so we head back to the landrover as it is getting late. I shine the lamp up to were we saw the eyes just earlier but nothing there now but we could hear a hell of a racket going on out further on the hill, young cubs play fighting by the sound of it so we have more work to do yet. Good night had by all with the exception of various rabbits and a couple of foxes but lovely clean kills and no suffering. Good shooting Rob. Fox 1 Fox 2 Jerry Edited July 30, 2008 by sandersj89 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harv Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 excellent write up felt i was there with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Sounds like a cracking evening Jerry well done to all of you. Bang, Pop, Flop.... I thought you were going mad for a second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Great write up, and cracking shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeihrauchPower Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Nice write up, sounds like a good evening shoot. Noticed your thread title is "Bang, Pop, Flop" , shouldn't it be Bang, Flop, Pop as in your write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ice Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Nice write up, sounds like a good evening shoot. Noticed your thread title is "Bang, Pop, Flop" , shouldn't it be Bang, Flop, Pop as in your write up. TESTING - TESTING 1 - 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandersj89 Posted July 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Nice write up, sounds like a good evening shoot. Noticed your thread title is "Bang, Pop, Flop" , shouldn't it be Bang, Flop, Pop as in your write up. ....oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeihrauchPower Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 It can be bang, POP and flop or even slop when shooting rats with a C/F. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev 1 Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Nice job,well done... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Well done jerry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stokie Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 a realy good read. well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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