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Struggling to bring in charlie.


andy33
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Hi all,

 

Another nights lamping and another to failure to bring in charles, we had seven rabbits in total but lost four in the undergrowth so it was'nt a completely wasted night :lol:

 

As for foxing i'd have to say were struggling, we have a couple of callers and a few more on order, we know he's there weve had a couple of sightings and caught a glimpse of him last night but it was rear end and heading off at full tilt so no shot :good: , tried on foot and in the wagon still no joy. Left some bait last night and will continue to drop the odd rabbit in the same place just to see if we can lure him in to a false sense of security,

 

Anybody got any other tips or advice please feel free.

 

Cheers Andy.

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Don't rely to much on technology.

 

Think out a game plan, where charlie is most likely to be, and the best position to take him from. Work out the simplest, quietiest routes to get to these locations etc.

 

It's often the failing of many lampers (as with pigeon shooters) to just buy lots of gizmos before really learning the fieldcraft.

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Andy, It's not a matter of how many callers you have but how they are used accompanied by many other factors. For others to be able to constructively help you it might be better if you explained what experience of fox shooting you have.

There are many things that you can try like;

Regular Pre-baiting., The alarm clock method, Etc, Etc, but knowledge of your quarry and good field craft skills are crucial to success!

The last sentence is not meant as a put down and I am not questioning your skills, so please do not take it wrongly! :good:

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Should a red filter be used when lamping fox ??

 

I say No.

 

Foxes are somewhat colour-blind, and whilst I find a red filter invaluable for rabbits - it cuts down the light power to much, so I always take it off when out Foxing and just run with the white light.

 

It sounds to me like you have a lamp shy critter.

 

Get up early, an hour or so before dawn and dusk.

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Andy, It's not a matter of how many callers you have but how they are used accompanied by many other factors. For others to be able to constructively help you it might be better if you explained what experience of fox shooting you have.

There are many things that you can try like;

Regular Pre-baiting., The alarm clock method, Etc, Etc, but knowledge of your quarry and good field craft skills are crucial to success!

The last sentence is not meant as a put down and I am not questioning your skills, so please do not take it wrongly! :P

 

The way i see it any constructive advice is good advive and you'd be right to question my skills as they are very limited, only been shooting for 6 months so at the moment i'm all the gear and no idea :good::good: ,

 

Anyway i've been prebaiting for a couple of nights and sure enough he takes it everytime so were narrowing things down to rough times. As for field craft skills, well i feel they're getting better and i've picked up a lot of excellent info from this site and continue to do so.

 

As for this particular fox he's a cute one for sure, he must run like the wind when he see's the lamp hence the filter question, we caught anther glimpse of him across the field which was just his eyes really so again no shot, he was at least 300 yds and a bit to far out for me shot at live quarry, i want to be certain of a clean kill.

So anyway i wont take any advice the wrong way frenchie.

 

Cheers.

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I am no expert but perhaps some of whats helps me may work for you, not all foxes will come to a call so plz dont assume they will,

 

as for calling a wam call http://www.wamfoxcall.com/ is about as good as they get, when you get a rabbit that squeaks (it happens) listen to the sound and thats what you have to re produce. On the marsh every year I hear folk trying to call duck and it drives you mad how silly some of them are, if you go to a park and listen to the duck you can pick it up,,,,, its not hard,, same thing... listen to what happens and try to copy, the wam call allows for many changes from mouse like to full on rabbit in distress, sometimes one quick squeak is all it takes at others no matter what you do they wont come,

 

lamp wise I use red to spot and shoot under white for thge simple reasons that red reflects well in the eyes and the soft light perhaps makes them feel less threatend as it may (or may not) give the impression of greater distance between it and danger... (thats my guess) white gives a better view to see the target.

 

I apply some simple rules at all times that work for me,,,

 

1, always take your route into the wind and have a plan

 

2, try to stay near hedges and cover to break up the outline of the truck

 

3, use a combination of drive round and sit and wait, I always stop at woods and cops and try to call them out,,, it works a treat , but remember to stay the right side of the wind (in your face)

 

4, have a plan and stick to if you can as to what fields and areas you are going to get round, that way the driver and Rifle know what they are doing at any point

 

5,I have an intercom that is a modified motor cycle comms system that always continuous discussion between driver (in cab) and rifle (outside on platform)… it’s a must have in my book tapping the roof can only work for so much

 

6, Try to have the ability to have an all round view and shoot (I do from platform) off the wing mirror works fine but if you could see behind you when you call you may be surprised at how many chances that can produce…..

 

Hope this helps

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Fair comment Andy! It realy does sound like you have a lamp shy little bu**er on your hands, and if that's the case you are better listening to the advice given by the "more experienced fox shooters" than I am! I'm not sure that I am in a position to offer advice on your current "problem" as I am fairly new to shooting foxes my self. I used to lamp them regularly with my lurchers (Before anyone "shoots me down for that" it was before the hunting ban came in) and have only recently taken up shooting foxes using a 22-250. (I shot my first with a rifle just over a week ago.)

The only way to build up your skills and knowledge is through asking questions and taking note of the answers that you get on this forum from the "more experienced shooters" just as I am doing!

Good luck with your "quest".

 

p.s. Nice advice on the prevoius post Pavman, thanks, there are many of us in the "learning stages" and this sort of advice is always welcome! :good:

Edited by Frenchieboy
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if you've tried the callers and its not worked leave them, start sitting out for an hour before dark in likely spots. You'll find they appear at last light and try and get it through the stealth approach. We mostly shoot from the truck for this as its quite easy and they're pretty used to seeing vehicles round us. You can bait if you want and stake it down but if as it sounds its lamp shy and probably been called before then you have to try and shoot it without the light or call

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Andy,

as mentioned in one of the posts try sitting out and waiting for your fox as every time you try to call him he is coming in on adrenaline and his sense are hightened make him more sharper.

Try early mornings if you can as they have usually fed by their return home and more content and so have a tendancy to wander in which gives you more time,but bear in mind that if the wind direction changes so will the time and direction of the fox.

Try the full moon,many dont bother to go out as its obvious your more visible but if you can hide away in the shadows your fox is highlighted,I have had multiple bags of Foxes on nights with a full moon and still cant believe how silly they can be.

A call that I have used over the years on Foxes that others have messed up has been to imitate a squirrel in distress and believe me it works even after dark.

 

As for filtered lights ,I always use a red filter as its easier on the eye than suddenly turning on a blazing white light and your eye having to adjust which gives your fox a split second to react and flee,I didnt take one fox many years ago using a blue filter on a frozen night,he just stopped dead and froze,all the time I needed as he's avoided me for 3 nights after the farmers lads had kept chasing him with a quad and fired at him with shotguns well out of range,got to admit that was the last real cold spell we had in the early 80s and when I got back in the Landie the thermometer was reading minus11.

 

Cant give too much away as I make a living take awkward foxes as part of my job as a full time pest controller.

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You've already got a bait point, start reducing the bait and filling a stink tube, keeps them round much longer :yes: Kippers and kipper juice works very well and the stink lasts for ages, mixed in with kitchen left overs and shot chopped rabbit. Don't forget while your 'feeding' Charlie will be less likely to come into a less well presented call, practice makes perfect, so record it on your mobile and compare to the on line sound clips.

 

What lamp are you using, can you turn the power down? AT FIRST you only need enough light to see the eye reflection ( and that is very very little!), once you know where Charlie is you can call, walk or whatever, get your gun ready, and steady, you should know the area so you know where is safe for a shot, then slowly bring the light power up, confirm what your shooting at then when you know with out doubt it's a fox take the shot. I've seen foxes that have hung around in an area not safe for shot with the lamp right down low and they have completely ignored the lamp altogether.

 

I find both red and green filters work well, but more lamp power is needed, variety can help, so can resting the ground for a couple of days.

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You've already got a bait point, start reducing the bait and filling a stink tube, keeps them round much longer <_< Kippers and kipper juice works very well and the stink lasts for ages, mixed in with kitchen left overs and shot chopped rabbit. Don't forget while your 'feeding' Charlie will be less likely to come into a less well presented call, practice makes perfect, so record it on your mobile and compare to the on line sound clips.

 

What lamp are you using, can you turn the power down? AT FIRST you only need enough light to see the eye reflection ( and that is very very little!), once you know where Charlie is you can call, walk or whatever, get your gun ready, and steady, you should know the area so you know where is safe for a shot, then slowly bring the light power up, confirm what your shooting at then when you know with out doubt it's a fox take the shot. I've seen foxes that have hung around in an area not safe for shot with the lamp right down low and they have completely ignored the lamp altogether.

 

I find both red and green filters work well, but more lamp power is needed, variety can help, so can resting the ground for a couple of days.

 

Hi Dave,

 

I'm using a deben tracer with a dimmer so reducing the light power is an option, i've got a few filters too, got a new caller this morning off foxcall uk recommended by nick beardo so we'll be out again tonight, we baited up saturday evening and have a few rabits for tonight. I'm not relying on the callers to much after the feed back on this thread but the new caller does sound good so i'll give it a try anyway.

 

Update later, Regards.

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