The auld one and the AWOL hen

johngalway

I got home form the city a bit later than expected. One of my farmers had texted, we're getting very modern here now ye know, that a hen was missing. I did have a look out last night, although I saw one fox the weather hampered any effort to do something about it, bloody horrible night.

Tonight is crystal clear, very cold, calm and we have probably the biggest full moon I've seen in a long time. The hot spots for fox on this farm have been identified long since, so I pick a hill, lay down and wait.

I'm there about 25 minutes and have stood up to get warm, frost has settled on the over ground water pipes that criss-cross the farm to various fields, when the inevitable happens. For a fleeting second I see a fox below me, about 100 yards away, who can clearly see me against the sky. Over the stone wall it goes, ambles ten yards and into the thick stuff. I could only see him in a gap between a hillock and the thick stuff so there wouldn't have been time to attach the lamp never mind have a decent shot.

Directly after that I see another fox about 350-400 yards from me, near an electricity pole. I'm wondering if the first fox will come out of the thick stuff and onto the hillock opposite me, and if that doesn't happen I hope the other will amble along it's hill towards me as they do on that route.

I don't want to use any call. Turns out the close one won't re-emerge and the far one retreats back around it's hill. I wonder if that's the one I saw last night, as it wasn't hugely keen on the lamp.

I settle back in my spot on the hill. It's too calm to do much walking and the black clay and peaty ground is too saturated to walk quietly. The frost is getting a grip now and it's audible crunchy underfoot. I always like frosty weather, hope we get a decent spell of it.

About 10 minutes pass and I catch the glint of an eye through the branches of a tree on one of the hillocks opposite me. I've to move slowly 10-15 yards uphill to my right to get a better view. A second fox comes into the lamp light, and just as soon makes for the hills. I'm presuming that was the far off fox.

The remaining sionnach is rambling along the crest of a nearby hill. It's an unfortunate place for it to be as a hillock behind gives me a perfect backstop. After picking my fox out in the scope I squeeze off a round and hear a very foxy sounding thump.

I use the squeaker for a few minutes afterwards but never do see the second fox. One for another night.

Ranged the old vixen at 195 yards. She'd practically no bottom teeth left. Called into the farmer later on and was promised some lamb later on, sounds good to me!

It wasn't me!

Nice looking pelt on that vixen John. Last few foxes I've seen in these parts have looked in less than perfect nick.

johnner1

fantastic report john great pictures aswell, reading that made it feel like i was with you:D

EPointer=Birdss

Jaysus wreckon you did her a favour as sucking feathers off those hens would get old with those nashers...

woodcock 52

Great Story, especially when I can't get out myself at the moment.:)

fish slapped

I always look forward to Johns stories, I love the frosty weather too and theres nothing a peaceful and laying in wait on top of a hill at night with the stars and frost for company.

Nice one JG

FS

johngalway

Her pelt didn't look as good as it does in the photo. The one Dwighet shot the last night was a lot better I thought. So far nothing I've seen myself beats the one I shot last February, crimson red coat on that one.

For a gummy fox she was a good weight for her size, no flies on that one in the scavenging department. I'd have liked to know what the other fox with her was, they were doing some scrambling about on that hillock.

Weather's not looking good for the next few days, might see how tonight is, but like a jackass I put the charger onto the battery terminals, and did I plug it in? Did I f........

:rolleyes:

clivej

Those your new boots John?

dwighet

Nice one John....Old Gummy reminds me of an old Girl friend I used to frequent back home in the land of Oz:eek::eek:

greenpeter

Your story's should be published in the Irish shooters digest john, great story well done.

Dusty87

greenpeter wrote: »

Your story's should be published in the Irish shooters digest john,

That would be an insult to John:p
Although it might be worth buying then

Dusty87

johngalway wrote: »

She literally bit the bullet.....

riflehunter77

Fair play to you john, great story and a great few pictures to.

gripp

dont know if you have noticed mate but there is a fox hidding under your gun happy hunting

tikkamark

Thats one very old fox there john fair play on nailing her...was that near to where the hen was taken??Shane got one last week that was killing hens too his aunt heard the comotion down in the chicken coop in the middle of the day and ran down to find the fox plucking a live chicken in the coop:eek:He got the call and went out and managed to plant the fox about two hundred yards from the house lucky enough.
Was mad to go out myself tonight but the weather here is terrible:(

Another thing i was ment to ask ya....did it take long for your licences to arrive after you paid an post???I paid mine last sat and they scanned the letter so i didnt have to post,one week on and still no sign of them:rolleyes:

johngalway

gripp wrote: »

dont know if you have noticed mate but there is a fox hidding under your gun happy hunting

They're cheeky like that around here!

Mark,

I can't remember exactly, but it was less than one week.

meathstevie

That's one hell of experienced old boot you nailed there John.