More hen worries

johngalway

Sunday 13th June.

I was in the car, all set to go to another hen MIA call when John rings me. Apparently a neighbour of his had seen a vixen and two big cubs cross the road uncomfortably close to where he has his hens. Now, John's spent a lot of time on these hens this year, I think all the fertilised eggs he go hatched out successfully. So he wasn't too keen on the idea of three foxes hanging about looking for dinner.

This isn't far from my farm so I headed up to my usual perch. It was still very light out at 11 p.m. so I had to make sure I was well hidden with the top of the hill behind me. The plan was John would take his shotgun and head from his house in a big semi circle through all the land below me in the hope he'd disturb the foxes and push them in my direction, if he couldn't shoot them himself.

Being dressed for walking a different farm, and not planning on being perched on an exposed windy hill I was hoping we'd see our foxes sooner rather than later.

Nearly as soon as I got there I started calling. Call for a while, then wait and see would anything turn up.

I'd been watching John walking around well below me for about an hour and not a sign of anything stirring. When all of a sudden a set of bright eyes appeared between a sheep and a huge boulder. As quick as it had appeared it vanished again. I caught sight of the eyes once more fifteen or twenty yards farther on from the boulder, then they were gone again. This fox was in a hurry as it appeared a third time fifty or so yards farther up the field, time to clip on the lamp.

The fox is moving from right to left, slightly uphill towards a sunken marsh, on uneven ground broken up by large rocks, gorse, and other associated wonders we're blessed with in this part of the world. I had a job stopping this one, but managed to do so just as it was moving down into the marsh. I fired and it ran...

After the fact I ranged the shot at 121 yards.

I scanned around with the lamp, looking for the telltale "look back" you get with a miss, I didn't see it. After a few minutes I climbed over the fenced wall into the next field to investigate. As can be seen from the photo, I hit the fox farther back than desired. It ran over a stone wall and on for about twenty yards before dropping.

When I was tracking the fox in the scope I was constantly moving the rifle right to left, due to the way I was sitting and the rock I was shooting off. This and the difficulty in stopping the fox may have put me off, or the fox may have taken a step at the last minute.

Either way, rifle is going to get a good cleaning and zero check before going out again.

Dog fox.

ivanthehunter

all things considered, i say ye pulled that shot your self:D.

Turning on a rock! with bi-pod or against timber stock??

Anyway chicks are safe for a while caus dead is dead

ivanthehunter

Did someone other that Charlie die in this thread

kildare.17hmr

what rifle is that?

johngalway

That would be a Remington VL SS .223, varmint barrel and Boyds thumbhole stock (comes as standard, I believe Savage use the same stock on some of their rifles).

johngalway

ivanthehunter wrote: »

all things considered, i say ye pulled that shot your self:D.

Turning on a rock! with bi-pod or against timber stock??

Anyway chicks are safe for a while caus dead is dead

Bipod, but I always let the stress off it by turning it on one leg.

Gave the rifle a good clean and re-zeroed now. It was high wide and handsome after cleaning but that doesn't tell me anything on how it was beforehand, didn't wish to waste the time or ammo checking that as cleaning was going ahead regardless. Busted a greycrow at 260 yesterday so it seems to be back in action.

Shot this guy last night from high above, hence the funny exit. I think he's the one I saw the first night that stayed out of range in the marsh. Something over a hundred yards, I never ranged it.

ivanthehunter

Another day(night) well spent:)

johngalway

Yeah. I have one outstanding call yet. I was just considering would I go tonight or not but it's that time of year when a few nights out really catches up with a person. Best to stay in tonight I think!

vixdname

Tis a long time since you posted up some of your hunting storys and as always I really enjoyed reading it !!!

ivanthehunter

johngalway wrote: »

Yeah. I have one outstanding call yet. I was just considering would I go tonight or not but it's that time of year when a few nights out really catches up with a person. Best to stay in tonight I think!

Its OK as long as you're not scheduled in for baby making:D Trust me i know all too well:rolleyes:

Eddie B

ivanthehunter wrote: »

Its OK as long as you're not scheduled in for baby making:D Trust me i know all too well:rolleyes:

Never complain about baby making! In another few year ya won't be making anything at all, if ya know what i mean!:D:D:D:D

Dusty87

Eddie B wrote: »

Never complain about baby making! In another few year ya won't be making anything at all, if ya know what i mean!:D:D:D:D

Its not making them that is the hardship.......