An hour out with the 12 gauge

johngalway

Took a notion to go out for an hour tonight. It was only just about windy enough for a stroll with the shotgun. Loaded up with some Eley fibre wad BB's, my EagleTac torch and off I went.

I took a ramble around my own farm, I've been seeing fox scat around the place lately. But, nothing was to be seen there tonight.

My next port of call overlooked a large expanse of flatish bog exposed to the wind. There's a good hill behind me so with the dark night I'm invisible and silent.

A quick rabbit squeal shows a pair of eyes less than 100 yards from me. The eyes start bouncing in towards me, a bit left, a bit right, but always coming in closer.

The fox is coming down the hill from behind me, so I shoulder the shotgun and crouch down, pretty sure it can't see me, but just to be sure.

As I'm looking at it the wind is crossing me right to left. 30 yards out my fox remembers what he should have done well farther out, and turns to it's right to wind me. Up I stand, swing the gun, ka-thump! Good hit and the dog fox somersaults to a stop facing the way he just came, left shoulder was completely broken.

round tower huntsman

the trusty 12, where would we be without her??;)

FISMA

Is that y'er lamp?

Nice shot, Charlies where I live just don't come in for the shotgun. Lucky to get them within the 100ya range.

4gun

Well done john you are definitely the foxes worst night mare up there in Connemara.
I just spent the last half hour watching a fox go about his business at the back of my house, had him in the sights of my .223.. didn't bother in the end, there's a lot of mice in the hedge he was sniffin' about in if he takes a few of em ..so much the better...:rolleyes:
Well to be honest ....My gun doesn't have a silencer on and if i woke herself up, lets just say it wouldn't be good for my health

johngalway

Yup, that's my lamp Great little bit of kit. Just the job for shotgun or .22lr. Wouldn't stretch as far as HMR ranges, well out to 120 anyway. See eyes of a fox much much farther out mind you.

johngalway

Nice one 4gun, unfortunately I don't have scenes like that where I'm living now! Though around my sisters place is riddled with rabbits, she was telling me of a fox watching a burrow a young bunny had just went in to. He stayed twenty minutes before giving up.

round tower huntsman

nice fox, no mangey gickna's around your place john?

4gun

My kids are camping out and making a real racket while we were watching him ... he didn't care in the slighest, and totally ignored any calls I made, came in to about 75 yds sniffin us he was..:D

johngalway

round tower huntsman wrote: »

nice fox, no mangey gickna's around your place john?

I'll get maybe 1-2 mangey ones a year. 2 would be a lot to be honest. When I started shooting here first I got a fair few foxes manky with mange, I think reducing the numbers seems to have had a positive effect in that case.

johngalway

4gun wrote: »

My kids are camping out and making a real racket while we were watching him ... he didn't care in the slighest, and totally ignored any calls I made, came in to about 75 yds sniffin us he was..:D

Was he a young one? That or sounds very used to people. Though I remember sitting in the car one night watching a fox at an old turf bank, he was watching a hole some rodent I guess had tunneled into it. Caught him in the headlights and had the lamp with me, when the ciggie lighter was working in the good old days and plugging it in was easy

4gun

johngalway wrote: »

Was he a young one? That or sounds very used to people. Though I remember sitting in the car one night watching a fox at an old turf bank, he was watching a hole some rodent I guess had tunneled into it. Caught him in the headlights and had the lamp with me, when the ciggie lighter was working in the good old days and plugging it in was easy

Look like a pup alright, I've seem him there almost every night..I think I'll leave him be altogether, he's doing no harm....at the moment

Vegeta

Hey John, great work as always, is that an after market choke in the shotgun?

round tower huntsman

johngalway wrote: »

I'll get maybe 1-2 mangey ones a year. 2 would be a lot to be honest. When I started shooting here first I got a fair few foxes manky with mange, I think reducing the numbers seems to have had a positive effect in that case.

only time i ever got a mangy fox was on land that had a savage amount of foxes on it,generally though foxes we get on land thats hunted regular are in excellent condition. the foxes in your posts always look in fine fettle.

clivej

Well John your on the ball again but this time using the SG. Another good read and end result for your night out.

johngalway

Yeah, the choke tube is a Trulock Precision Hunter, it's ported and Full. I've an Extra Full ported one as well, God knows why because I can't remember I might sell the Extra Full and get a different size.

Clive, I love using the shottie, I don't do nearly as much shooting with it as I should. Hopefully that will change this year. I find it more enjoyable than rifles on foxes.

kay 9

johngalway wrote: »

Yeah, the choke tube is a Trulock Precision Hunter, it's ported and Full. I've an Extra Full ported one as well, God knows why because I can't remember I might sell the Extra Full and get a different size.

Clive, I love using the shottie, I don't do nearly as much shooting with it as I should. Hopefully that will change this year. I find it more enjoyable than rifles on foxes.

Agree, the calling process has to be much better with a shotty to get them in that bit closer. Good post...

johngalway

kay 9 wrote: »

Agree, the calling process has to be much better with a shotty to get them in that bit closer. Good post...

Last night wasn't all that windy so I did use the caller. Had it being blowing properly I'd have given a quick squeak to raise some eyes, turn it off and stalk the fox. Dark windy night and you can walk up to them, well, within shotgun range anyway.

kay 9

Similar to what I do sometimes, leave the caller on low whilst walking slowly towards them with light held just a little under. Seems it hypnotizes them almost, they often just sat down when I tried it. Better buzz than lettin rip from 150yds or more:)

johngalway

It sure is, you don't have the comfort of the rifle so you need to do things exactly right or he's gone! My heart is usually tha-thumpthumpthumpthump!! when I'm getting in close. Friend of mine does be joking he can hear it twenty yards away. Odd thing, but sometimes after shooting a fox with the rifle I'll get a bout of the shakes! Never before though

Dusty87

John i agree. I remember my first sly divil wit the 12g. 3 night after him, and eventually got him. Could have got him wit the rifle the first night but with the shotty its just you against him! Mano i foxo :P

kay 9

Sure does get the blood pumping alright. Hmm, might just head out tonight for a peak, getting an itchy trigger finger and nothing on tv but some s*it with Richard Gere:rolleyes:

elius

johngalway wrote: »

Yeah, the choke tube is a Trulock Precision Hunter, it's ported and Full. I've an Extra Full ported one as well, God knows why because I can't remember I might sell the Extra Full and get a different size.

Clive, I love using the shottie, I don't do nearly as much shooting with it as I should. Hopefully that will change this year. I find it more enjoyable than rifles on foxes.

Good work John do you mind me asking you where you bought your chokes?
Goin to try get out with my shotty this week. Loving it so far...

johngalway

elius wrote: »

Good work John do you mind me asking you where you bought your chokes?
Goin to try get out with my shotty this week. Loving it so far...

I got them of Garlands Elius, at the time they were £22 each plus postage which wasn't a lot as they're small and light for posting.