A ramble out earlier

johngalway

I went out for a ramble to clear my head earlier on and give the newly moderated .223 a run. Went for a stroll through my farm and a couple of the neighbours fields, nothing much to see besides sheep. The moon is pretty bright and the cloud is patchy, the wind wasn't in my favour in this area so it was a case of making do. I moved on from that spot to near where I shotgunned the last fox, overlooking a large patch of flat bog.

The moon and the wind were both in my back, with a hill behind me I was happy I wouldn't be seen but more thoughtful about the foul wind. After a time calling a pair of eyes started bouncing their way towards me from downwind. One of these foxes that was letting it's belly do the thinking. I got prone with the rifle and tracked the incoming fox, I tried stopping it three or four times and was getting a little panicky so let a roar stopping her at sixty five yards for a very quiet neck shot! The Federal Premium 40 grain done it's job well.



Not long after this I spied a funny looking set of eyes observing me from the end corner of a fenced field overgrown with rushes and tall gorse. I set the rifle down on an old table that's out there which people use for mounting a clay thrower. I couldn't tell if it was a fox, dog or cat, as all I can see is a pair of eyes looking back at me from some rushes. For a fleeting second it moves and as soon as I can see it's a fox it vanishes into the furze. I spy a fox well over two hundred yards out on the bog a few minutes later, I think it was the same fella but he never stopped to present a shot. One for another time.

bunny shooter

And people would tell ya 40 grain isn't enough :rolleyes:

Tackleberrywho

johngalway wrote: »

I went out for a ramble to clear my head earlier on and give the newly moderated .223 a run. Went for a stroll through my farm and a couple of the neighbours fields, nothing much to see besides sheep. The moon is pretty bright and the cloud is patchy, the wind wasn't in my favour in this area so it was a case of making do. I moved on from that spot to near where I shotgunned the last fox, overlooking a large patch of flat bog.

The moon and the wind were both in my back, with a hill behind me I was happy I wouldn't be seen but more thoughtful about the foul wind. After a time calling a pair of eyes started bouncing their way towards me from downwind. One of these foxes that was letting it's belly do the thinking. I got prone with the rifle and tracked the incoming fox, I tried stopping it three or four times and was getting a little panicky so let a roar stopping her at sixty five yards for a very quiet neck shot! The Federal Premium 40 grain done it's job well.

Not long after this I spied a funny looking set of eyes observing me from the end corner of a fenced field overgrown with rushes and tall gorse. I set the rifle down on an old table that's out there which people use for mounting a clay thrower. I couldn't tell if it was a fox, dog or cat, as all I can see is a pair of eyes looking back at me from some rushes. For a fleeting second it moves and as soon as I can see it's a fox it vanishes into the furze. I spy a fox well over two hundred yards out on the bog a few minutes later, I think it was the same fella but he never stopped to present a shot. One for another time.

i was out myself tonight. Not a foxy did I see, I gave up after an hour or so as it was getting late.

Well Maybe next week.
I reckon the lack of meadow cut is a hindrance on things.
Normally it would be mowed and back lush this time of year around my local haunts.

The love lush grass for picking up frogs etc.

well done JG, Great to see the new and improved Remington prve herself in the field

Birdnuts

How many is that since the start of the year John??

PS: My dogs killed another fox this week - thats 3 in 2 weeks without much effort!!

Edit: Of course the title of this post should read "Connemara must have some fox population"

Tackleberrywho

Birdnuts wrote: »

How many is that since the start of the year John??

PS: My dogs killed another fox this week - thats 3 in 2 weeks without much effort!!

Edit: Of course the title of this post should read "Connemara must have some fox population"

I've seen 4 foxes this season. 2 i had no gun, 2 say me before i saw them.

Not that I do a lot of lamping, I do work late hours so I am on the road a lot at night and I do not see them in their millions.

Galway must be the place to be, but out of interest very little sheep in the midlands these days, I wonder is that a contributing factor?

johngalway

I count my foxes from when I start after the summer - which has been early this year - to when I stop sometime in May as farms are still lambing at that time given our exposed location and generally poor quality land.

The number of foxes I shoot a year has varied from 35-55, but works out on average to be slightly above the 40 mark. The population seems stable in this area, there are thousands upon thousands of hectares of upland areas where no one will ever lamp. I've walked them in the day time and I know the apathy of a lot of shooters locally who, frankly "wouldn't be arsed" going to those places.

There are hot and cold spots for fox activity in my locality. And remember, while I know a lot of people in the area to get permission I don't shoot over the vast majority of it. Not because it won't hold foxes, but, there are only so many nights in the Winter and I've other things to be at.

To answer your question, since the Summer break I've shot three with the rifle and one with the shotgun.

There'll likely be a quiet time in Jan/Feb, then I'll be expecting an invasion once the woolie fellas start dropping. Same old same old, different year.

When I started shooting here first the foxes were smaller and skinnier looking and incidences of mange were common. If I see two foxes in a year now with mange I'd consider that a lot.

Tackleberrywho

johngalway wrote: »

I count my foxes from when I start after the summer - which has been early this year - to when I stop sometime in May as farms are still lambing at that time given our exposed location and generally poor quality land.

The number of foxes I shoot a year has varied from 35-55, but works out on average to be slightly above the 40 mark. The population seems stable in this area, there are thousands upon thousands of hectares of upland areas where no one will ever lamp. I've walked them in the day time and I know the apathy of a lot of shooters locally who, frankly "wouldn't be arsed" going to those places.

There are hot and cold spots for fox activity in my locality. And remember, while I know a lot of people in the area to get permission I don't shoot over the vast majority of it. Not because it won't hold foxes, but, there are only so many nights in the Winter and I've other things to be at.

To answer your question, since the Summer break I've shot three with the rifle and one with the shotgun.

There'll likely be a quiet time in Jan/Feb, then I'll be expecting an invasion once the woolie fellas start dropping. Same old same old, different year.

When I started shooting here first the foxes were smaller and skinnier looking and incidences of mange were common. If I see two foxes in a year now with mange I'd consider that a lot.

That is a lot of foxes JG, If only there was a bounty on tails!

clivej

Good shooting again John, you are getting a good return on the few $ spent on your rifle.

Well may she wear for you.

elius

Went out twice in the last week and saw one set of eye's . Doesnt seem to be a fox in meath...

Cuz there all in Galway Good shooting John...

mack_

Nice shooting there john.

Birdnuts

johngalway wrote: »

I count my foxes from when I start after the summer - which has been early this year - to when I stop sometime in May as farms are still lambing at that time given our exposed location and generally poor quality land.

The number of foxes I shoot a year has varied from 35-55, but works out on average to be slightly above the 40 mark. The population seems stable in this area, there are thousands upon thousands of hectares of upland areas where no one will ever lamp. I've walked them in the day time and I know the apathy of a lot of shooters locally who, frankly "wouldn't be arsed" going to those places.

There are hot and cold spots for fox activity in my locality. And remember, while I know a lot of people in the area to get permission I don't shoot over the vast majority of it. Not because it won't hold foxes, but, there are only so many nights in the Winter and I've other things to be at.

To answer your question, since the Summer break I've shot three with the rifle and one with the shotgun.

There'll likely be a quiet time in Jan/Feb, then I'll be expecting an invasion once the woolie fellas start dropping. Same old same old, different year.

When I started shooting here first the foxes were smaller and skinnier looking and incidences of mange were common. If I see two foxes in a year now with mange I'd consider that a lot.

Wow 40!! - Its a pity there isn't some market for all those pelts!!:D

caseyann

Poor fox:(

landkeeper

Birdnuts wrote: »

Wow 40!! - Its a pity there isn't some market for all those pelts!!:D

just as well there isn't i remember the 80s when there was the auld red lad nearly became a thing of the past we managed 24 one night all within about 3 square miles 10 quid for a good skin was good money when i was on 85 quid a week
mind you when it stopped the foxes sure were healthy big and fat with backs like 9" blocks after a year or so

Tackleberrywho

Birdnuts wrote: »

Wow 40!! - Its a pity there isn't some market for all those pelts!!:D

Mate of mine made a lovely hat out of one

bunny shooter

caseyann wrote: »

Poor fox:(

Your sadness is understandable and I reckon in one way or another is shared by most here.

That fox died a humane, fast and pain free death. It could as easily have had a worse death eg mange, starvation, injury etc

caseyann

bunny shooter wrote: »

Your sadness is understandable and I reckon in one way or another is shared by most here.

That fox died a humane, fast and pain free death. It could as easily have had a worse death eg mange, starvation, injury etc

Was it injured starving or had the mange?

Tackleberrywho

caseyann wrote: »

Was it injured starving or had the mange?

No, it was eating into JG's and his neighbors profit margin by eating sheep!

johngalway

caseyann wrote: »

Was it injured starving or had the mange?

This is sheep rearing country. Fox numbers are kept in check through the year. Little foxes grow into big foxes, big foxes kill lambs.

If you do not like what's discussed in this forum perhaps you should not visit us here.

caseyann

johngalway wrote: »

This is sheep rearing country. Fox numbers are kept in check through the year. Little foxes grow into big foxes, big foxes kill lambs.

If you do not like what's discussed in this forum perhaps you should not visit us here.

I said poor fox.I didnt criticize why you did it.Bunny shooter came up with mange and starvation and injury for reasons of shooting the fox.And i questioned that.Not why you shot the fox.

johngalway

caseyann wrote: »

I said poor fox.I didnt criticize why you did it.Bunny shooter came up with mange and starvation and injury for reasons of shooting the fox.And i questioned that.Not why you shot the fox.

As I said in response to Birdnuts question, the incidences of mange in my area were an awful lot higher the first year I started shooting, like this lad I shot on my farm my first year lamping.





The young, the old and the injured like this ones foot below are the most dangerous to easy targets like fowl and especially lambs if their times coincide.



I've noticed the size and weight of the foxes have improved, less competition for food I expect. Their numbers seem stable in my area at an average of just over 40 per year culled.

Mange is a particularly horrible affliction, especially during a Winter such as the one we've had last. I wouldn't expect many foxes with any decent dose of mange survived it.

Foxes will invariably die from something. The ones that avoid cars, being shot, or disease must die from starvation as any animal ages it becomes less able to hunt for food.

I do what I do to protect my flock, and that of my neighbours/friends and their fowl also. There are fringe benefits to this for the foxes who don't get caught out.

Feargal as Luimneach

when you started shooting in your area what percentage of Foxes had mange?

johngalway

I don't know the percentage, I came across quite a few in my first year compared to the years which followed.

bunny shooter

caseyann wrote: »

I said poor fox.I didnt criticize why you did it.Bunny shooter came up with mange and starvation and injury for reasons of shooting the fox.And i questioned that.Not why you shot the fox.

I did not say that :rolleyes:

bunny shooter wrote: »

Your sadness is understandable and I reckon in one way or another is shared by most here.

That fox died a humane, fast and pain free death. It could as easily have had a worse death eg mange, starvation, injury etc