Here's one I prepared earlier...

johngalway

John had been out last night and saw a fox in the hill, but couldn't get close enough with the SxS. He texted me earlier on in the day wondering if I was in the mood to go looking tonight. Regretted saying yes when evening came and I was played out, but we'd the time and place agreed by then.

The location is one we usually end up in towards the end of our season, seems to have become a tradition at this stage. It's awkward to be blunt. A flat boggy rushy area is below us. We're part way up the hill, but on a slope surrounded by different size hillocks and their associated gullies and blind spots. Adding to the fun, various large boulders and bits and piece of low furze making travel difficult.

The wind was fresh enough at times, and almost calm other times! But, blowing consistently in the wrong direction, up slope towards the valley between the two main hills in the area. We hoped we'd spot the fox crossing somewhere above us before it winded us.

John spotted the pair of eyes first, a while after I done some calling with my electronic caller. Down on the flat. In hindsight we should have stayed put and let the fox come to us but instead we moved off down the hill near a bank just above the flat. In the process of doing that, the fox had covered 20 or so yards more than I'd have liked and by the time I got him in the scope he'd gone too close to the bank for a shot.

The fun part now is that there's a dirty looking drain, a fence then some trees then an immediate rise between us and the fox. We can't budge, and we can't see the fox.

John went off to our left to watch that gully. I headed back up the hill to get an overview of the situation and try to cover the gully to our right. The wind is still good for us but we're concerned the fox may be circling around behind us.

After picking out a decent outcrop of rock that would offer a nice shooting platform I try the reliable ACME mouth call. "Bing", on come fox eyes a way out on the flat beside a big machine dug drain. Quickly the eyes move off to the right, the start circling up through the field onto a rocky rise towards the wall that separates the hill commonage from the fenced land below.

Out he comes into the hill proper and winds and threads his way through rocks, hillocks and other obstacles. Then I lose sight of him, figure he's coming up a gully to my right, that or he's either backtracked or gone John's way to the left.

Turns out he took the gully to my right. Looked out at me from behind a rock but made the mistake of showing about half his body too. Pssht - thwap! and that's that.

Smaller dog fox, about 90 yards - apologies, only had the camera phone for the photo.

poulo6.5

Exceent story John thanks. I must get back out for a shot it's bin a couple of weeks for me now and I'm getting withdrawal.

lb1981

Love reading these stories John.Your fox count must be massive this year.

johngalway

I'm going in the other direction Poulo, methinks that's one of our last, if not our last run out for this season. Unless there's a problem elsewhere.

I think that's number 43. Would have topped 50 easily had I been going at it like other years, but various things meant my time was spent doing other activities.

Shoot2kill

Good story as always John. Nice read and nice fox.

johngalway

Dad is missing a lamb off his land this morning. He missed one or two earlier on during lambing as well. We went in, looked, searched, walked, saw nothing Off in again tonight. Seriously tempted to bring two batteries with me, not happy with what's going on in there.

poulo6.5

johngalway wrote: »

Dad is missing a lamb off his land this morning. He missed one or two earlier on during lambing as well. We went in, looked, searched, walked, saw nothing Off in again tonight. Seriously tempted to bring two batteries with me, not happy with what's going on in there.

Looks like you might have a migrant after slipping in there.

Justashotgun

Great foxing story, thanks

johngalway

poulo6.5 wrote: »

Looks like you might have a migrant after slipping in there.

Fella that lives near by saw a fox in the early hours of the morning before he went to work. I am not fond of leaving the warm bed at the early hours of the morning however

poulo6.5

johngalway wrote: »

Fella that lives near by saw a fox in the early hours of the morning before he went to work. I am not fond of leaving the warm bed at the early hours of the morning however

I know the feeling John but needs must. I'm sure you won't rest until the job is done.