Problem solved

steyrman2

Hi this is some fox control i had to do in the last week

Over the last week i have being on duty for problem foxes that have taken lambs in 3 different farms . Wicklow was the main area were i have my deer stalking 3 lambs missing in one night there had being 2 cows freshly calfed so i got there cleaning and pegged them out 150 yards from my high seat first evening nothing waited till 10 pm every 15 mins quick shine of the lamp still nothing . Back over at 5 am in the high seat 40 mins later spotted movement fox dragging on cleaning quarting shot first one down waited another hour spotted on fox at the plantation range it 211 yards chest shot stone dead picked them up 2 vixens put them in dung heap down to house for breakfast got home for 11 am . Got a call at 3 pm his neighbour had 2 foxes in with ewes i was over for 4 pm i was in the field glassed and spotted one fox got up to the stone wall steady shot just over 200 yards fox down i walked the farm for a hour no sign back to farm yard chatting away to farmer when a vixen called 3 times with in 5 mins she was nearer out with lamp spotted her in second field we got to the gate she called again red filter on lightforce i shot her in the arse walking away dropped her on the spot we picked her up i asked him to dump them well away from were we shot them leaving the ground clean.
Back over to my first spot we went lamping we drove up to the top of the hill in the tractor then walked around the hill spotted 3 foxes in 2 hours and shot 2 more we drove back down as he had a cow calfing straight down to the yard i went over to the plantation put the lamp on another fox at the cleanings another fox down back to the yard the cow was having problems the calf had turned and twisted the bag and cow was forcing but nothing happened . after a hour vet was called he tryed to turn it but no joy second time in 30 years that he could not turn the calf inside it was time for a section on the cow he made it look straight forward calf out in 30 mins and stitched up with the calf alive we got cleaned up and down to the farm house for a welcome dinner at 2 am i decided to go to the other farm at 4 am lamped for a hour seen nothing home to rest for a few hours .
that evening another phone call could i sort out a fox that took 2 lambs beside his house over for 6 pm sitted in waiting watching forestery all i seen was 16 deer feeding away back down for the light first field there was a fox hunting away 100 yards straight forward shot fox down we walked for over 2 hours seen 3 more foxes and got a shot at one working our way back down to the farm in the first field there was another fox i got down for the shot solid thump fox down i spend a few days sorting them out so it should quiet down for a while but still the phone is on waiting for the call 9 foxes in 3 farms in 4 days i did pick up some new ground for stalking so its a win win the .204 came into its own and handled all the range from 90 yards to just under 220 yards no runners clean kills






DAY 2

Update phone call yesterday afternoon 3 foxes in with ewes and lambs back over for 5 pm no sign of them got into good cover it was minus -2 and wind was tough . after 30 mins spotted a pair of foxes hunting around ewes one of the foxes was running after a lamb but seemed to be toying with it got a chance shot it second fox bolted to the track looked back got a cracker of a shot off stone dead a dog and vixen waited for another hour just got colder so left it .

Back over this morning there was a dead ram so plan was to stake it out i was there for 5 am dug in for 5.15 am no need for light as snow and full moon was perfect nothing showed around 6 am spotted 12 deer making there way back to the plantation mainly stags some had cast there antlers had a flask with me hot tea sorted me out minus -3 at 6 am starting to wonder was there thing around there was a raven making a racket in the wood then fox stopped on the bank looking around and marking her ground she made her way to the ram straight away she started ripping the anus out of him got a good shot she dropped thats fox number 11 of this farm so that should settle them for a while




Next morning

Back over this evening at 6 pm i had 30 acre field to check out as the ewes and lambs are going into it tomorrow i waited and called but nothing left it at 8pm back out around 9 pm . Back out with the lamp first field 6 deer feeding left them alone second field quick shine 2 pairs of eyes less than 200 yards stephen lamped for me with the red filter shot the first one second one ran to us stopped less than 80 yards looking back towards the first one shot it good report 2 more off the ground we lamped for another hour but nothing seen except deer down low feeding



Well just when you think the problem was sorted phone call yesterday evening another lamb taken at 3 o clock in the day i was lamping another spot last night so took a run over this morning for 5 am there glassing the plantation nothing at 6.15 ewes were moving and sounded stressed i quickly for the reason why fox hunting around them got a good shot around 240 yards solid thump went up vixen number 7 from this farm old one at that






day 4

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Well lads what a evening in the high seat with 3 plantations around me waiting for a fox well i did not wait long after 15 mins i spotted a fox 80 yards away i took it out with a good head shot texted joe to tell him while waiting i spotted 2 foxes about 4 fields over in his neighbours land rang joe to see would it be ok he said work away no problem he will sort it out .So got down and went after them the were working the bog and working there way to my area less than 200 yards away with the vixen trailing the dog about 25 yards behind i took her out first straight down the dog ran 40 yards stopped and i nailed him 3 foxes down in less than a hour is unreal in daylight seen a few deer making there way to the bog joe rang me as he heard the shots told him what happened cant print what he said but he thanked me so i asked him to meet me with my jeep on the lower road . I left the pair of foxes at his ditch and i was making my way down 4 fields to the lower road i was glassing a bog spotted movement to my right another fox was making his way along a car track ranged him at 234 yards shot him in the back of the head some report off him but 4 foxes in one evening 2 vixens and 2 dogs the end to a great week foxing









Out again this evening

Back out this evening on the first farm stephen had seen 2 foxes this morning so setup on corner of the wood overlooking ewes and lambs in new paddock around 7 pm spotted movement 2 foxes hunting together ewes tighted up watching the foxes the were just over 200 yards took the smaller one first second fox ran away so i decided to sit out and wait as a rule the do come back out 15 mins passed when i seen the second fox ranged it 224 yards sitting down watching the area crosshair on shoulder second fox down





This should sort the problem out
rifle .204 with 32 grain vmax
s&b 4 x16 x50 longrange mildot

Invincible

Great shooting there steyrman2
That Fox pictured beside the ram looked big!

dev110

Serious shooting there. The farmers must be very happy with you.
Well done.

jagged

Great report, serious shooting

silverfox1

for a small round the 204 is seriously explosive. second last picture middle fox got some quick end.

Birdnuts

silverfox1 wrote: »

for a small round the 204 is seriously explosive. second last picture middle fox got some quick end.

He ruined the pelt on that one for sure!!:(;):pac:

Seriously though, a fine nights haul of charlie:cool:

steyrman2

With my number on speed dial i got a call this time nearer to home local man had 2 lambs taken last night and he had seen the fox in the field at 6 pm i loaded up the gear over there for 7.30 he dropped me in the area a stubble field and few bogs and the ewes and lambs in the next field . This was one of the quickest foxes i have ever shot i spotted a fox in the stubble making its way to me with the vixen 10 yards behind i done nothing let them make there way to me the were less that 40 yards away i let a shout out dog stopped shot him in the shoulder vixen turned and went 10 yards stopped and shot her this was less than 15 mins waiting the had there mind set on something and ewes and lambs were in the next field job done small dog fox big old vixen

patdahat

serious shooting. that lad in the middle look's like he ate a grenade

gtx

some shooting, its a fine setup u have to.

Stonehall9

That's good shootin lad, I'm usin a . 204 myself, I've 37 foxes shot since Xmas , I'm using the v max 40 gr , find it a serious round. The 204 is a lovely flat shooting rifle, I'm in Limerick if anyone is having a problem with the foxes and lambs and needs a hand. Mostly our pheasants im protecting!!