Worth it

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Make a cuppa, this is a long one

 

About a month/three weeks ago a farmer visited my mate John and gave him €50. There was panic over a fox that had started killing hens & ducks. John rings me and tells me the craic, no problem, done this type of job lots of times before. Off we go that night, John with his sbs 12ga and me with the .223. It's not a place we've really lamped before, besides the rabbit warrens on the other side of the small valley. The hen house is the opposite side near the sheep shed. There's a small river running through the farm which has waterlogged the place completely, a big rock farther downstream is holding the flow up. Because of this there is a large amount of rushes, yellow flag iris, wide drains, soft & boggy ground, along with the standard Connemara rocky undulating terrain and stone walls topped by sheep net fences.

 

We spotted the fox three times that night and found out it was very much lamp shy. Over the course of the time we spent there there were two sightings in daylight by the farmer and his brother. I saw it not thirty yards from me in thick rushes - except my hands were full with night vision spotter bag, turkey shooting foam seat, a 33amp battery and flask in my bag, a lamp and my rifle slung over my shoulder! (He wasn't supposed to turn up until two hours later). Needless to say it got away by turning tail and going like a rocket. I saw him another night again, coming down lovely out of a rough field. I had had the lamp on really low power just to pick out eyes and had all the sheep, horses etc. positions figured out. Soon as I got down to the rifle he pulled a vanishing act. That was sickening as he was just over 200 yards away, I was sure I had him that night. I've spent two nights using only my Yukon Digital Ranger and he's not decided to turn up either of those nights.

 

One thing was to give this fox away. Since the fowl had started being taken the farmer kept them in the hen shed a lot more. But, they obviously had to be let out the odd time. On mart days, when he would come home he'd let the hens and ducks out then go up to the house for his dinner. That's one of the times when the fox would strike. So, I was looking at the weather today and deciding would I go to the hill and look for my two missing ewes or go back, pen up some fowl and wait in ambush. It was tempting to go to the hill and put off the ambush as the weather is expected to be calm and cold tonight. But, I had the rifle out of the safe giving it a clean so I was halfway there already!

 

On my way back I spotted the farmers jeep at his brothers place. Oh no I thought, I can't get the hens out now. But, it turned out to be his son driving it and the farmer met me as I pulled up at his place. He'd just been down to the hen house and let them all out "Er, can we put them all back in again?". Off he went for a bucket of feed to bribe them back into the hen house. That done, we rounded up two cocks and put them into a large cage down in a clear spot in one of the fields. He was killed inviting me in for tea and soup. "No, no, I'll call in later on. This fella will be around as soon as we go in the door".

 

Off I went to my hiding spot and propped up the rifle in a grassy V notch between two rocks. I wasn't that well hidden but I could see all I needed to so wouldn't be moving much either way. Hadn't been there for ten minutes when this big fat fox waddles by me, it wasn't much more than five yards from me. I couldn't do a thing about him with rocks and rushes. I waited a minute and pulled off the camo scrim net from the rifle. On my hands and knees I crawled up to the next rock, propped up the gun and just stared watching for movement. Panic set in a bit, had he jumped the wall into the next field? Had he lied up in the rushes and maybe seen me? Where the 'ef is he?

 

All of a sudden I spy movement near a big rock in the field next to the hen house. Gotcha I didn't make a sound as I didn't want to alert the fox. I waited until it stopped and squeezed, then heard an extremely satisfying thump! 1.05pm in the day. A dog fox, upper K9 and a few smaller front teeth missing. Killed 11 hens and 4 ducks that we know of!

 

Edited November 18, 2010 by JohnGalway

[markha 99]

A nice write up John, well done on finally nailing him. Have a point

Mark

[The Seeker 3,048]

Enjoyed that write up John, thanks

 

Good to see you ended up getting him

[hw100sniper 2]

Nice read John made me feel as if I were there and well done on the outcome

[dave1372 83]

Great job John , not sure whether its just the photo but the teeth look quite dirty and rotten must have been a fair age?

[bouncer 51]

good job i bet the farmer was happy well done.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Well spotted Dave, they were a manky light brownish colour. Must've been a heavy smoker

 

Farmer, John, and myself were all happy. Pressure is off now!

[Terryorr 27]

Good write up mate, brilliant when a member takes time to tell the full story

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Cheers all. That one would have been fun to have around at lambing time

[sounder 9]

great write up john

atb sounder

[Deker 3,478]

[The one 8,479]

Nice write up mate and the pict seals it

[Mastiff 7]

Superb write up,

 

Thanks for sharing John.