Lamping Foxes with Shotguns

[rosspti 2]

Just thought I'd post up a pic of 2 lovely foxes shot recently down here in Kernow.

 

We lamp on a mixed beef/sheep farm near the North Cornish Coast. Our method of lamping is to stand on an open backed landrover. The driver concentrates on the driving whilst one of us on the back holds the lamp, the other shoots. We use shotguns and a 0.22-250.

 

When we're rabbitting we both use shotguns and basically we shoot standing whilst the landrover is chasing the rabbits. We enter the field, the driver goes like f**k to shoot as many rabbits as possible before they all get to the hedges. It feels fast but we're probably doing 20-30 mph whilst the shooting is going on.

 

If we lamp up a fox at a decent range then my friend will have a go with the rifle... However, if you come on a fox by surprise and it starts to run then we basically chase it in the landrover. We can then catch it up whilst swapping 32g 6s for 36g BBs. The fox is then taken whilst we are in hot pursuit in the Landy. It sounds manic but we quite often bag 3 or 4 this way.

 

On the night this pic was taken there were 3 of us on the back - 1 lamping and 2 shooting (all taking in turns on rotation). Only shotguns were taken as we were primarily rabbitting. We shot 60 rabbits and these 2 foxes. The one with the white ended brush was a lovely dog whilst the smaller one was a vixen.

 

Gorthugher da!

Good night!

Edited November 2, 2007 by rosspti

[landrover 6]

nice is it still halloween down there!

[jamie g 17]

Just thought I'd post up a pic of 2 lovely foxes shot recently down here in Kernow.

 

We lamp on a mixed beef/sheep farm near the North Cornish Coast. Our method of lamping is to stand on an open backed landrover. The driver concentrates on the driving whilst one of us on the back holds the lamp, the other shoots. We use shotguns and a 0.22-250.

 

When we're rabbitting we both use shotguns and basically we shoot standing whilst the landrover is chasing the rabbits. We enter the field, the driver goes like f**k to shoot as many rabbits as possible before they all get to the hedges. It feels fast but we're probably doing 20-30 mph whilst the shooting is going on.

 

If we lamp up a fox at a decent range then my friend will have a go with the rifle... However, if you come on a fox by surprise and it starts to run then we basically chase it in the landrover. We can then catch it up whilst swapping 32g 6s for 36g BBs. The fox is then taken whilst we are in hot pursuit in the Landy. It sounds manic but we quite often bag 3 or 4 this way.

 

On the night this pic was taken there were 3 of us on the back - 1 lamping and 2 shooting (all taking in turns on rotation). Only shotguns were taken as we were primarily rabbitting. We shot 60 rabbits and these 2 foxes. The one with the white ended brush was a lovely dog whilst the smaller one was a vixen.

 

Gorthugher da!

Good night!

 

 

hi mate dont mean to be funny and hope you dont take this the wrong way but dont you think its abit dangerous shooting across the fields chasing rabbits and foxes in the jeep with loaded shotguns ? not trying to be funny but that seams scary to me. what if you hit a bump and the shotgun went off ?

Edited November 2, 2007 by jamie g

[rosspti 2]

Hi Jamie G

 

A perfectly legitimate question! But I can assure you that safety is a priority. We have a metal cage around us almost to shoulder height which is made by securing sheep hurdles around the back of the Landrover. We shoot straight ahead out over the bonnet. Guns are only ever loaded at appropriate times, etc.

 

The method can be seen on Andre Georgescu's foxing video.

 

Our record for one night is 70 rabbits and 4 foxes shot this way - over 400 acres.

[cragman 2,812]

I've never tried pursuing foxes from a vehicle on the lamp as the terrain over which I shoot is very hilly and bumpy. However, I've often, like last night for instance, had foxes come in to the squeak and have had them near enough to take with the shotty. You seem to do ok with your method.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

HI ROSSPTI, Just a small point, if the guns aren't loaded to the proper time, and barrel awareness is good then thats fine, but driving through the fields at a fiarly high speed has it's dangers such as ditches etc. land drains, if you know the land then fine but for me i think it too much of a risk....people have been killed this way, just watch yourself, in these situations, as adrenaline can be fatal, if you know the lay of the land over these 400 acres then fine, if not remember safety first, is a rabbit worth more than a life or three!!!!!!!!! (not giving you a bashing here just an oberservation)

[wag 13]

HI ROSSPTI, Just a small point, if the guns aren't loaded to the proper time, and barrel awareness is good then thats fine, but driving through the fields at a fiarly high speed has it's dangers such as ditches etc. land drains, if you know the land then fine but for me i think it too much of a risk....people have been killed this way, just watch yourself, in these situations, as adrenaline can be fatal, if you know the lay of the land over these 400 acres then fine, if not remember safety first, is a rabbit worth more than a life or three!!!!!!!!! (not giving you a bashing here just an oberservation)

 

 

well said snap shot ,another reason i would not lamp rabbits and foxes with a shotgun is you will educate the fox if they see you flashing the lamp about and hear shots it doesnt take long for you to get lamp shy foxes. i know you said that you take a 22.250 out with you but thats no good if you have got foxes that are lamp shy . like snap shot said its not worth someones life. it only takes a second for an accident to happen but the pain and sorrow will last a life time.i dont meen to sound a moaning tw*t but there was only a accident the other week while some lads were out lamping in a vehicle and it over turned and some one was killed and i would not want to here it had happend again.

 

 

regards wag

[Guest Macnas]

Wouldn't be my cup of cocoa but sounds fun nonetheless.

 

Nice shooting.

[rosspti 2]

All points noted Wag et al. We have been lamping this way for about ten years. The owner of the land or his son do the driving and they know every inch of the land. We are all experienced and very responsible. As I said before, the speed feels a lot faster than it is in practice - but it is far more smooth to slow down to take the shot rather than stop altogether which causes jolting. We never exceed 2nd gear - we're talking small Cornish fields here - max is about 15 acres, most 5 - 10. High hedges of earth and stone. The cage is constructed in such a way that there isn't enough room to fall over - even if you wanted to. See my pic!!

 

The record on these 400 acres is 75 foxes in a season using our method (1995).

[SNAP SHOT 194]

well thats the business then, by the way great drawings not all the best and stay safe, its a jungle out there....

[Yokel Matt 918]

I used to shoot rabbits this way on a golf course where the ground was quite reliable... don't think we quite got up to those speeds but can vouch for the fact that it is a good way to cover large areas for rabbits.. especially if there is a wind and the noise is disipated quickly. A couple of times i sat straddling the spare tire on the back of a SJ410 and gripped onto the door arch beading swinging a 12g... in hindsight that was a really dumb thing to do!

Edited November 2, 2007 by LocalYokel

[macberran 2]

as you hit a bump with your bus and the 48" barrels plus 14" stock drops inside your cage and the resulting boom boom ...........misses your 5ft nappper we pick it up and reload.........yeah come on, and nae beer...geisabrake. Trust another driver with another loaded gun on board, think again man..just a thought!!!

[wag 13]

All points noted Wag et al. We have been lamping this way for about ten years. The owner of the land or his son do the driving and they know every inch of the land. We are all experienced and very responsible. As I said before, the speed feels a lot faster than it is in practice - but it is far more smooth to slow down to take the shot rather than stop altogether which causes jolting. We never exceed 2nd gear - we're talking small Cornish fields here - max is about 15 acres, most 5 - 10. High hedges of earth and stone. The cage is constructed in such a way that there isn't enough room to fall over - even if you wanted to. See my pic!!

 

The record on these 400 acres is 75 foxes in a season using our method (1995).

 

thats ok mate i wasnt being funny it was just a safty thing like snapshot said accidents happen all to easy .

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

We do a similar thing but on a quad bike .Particular foxes are seen in the same fields for a while [until we get them ]but are lamp and squeak shy .We go round once with the rifle and leave the gates open and the second time we dont squeak anything ,just drive into fields ,lamp on and its balls out till we get it .Very effective.

[Guest SJM]

Sounds like one of these extreme sports cant you tie an ironing board on there and try to do some ironing as well while your at it? haha extreme ironing anyone remember that programme? oh well never mind

 

Me I prefer to shoot them with the .22 off the quad or out the window of the jeep, safer, quieter and you can go back night after night and not have to worry about them getting lampshy real fast. Each to their own but if there is a memorial/donation type thread for you and your deceased buddies on here in the future dont expect me to cough up anything