I Shot Feck All But, It Was An Interesting Night

[Jonjon79 13,358]

We went up to the manor house permission last night........

 

We did the usual and had a check round the chicken sheds and grain silos for rats first but, there was nothing moving at all.

 

Then we bumped into one of the lads that lives there. He was out with his shotgun and torch looking for the fox that dug its way into a chicken shed and killed 7 chickens earlier in the day.

 

As we were stood there talking, we heard some sort of aircraft coming from the direction of one of the woods.

 

It was getting louder and louder until it appeared - it looked like a C130. It was big and had 4 propellers.

 

It came over really low, turning slightly above us, the sound was deafening.

As it went over, there was another right behind it. It was certainly a sight to see.

 

Anyway, after that, we crossed over and headed for the area with the polytunnels. We hung around for a while and had a good look but, again, nothing - no rabbits.

 

We had a quick chat and decided to go up to the cricket pitch, about 1/4 of a mile away.

 

We headed down past the lake, through a small copse, over the bridge and, into the next field.

This field also has a few polytunnels at the bottom end where we come out of the woods. It sweeps up to another woods about 300yrds away. Beyond that is the cricket pitch.

 

We saw some eyeshine in the trees running up the side of the field so, we started stalking up that side, taking it very slow and using the NV kits as spotters.

There wasn't a lot in there to start with and, what was there quickly buggered of.

 

We were eventually about 50/60yrds from the woods when a Roe deer shot out of the undergrowth

It jumped straight up into the air, landed, span round to go back into the woods.

I reckon we must have startled it.

It ran straight into the barbed wire fence and tumbled, legs all over the place.

It got straight back up and kind of half jumped, half ran for the woods. We saw it bounce off a couple of trees, then we heard it crashing through undergrowth and low branches. All within a couple of seconds.

 

After a minute or so, it started barking in the woods. It was still fairly close and the barking was very regular.

From the sound, it was maybe a 150yrds in and not moving.

 

We went in for a look because it had hit those trees bloody hard.

We followed the sound of the barking and managed to get close.

I had a look with my NV and caught sight of it through the trees. It was on the ground, maybe 50yrds away.

 

As we crept closer, it went silent. We had a scan round with the NV and couldn't see it so, we put the rifles down and spent some time checking the bushes and ditches with torches.

 

It'd either gone to ground really well or, it had managed get away.

Hopefully it was just stunned and needed somewhere to recover for a while.

 

By that time, we'd been there for a while and covered a lot of ground so, we decided to call it a night.

 

On the way back to the cars, as we came out into the open, we were treated to another low pass by the planes, again, one right behind the other.

 

A couple of the chicken sheds are in the orchard, close to where we park so, before putting the kit away, we had one last scan to see if the rats had put in an appearance yet..

 

I put my rifle on my stick, pointed it at the chicken shed, switched on the NV and, there he was - that sodding fox.

 

He was in shit state - very mangy from the look of it. The only fur that he had was in very straggly patches.

 

I put a shot into the tree trunk above him which made him jump

He stood there confused for a sec so, I did it again. This time he ran a little way into the orchard and stopped so, we both started putting pellets into the trunks of the trees near him to keep him moving on. Eventually he got the message and disappeared

 

Despite that being the only shots fired all night, it was a good night. Different but, I enjoyed it

[air gun ant 1,666]

nice write up mate. weird how some nights go isn't it? I was out rabbiting with the lurcher last night and it just didn't seem to get dark at all? walking thru thick woodland like it was daylight? we didn't catch owt either lol

[Jonjon79 13,358]

Cheers Ant,

 

Very true mate - I've always said that strange things can happen when out hunting - especially at night

 

I think that's part of the reason that I like it so much - you never know what might happen

[ftm 3,357]

nice write up mate I was there with you! lol - its always nice not to blank but its part of the game we are in lads

[si brown 8,486]

proper eventful night jon

still way more interesting than anything on the box!!

the only pellet i fired on Saturday was when i was getting back in the car, still had a great day with the lad

 

atb si

[steg 609]

Sounds like a class night Jon..bet you don't forget it! Often come back empty handed..shooting and fishing. Do more night fishing on the river than shooting to be honest but love being out in it..barn owl's and bat's at dusk, fox and tawny's to listen too during the night and then the deer and kingfishers to watch in the morning (watched a couple of roe swim across the river Wear one morning) nights like that you never forget! Balls if you go home with anything! Waffling a bit lads but some of you might know where I'm coming from. ?

[ftm 3,357]

now that daughters lad is shooting I am just as happy to leave my rifle in house and just take him out and show him the ropes he is in awe of my knowledge of wild life so hopefully he is taking it all in and one day he can pass it down

[j j m 6,565]

good write up mate

[The one 8,514]

Good write up and youve learned to go earlier or later now thats what i like you learn something every outing

[Jonjon79 13,358]

  On 11/01/2017 at 16:58, ftm said:

nice write up mate I was there with you! lol - its always nice not to blank but its part of the game we are in lads

The missus does say that I bang on a bit

[Jonjon79 13,358]

  On 11/01/2017 at 18:20, si brown said:

proper eventful night jon

still way more interesting than anything on the box!!

the only pellet i fired on Saturday was when i was getting back in the car, still had a great day with the lad

 

atb si

Very true mate - the TVs mostly bollocks anyway. I can't sit and watch soaps or transsexuals giving people make overs

 

I saw the picture of your lad with the Wildcat - it suits him

 

.......Always good to see the next generation of hunters coming up

[Jonjon79 13,358]

  On 11/01/2017 at 18:51, steg said:

Sounds like a class night Jon..bet you don't forget it! Often come back empty handed..shooting and fishing. Do more night fishing on the river than shooting to be honest but love being out in it..barn owl's and bat's at dusk, fox and tawny's to listen too during the night and then the deer and kingfishers to watch in the morning (watched a couple of roe swim across the river Wear one morning) nights like that you never forget! Balls if you go home with anything! Waffling a bit lads but some of you might know where I'm coming from. ?

Cheers mate - we both enjoyed it.

 

A long time ago, when I was around 8yrs old, my Grandad decided to teach me to not worry about the dark.

We went off to the woods one night, got settled in by a tree on the edge of the wood and, stayed there for a while. After a while, the wildlife started moving again. It didn't have a clue that we were there.

..... I'm always grateful for his lessons and, I'll never forget them

[Jonjon79 13,358]

  On 12/01/2017 at 08:20, j j m said:

good write up mate

Cheers mate

 

It's a shame there's no pictures but, as already said, that's how it goes sometimes

[Jonjon79 13,358]

  On 12/01/2017 at 11:50, The one said:

Good write up and youve learned to go earlier or later now thats what i like you learn something every outing

Very true

 

I remember one of my first hunting trips - the rabbits were everywhere and not shy but, I still came home with f**k all

[si brown 8,486]

  On 12/01/2017 at 12:45, Jonjon79 said:

 

  On 11/01/2017 at 18:20, si brown said:

proper eventful night jon

still way more interesting than anything on the box!!

the only pellet i fired on Saturday was when i was getting back in the car, still had a great day with the lad

 

atb si

Very true mate - the TVs mostly bollocks anyway. I can't sit and watch soaps or transsexuals giving people make overs

 

I saw the picture of your lad with the Wildcat - it suits him

 

.......Always good to see the next generation of hunters coming up

 

tranny factor you need to sell that idea to simon cowell...lol

he loves going out hunting and so dose his sister but she never shuts up so its limited to when she's at parties

 

got lots of good memories from my grandads too... proper blokes

 

atb si