Win Some Loose Some

[sandersj89 0]

Had a cracking evening today with Brian, met up at 7pm on one of my permissions for some bunny bashing to start the evening. Got there to find Brian not happy as he had only bought 9 rounds of .22LR with him.

 

I set up my HMR and he makes a few calls so should have some more ammo soon delivered by his brother.

 

We start sniping rabbits but Brian is not happy with his set up and missed a couple of sitters. I cracked on with the HMR and we soon had half a dozen in the bag without moving more than 10foot from the vehicles.

 

Ammo arrives and I set out a target at 65m for Brian to check his set up and a few clicks of adjustment are required and he is bang on again. We then start a walk around the outside of the permission knocking over rabbits as we go.

 

I am very pleased to take a nice 145m shot at one stage, confirmed with a lazer range finder.

 

We walk and shoot and get a good look at a fox as it is working a fence line for baby rabbits, as soon as it gets a look at us it is off, this one knows about dodgy characters in realtree cammo but on this spot as it is rabbit heaven we are leaving the foxes as they are helping me clear the rabbits.

 

We end up with over 20 rabbits in the bag and leave just as the light goes, and move onto another bit of permission and go into fox mode with me shooting my .243 and Brian driving a lamping from the landie.

 

We rig up and head into the first section of ground, through a very very rough gateway and up onto the side of the Sussex Downs. A few rabbits hopping around and then we drive up over a crest and there are some eyes out in front of us, mainly rabbits but one looks too bright, we both reach the same conclusion at the same time, fox cub.

 

I slip the safety off and line him up in the scope and down he goes, an easy shot at less than 50m.

 

We sit and call for a bit to see if anything else is around, we suspect the earth is down a bank in thick scrub that we cant shoot.

 

Nothing shows so we move up on to the top of the downs to drive along the ridge, rabbits all over the place but no sign of anything larger so head back to the spot we shot the cub to call again, nothing doing so move again.

 

Once in the bottom of the valley I get some eyes out in a wheat field, call for a bit but as the wheat is over 2foot tall there is little chance so we move on again and head up the track to the large area of grassland, bump along a track and through a gate, bingo, eyes at 200m.

 

I can get a positive ID, the movement looks too low for a fox to begin with and it is working behind a small ridge in the field. He wont offer up his eyes much either though I could follow the movement in the scope I had to call the movements to Brian below so he could move the lamp as required.

 

Brian starts calling and we get an immediate reaction and I am able to confirm the ID, fox. He is working away from us angling to the right for the wood, as he reaches the fence line he stops and I try a shot, clean miss…….damn.

 

It runs hell for leather to the left but does not offer a second shot, we call for a bit and hear a fox calling off to the left so we move that way but don’t see anything. Very annoyed with my shooting.

 

Still we got a fox dog cub, 1/3 grown:

 

The pic is a bit graphic so I have only included a link to click on if you wish.

 

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/sand...21052008032.jpg

 

Nice night to be out, fantastic red moon rise, some good shooting and good company as always with Brian along!

 

Jerry

[SportingShooter 0]

Well, it sounds like you had a very enjoyable night. One less fox to worry about with a few edible bonuses thrown in.

 

An enjoyable read too.

 

Regards

 

SS

[jamie g 17]

cracking story and shooting mate that as ripped though him

[sandersj89 0]

cracking story and shooting mate that as ripped though him

 

 

100gr federal powershok certainly makes a whole, Entry point was middle of the chest and it nearly blew both front legs off, he felt no pain that is for sure.

[Rudedog 0]

Nice read Jerry well done mate.

[proper job 1]

Nice, honest, write up, and good to hear that you leave those that are helping you out.