Lamping the night away

[Guest JohnGalway]

John I thought you were older and wiser that to rise to the bait from 'the cheater'

Never mind about going over the pond come on down to KK for a week end but even though I have over 400 arces to shoot on it must be the only 400 acres without a sign of wild life to shoot.

 

He's a mate of mine Clive

 

No wild life Sounds good Will have to get down to ya sometime over the winter That's if you leave any fox around after getting the CZ

[Guest JohnGalway]

Wednesday 19th November.

 

Last night I went to Jurassic Park, by now familiar with a lot of you I had checked the weather forecast, got ready and neglected to stick my head out the door beforehand. It was awful, properly heavy mist, the kind you stretch out your arm and wonder what happened your hand. Well, I'd gone to all the trouble to get ready, and I'm damned if I'm going to unpack everything. So off I set more on faith than anything else. It cleared a little but I saw nothing. To be honest I was just as happy since I don't think I'd have seen much through the scope. Tomorrow might be better.

 

So, tonight, I check the weather forecast. Bugger, rain and heavy mist. This time I look out the door, aha see I can learn. Guess what Bloody lovely night for lamping I reach the conclusion Meteorologists know nothing about weather.

 

Earlier in the day, I'd moved our cow and Heifer to a different part of the farm. So I was busy after that tidying up gates etc. Phone starts ringing and I let it ring out. If it's important they'll leave a message or ring back. Anyway, jobs done and I've forgotten about the voice message as I've just read handguns have been banned here, so I spend time thinking what I can write to our no good politicians. After a while I get fed up of that. It's around 6pm and I think of the message, better listen. Two AWOL hens the evening before. Most locked in at 5.30pm, one other got at 7.00pm, one MIA presumed eaten

 

So I look, 6.05pm and am I ready? Am I hell.

 

Gear up, throw everything into the car and just as I'm about to pull away from the house... Along comes someone I need to talk to

 

Five minutes later I'm speeding (legally) on towards Jurassic Park. As I'm nearing the farm I spot some real bright eyes with the headlights of the car! "Oh no...", I think, "Please don't let me be late by THAT much!" Got to open the gate, get the car parked, get all my gear on and the rifle ready. This doesn't take long, but it don't take a fox long to travel either. All ready I'm off as carefully and quietly as I can be on this sodden ground. At least I have the wind in my favour Blowing across between me and where I've seen that fox.

 

I walk up to a small hillock, it's a group of them really which are handy for shooting from. I need a choice because as I've said in past posts when I find a good viewing point on this farm there's usually a tree in front of me Again, I'm overlooking that gully, they just seem to love this area. I've a shine around with the lamp and all I see are sheep eyes. I'm wondering has he gone over the top out to the hill or along the ridge behind me. Time for a quick squeak to see if anything show. Heuston, we have a go. I get the flash of a sly little eye out to my left about 250 yards away. I get down with the rifle and quickly realise I'm on the wrong spot so I change position fast.

 

By now he's ambling along, interested in that short call, not running in but committed to investigate and moving left to right. Passes through a fence and as I'm settled in my new prone position he goes in behind the block wall of a sheep pen So what's he up to, will he stay there if I move? Doubt it. Will he do that so annoying fox trick of vanishing into thin air behind obstacles, might do. So I sit and watch. I think, probably because of the lamp, he was figuring something wasn't as it should be, which worked out real well for me. As he moved out towards the hill he was in open ground away from that wall "Arf!" (stop laughing).... Booommm_mmmmmm... thud!

 

I hit him a little low but he went down in the spot he got shot, most likely with quite a portion of his lungs removed from his chest. Quite a hole in this one Ranged it at 194 yards, longest shot for me this season, nice looking dog fox!

 

[SportingShooter 0]

Spoooooky!!

 

I was just thinking earlier, "I haven't seen a post from John lately"

 

Well another bites the dust! Better than chewing on Chickens

 

Cant complain 194 yards John, Bang..............Thud still a sound you don't get tired of

 

Good Shooting, another tail for the meths, and he aint bad looking at all.

 

SS

[Guest JohnGalway]

Yeah I'm happy enough with that one SS As Hannibal used to say, I love it when a plan comes together

 

I didn't take the tail, or do the teeth fetish shot lol, talk about a strong fox smell, methinks he was starting to think of foxy ladies!

[clivej 0]

Another one down good shooting John. You seem to be getting them all in the same location or there-abouts.

 

Got my first deer on Saturday last - a nice doe, over in Kerry with a friend using his 6.5x.5.5. The big cut up to-night so venison roast for Sunday.

[the cheater 1]

Aha,the Pro at work again...well at least you had the bolt down on this 1

Nice colouring on him,good shot too at that range,well done mate

Was going to have a mooch tonight as i,m off tomorrow,but i think i shot the only fox on the shoot the other night so early to bed and i,m going to have a stalk in the morn.

[Guest JohnGalway]

On this particular farm they do seem to enter from near that gully a lot of the time. Last season we did see them elsewhere on the farm but as I said parts of it are literally covered in gorse, you'd not have much of a chance lamping there even with shotguns due to a number of factors. This season I could likely throw a stone and hit any of the spots foxes fell from a spot where a fox fell. I'm having a run of luck there, never had to stay too long to nab a charlie.

 

Well done on the Deer Clive It's something I've not done yet but hope to

 

Lol TC, you really should publish that last photo you sent me, man Better yet would be the ones from last year Not entirely sure why the round hit low, am doing something wrong. But, I've always said I will be happy if I am killing what I'm aiming at within 200 yards, so not too many complaints from me. Too misty here for a look tonight, pity, I don't like wasting the dark nights, was supposed to be heading out with that lad who jumped out of the bushes at you Good luck with the bambi's

[the cheater 1]

Not entirely sure why the round hit low, am doing something wrong. But, I've always said I will be happy if I am killing what I'm aiming at within 200 yards

Maybe because your using that girly .223 instead of a mans gun John only kidding,was very impressed with Rob,s .223 when i used his

What these pics...

Really don,t know what you mean

[Guest JohnGalway]

Not entirely sure why the round hit low, am doing something wrong. But, I've always said I will be happy if I am killing what I'm aiming at within 200 yards

Maybe because your using that girly .223 instead of a mans gun John only kidding,was very impressed with Rob,s .223 when i used his

What these pics...

Really don,t know what you mean

 

Who's forgetting I have those photos

 

Please send the cheque to the regular address

[Guest JohnGalway]

Friday, November 21st.

 

Headed out to Nialls tonight, brought out him a window bag I got off another site. He was more than delighted with it We'd this trip out planned for a while and I was looking forward to it as I don't often get to go out on that ground. Last time I'd been there, social visit, I saw a fine looking fox crossing the road not far from where we'd be shooting tonight. A good sign! We were shed bound for a while letting a shower pass, I was watching himself and his brother play darts, I'd a go and managed to hit the board twice, surprising myself After that I was basically trying to put them both off, WAM and Callmaster calls were brought into it, given the scores I think I achieved reasonable success there!

 

Nialls brother dropped us off at a gateway out to the hill. We'd not gone far when we spotted a shifty looking eye behind a gorse bush. I couldn't see where he was through the scope, we tried calling and waited around a while. No joy, the ground was so bad we didn't think much of sneaking over to him, one for another night. We then done a tour of the hill, which took some time, getting three very dirty showers in a place with zero shelter, ah the joys. Someone has burnt the gorse on the hill, burning their fence at the same time, take one step and you'd crackle ten little twigs, another step and it was squelch into the bog. Right, time to go somewhere decent.

 

After we left the hill we made off down a laneway towards Nialls dads land. There's quite a bit of cover on the land and it's such that when you get down onto it the fox has the advantage, not the shooter. So we decided we'd stay on the top of a hill overlooking a lot of the land. We make our way out towards the edge of the hill and see a fox straight off in the middle of a bunch of horses that've just been covered and scanned No shooting that fella then.

 

We move a little bit farther along the hill and see a fox way down the land right beside the stable. I range the stable 250 odd yards. We're not sure what his intentions are, he's looking when we call but not all that inclined to leave the stable area. If we get closer we'll have the ground against us. There's a stiff enough breeze blowing right to left in off the sea. We talk it over and decide to take the shot. I get down on a nice rock and put the scope on 12x, as is their habit the fox disappears behind the stable. We wait a little bit and he pops out the other side of it. He's stood sniffing at something, nice and still and side on to me. Perfect. I line up the crosshairs, giving myself a little extra seeing as it's zeroed for 200. I take my time and carefully squeeze off the shot. Booommmmm.... thud! He takes a few steps then goes down. I'm not happy though as he's biting himself, I've trouble loading the second round due to an extractor issue I've to manually remove the spent case from the top of the magazine and push the next live round back down again before ramming the bolt home. In that very short time he's made his way off into some rushes. We looked for him for a long time but no joy. I feel myself he's not too far away but the cover is really against us. I'll look again tomorrow if I get the chance to go back.

 

Back on top of that hill we see two more foxes, well I see one, Niall sees one, but we don't see the same fella While I'm busy tracking the guy moving through the rushes Niall is hitting me in the arm about something, a fox about 40 yards away on a wall Being down with the rifle I couldn't see what he was on about so kept following the fox I knew about. He comes out of the rushes and I bark at him, he looks, he shoots, he scores! Fox takes a few steps and falls over. Second round loaded this time and the crosshairs firmly on that fox, if he so much as twitches he's getting another, but it's lights out Nice dog fox at 150 yards. Niall was intent on stuffing him, until he got the smell then thought he'd make better hoodie bait We spent a LONG time looking for this guy, which really annoyed me. I knew for 100% certain he'd dropped and died but again that ground was against us, I eventually found him after we went back to the top of the hill and had a long conversation about where he dropped.

 

 

While we were looking for that one, I saw another in some rushes (where else). He was sitting nice and quiet, I took a shot at his head from 106 yards and bloody well missed. No point in blaming anything, bad shot choice on my part. Time to a return to basics for me.

 

A few other bits and pieces happened on what was a very enjoyable night. Shooting could have been a bit better but I'm convinced of two for three shots so not too unhappy. I'd have had Niall out where I was shooting the last night only he told me because of work he was only going out Friday nights. Got told tonight I should have asked him to go Wednesday night What can ya do!

[SportingShooter 0]

Ye cant win John!

 

Good to get out on some different ground, the same four walls (Stone ones ) can be a bit tedious sometimes.

 

How does the song go? "Two outta three aint bad" ?

 

The Remmy that I shoot with now and again has a habit of doing just what that one is doing. Just as you want that second round the most, it's too far back or bloody forward in the magazine! And of course when you don't need it, it loads Ah the Joys!

 

If I can watch a fox for over say two or three minutes and he doesn't move a muscle, i'd be quite happy he was going to be no more than Hoody bait, even if I cant find him, which happens. Rushes, Gorse, Bramble, Woods, all great places to be looking for foxes in the dark, NOT!

 

Ah well, you enjoyed the night out. And a thoroughly enjoyable read at the end of it

 

SS

[SNAP SHOT 194]

Not a bad few nights there john, good to see your getting out.......

[the cheater 1]

Well done fella,s hopefully you,ll find the other 1 today...can,t count him till you do though...or i will have start calling you the cheater

 

Just in from stalking..had 3 walk past me in some holly bushes not 15yds away,then when i got them in the open,there was a fallen tree between us with 100,s of branches blocking the view and they were only 60yds away oh the joys of Deer stalking still,it was a nice morning for a walk.

[clivej 0]

Another night out and that gives me someting good to read about, you tell a good story John.

 

I was out with my son last week and we saw 6 foxes on a new route that we took but didn't get any shots at them so we will be going again soon.

It must be a good year for the fox as there seems to be plenty of them about, plenty of food in the spring and summer for the new cubs.

[Guest JohnGalway]

Cheers for all the replies Didn't get a chance to go there today, maybe tomorrow!

 

Well done fella,s hopefully you,ll find the other 1 today...can,t count him till you do though...or i will have start calling you the cheater

 

Just in from stalking..had 3 walk past me in some holly bushes not 15yds away,then when i got them in the open,there was a fallen tree between us with 100,s of branches blocking the view and they were only 60yds away oh the joys of Deer stalking still,it was a nice morning for a walk.

 

I'm counting nothing until I pick it up You out again tomorrow after the bambis?