First fox of the winter

[Squirrel_Basher 17,101]

Before i start writing this i know there will be some that will frown on the fact that our digging season starts now rather than back in the autumn ,well im not interested in arguments just pure fox control ,take it or leave it .

Now that the shooting season has finished we are allowed on the local estates to mop up the lamp shy foxes that plague the keepers every year .We will dig well into spring to get on top of them ready for birds going down and that will include litters of cubs .

We started the day checking earths with terriers on lead which is how i see it should be .Looked at several earths with padding in on the snow ,even melted snow around the entrance but terriers said no so onwards to another banking .A good mark and so nets down at a place that was good to us first day last year .Dog in and a fox showed almost straight away ,only to slink back in taking the net with it ,really annoying as it never held .This place is notorious for rock about 3foot down and i mean solid rock not the shale found elsewhere .We got a mark of 1.9 and after a cup of tea from the flask we made a start .The time was now 11.20 The first 3foot was easy with pure sand flying out and we wondered if wed got away with it but no ,the dreaded stone started and boy did it slow us down .We had a 100%digging dog in so the only option was to dig to him .The bar was brought in and we chipped ,loosened and cleared for the next 4 1/2 hours .Hard on the body and hands when you arnt used to it but we are made of the same stuff as the dog and eventually broke though at 4 pm to the dog hold of a big vixen .He is a digging mans dream ,sits off bays mixes a bit and bangs the quarry every time when your in .Shot the fox and had another very well earned tea and christ were we aching ,like a pair of geriatrics after a disco but very happy men.

Edited February 8, 2009 by foxdropper

[runforyourlife 361]

Well done pal, top story, and good work.... whats the dog?

[Butler 396]

Good going.

[dannys lad 0]

looks like it was well worth the graft pal

[thebolt 4]

good one mate

[Rabbit Hunter 6,613]

Good, honest post mate, I know of a few lads that don't get into the swing of things until they're allowed on the land once the shootings finished...if you didn't want to do it then someone else would, keep at 'em...

[sp.w 42]

Spot on!

[darrell jnr 16]

well done mate ,control thats what it,s all about..atb..darrell.

[goldfinch2007 2,336]

nice one .job done.

[chrissy32 13]

good one lads keep it up atb chris

Edited February 8, 2009 by terrierman 1977

[Guest whitser]

good post.

[paddy31 120]

Good going lad nothing like a bit of hard graft you sleep sound tonight.........

[Guest AngelicAcid]

That is the best account of a days outing by far, and a very good one at that hats off lads

[Attack Fell Terrier 864]

Bang on mate!

[Squirrel_Basher 17,101]

  runforyourlife said:

Well done pal, top story, and good work.... whats the dog?

Hes one of Nuttals older stuff mate ,solid but narrow chested ,fits most places .