Spotlighting Red Dogs

Varminting and vertebrate pest control. Small game, hunting feral goats, foxes, dogs, cats, rabbits etc.

Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 07 Jan 2015, 4:22 pm

Hey Fella's

Another mate and I went out over the last couple of nights spotlighting the little red dogs, firstly we went for a little look for a few connies to explode before we hit the dogs, we knocked over around a Doz, the mate was running is new 204 Sako 85 with a Hubble Telescope (Leupold 6.5-20x56) and I was using the ever reliable Howso 204 with Nikon 3-9x50 on top.

We managed a few long shots on the bunnies which was fun - I nailed a few out around the 290m mark at around 8pm and my mate nailed a few out around 200 odd so we were in fine form and ready to get into the red dogs at this stage.

After we set the spotlight up and had a feed of sausages we were off in search of the tell tale eye shine, nothing much seen in the first couple of paddocks other than the occasional bunny which we left alone, anyway we kept working the paddocks and eventually eyes were spotted, I'd decided to just run the spotlight as I was in the Drivers seat and find it a PITA to shoot from there so left all the shooting duties to my mate for the night, anyway ol red dog was less than responsive to the whistles and other callers we had at hand so we had to go in search of it as it decided to run off, eventually we found it again in the light so I got the BT in position for my mate to get a shot on it - soon after it was a bang flop - red dog down! :D

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We were off again and it wasn't too long and we had the 2nd one in the light, it too wasn't overly keen to hang around and it disappeared from the light soon after, so again we did the search routine, it took a few mins but eventually we located it again and soon after it too bit the dust with the 32gn Hornady's doing a fine job of knocking em over

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We searched a few more paddocks but nothing seen so we figured we'd start heading back down towards the homestead and searched a few paddocks down that way, we spotted what looked like a small fox but turned out to be a hare in the scope so it too was dispatched and we though we'd have a bit of a look in that paddock, it wasn't long and we spotted the familiar eye shine we'd been searching for, so I got the BT in position and the little bugger again wasn't interested in the whistle or sitting still, eventually we lost it so decided to go into another paddock for a look but nothing see there so we headed back to the previous paddock and have a bit of a look around to see if the fox could be seen again, nothing was seen so we headed back to the laneway and proceeded to head towards the homestead, anyway I was working the paddocks with the light when I spotted another fox, this one wasn't so lucky, the familiar bang flop happened, anyway we go over to retrieve the fox and bugger me it was chewing on the hare we'd shot 30mins before :unknown:

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Off we went again and no sooner had we come through the gate back onto the laneway and I spotted another one :lol: well you know the routine by now, bang flop - another one bites the dust!

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Anyway I went to start the BT and nothing! :oops: Oh dear I guess running the driving lights and 100w Halogen and idling around wasn't really charging the battery much :facepalm:, anyway we started the 600m walk down to the sheds and have a look around and see what we could find to use to get the ol girl up and running again, luck was on our side, we had a quad and a new Honda Genie sitting there, so a quick check of the oil in the genie and bit of a look for some wire and a quick look over the quad to work out how to start the bloody thing we were making tracks back to the now dead BT, we wired everything up and fired up the genie and after 5mins we gave the BT a try and it fired up :clap: Thank fark for that!

I rode the quad and my mate drove the BT back to the shed where we put everything back, we then sorted out the rifles and gear and headed for home (it was around 3.30am by this time) and on the way back we spotted around 10 foxes :unknown: I nearly nailed a couple on the road too, they were just bloody everywhere (I've never seen this many in ages) hopefully it will be a good year for them.

Day 2

Day 2 saw us having a look around another property, we rolled up around 9pm to have a chat to the owner, as we drove in I looked at my mate and said we can't shoot this property, have a look at the length of the grass! she was up around 1m tall :shock: anyway we went and had a chat to him and he said the other property has shorter grass as the cattle are in there so we headed off up the road to that one, it was better but not perfect but shootable (farking thistles were around 6ft tall in places :o ) but we managed to find 3 red dogs amongst the growth, they all hit the deck (that thud from the little 204 is unmistakable when you hit em good) we didn't bother getting pics of those as the terrain we were shooting in was bloody rocky as and it just wasn't worth the risk of having a fall or even trying to drive in em (I tried one and FMD it was hard going).

Anyway we were out of there by midnight.

Oh yeah I also nailed a skippy at 80kph :facepalm: no major damage (the bullbar mounts need a bit of work and some other bits need attention but it should be a reasonably easy repair (will have a good look soon) but didn't look too bad.

Just another day of living in the bush hey, it was bound to happen and now it has :thumbsup:

Oh my mate gave me his HID Spotlight too! :o we've just finished wiring up a Anderson Plug to the battery so now its just a plug and play setup - what a mate, its hard to find good people and I gotta say I'm blessed with some crackers in my life. :thumbsup:
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by melanie » 07 Jan 2015, 8:10 pm

bigfellascott wrote:the mate was running is new 204 Sako 85 with a Hubble Telescope (Leupold 6.5-20x56)


:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 07 Jan 2015, 8:18 pm

melanie wrote:
bigfellascott wrote:the mate was running is new 204 Sako 85 with a Hubble Telescope (Leupold 6.5-20x56)


:lol: :lol: :lol:


Yeah its our little in house joke we have about it, nice scope under the light though, makes me want to put the Zeiss 6.5-20x50 on my 204. :unknown:
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by Harper » 08 Jan 2015, 8:47 am

I tell ya I'm a genius.

Reading through other stuff before getting to this topic, the whole time thinking WTF is a red dog?

Because it's not like foxes get discussed here every day :lol:
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by inventurkey » 08 Jan 2015, 8:48 am

What'd you splatter on your scope there?
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 08 Jan 2015, 10:10 am

Harper wrote:I tell ya I'm a genius.

Reading through other stuff before getting to this topic, the whole time thinking WTF is a red dog?

Because it's not like foxes get discussed here every day :lol:


:lol: Yeah I call em all sorts of things at times :D some I can't mention here!
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 08 Jan 2015, 10:12 am

inventurkey wrote:What'd you splatter on your scope there?


That's how they come mate, cost an extra $300 for it apparently! :shock: I don't think I would have wasted my money on paying for it, one could have done it themselves with a bit of paint surely? :unknown:

It's one of these mate

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/475632 ... atte-black
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by Monty » 08 Jan 2015, 3:06 pm

The old Jackson Pollock scope, eh.
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 08 Jan 2015, 4:18 pm

Monty wrote:The old Jackson Pollock scope, eh.


Yeah mate, not a bad scope for the $$$.
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by sally-bee » 09 Jan 2015, 9:33 am

Does hang the shot ones attract more? Smell of the meat?

Or scare them off seeing a fellow fox laid out?
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 09 Jan 2015, 10:33 am

sally-bee wrote:Does hang the shot ones attract more? Smell of the meat?

Or scare them off seeing a fellow fox laid out?



I don't know to be honest, but that one was tossed over the fence after the pics were taken.
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by AusC » 09 Jan 2015, 3:12 pm

Hanging foxes... Personally I don't think there's significant in it either way.

Never had a skulk of foxes come running at the smell.

Nor had seen them turn tail and run or suddenly seem to disappear from an area.
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by bigfellascott » 09 Jan 2015, 3:19 pm

What I do know it only took a fox about 30mins to find the hare we'd shot earlier :lol:

I don't think the hanging makes a diff either way
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Re: Spotlighting Red Dogs

Post by sally-bee » 12 Jan 2015, 12:10 pm

Ok then.

Thanks guys.
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