Well (a little over a week ago) i went back to the farm(s) where i was just after xmas & bunnies were in plague...
I had some wild hopes that their numbers were still thick--so i could pull up in one spot & snipe from a distance...
But it wasnt the case...numbers were definately back down to breeding stock only...im guessing the virus may have been through, as well as heavy predation from a large number of foxes around, & also mixi is starting to show in a few that are left...
- Mixi starting on the remaining breeding stock...
- 2018-02-28 01.21.45.jpg (1.08 MiB) Viewed 6663 times
Only took 6 bunnies in total, & 2 of them were early stages of mixi.
I took a young lad out with me, & he was happy to get his first kill with his new cz (i rekon the bunny was only 10m if that from the car).
I gave him some shots through .204 on bunnies out to 90 yds but he missed them all...
Anyway, the farmer mentioned there were a few foxes getting around--i usually take this with a pinch of salt as farmers can often see the same fox or 2 every day, & mistake it for many...
So naturally i went out for a look with the light...
Pulled up in one area & blew the whistle--less than 2 mins & eyes appear...it worked its way down wind without giving an opportunity to shoot, finally got within range & pulled up & just as im about to squeeze off it went to ground--just vanished...
So i kept at the whistle for a bit longer, 2 more sets of eyes (
im on here...!!)...these were coming in from downwind so i had to get a shot off as soon as the opportunity arose--& it did--"crack" goes the .204, saw the eyes go down & to my left in the scope but no "thud" (thats a worry)...so i turned my attention to the other one--get it in the scope, take up tension, then it did the vanish before my eyes trick...fmd...!!!
So still in the same spot, i kept with the whistle for a bit...got another one in had a shot & must have missed...really, im getting pretty annoyed at everything by this point...!!!
Blew on the whistle for another 5 & waited another 5, then packed it in & went looking for the first fox i shot at
...well fmd, while in the paddick i hear a noise up ahead-- ive ran into another fox coming from downwind side in to the whistle...i only had a bright torch & the 22 with me & the fox skipped out to a good 100yds from me...it toyed with me for another good 10 mins, with me trying to keep out of the wind but it figured me out & did the vanish trick...if only i took the 204 or 22-250 with me into the paddock...!!!
So i went back to the car fox-less & the young fella said i didnt swing around far enough in the paddock to see the first fox i shot at...so off i trek again, this time i think i should wack the scope torch & bipod on the 204, but think all the foxes will be long gone by now...so i leave all rifles behind...
I get 100yds out in the paddock & hear a noise brushing through the small shrubs to my left...so i shine the torch on a fox sitting not more than 50 yds from me...
FMD...Seriously...youve got to be joking...im thinking this must be a joke & im being set up on candid camera...!!!
i didnt find either fox & wasnt in a good mood at all--must have seen 7 or 8 foxes & only got 2 shots off & went home empty handed...
So decided to stay another night...
The wind blew up & didnt make things easy, but had a better night...
Six foxes (from memory).
After the first night, i wasnt taking my time to get shots off, so when this orange skin apoeared in the spotlight 120yds out, i hit the skids & lobbed a 32 grn'r into its chest while it was still on the move.
This is the first fox on the first night...ranged him back to where the car was at 191 yds down wind which might explain not hearing the little 32grn'r hit home...
The foxes were incredibly healthy & good enough to keep for pelts (but i didnt keep any)..hopefully i get one or two later this year with winter coats...
I did keep one fur though...as some of you may have seen...hopefully it tans up well...
Cant wait to get out again...!!!
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...