Warning--blood guts & skinless bodies lay ahead...
So i havnt been out for 3 months...& it was driving me nuts.. so Friday night of the long weekend i loaded some ammo & rang the farmer.
I arrived after sunset on the Saturday, & after a couple of missed shots on foxes, one shot that was so bad i ripped at the trigger like a stalling tractor & threw in flinch too just to make sure i missed--a really stupidly executed shot...& having had a lot of activity in just the first 2 paddocks (probably having seen up to 5 foxes here, & another 5 on the way into the property) & not having heard that "whollup", I was starting to get frustrated...then a repeat of what was happening--one appears 150 yds-rifle out settle reticle & it moves-it pulls up, re-position car settle reticle & it moves-it pulls up, position car settle reticle & its gone again...well for nearly 20 mins & 3 paddocks this smartar&e little fukr toyed with me.
So i lost my cool so off i drove & chased it if you like-not a mad man chase that many idiots do with foxes, rather a calculated chase & pull up at the right time...& it worked--the fox pulled up barely 100 yds from the car--you beauwdy...!!!...position car, switch off ignition lights off, rifle out window reticle settled, gentle squeeze and..."CLICK"...OMG NO WAY...!!! FMD...!!!!!!!!-i forgot that i had an empty chamber for the cross country endurance test as i was holding the rifle....gees...!!...so i chamber a round (now by this point the fox has been standing there for probably some 20 seconds) so the fox turned its head to run when the round fed out of the mag, so with a little squeek it turned only its head back, so i nearly settle the reticle below its left ear & just as if it knew the right time, it meanders over the ridge, giving me an odd glimpse of its eyes here, then over there, then it vanished into nothingness...
I had a look around but he was probably rolling around in stitches laughing under the car...!!!
Really frustrating, so much activity but nothing in the bag--to drive spot & shoot tenacious foxes really is hard by ones self...Gggrrrrhh...!!
Anyway, i figure im going to bed, so on my way back i try one more paddock--the next one in the direction that fox was going which was the first paddock i was in..
Well the same thing happened, only this time (& admittedly, partly out of frustration) i let a shot rip on a male who trotted off at 180 odd yards--i heard the impact clear as the report but no fox in the scope--a quick scan of the terrain with the light & i see it closer to the car in the opposite direction it was headed & just standing there looking at the ground (obviously not feeling too flash & probably in shock)--i wasted no time in sending another round into its chest.
As you can see, the first shot was not a good one--im usually pretty good at them on the move out to a good 200 yds but i think a little combined frustration & hesitation made its way to the trigger & the result was fox not feeling too well.
TBH i feel pretty bad about that, but at least it was dispatched within probably 5 seconds from the initial impact.
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I wanted the skin so psyched myself into dealing with the innards & skinning him out.
It took a while, (im still well & truely learning the art of skinning foxes) & at one point i had that intestine wrapped a few times around the legs, but by then i was used to the gor so just persisted.
Unfortunately i lost his tail (did not come off with the skin)--it was loosing some fur anyway, & the skin of his tail was quite thin & weak, so i had to split it & inch by inch peel it off--ill sew it back on once tanned if i feel so inclined.
So there i am, skin in car & ready to head off to salt this skin & get to bed...so car running, i turned on the headlights & there not more than 80 yds directly in front of the car is another fox quietly going about sniffing out a meal of mice--it wasnt until i re-positioned the car that she got a little hesitant & retreated a ways off in the opposite direction.
A quick squeek of the whistle got her attention back, then im assuming a mouse on the ground got her interest, so with a comfortable side on shot into her chest at around 120 yds, she fell over. I still pulled that shot too--but close range so made no difference--not up to my usual standards at all-3 months without seeing a paddock has taken its toll...!!
- Upset tummy...not feeling too well...
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I was a little shocked to see an exit wound on her a good inch or so in diameter..usually the 204--well the entire last batch of 32gr Zmax did not exit once on any fox, despite the range, angle or point of impact on the body.
So i took her back to camp where by the fire i stole her pretty frock & salted her & her hubby's clothing.
Here she is the next morning, just before i took & layed her to rest next to her partner.
- The Missus-exit wound.
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Here is a pic of the bullet path--entry is bottom right of pic just behind shoulder--ive not had an exit on a chest shot fox with these bullets (32 Zmax) so this is surprising for the bullet to have not completely fragmented--it is a new batch that i started on the last trip out, & i did have one (i suspect) have a jacket partially rip off the core--anyway these bullets should be fully fragmenting within the body, not exiting.
- Camp.
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May the rest in peace...
- RIP...
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Next day i terrorised a flock of pigeons in the area with a basic sub moa load of 36gr of 08 in the new 22-250.
After trying to get position on the flock unsuccessfully from elevated paddocks at 300 yds, i had to settle for a 180 odd yard shot from different direction over the bonnet.
As i drove to the position, a bunny popped up & ran to sit over a nearby warren at around 40 yds...well ok if you insist...!!
- Bullet path--not happy with exit wound.
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So back to the pigeons...Here is the quick over the bonnet set-up...
- Broad daylight 3pm...?!!?!
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With inspiration from Bent Arrows recent weekend get away pics, i took this after the shot.
The wind was about a 5mph full left to right...i like the trail of feathers across the ground, a bit like the tail of a comet.
- My quick out over the bonnet set up.
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This was the result of a 50gr Zmax w/ MV of 3500fps @ 180 odd yds...only one wing & no sign of the other...a frangible bullet into a feathered pest is certainly a visual spectacular through a scope....like someone stuffed explosives in an old fashioned feather n down pillow...POOF...!!!
- Comet tail.................
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Here's the view back to the car...
- Back to car.
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(the second pigeon--there was one behind the other so i tried for a "two-fa" shot--was curious to see if enough bullet would hold together on exit & drop the one behind.
Well it didnt--but it was winged by shrapnel, & much to the annoyance of the bird of prey who came to investigate, i grabbed the 22 & finished the poor little winged pigeon.
I was amazed actually, not only was there the bird checking out the pigeon, there was also a cat that skooted off when i shot the pigeon with the 22....but the farmer wants the cats around the sheds left to keep the mice down, so even though ive seen him around a fair bit on morning walks with the 12g, he is safe.!
Next night i made my way out to the other property, hoping to get there with an hour or 2 of daylight to snipe some bunnies...but i stuffed around setting trail cams & thick cloud over the western horizon effectively made for an early sunset by a good hour, so whilst i had a quick look around, i missed any real opportunity to sit a wait for the unsuspecting bunnies to rise from the depths & snipe them.
So ive eaten my sandwich & set up the light on roof, & waited long enuf so i start up & flick on the light to half dozen bunnies 60 yds infront of me...well they took off with the light on.
So i drove 50 yds further & same deal-bunnies not sitting in the light....so i sit waiting with the light out for them to come back out of mallee, & when i turn the light back on, there's a set of eyes sitting patiently for the said bunnies & facing me directly...i swing the light, take a peek through the scope & bugger me--ive been teleported to Africa & im staring right at a fukn lion...!!!...no s**t this cat is a fukn monster & i cant believe its just sotting there...!!!
Thank god ive already got the gear out over the bonnet like previous pic, so i close bolt, settle reticle on its chest, breathe, hold, squeeze.... ... ...BANG....KERTHWOAP...!!!...you bewdy...!!!
I see its face squint as it tensed up then fell over...
Its the second biggest cat ive ever seen through a scope, & the biggest cat ive ever dropped.
Now im not just saying this, but the pics do not do this beast any justice...
Im 6' in my boots with a long leg, & under his own weight with his back toes just under my belly button, his front feet just caressed the ground...
This is a stock Tikka T3 & ive just plonked the fellow down from a grip on his scruff of neck--he's not stretched.
- Mr Ginger
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A 204 cartridge for some perspective that measures 2.280"/57.9mm.
- Big boy
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I took my time skinning him out--i wanted this one in good nik-although i cut one back leg a little short...
- All done...
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Here is the salted skin next to the skin of a full grown mature fox...
- Cat skin/Fox skin (full size mature fox)
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Here is the skin after ive fleshed it out with the pressure cleaner....the table is 600mm wide X 1200mm long.
- Wet hairy pussy...hehe
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So, after that monster & a good de-frocking job for an amateur, i was pretty stoked & it was only 8pm so i cracked a beer...!!!
Well i got one mouthful of the beer & hadnt moved the car before i was on again...
100yds infront of the car is a pair of glowing eyes that mustve been curious of the smell.
Well it didnt hang about-taking off to well beyond the reaches of the light.
But i persisted for a good half hour--having driven to the edge of the next paddock & parked up i worked back to within a shootable range.
The range finder said 214yds but it was a stubble paddock so it could be 180 or 280 yds out.
Bugger it, ill give it a crack as im sick of sittin here...
...BANG... ... ...KERTHWOAP...!!!
Ya think i could find it...i looked for a good 30 mins..!!
Tied a high vis vest to the nearest fence, & went back next day & found it.
She was 260 yds, & again with an exit wound...!!?!...so bad its blown its shoulder off.
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...