The fox pages

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

Re: The fox pages

Post by Oldbloke » 19 Oct 2020, 7:19 pm

They can be difficult little buggers without NV or spotlight. I don't like them my self and only shoot a few every year whistling during the day. Of course depends how much time you put in as well.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Blr243 » 19 Oct 2020, 7:58 pm

Someone , fill me in. I have forgotten. Are we not approaching that time of year soon some young inexperienced pups are going to. Be out. On their own an easy targets.?
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Oldbloke » 19 Oct 2020, 8:04 pm

Blr243 wrote:Someone , fill me in. I have forgotten. Are we not approaching that time of year soon some young inexperienced pups are going to. Be out. On their own an easy targets.?


Yes, about now they seem to start coming out.

Spotted one yesterday about 200 yards out on a dried up swamp. Most dangerous thing I had was a cake of soap. Was on the way to have a shower. Lol
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 20 Oct 2020, 6:14 am

Blr243: " I have forgotten. Are we not approaching that time of year soon some young inexperienced pups are going to. Be out. On their own an easy targets.?"

And about time too! About 9 weeks ago I whacked 6 foxes in three nights just out the back of my place. Since then, on various properties including mine, all I have seen, generally in the far distance and travelling at light speed, is 7 and none was remotely interested in a call. They were all very 'twitchy' and wouldn't settle. Even putting bait out in front of cameras saw no results until 5 days ago when a youngish fox turned up at 3:00AM. It's been returning earlier and earlier for a meal of dog food and/or offal left over after I shoot hares for dog food with my new .22WMR. [30 gr Hornady V Max stop hares instantly.]

Jim
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 20 Oct 2020, 9:16 pm

NTSOG wrote:Blr243: " I have forgotten. Are we not approaching that time of year soon some young inexperienced pups are going to. Be out. On their own an easy targets.?"


Jim


My partner travels extensively at night, and has seen lots of young ones playing/crossing the road for the last fortnight.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 25 Oct 2020, 4:14 pm

Finally - a fox!

I went out looking for hares last evening and sat near one of my fox bait stations on the north end of a long dam wall, but only saw one hare scarpering into a far paddock that's locked up for hay. I knew I'd never find it in the long grass so, as it was very cold - 3C last night - I packed up and headed back to the house. Just as I reached the south end of the dam wall several plover started screeching back where I had been sitting so I looked back through the NV scope and spotted the vixen going to the bait of dog food and offal from a couple of hares I shot two days ago. I was able to sneak back and take a shot from about 75 yards, hitting her in the left chest just behind her foreleg with a Hornady V max, 30 gr. She ran 35 yards and dropped. The rifle is my new [1976] Anschutz 1515 .22WMR with a PARD NV008 and an extra VCSEL illuminator [Black Sun Dark Engine] I bought from the UK. Using the add-on light saves battery power in the NV scope. [The red 'device' is a snap-on lens cover made for the PARD which does not come with a lens cover.]

Jim
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 25 Oct 2020, 4:39 pm

Congrats on the little vixen Mate,,,, :thumbsup:

What is it with foxes running even after being well clobbered ?

The last two I've shot, have done that too.
Even though hit hard and well placed,,,, I haven't had this issue before.
They seem to be getting tougher.
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Oldbloke » 25 Oct 2020, 5:03 pm

Die Judicii wrote:Congrats on the little vixen Mate,,,, :thumbsup:

What is it with foxes running even after being well clobbered ?

The last two I've shot, have done that too.
Even though hit hard and well placed,,,, I haven't had this issue before.
They seem to be getting tougher.


Thats why I bought the 223. Almost lost 2 with the 22Lr.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Skinna » 25 Oct 2020, 5:42 pm

Hit em in the shoulder blade with a 20 cal 32 grainer doing nearly 4000 fps...it usually flips em around 45 to 90 degrees & they rarely even lift a leg out to 300 yds.
Skin em out & the entire chest cavity is a blood clot with maybe at worst a few shrapnel exits on opposite side.

They are thin skinned animals--thinner skinned than most cats...you need to hit em with something that goes "POP" inside the chest & knocks the wind out of the lungs or gives em a heart attack...or kill & skin em in the one action with a 22-250...the sound of a 50gr vmax at 3600 fps to the skull of a fox is a sweet note sure to penetrate even the best of hearing protection... :thumbsup:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Skinna » 25 Oct 2020, 5:44 pm

NTSOG wrote:Finally - a fox!

I went out looking for hares last evening and sat near one of my fox bait stations on the north end of a long dam wall, but only saw one hare scarpering into a far paddock that's locked up for hay. I knew I'd never find it in the long grass so, as it was very cold - 3C last night - I packed up and headed back to the house. Just as I reached the south end of the dam wall several plover started screeching back where I had been sitting so I looked back through the NV scope and spotted the vixen going to the bait of dog food and offal from a couple of hares I shot two days ago. I was able to sneak back and take a shot from about 75 yards, hitting her in the left chest just behind her foreleg with a Hornady V max, 30 gr. She ran 35 yards and dropped. The rifle is my new [1976] Anschutz 1515 .22WMR with a PARD NV008 and an extra VCSEL illuminator [Black Sun Dark Engine] I bought from the UK. Using the add-on light saves battery power in the NV scope. [The red 'device' is a snap-on lens cover made for the PARD which does not come with a lens cover.]

Jim


Good stuff Jim... :clap: :thumbsup:

Hey...how is the pard 08...??
What made you go that route over the versatility of swapping the 7 from rifle to rifle without the need to re-sight it in every time...?

Cheers :drinks:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by marksman » 25 Oct 2020, 6:36 pm

nice to see :drinks:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 25 Oct 2020, 6:38 pm

G'day Skinna,

I got the Pard 008 to replace another NV scope that had a 'gravitational' accident* when mounted on my Anschutz 1532 [.222 Rem.]. I had difficulties getting the PARD properly zeroed on the bigger rifle due to the poor construction of the mounting bracket that comes with the PARD: it required shimming to get the reticle near centre on the screen. The PARD mounting bolts were also known to break - I had no confidence in its security on the bigger rifle - so I bought an ATN 4K [3-14] for that .222 rifle.

The PARD is excellent and, with a bit of fiddling and filing plus a small shim, I now have it zeroed on the .22WMR which obviously doesn't have any recoil worth mentioning. The PARD fits the little 1515 well - I wanted a light 'walk-around' rifle for closer in shooting. All in all the PARD 008 is far better that the ATNs I've got. It's light and the picture is brilliantly clear. Its in-built IR is even brighter than the Black Sun Dark Engine illuminator which, in turn, is brighter than the Sniper Hog IR I use on the Anschutz 1532 with the ATN 4K. [I also have an HW 60J in .222 Rem with an ATN X Sight II and use the Black Sun Dark Engine light with that.] Of course all three NV scopes I have can be used in daylight. Only my BRNO Mod. 2 has a conventional scope on it.

As for foxes running I've had a couple run off after being hit at 85 yards or so with one of my .222 Rems. When I finally found them they had huge holes in their sides and 'spaghetti' hanging out. One vixen made about 150 yards like that. They are tough little beasties. On the other hand there have been many which have just dropped without a twitch, apparently due to the massive shock at impact when I have hit the right spot.

Jim

* I dropped the bloody rifle one cold night and it landed upside down on the scope and bent the chassis.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 25 Oct 2020, 9:25 pm

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Skinna wrote:...or kill & skin em in the one action with a 22-250...the sound of a 50gr vmax at 3600 fps to the skull of a fox is a sweet note sure to penetrate even the best of hearing protection... :thumbsup:


You mean like this ?????,,,,, with a 22/250

Been posted a while back now, but just in case you weren't around then.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 28 Oct 2020, 4:58 pm

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Has anyone got an IR Illuminator the same as this one ?

The two little buttons marked + and - when pushed simultaneously turn the unit on or off.
But when pushed individually neither seem to do anything.
I thought maybe they were zoom/focus, but as I said they don't seem to do anything.

In fact it doesn't appear to have zoom/focus at all.
The other marking on the body seems to indicate a twisting action,,, but nothing rotates or twists either.

Anyone got any idea ?
There is not a brand or model name on it anywhere.
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 29 Oct 2020, 7:18 am

G'day D J,

I took the liberty of copying one of your photos and posting it on the UK Night Vision site. The opinion, from experienced people, seems to be that "it's the IR that came with the first X Sights. +/- buttons control the brightness."

It's certainly an older device.

Jim
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 29 Oct 2020, 9:02 am

Thanks for that Mate,, :friends:

That probly explains why it's worse than useless.
MM sent me a link to some up to date "modern" ones,,,,, so I'll can this little black sardine and buy a new one.
Cheers, :thumbsup:
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Blr243 » 29 Oct 2020, 9:43 am

My wolf eyes ( actually I will lend it to u when I see u soonish) illuminster works well on my first pulsar but it’s big and bulky. I’ll try to post a pic It’s a good even distribution of flood and intensity
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Blr243 » 29 Oct 2020, 10:15 am

Usually I post pics of pigs cats n foxes. This is a sad situation
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Blr243 » 29 Oct 2020, 10:17 am

Size 200 by 55
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 29 Oct 2020, 10:37 am

G'day,

I've got that Wolf Eyes light - it's not bad, but if you can be bothered going 'international' and buying a VCSEL light from the UK such as the Black Sun Dark Engine [BSDE] shown attached to the PARD NV 008 on my little Anschutz [above] you'll get better light and longer range for about the same price. There are several of the VCSEL type lights on the market and are worth a look. The only drawback is that the cone of light is a bit narrower than the Led IR lights. I suspect some shooters will be able to shoot to the maximum range of the BSDE with success. Otherwise LED Sniper Hogs are pretty good, but to get one at a reasonable price I had to buy it from England as the local dealer will only sell the full kit at very great cost!

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Re: The fox pages

Post by RoginaJack » 09 Nov 2020, 9:18 pm

Weathers been a bit lousy here the last few days, windy & blowing branches off etc, so decided to have a look at the odd YouTube video. Came across a few on 'The Shooting Show" and was surprised on the calibers used on foxes. I've always pictured British farms as small holdings, nothing like 30,000 acres. The firearm's used being 22-250 and 223 - no surprises there. Now a few of the very active pest controllers use the 243W and 260 Rem as their go to calibre for foxes around the sheep. Not leaving much to chance...
Boom, Boom! Tikka, Tikka, Boom! Shoot first, video later.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by AJB » 21 Nov 2020, 4:51 am

:D :D
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 09 Dec 2020, 9:06 pm

Went out again last night,,
slim pickings.

Got the poorest, worm infested, mange ridden fox I've ever seen in 53 years,,,, with the .223

I'm not kidding,, it was that poor, I waited till it was broadside on before squeezing in case I missed.
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Blr243 » 09 Dec 2020, 10:04 pm

When they get like that they look more like a rat rather than a fox .....I’m starting to think that mange is getting more prolific
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 10 Dec 2020, 7:53 am

G'day All,

I shot an older and hungry vixen three nights ago on one of my bait stations out the back paddock. She was very flighty, probably due to being blind in her left eye - at least there was no eye shine under IR light from that eye. I had been baiting her for a couple of weeks.

Last night I shot a fairly cautious, probably older, fox that came to the edge of blackberries and gorse along a creek. It came to a call I was sent by a Pommy shooter called Vixen Domination. I can play it on my Icotec 350 as it's an mp3 file. Later a smaller, probably younger and dumber, one came out into the open paddock in response to my T-2 caller. No photos as I would have had to scramble down a very steep and rocky cliff face in the dark to reach the blighters - I was sitting 60+ feet above the creek flat - and I'm not prepared to risk a fall since I have a titanium right hip.

There's another pair coming to one of my bait stations, but they're arriving at 1:00 AM and that's too late [or early?] for me.

Jim
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 10 Dec 2020, 9:34 am

NTSOG wrote:G'day All,

No photos as I would have had to scramble down a very steep and rocky cliff face in the dark to reach the blighters - I was sitting 60+ feet above the creek flat - and I'm not prepared to risk a fall since I have a titanium right hip.

There's another pair coming to one of my bait stations, but they're arriving at 1:00 AM and that's too late [or early?] for me.

Jim


No sense of adventure,,,,, :lol: :allegedly:

But there's always a bright side,,,,,,,,,,,,
When you stumble, and fall A over Z and end up in the blackberries,,,, facing a four foot tiger snake,,, you could roll the titanium hip
forward,,,, and say, Here, bite on this ya bastard. :lol:
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I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 10 Dec 2020, 10:08 am

DJ you're such an optimist, but I have read about that poor [and very dead] farmer in Tasmania who was well bitten by a huge Tiger snake which wrapped itself around his arm and wouldn't let go until helpers chopped its head off. In respect to the latter beheading I'm surprised that the ever-caring Greenies in Tassie didn't lay charges for killing a protected animal.

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Re: The fox pages

Post by Ziege » 10 Dec 2020, 11:34 am

crawling with foxes here but also rife with movement and fire bans so there are tonnes of crops still on and too many hiding places, called one up from an oat crop couple days ago however.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by NTSOG » 10 Dec 2020, 5:35 pm

Just to keep DJ happy I went over to where I hunted last night and climbed down the cliff to find the two foxes; it's an all-fours job even in daylight. The one at the very edge of the blackberries - range about 66 yards - was not to be seen and I wasn't going over the fence to thrash around and upset any snakes; I presume it flipped into the bushes.

The one pictured is a cute and little vixen: young and dumb. If she was a whiting or a flathead I would have thrown her back as undersize. I presume she is one of this year's litters?? She's the smallest fox I've shot so far. Range was 116 yards looking up from where she dropped to where I sat on the cliff top. The video from the ATN 4K scope shows the cross hairs holding steady just behind her foreleg mid-way up her left side at the shot and through the gun smoke just after - I could just make out her silhouette. The large wound, to my surprise, was from just left of spine downwards [close behind the shoulder blades] through the right rib-cage. In other words the bullet hit much higher than I expected. I was sitting about 60-70 feet higher at least than where she was. Was this one of those situations where shooters should aim lower because shooting down [or up] at extreme angles changes the duration of gravitational effect on bullet flight for a given distance across the ground?

Jim
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Die Judicii » 10 Dec 2020, 9:18 pm

I'd say obviously down/up trajectory definitely played a part (my guess)
Can't say I've had much experience in such situations.

You didn't have to,, but thanks Mate.
So I take it you didn't get to test my theory re fangs vs titanium ??
:lol:
I do not fear death itself... Only its inopportune timing!
I've come to realize that,,,,, the two most loving, loyal, and trustworthy females in my entire life were both canines.
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