Was a nice evening, ( Sunday ), so thought Id see if I could catch up with a Fox or two.
They seem to have been a bit thin on the ground of late, but I knew there must be plenty of Cubs about.
Things were looking bad !. I reckon to average a Fox for maybe every 3 trips out,
but for the last 5 outings, Id seen nothing but some really young Cubs about 5/6weeks ago.
The crops are getting up now, but a few fields of Silage had been cut the last couple of days. So made my way to the top of a field that slopes away for some 400yard, & sat in the hedge looking down.
I set the rifle down on its bi-pod, sat down beside it for a quick glass round the field, when a large Cub popped out of the hedge about 50 yds below me. Walked a couple of yards into the field, sat down and casually looked me over. I froze.
An adult would have taken off within about 3 seconds, but this customer just stood up and wandered away from me. I got down behind the rifle, but Mr Fox had vanished. I glassed the field but he was nowhere in sight. Looked again & could just make out the tips of his ears above the grass. He was having a bit of a lay down.
Waited maybe ten mins to see if he would move, & was about to give him a squeak, when he got up & stood broad side to me.
The 50g Nosler BT out of my .222 put him down on the spot. The shot paced out at 83 yards.
Though I thought the "strike" sounded odd, a bit of a hollow "wok" sound , not the usual "smack", you get from a "boiler house" hit.
Turned out Id hit her, (it was a Vixen, not a Dog fox), in the head, not the ribs that Id aimed at.
Time to check the zero I think. especially as we may be doing another Muntjack cull tonight.
Well, checked the zero, & it was a little high & a little right at 50 yds. Nothing really.
So will have to put it down to "operator error". :o
No Fox pics unfortunately, as left my mobile back in the car, but see Big Game section for Muntie pics.
Speaking personally, I'd like to see more of these stories!
Paul