15 minutes spotlighting

[branxhunter]

I had the opportunity to slip out last night and shine the spotlight around for a little while. The night was still, and with the overcast but fine conditions it was nice and dark. I attached the spotlight to the ute, grabbed my Rem 700 HM .22-250 and headed out.
 
Within 10 minutes I saw some eyes across the other side of a valley. I swung the ute around so that I could take a rest over the side mirror, set the remote spotlight, and took a look through the scope. I could just make out a fox sitting up looking back at me. I know from previous laser rangefinding that he was probably 250m or so away. My hold was nice and steady and with no wind I thought I would have a go.
 
I set the cross-hairs about 2" above it head and squeezed off the shot. It was very satisfying to see the fox slump sideways in the grass - probably one of the best shots I have pulled off so far with this rifle. I thought that rather than go looking for it right then I would come back in the morning.
 
I continued on and almost immediately saw some more eyes at the other end of the same paddock - so close that I though it must have been a straggler from the mob of sheep further up the ridge. As I edged closer I thought I had better take a look and lo and behold, it was a fox sitting up in the grass nonchalantly watching me.
 
Again I took a rest over the side mirror and squeezed off the shot. I lost sight of the fox but heard a solid thump. Another one to look for in the morning - two foxes within 5 minutes.
 
The photos below are for the first fox. From where I took the shot to the fox:
 
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From the fox back to where I took the shot - 240 paces:
 
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I couldn't find the entry point on the first fox but the bullet exited out the back of the skull beside the right ear.
 
It was no wonder I lost sight of the second fox - hit front-on in the head the back of its skull was quite gruesome. It looked to have just slumped straight down into the grass.
 
The photo below shows the two foxes and the spotlight set-up.
 
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The spotlight is set up with a remote handle onto a bar which is held to the roof by suction caps. The spotlight remote handle swings up to the side away from the door to enable the door to be opened. It is a really good set-up that allows someone to spotlight alone.
 
 
 
Marcus

[Fieldmor77]

Good stuff Marcus, I'ts great to pull off those long shots once and a while, gives you back some confidence in your ability.
Down at the range you get some blokes who will shrug off a 250m shot as easy,  but two head shots, out in the field in the real world, that's outstanding.

[22hornet]

Great going Marcus. I like those big open paddocks to spotlight in. Nice and green too. Are there bunnies around otfen?

[branxhunter]

Thanks guys, I was pretty happy with how the .22-250 performed. I feel like I'm getting to the stage where a few of my rifles are "sorted".
 
This is a photo of the second fox, a little vixen (the other was a bigger dog).
 
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The shot was around 150m or so. You can see how it just sank down on its haunches - shot was taken from the left of photo with the fox sitting front on to me.
 
I had to rezero my Sako .222 after changing the scope mounts this afternoon, and took the opportunity to put 3 shots with the .22-250 towards a tin lid nailed to my 200m backstop.
 
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Point of aim was the cross in the centre of the lid. That is the third shot that just hit the edge of the lid - gives a group of around 0.9". I'm stoked with how this rifle is shooting at the moment.
 
22H, there are a few rabbits, but we tend to see more hares around.
 
 
Marcus

[gitano]

OUTSTANDING!

Paul

[Jorge in Oz]

Nice shooting Marcus. Looks nice and green around your neck of the woods. Great pics too.