No Foxes tonight.

[gamekeeper]

The young Gamekeeper on the estate where I live saw a Fox heading for one of his woods this morning but could not get a shot, so he asked me to take a look. Well GK Jr was playing cricket so I took a drive over there about 8.30 pm. I decided that if Nath can kill em with an air rifle I'd leave my 9422M with the carrying handle behind and take the 9422LR. I loaded up with a few Rem.Yellow Jackets and put a hand full of CB longs in my pocket, just in case the wood was full of Squirrels. I found a good spot by a Pheasant feeder and started to call, I use my hand to squeak vermin,as I don't get on with store bought calls, well as soon as I started calling, Jays, Magpies and a couple of Buzzards came in straight for me. I thought with all the noise these critters were making any Fox near-bye would surely come and take a look. Well if he did, he saw me and I didnt see him! I moved to another part of the wood and tried again but no luck Still it was good to be out in the green woods with a Lever-Gun in my hands. Sorry this post ain't very interestin' but I thought I'd try and address the balance of so many OT political posts. Interesting and important as they may be.

[AmBraCol]

Well, thanks for the levergun post - and YES it is interesting, at least to a city bound country boy. Sounds like a good time in the woods indeed.

[Andrew]

I consider that to be a good evening. I shot at a wabbit with the 9422 friday no more than 15yds and flubbed it. And no, it was not running.

[Old Ironsights]

So how did GK Jr bowl?... or is the game into day 4?

[awp101]

Perhaps you should have tried calling it in with a sticky wicket?

[rjohns94]

thanks to the post. Nice to know that you are human and don't get one every time! thanks again

[KirkD]

Well I for one really enjoyed your post! I have a good imagination, and I was out there with you in my mind as you recounted your evening. Thanks for posting. Next time, take a camera and include a shot of your surroundings. That will make it even better.

[Tycer]

Wish I was there with you. In the woods.....not that side of the pond.....tried that.....

[JerryB]

game keeper, thank's for the good story. Anytime you can leave the house and walk the woods with a levergun, that is a good day.

[Jaguarundi]

Well sounds like you have a sly fox.Bound to make the hunt very interesting. I also enjoy your posts.Better luck next time.

[Ysabel Kid]

Next time... next time!

Thanks for the story!

[Dastook]

Last deer season, Nov. 07. I was getting ready to climb into my ladder stand. I placed some buck lure on a couple branches out about thirty feet from the stand. I put it on a limb about four feet off the ground. I walked back to the ladder and started to climb. I got about half way up the ladder and I could hear something coming through the woods. I thought what the heck, already? I hurried up the ladder and sat down and chambered the rile. In came two of the biggest prettiest foxes I have ever seen. They sniffed around that sent bomb for about five minutes. They stood on their hind legs, jumped in the air they really were curious about that thing. They eventually became uninterested and ran away without paying me any attention. I see fox almost every time I sit in a stand, but never have I seen them do what they did this day.

[gamekeeper]

Hmmm, never thought about using Buck Lure.

[Nath]

Good for you GK, In't it amazing ah, I bet if you went back with a shotgun for them birds and squealed nowt ud show but a fox about 70yds away sitting
Reminds me of last january when I stood with my back to a rock buttress in a wood and called (94 present) only to have within moments a fox come charging over the rock and kick dirt down my neck as he turned and legged it. Never did see him just smelt him (may of been a her though, dun no).
Them birds want shifting with that 28 and put the camera in your pocket
I was out last night but blanked it, don't matter though, I was out.
Nath.

[TomF]

GameKeeper, You mentioned squirrels. Are they considered pests or table fare?

TomF

[gamekeeper]

GameKeeper, You mentioned squirrels. Are they considered pests or table fare?

TomF

The grey squirrels are considered a pest and can be shot all year round, as many as you like. They are at last being seen as good eating but not many folks will try them. Shame, I prefer them to rabbit.
The red squirrel is quite rare and a protected species. In the few areas where reds are still found it is all out war on the greys!

I use CB longs so I can take shots without fearing the bullets will travel too far in this overcrowded Island. My 28GA 870 is also a great squirrel gun.

Nath,
I somehow always manage to have the wrong gun at the wrong time! Got to get me one of those Savage Mod.24s in .22/.410 or maybe .22Mag 20GA. Which would you choose?

[Nath]

Which would I choose- any GK. I had a 22H/12g 3" for a few years. The hornet was as accurate as any bolt . I shot it scoped and unscoped with equal good results, the shot barrel came with three choke tubes. The top barrel firing pin broke so I made another.
The 22mag/20g I had was not so good ,I did not have it long.
A friend had a 22/20g, an old one but very tidy and that was a peach. It was accurate with any 22 and the fine irons on it made for easy shooting. He would down birds regular with it and when he got rid I was very pressured to buy it but I did not
Of them all the 22/20 would be my choice, it carried better and they are best shot off hand and so any record breaking distance shots are not really thier field.

[TomF]

GK, Eating squirrels takenwith shot is hard on the teeth. I certainly would prefer something accurate inthe 22 short or even an air rifle ( I have a 40 year old Sheridan that thumps limb rats with ease) We call grey squirrels "cat" squirrels here while the red squirrels are "fox" squirrels. They are excellent table fare whether fried stewed or barbequed. I manage several squirrels each, enough to remind myself just how much folks are missing by not eating such a tasty animal.

TomF

[HATCHETTJACK]

here ya go game keeper,, one i shot



50 yards marlin 1895 xlr 45-70 leverevolution ammo

[Old Ironsights]

GK, Eating squirrels takenwith shot is hard on the teeth. I certainly would prefer something accurate inthe 22 short or even an air rifle ( I have a 40 year old Sheridan that thumps limb rats with ease) We call grey squirrels "cat" squirrels here while the red squirrels are "fox" squirrels. They are excellent table fare whether fried stewed or barbequed. I manage several squirrels each, enough to remind myself just how much folks are missing by not eating such a tasty animal.

TomF

Not really... unless you are partial to more than the hind quarters.

Even with Shot I try to not hit anything south of the diaphram.

Oh, and I dunno where you are, but Fox Squirrels and Red suirrrels are distinctly different species. Reds are small, mean and mostly avoid humans, Fox(s) are big and friendly. I had one that would ring my doorbell for walnut meat.

[gamekeeper]

Hatchettjack,

I reckon I can safely say your 45/70 did a lot more damage than Nath's pellet gun but both the foxes ended up just as dead!

I don't know now whether I'm under-gunned or over-gunned!

[HATCHETTJACK]

GAME KEEPER, JUST AS LONG AS YOU ARE GUNNED THATS ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS