I warn you now, this will be brief.
We have a pair of foxes working the extreme North edge of the estate. Between ourselves and our neighbours, we've spent a lot of time spying the area from daybreak. (Which, by the way, means getting up there for about 3.30am.) One fox has been spotted regularly but over a huge area. Every time it has been spotted it has travelled out of everyones view and been lost to us.
The other has only shown muzzle 4 times in the last month. It seems to go around at breakneck speed and gets lost to us in double quick time.
Last night a friend came up with a (very, very expensive) thermal imager. We were up on the top of the highest hill in the area, right through the night, spying for any sign of either fox. And guess what?
That's right; no show.
So it looks like the alarm is going to be set for 2.30am. Again.
We have a pair of foxes working the extreme North edge of the estate. Between ourselves and our neighbours, we've spent a lot of time spying the area from daybreak. (Which, by the way, means getting up there for about 3.30am.) One fox has been spotted regularly but over a huge area. Every time it has been spotted it has travelled out of everyones view and been lost to us.
The other has only shown muzzle 4 times in the last month. It seems to go around at breakneck speed and gets lost to us in double quick time.
Last night a friend came up with a (very, very expensive) thermal imager. We were up on the top of the highest hill in the area, right through the night, spying for any sign of either fox. And guess what?
That's right; no show.
So it looks like the alarm is going to be set for 2.30am. Again.
Keep it up Andy, nights soon drawing in, then not so early out in the morning,
ReplyDeleteAndy, I see you use a Tikka T3 .25-06, do you use this on Stags too? if so how do you find it??
ReplyDeleteI have found the 265-06 with the right bullet type an almost perfect calibre for hill stags as well as sika in any environment.
ReplyDeleteFor the much bigger english woodland stags I prefer something a little larger .325wsm
Just read the blog after discovering it by accident. Superb, I love hill stalking, especially hinds, keep up the blog posts.
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ReplyDeleteQuite sure that I gave a comment reasently. But my digital skills are not the best so thats prob the explanation!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I am impressed by the job you put in these foxes. Now I realize the reason behind your amazing grouse population. The land of milk and honey doesn't come for free eh?
And Andy, thanks once again for the day in the hills! My first meeting with Scotland and stalking ended up with memorys that can't let go.
Magnus
Came across your blog in an interesting way--my aunt gave me old copies of the "Scots" magazine and I read your article and have been reading all the entries in your blog for a few days now. One of the things that interested me was the pet Caracal cat in the article during your time in SA. I tried to find the info on your diaries during that time but no luck--is there another way I can access them? I checked the SA game site and couldn't seem to locate them. You live a rather fascinating albeit difficult life. You do have a great gift with the written word and I am sure you have an equal gift with the spoken one! I see that you stopped your blog in 2013. I am sure it was a lot of work. I do hope you start it up again or give possibly a monthly account of life on the estate. I hail from Canada and currently BC although I grew up on a farm in Manitoba. I have enjoyed your blog very much and will be recommending it to friends to read. All the best, Diane F-W Vancouver, BC, Canada
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