Hunting Story: A Mixed Bag

The best laid plans of mice and man and all that, how many times does it happen that a pre-planned trip morphs into a completely different experience, usually governed by circumstances and the animals you are hunting? I had been invited up to shoot foxes with an under keeper called Lewis on a shoot in Buckinghamshire, prior to the birds, pheasants and partridge, going in to pens. The cubs are out of the earths and foxes are certainly more prevalent at this time of year and so a good evenings stalk was envisaged!

However it did not quite go to plan, but as it happened, in a very good way. I was there really because Lewis knew my passion for rifles and vermin control and wanted to learn how to safely and accurately shoot a rifle. A week prior to this evening he had proved his marksmanship on the range and so tonight was crunch time, as far as field craft was concerned.

LOCALE

This farm was totally new to me, so I let Lewis take the lead as regard approach and tactics. The half of the farm we were stalking was low lying arable land, with short wheat half grown and maize cover crop just emerging that had a boundary of a slow moving river. This was ideal, as it set the limit to any fox’s territory and we could concentrate our activities facing one way without having that nagging feeling you get when out shooting that something might sneak up behind you. The wind too was in our favour blowing left to right at 45°, so as long as we stalked the fields with it on our left cheek, no game ahead would scent us.

Lewis used a 6mm PPC rifle fitted with the excellent MAE sound moderator; a long legged Harris bipod (great for sitting shots) and loaded with 65-grain Hornady V-MAX bullets. I had my Predator-actioned Steve Bowers custom 30-47 Lapua stalking rifle that shoots a .308 125-grain ballistic tip at 2850 fps and would allow me a dual role fox or deer calibre if necessary, as it happened the choice proved fortuitous!

The reality is any small calibre .22 centrefire or .17 centrefire or HMR round is going to get the job done on fox work but you know me, I like to make life hard for myself! In any respect Lewis could hit a 10 pence piece at 100 yards every shot with the 6mm PPC, so confidence with this rifle made sense.

 

THE STALK

It was a hot evening, sultry but with a 5-8mph breeze, so we crept down the hedge line at 19.30 knowing full well that old Charlie would be holed up either in the wheat asleep or under a hawthorn bush awaiting his nighttime prowl. Most youngsters are too keen and walk too fast or natter constantly but Lewis was wise beyond his years, silently and purposefully taking every step with caution and pointing out runs and eaten foliage as we inched down the hedgerow,

As we edged to a gate way a hare got up from its form, gave us a quick glance and then bolted for cover. Our pulses raced now, as the head keeper had also instructed Lewis to take a few hares as they were hammering the newly laid sprouting maize and it was essential as a cover crop for later in the season.

“With one hare” said Lewis “there will be another” so in an instant we had switched from fox mode into hare stalking. We dropped to our knees and crawled slowly to the edge of the cover crop and sure enough a lone hare was sunning himself in the evening’s sunshine. The wind was good but as we slowly dropped to a prone position to shoot off the Harris bipod, as the shot was over a 100 yards, the hare suddenly got up and hopped a few steps into cover, blast!

 

PATIENCE MY DEAR

No worries, sit and wait, never be too hasty when one door closes another soon opens, it didn’t! So we continued inching our way past this cover crop that bordered a small copse, so that as we emerged the other side hopefully a few sun-worshipping hares or a fox would be waiting.

Luck was on our side, a hare was nibbling between the long wheat so we cautiously lined up Lewis’s rifle but again unspooked this time it just hopped into the crop as they can do. Some youngsters I have taken out in the past would now be swearing but Lewis’s cool head turned to me and said, “right he’s not gone far, lets edge down this culvert and with the crop to our back and he’s sure to appear further on down as they use the tractor wheel tracks as run ways” I nodded and we slowly crept on our bellies to a small slither of shadow spreading across the field.

Success, from here we were in shade; a single hare was basking himself just on the edge of cover, I put up the Leica range finder and got a figure of 319 yards, too far, so we edged forward on the bare dry soil until 249 yards was ranged. Feel confident Lewis? “No problems” was the reply but suddenly, and how many times does this happen, a hare popped out of the wheat at 80 yards.

Probably that first one we saw coming through on the tractor trail, “new target, new target “ I said and in an instant Lewis was resighted , safety off , “safe to fire”, and then a muffled thut from the MAE suppressor as the 65 grain V-Max instantly dropped the Hare on the spot with a perfect upper thorax shot.

 

AND ANOTHER

We congratulated each other but Lewis’s keen eyes spotted that the first hare at 249 yards was still sitting there, god that MAE was quiet! “Load up and take the shot, give it two inches elevation” I said and sure enough a muffled report and meat shot rang in the air and in the space of 1 minute Lewis had harvest two good sized hares, with the second shot at 249 yards!

Now the fields were aware we were there, so we regrouped on an old disused railway bridge that was one of Dr Breechings’ victims, which now served as the best high seat any one could ask for! From here we had vision on half the farm with the wind in our faces and a safe shot at any angle. Coupled to this we could sit and relax a bit and have a well-deserved flask of coffee and a Bourbon biscuit; I prefer custard creams, guess I am getting soft in my old age. That was then it suddenly twigged that whilst we chatted I was looking at myself over 30-years ago, keen as mustard yet respectful to the game that we pursue. I love the solitary stalking experience but shooting also brings together like minds and age is certainly of no consequence.

 

WITCHING HOUR

As the sun dropped below the horizon at 8.55 pm you suddenly enter that bewitching hour, where you tangibly feel the woods wake up, as animals feel safe to move from cover and start their evening feed patterns.

Sure enough, bang on 21.00 a huge dog fox appeared as if from nowhere, 150 yards to our left from a small copse and surveyed his evening’s hunting grounds. However, he was not hanging around and gave us no time to get onto him for a shot; damn! As he just melted into the field scape before us. Fair play to him, we will meet again no doubt but not tonight!

But then in an instance I was aware of a small movement to my right and a Muntjac buck emerged from the tree canopy from nowhere, how do deer do that? But years of experience had taught me no excuses, assess the beast, check a safe backdrop and adjust trajectory. Well at 10 yards the Timney trigger on the 30-47 L was well depressed and the bullet on the way before I was cursing the fact that I should have aimed a bit higher for such a close shot. No worries as the muntjac dropped and ran very low to the ground into cover. Although the muntjac ran, the meat shot sound indicated a hit so we slowly followed up, again the young eyes of Lewis was first to spot the blood, bright red and arterial on the grass and he tracked it to a hollow in the nettles where after a brief rummage re-emerged with said Muntjac buck in his hands and a huge smile, good lad.

 

CONCLUSIONS

What a splendid memorable evening, what started as a fox hunt turned into an excellent hare and deer stalking experience. I was the elder statesman as it were, but you can certainly teach old dogs new tricks, young eyes and enthusiasm coupled with a sense of country-wise knowledge and respect for your quarry is actually really nice to see in this generation of youngsters. I had one of those evenings that will stick in my mind for a long time as we shared a great bit of sport and had got on famously!