The Ole Hedge Creeper

Out Foxing Charlie Part 14

1/7/2019

Out Foxing Charlie
Part 14

Here we are in part 14 of my out Foxing Charlie series, those that follow my articles will know this is actually part of my article Shooting The Silk Moths part 2, that was all about a rabbit/rat job I had on, but that was only half the job the other half was a fox problem on the same venue, so I would recommend you reading that article too if you would like to get the full picture and fill in the blanks.

We start of in The City of Bath well actually just out side Bath on famous estate and manor house, I was called in to deal with a huge rabbit problem on the ornamental gardens that also had a huge lake too, my client kept rare breed fowl, I met Eric & Ernie the guard Emus as soon as I got there, below is a snippet of what I wrote in the other article.

Snippet from Shooting The Silk Moths part 2
I was shown around the most wonderful ornamental gardens with ancient trees also having its very own lake, the severe rabbit damage was quite apparent, then I was shown around a chicken run that was almost an acre in size, fenced off dug deep into the ground and 6 ft high security fence all the way around, my client was at a loss how the foxes were getting in killing his prize rare breed fowl, firstly I said you need to electrify the fence or an outer fence at the very least, secondly you need to move those big feed bins next to the outer fence, why he asked? I had tracked the foxes and worked out that's how they were getting in already, I told him as we walked around the boundary of the fence there is your entrance jumping up on the feed bins then over the top of the fence and in, you have even provided them with a small step ladder next to the bins, he agreed to move them away from the fence, now for the inside of the pen how were the blighter's getting out whilst carrying a big duck or hen? I tracked the inside boundary of the pen, ahhhh there it is the exit, it was right in the corner where two straining posts held the corner post up, I could clearly see the claw marks on the posts running up and fox fur on the top post as they jumped out of the pen carrying said duck or hen.

I did indeed shoot some rabbits that day with the Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter and hung them out on a garden fork with their guts split open to attract the fox to where I wanted to shoot them, I also hung out some of my infra red glow sticks in the no safe shot zones as the safe shooting angles are very tight on this job, there is a funny story that goes with those glow stick and my fellow co owner of the Countryman’s Diary Magazine big Greg, lets just say he lights up well under night vision, as me to tell you the story if you see me at a show etc, like I said I hung the IR sticks out to remind me in the blink of an eye where I could and could not shoot in the pitch black, its one reason I walk every bit of the land in daylight to get a real feel for the land, so that when the night falls I have it in my minds eye.

This job has turned into a really tricky one, with very narrow safe shot angles and undulating ground and very long grass being part of it, client said he only had one fox, this I know now not to be true and its a several foxes not just one, I have seen seven at once and shot four so far, we will get to them in due course.

First night I settled in under an old beach tree just out from the huge run, I thought the tree would mask my body shape well, I had already tracked the place and new the foxes were coming over from the country house next door who had a vast amount of land and an orchard, I now have her as a client for all her deer control but we will get to that later, I sat there as the night started to come in quite peacefully listening to the sound of rodents scurrying through the under growth, a few bats flew around me I could hear their clicking, a barn owl silently glided into my tree and sat there preening itself, a pair of rabbits hopped out by the bee hives, I sat there watching them on the NiteSite Eagle R Tech Dark Ops, then right on cue a fox appeared at the gate some twenty yards from my rabbits, it sat there looking I swear straight at me then another a much bigger one doing the same, I gave a small rabbit squeak and both foxes bolted for cover, I thought to myself these foxes have been educated, probably squealed at before then shot at and missed, so I wont be doing any more squealing from now on, this night came and went and the foxes did not come black, a couple of days later they attacked again so the client called to say come back please.

* Pic for illustration purposes only*

I went back a couple of days later, this time with my chum Alan and his thermal spotter as I know they were there watching me I just could not see them in the undergrowth, with the thermal it gave us the edge to see them coming and be ready, I also had the client pin the gate back as if it were not for the gate I could of shot them before, the night drew in and Alan cranked up his thermal spotter, right there bang on 10pm the foxes returned from next door, they did not come over the ditch they stayed right inside the next doors ditch so no safe shot, we decided to go for a stalk around the lake and ornamental gardens, this was when we spotted a huge dog fox on the main lawn, we played cat and mouse with him but he out smarted us.

We decided to stalk back quietly to our seats under the Beech Tree, low and behold there was a fox not twenty yards from our seats, we just could not get a clear shot through all the bushes/trees etc, we stalked in but the fox wind scented us or heard us or something and disappeared around the end of the stable, then I saw another heat source on the thermal spotter, another fox just in from the gate, Alan dropped his stick mounted and shot in one smooth action in almost complete silence, it was a real pleasure to watch him shoot, half hour later the first fox appeared on the ditch bank and Alan shot him too, that was 2 foxes in the bag so we called it a nigh leaving a very happy client.

A couple of days later I got a call again, bloody fox has attacked and killed my favourite Cockerel this time come back and bring the army with you, I laughed but thought why not take Carter my Young Sport Ambassador along for some rabbit shooting, it would be great experience for him learning how to stalk these rabbits on the manor house too, his Dad my ole mate Niall came along too as a spotter using the sentinel, Carter had a cracking time stalking late sunny evening rabbits whilst his Dad and I watched on, both of us smiling with pride as we watched the boy put into practice what we had been teaching him on the range as well as in the field, he bagged a cracking shot on a bunny by the lake house from a prone position that he stalked in on his belt buckle, the smile on his face was priceless as the rabbit did a back flip and dropped stone dead to the boys shot from that little air Arms S200, His Dad and I cheered him on I think his smile said it all.

Night was coming in so we got back in to position and awaited the foxes, bang on 10.23pm the first fox stepped out, Carter was asleep on the patio chair next to me, Niall had gone off for a stalk with the spotter to see what was about around the lake, I fixed my cross hairs on the fox and not making a sound I slipped my safety off, I could see him as clear as daylight on The NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops unit, he stopped to take a pee that’s all I needed a split second, I sent the Norma 58grn Vmax lead aspirin down range and administered the sleeping pill to the foxes engine room, it dropped stone dead on the spot, the shot woke young Carter up with a start as he nearly fell off his chair, I did chuckle at that as Niall appeared did you get it, daft question that I am not one to waste valuable ammo.

About an hour later another appeared almost identical to the first, in fact it all went exactly the same as the first, apart from the first was going left to right, this one came from the right to the left, it stopped to sniff the blood from the first kill, that's all I needed as I slipped off the safety of my old Browning 243 and sent the lead sleeping pill down range, this time both Niall and Carter jumped a mile, I could not tell them there was a fox or it might of heard me, So I just got on and shot it.

That was 2 foxes in the bag now, I could sense I was being watched, I could feel it more than I knew it, I said to Carter come for a stalk with me leave your Dad here to watch for foxes, we can pick that 2nd fox up when we come back, I stalked around the long grassy field stealthily telling Carter to mirror my every movement, if I stop you stop, we stalked around using the NiteSite Sentinel to guide our way in the dark, that’s when I saw it a huge Dog Fox, I had to double check as I thought it was the owners German Sheppard out again, but no it was one of the biggest foxes I have ever seen.

I am not sure who was stalking who here, I would get in place give Carter the Spotter, drop my trigger sticks mount the gun, just like that no fox it had vanished? I would turn on the wind trying to get a line on it so it did not wind scent us, then there it was behind us wind scenting us, this was one clever fox he knew the score alright, I bet this is the Boss Fox who is the main trouble maker feeding all the others I thought, last I saw of him was disappearing over by Niall, I said to Carter lets go retrieve that other fox we shot earlier.

I was retrieving the fox and could see Niall's IR from the big NiteSite spotter lighting us up on the screen of the Sentinel, I thought he was just watching us, but no what he was watching was that big Dog Fox he was no more than 20 yards from us watching what we were doing from the safety of the ditch bank, I even had that sixth sense I was being watched and span around with my Night Master pocket lamp, I must have looked right at him but I could not see him in the brambles.

We got back to Niall and said did you see the size of that fox right by you? No we didn't? as we relayed the stalking story with Young Carter doing the actions, it was now almost 2am and we decided to call it a night, the next morning the client messaged me and said a huge Dog Fox was right by the gate at 7.45am, Thermal will be the way forward with that switched Big Ole Charlie Fox as he knows the score, I will get him it may just take a little time and a new position.

As I type I am awaiting my new NiteSite Pearl Thermal Spotters to turn up, when they do this big dog fox is going to be in the bag, here i am pictured with the one and only David from NiteSite one of the founders, also pictured with my ole muckers the top fox shot himself Mark lewis.

I have to go back and see the next door neighbors in the big country house, like I say they have a deer problem in their orchards and have commissioned me to put in place a deer management plan, you never know I may get that Big Ole Dog Fox over her side after all.

Oh and before I forget, have you got your Gun Ice yet? If not then why not, you must be mad to go out in the field without it, as the mantra says ALWAYS CARRY NEVER USE, check out the website and order yours right NOW www.gun-ice.co.uk.

Young Sport Carter also helped me on some fox trapping jobs as I showed him how to correctly dispatch a fox in the trap according to the BASC best practice guidlines, a lesson he well absorbed.

I hope you have enjoyed my humble scribbles, catch up with the other part of this story in my Shooting The Silk Moths series part 2 Out Now.

*click on the picture link of me below for Shooting The Silk Moths Part 2*

Out Foxing Charlie 14
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

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Shooting The Silk Moths Part 2

20/6/2019

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Shooting The Silk Moths
Part 2 edit.

Like I said in part 1 of this series I just do not write technical articles, for some that's what they love, but for me it bores the pants off of me, I would much rather take you out in the hunting field and put these guns to a proper test not a paper punching exercise, as you can tell I am not much of a target shooter, I am the same when it come to clay pigeon shooting, what a waste of time and good ammo, plus the fact I cant eat a paper target or clay pigeon, typical rough ole country boy I hunt with my belly in mind.

Right lets get out to the fields, this tale starts off in the city of Bath here in Englandshire, I am a professional Pest Controller so I get called out to some pretty varies clients, I specialise in Agricultural Pest Control, but I also do commercial and domestic too, my mantra is Poison Free Pest Control, although I am licensed and qualified to use poisons etc. I prefer not to use them unless absolutely necessary when all other poison free methods have been tried and failed first, its the ole Countryman in me, I was brought up in the old school and truly hate the knock on ecological effect poisons have on the environment and more, so I trap and shoot and advise other methods and advise good husbandry etc, like I say this story begins in Bath or well just outside in the countryside, I was called to a VIP manor house who collected rare breed fowl and even a couple of Emu, the manicured lawns were plagued with rabbits and the rare breed fowl were constantly under attack from foxes, now in this article I will cover the rabbit control using the awesome Air Arms S510 ultimate Sporters, I will cover the fox control in my Out Foxing Charlie series of articles so look out for them, I will also cover some rat shooting and crop protection in this article too.

I got to the clients address and thought blimey what a beautiful place, that was when I first bumped into Eric & Ernie the pair of guard dog Emu’s, as it turns out they like anything shiny or glittering and took quite a fancy to the buckles on my Jack Pyke braces, the client came out and said oh so you have met the security then as we both chuckled.

*Young Sport Carter re baiting the fox trap for me*

I was shown around the most wonderful ornamental gardens with ancient trees and indeed with it very own lake, the severe rabbit damage was quite apparent, then I was shown around the palace of a chicken run that was almost an acre in size, fenced off dug deep into the ground and 6 ft high security fence all the way around, my client was at a loss how the foxes were getting in killing his prize rare breed fowl, firstly I said you need to electrify the fence or an outer fence, secondly you need to move those big feed bins next to the outer fence, why he asked? I had tracked the foxes and worked out how they were getting in already, I told him as we walked around the boundary of the fence there is your entrance jumping up on the feed bins then over the top of the fence and in, you have even provided them with a small step ladder next to the bins, he agreed to move them away from the fence, now for the inside of the pen how were the blighter's getting out whilst carrying a big duck or hen? I tracked the inside boundary of the pen, ahhhh there it is the exit, it was right in the corner where two straining posts held the corner post up, I could clearly see the claw marks on the posts running up and fox fur on the top post as they jumped out of the pen carrying said duck or hen, like I say I will continue with the fox side in my Out Foxing Charlie Series.

Client advised and is now happy for me to proceed with said pest contract, first was to start with the rabbit control and as many squirrels as I could as he had a major problem with them too, so I went about installing Rabbit & Squirrel Traps, I get my traps from Katch It Traps a quality English firm made right here in Englandshire look them up on that there tinterwebb if you need quality traps that actually work.

I drove from Bath via my place picked up the air rifles and drove South of Weston Super Mare to another VIP client who had a major rat problem, other companies had tried the poisoning route but to no avail, I met my ole chum Nobby there, we put the awesome NiteSite Eagle Dark Ops on the brilliant Air Arms S510R Ultimate Sporter (black) and loaded up with my fave pellets, the Air Arms Field Diablo 5.52 obviously in a .22 calibre my favorite round for an air rifle, I said to Nobby he could shoot tonight as I had the new NiteSite Sentinel Pro Spotter to put through its paces, the action started as soon as we switched the night vision on, there were rats all over the place, Nobby had a great time and I could not load the magazines quick enough.

That little Sentinel spotter from NiteSite is just brilliant, so light so versatile and made spotting the rats dead easy, Nobby and I always made a good team and tonight was no different, even as boys growing up we worked well as a team, before any of you that have my books yes that's the Nobby from my books too, we finished up with a huge pile but only collected a few as we had strict orders not to go in with the cattle the herdsman would collect them all the next morning when clearing out, I got a message the next day asking just how many did we shoot as he had filled the wheel barrow 3 times with dead rats, I laughed and said we lost count but used almost a full tin of pellets, Nobby is now addicted to rat shooting as is buying his own NiteSite/Air Arms combo.

I went to the far end of the field to act more like a scare crow to try and keep the birds off that bit as we could not shoot there due to houses and the location of the road, it worked like a dream, I kept the birds off the bottom of the field and the boys had the birds decoying in lovely, lovely if they were using a shot gun not an air rifle, but a few did land and the boys managed a moderate bag of Wood Pigeons a few Corvid's a squirrel and a rabbit, I then taught Young Carter and Chris how to field dress their game, then we headed to the gran Barn for a few hours ratting with the Air Arms S200 & S400 and the NiteSite’s, I think the giggles and laughter and the oh that was a big one coming from the Young Sports and from the Hmmmmm not so young sports said it all as rat after rat fell, all in all a fabulous protecting the crops by day and by night with my Young sports and their Dad’s using some of the best British Made Night Vision equipment and Air Rifles.

A few days later I returned to the Bath Rabbit/Fox job on the manor house and ornamental gardens, I started off like before stalking around this time with the Air arms S510 Ultimate Sporter and my Primos Trigger sticks, I shot a couple of rabbits at a good distance too, off the sticks, you know I love those sticks they are great, then I settled in on my bench and waited, it was not long before more rabbits appeared, I dealt with them in no time, but now it was time to set up for the foxes, I put away the air rifles and got out my 243, I put the rabbits out slit their guts open and hung them on a garden fork, the rest of this story will continue in Out Foxing Charlie 14 as soon as we release it, so as they say this bits TO BE CONTINUED.

The next evening I was back at the VIP rat job just South of Weston Super Mare, this time a solo mission, just me the amazing Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter/Night Site Eagle Rtec Dark Ops combo my trigger sticks and some good ole rat shooting in silence or as near as damn it, there is another story with Niall and myself to join this one but will be in the next article, I had to shoot the rats coming through the walls in to a protein cattle feed barn, they were literally crawling in from every nook and cranny, even running over my feet as I stood there shooting them in the pitch black, I don't know how many I shot I did not count come the end but I filled up 3 big feed buckets full of them, I telle boys if your going to a good versatile night vision don't bother with the cheap end of the market, do yourself a favor save up a little longer buy a NiteSite, you will thank yourself in the long run, buy once cry once and buy the best in my humble opinion, now as for an air rifle again get a British made top quality Air Arms, reliable/trust worthy/deadly accurate/smooth as silk to use and feisty too, as sweet on the eyes as they are in the arms, just like an English Rose made in the finest of Englandshire magnificent workmanship of sheer beauty and quality.

Oh and before I forget, have you got your Gun Ice yet? If not then why not, you must be mad to go out in the field without it, as the mantra says ALWAYS CARRY NEVER USE, check out the website and order yours right NOW www.gun-ice.co.uk.

I hope you have enjoyed my humble scribbles, catch up with the other part of this story in my Out Foxing Charlie series part 14 coming out very soon.

Shooting The Silk Moths Part 2

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

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Out Foxing Charlie 13

2/4/2019

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Out Foxing Charlie 13
Unlucky For Some

Before I go any further with this article, I want to make one thing clear, I do not go and shoot foxes or trap them etc unless they are attacking live stock, all this if its red is dead nonsense or if it flies it dies, if it hops it drops rubbish really gets my goat, I was brought up as a Countryman of the old school values, that is we respects all our quarry, so as I said in my very first article on this subject, I only deal with foxes that attack live stock, also this using the biggest gun to take the quarry at the greatest range and for want of a better word exploding it really goes against all I was taught from boyhood, I was taught you use the correct caliber hammer to hit the correct caliber nail/bullet in the hole, so using a 308 to shoot rabbits is nothing more than proving your manhood is bigger than your mates or possibly trying to make up for something if you get my drift, anyway rant over lets get on with this article.

We start out on a cold wet windy night in the darkest deepest depths of my beloved Somersetshire, one of my agricultural pest control contracts were complaining of fox predation on his free range ducks and hens, also something was taking piglets from the piggery, there were foxes also attacking in the early lambing paddocks, I was called in to see what I could do and give my professional opinion on how and what was attacking the live stock and how I would cure the problem.

I arrived late afternoon a couple of hours before dusk as I had to check my rat traps/cage traps, I did all the traps in record time having dispatched several rats in the cage traps around the piggery, I then tracked and stalked around the lambing fields, of course I took the trusty 243 with me just in case Ole Charlie fox decided to try his luck early on the day old lambs, it was not long before I had worked out how and where the foxes were getting in and how they formed their attacks and gaining access to the piggery and the fowl too, I worked out he had about 5 foxes visiting him on a nightly basis, there were 2 pairs of b Dog and vixens coming in, as it was around the time they paired up, one big dog fox and what I knew must be a vixen coming in from the livery stables next door, the other not so big dog fox and a vixen were coming in from the organic garden centre across the road, then there was what I assumed was a small vixen or dog fox coming in from under the shed of the house next to the farm entrance, my gut said it was a vixen but I could not be sure until I saw it or had shot it.

I took up position in top of some haylage bales to give me some height and a better all round view, the dusk started to draw in and the light started to fall, I heard a vixen scream over towards the livery stables, I thought here we g wont be long now, I had the Ole Browning 243 set up with a NiteSite Eagle mounted on it as I scanned the area with the awesome NiteSite Spotter, about half hour passed nothing but then I picked up a pair of eyes, I could not get a clear shot due to trees and other vegetation, so I decided to move down to the gate at the bottom of the hilly lambing paddock, I was glad of my Jack Pyke Evolution gear and my beard as it was bitter cold.

There I was down in the gateway watching for the fox to appear when I saw a flash of eye shine again, there she was 125 yards out sniffing around a huge dung heap, I switched to the rifle from the spotter and waited, Now in shooting position rifle mounted on top of my trigger sticks I followed her every move with cross hairs locked on, she paused right in the middle of the ding heap to take a pee, I squeezed the trigger on the 243 lead injector and administered a lead aspirin to the engine room, she dropped stone dead on the spot less than a moment later the dog fox appeared from my right hand side and trotted out to the dung heap too, the wind was blowing a hooley so he must not have heard the shot even thought I have a moderator on the gun it still makes a crack, I tracked him all the way out until he stopped by the vixen, again another text book shot with a perfect back stop of this massive dung heap, he fell right next to the vixen.
I went out to retrieve both foxes then brought them back and hung them on the gate post next to me with some baler twine, I stopped for a quick cup f tea from my flask as farmer came out of the lambing shed, I take it that's two down he said as he came over and saw the ones hanging on his gate post, I think his smile said it all as he shook his fist at the dead foxes, I explained your troubles are not over yet as I know there are three more foxes coming in, I also had a report of the white van dropping off town caught ones less than a couple of miles away too, I only saw one more fox this night and it was what I thought was a little vixen, she came round and sat right next to the road and no amount of calling or anything was going to move her to a safe shot position so she was left.

I went back the next day and installed a cage fox trap, I baited it with some of the ducks and hens that had been killed a couple of nights previously, within a couple of days I had her in the cage trap, I quickly and humanly dispatched her in the trap, that was three foxes down with two left to go, I spent several nights there even putting the Ico Tec GC500 caller out, but those last two foxes were having none of it, I was sure they could see the IR of the NiteSite, I could pick up two sets of eyes but they just would not come in past the 300 yard mark of the boundary hedge and present a safe shot.

I left farmer my Dads phone number just in case we caught any more foxes in the cage trap, I was heading off to the shot show in Las Vegas Nevada USA and would be in Utah too for the best part of a couple of weeks, all in all I would be in The United States Of America the best part of three weeks hunting shooting and fishing whilst being at the show to, I had a wonderful time there with my mate Robert Kearl a professional trapper, we pitted our skills against each other from shooting to fishing to tracking, I especially enjoyed the tracking and trapping as it was back to pure skill and field craft, we tracked Cotton Tail Rabbits/Jack Rabbits/Mule Deer/Cougar/Bob Cat/Coyote/Ring Tailed Cats different types of foxes and of course our Red Fox, all in all I think I impressed my American Brother as us Brits are not known for our tracking abilities, I must admit I really enjoy tracking and piecing together the picture of what's been left behind, I have tracked all over the world with everyone from Native American Indians to African Bush Trackers and each of them have taught me something new, my Pappy (Grandfather) was a great tracker and started my passion off for tracking and traditional field craft.

I saw the NiteSite and NiteSite America boys at The Shot Show in Las Vegas, we had such a laugh, I was very impressed with the new NiteSite Sentinel a small hand held spotter that was good out to 100 yards, I explained my problem foxes and that I thought they were seeing the IR from the NiteSite Eagle Rtec, I arranged the collection of a NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops from them at the British Shooting Show when I flew back to the UK, a few days later I flew home from Las Vegas, I landed back in the UK and only three days later I was at The British Shooting Show 2019 at the Nec Birmingham, I got to meet Gavin Thornett the UK Sales Manager for NiteSite for the first time and my old mate and top Countryman Mark Lewis on their stand, well after I had set my stand up that is, we all got on like old friends, had a quick photo shoot picked the new Dark Ops up and off I went to run my own stand, WOW what an awesome show The British Shooting Show really is, I really must send a massive well done to John & Annie and their BSS team, I swear that show just keeps getting better and better as each year passes.

I head home and hardly have a chance to unload the van, the phone wont stop, I have Commercial/Domestic & especially Agricultural Pest Control Clients phoning, I was away for a month at both shows and enjoying myself state side so what did I expect, The next day I started to tackle the vast amount of work ahead of me, Commercial and Domestic work was a walk in the park so no real issues there, it was the Agricultural Contracts that were a problem as I raced against the clock getting all the traps out and everything set.

Then that phone call came, it was the farmer with the fox trap, he was having attacks in the lambing paddocks, his ducks and hens were hammered and he saw a big dog fox running off with a piglet, Nothing else for it head down armed with the browning 243 lead injector and try out the new NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops, I set up in the hay barn next to the lambing pens, the dusk fell and I started to hear a vixen screaming from over by the livery stable, I knew it would not be long before they made their move and come in to attack the live stock, I sat and waited with the Dark Ops, I used the spotter a bit like I would a lamp, as soon as I saw any eye shine off it would go, then I would switch to the Dark Ops Browning lead injector combo, I saw the pair of foxes coming in from 400 yards away, but the route they took meant it would not be a safe shot from this angle as they would come right through the live stock, so I quickly moved position before they winded me and hid behind a 5 tone haylage trailer, this worked like a dream they came right in across a big pile of rotten bales the farmer was getting rid of so a great back stop, I lined up on the big dog fox and tracked him all the way in, the vixen disappeared out in the field, the dog fox was on attack mode for the piggery I think he had a taste for pork, I did a mouse squeak to stop him right in front the rotten bales about 40 yards away, he paused for just a second to take a look, one paw off the ground like he was on point, too late as I was already on him and had his card marked, I squeezed off the shot with a perfect shot to the engine room, he dropped on the spot stone dead with that 58 grain Norma Vmax round my favorite bullet for live stock thieving Charlie Foxes.

I quickly span around as I knew the vixen was out there and the wind may just have hidden my muzzle report enough to get her too, I was right there she was walking around a ewe that was quite clearly in labor, I have seen foxes take lambs before as the mother gives birth, but no safe shot there there were too many ewes and lambs close by for and I could not dare chance hitting one of them to save another, that's not how its done, I saw video of someone recently who will remain nameless, they were shooting with Night Vision at a fox among a flock of sheep on the crest of a hill, very bad marksmanship qualities and shows extremely poor discipline and bad judgment, no back stop and shooting live stock or worse, I don’t know how they have kept their FAC I really don't.

Nothing else for it but to try out the Fox Magnet Call, I have just helped develop with another sporting company, this was the prototype so I had not really field tested properly, I put it to my mouth using the hare call side I blew with all I had t be as loud as possible, I changed the frequency using my hand so I could give the call back pressure, the vixen froze on the spot and bolted right at me, I am always amazed how fast an animal can cover ground, she did a 150 yards in the blink of an eye, I had to shout to stop her she came in like a steam train with flames coming from her heels, she skidded to a halt just staring at me, she then sat down as I composed myself and checked it was a 101% safe shot, I squeezed the trigger and the rest was history, I breathed a sight of relief, this pair could definitely see the IR on the normal Eagle but this Dark Ops unit they did not see and it has revolutionized my night time agricultural shooting from rats to rabbits to foxes well you get what I am saying.

A few weeks later I received the amazing NiteSite Sentinel spotter through the post, WOW what an awesome piece of kit, I have only had chance to use it on rats at the moment and at a NiteSite demo evening on a farm for some farmers and local pest controllers, all who wanted to see the gear in action before they bought some of their own, typical farmers and pest controllers tighter than a ducks back side and that's water tight.

Until the next time, I hope you have enjoyed this latest part of my humble scribbles in this series, go and read my article The Silk Moths The Dark Ops and The Sentinel feature in that new series of articles on the rats and more.

Out Foxing Charlie 13
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

A message to my Stalkers & Haters, this photo says it all way better than I could ever write.

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Out Foxing Charlie 10

26/3/2019

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TDR-Out Foxing 10.
TDR TIMES & OUT FOXING CHARLIE TEN

Well here we are in what seems like it’s going to be the last article on the TDR for a while, as my sponsors want this rifle back and want to send me something else something new and what, I don’t know yet as its all hush hush mums the word. So as you can imagine I am excited as a polecat faced with a rat right now wanting to know what new gun I have coming to play with, so keep your eye on my humble scribbles to find out what comes next.Now before I go any further with this article it seems my last one got some of you in a bit of a tiz over what I found this rifle was capable of, let’s get one thing straight right now, I have said this before and I will say it again, I DO NO WRITE TECHNICAL ARTICLES, not because I can’t it’s because they bore the living arse off me, this pellet weighed this, this pellet weighed that.

I washed them in this, re sized them with that, each pellet did this on the chronograph, ahhhhhhh that would send this ole country boy to the cider shed to chill out if I wrote like that, if you’re a paper puncher hunter fair play that’s what you like and if you’re a little OCD or Anal about this stuff fair play to you I AM NOT!
So if you want a technical article full of graphs and printer read outs etc. bugger off and read someone else’s well written piece, for here you will find a rough ole Countryman’s article using a tool to do a job or not in some cases.

Right rant over let’s get on with why I am here and why you are reading this, I start out in Cornwall fellow Countryman’s Diary owner Greg asked me to come down help him with some fox problems and to work out a deer management plan with him for his land, obviously we were using center fire rifles for this as you will see in the videos attached to this piece, I also had to give him a hand on a rat job on one of his new permissions and take his kids out so we could both coach them in the art of air gunning the old school way.

I got there bright and early of the Friday morning as I was on my way back from a few days away with my good lady and our boys down near Bude in Cornwall, Greg lives in Plymouth so this was on my way back, as always hearty mug of tea and a bacon roll awaited me as soon as I got to my ole muckers house with owe be you bubba? Bellowing from the Cornish boys lungs, with a mountain man’s stature too, I telle.

We discussed the evenings plans as there were several foxes on his shoots that needed dealing with as the main farm was a sheep farm and losing lambs all over to fox, all three of his kids (Samara, Pippa and Corey) wanted to come but we had to say no as it was going to be a very late long night with a lot of ground to cover, Pippa the middle girl stamped her feet screamed and shouted as she wanted to come but we sat her down and said she will be out all day and night the following day so she will need her rest that and bribing her with a movie night did the trick.

We headed out and set the awesome NiteSite Eagle R-tec up on the trusty Browning 243 Greg had his 243 with an ATN X-sight on it, too as I walked into the first field to open a gate my sixth sense went off there’s a fox here I know it, I say to Greg get my rifle out there’s a fox here I know it, he dismissed me saying it’s too early for Charlie fox and we never see him in this field.
As we drove into the next field and got out to set up I shined my Night Master Venom with the green pill on over to where we had just come from, bowl me over there was a huge dog fox just sat there watching us, I turned on the NiteSite Spotter and watched him happily trot off, see I told you a fox was about didn’t I, Greg just laughed and said I swear your part wolf or fox or something we both laughed, no amount of calling or moving to the next field was going to get that sly ole Charlie back I telle although we did try as you never know your luck in a big town.
But no he was not coming back he knew what we were alright so he lived to fight another day as my ole Dad says, we moved up to the lambing fields and got out on foot all clear we got back to the truck and just about to leave when I hear a fox bark, that’s near the forestry plantation is it not right on the edge of the lambing field son the other side of the farm, Greg said yes it was but he did not hear the fox, I grabbed the rifle armed with the NiteSite Eagle and the trigger sticks I got from swillingtons (www.swillingtonshootingsupplies.co.uk) and headed off with Greg following with his rifle.

I got to a gate and that 6th sense went off again so I scanned around with the NiteSite Spotter, almost immediately I saw this dog fox, I whispered to Greg fox 11 o’clock 125 yards, where he said trying to focus his ATN I mounted the 243 Eagle on the gate bar, and pressed record and thump administered a lead injection on the spot, Greg said I just cannot believe how fast I can be on target and hit a shot right on a 5p piece, I laughed and said many years of practice both in the field and on the range, I also joked and said you should of brought your NiteSite not that ATN thing (ps I am not a fan I had one sold it after one outing with it) you might be able to get a shot tonight I laughed.

My sixth sense was still buzzing even after we had retrieved the shot fox, I said to Greg I swear I just heard another fox bark he said he did too, so I stood by the gate between the two fields, I started calling on my hand and if I say so myself my the call I was taught as a boy is deadly and accounted for many foxes to many to count in 40 years, my sixth sense was still buzzing. I say to Greg check behind us I have a feeling there is more than one coming in and from behind us as the wind is that way, no nothing he said so we decided to call it a night but I thought I would have one last squeal and check behind me, bugger me foxes heading straight at us, this was when Greg made a novice mistake, he put his torch on to see where he was going before I could say foxes coming in, they took off running like bolts of lightning never to be seen again, ahhh well we got one in the bag and Greg was taught some valuable lessons on how to hunt the fox by night.

The next day after a hearty fry up Cornish boy stylie we took the kids with us to the woods, Greg wanted to set up a deer blind (a hide on the ground) so I helped choose the position that would give him the best place for a safe shot and were the deer were using as a crossing, this turned out to be a deep gully that lead down to the river through the woods from the top grazing paddocks, I must say he should have a good winter in that blind, as he has a lot of deer using the area and the odd fox too, I left Greg and Pippa setting up his blind and camouflaging it with some hessian burlap I had given him.

I took Samara that is Greg’s oldest daughter stalking around teaching her some more advances stalking and tracking techniques that she absorbed like a sponge, I especially taught her about using the wind and how to approach the quarry etc., Greg had already done a fine job teaching her the basics so now for my next level, I tried to impress on her to think like the quarry your after from sensing danger to finding food water and shelter.

Greg sent us up over what he called the crescent by golly that was mountain goat territory, but did bring us in range of the rookery, one rook sat there squawking away so I told Samara to stalk it and try her hand at trying to bag it with the Air Arms TDR using the Swillingtons trigger sticks, she stalked in unnoticed in her Jack Pyke hunting gear, she took a steady aim I could see her calculating the shot wind-age hold over then thwack as the rook fell stone dead with a cracking head shot at 48 yards high in the branches of a Beech tree, I telle it was a brilliant shot I would be proud of, I can tell by the smile on her face she enjoyed that shot and that she had put in a lot of practice with that old BSA air rifle on the range, Her ole Dad had taught her well I telle.

I don’t know who was more proud Samara taking the shot me watching on or her ole Dad when we got back and showed him her prize, Greg asked if I could take Pippa over and teach her how to crow call whilst he finished his hide around the high seat, so I took both the girls with me, I set Samara up for the rabbits squirrels or any pigeons or corvids(crow family) that landed and I sat there with Pippa teaching her to crow call whilst I had my Peterson and sons of Peterborough 1890 16 bore hammer, I got Pippa calling like a crow pro in no time as I bagged pigeon and corvid alike with that sweet little hammer gun, Samara had a few shots and bagged the odd pigeon or corvid alas no rabbits or squirrels, then it was time to call it a day head home for tea to head our ratting with the TDRs and NiteSites that night.

We drove that evening to a small farm that sold eggs and as with fowl you get rats, in fact the place was alive with rats I saw two as soon as I got out of the car, Greg and I quickly set up the air rifles me with the Air Arms TDR Huggett Moderator NiteSite Eagle Combo and Greg with his sponsored Hatsan Galatian from Really Wild Adventures (www.reallywildadventures.co.uk) and the NS200, almost right away as soon as we had the fun of getting over the farm gate we in on the action, and for about 2 hours it was nonstop, Greg got a rat on a re bound and I shot 2 with one shot oh I could go on and on about this hunt it was a great night full of tails to tell, I bid farewell to Greg and headed home to Somerset as he headed home to Plymouth.

I got home at 3am at 6am the phone is ringing off the hook it’s a farmer’s daughter frantic as she had foxes attacking the flocks and her Dad was away on holiday, my number was left for in case of emergencies on the farm, It’s nice to have that sort of trust from your farmers is it not, strict instructions left any problem with the flock call Rob immediately so she did, I arranged to be there that evening as I was not needed any earlier she could take care of the dead stock with her sister, we also had rats attacking in the hen houses so I took dad along with the NiteSite Viper Walther RM8 Huggett Moderator Combo too.

I put Dad in position and right on queue I could hear the whisper of the Huggett Moderator on target after scaly tailed ratticuss fell one after another, I don’t care what anyone has to say you won’t find a better moderator for an air rifle than an Andrew Huggett moderator and that’s sub 12ft lb or Fac rated and that you can take my word to the bank I telle.

I got in position as I knew were these blighters were coming from I had tracked and shot a vixen here a few weeks earlier, I set up the trusty ole browning 243 lead injector with a 58 grain Norma lead aspirin ready to administer to this livestock thieving Charlie fox and cure him of his addiction to my farmers lambs and hens.

I started calling on the new mini equalizer from Calls Of The wild an English game call manufacturer from Yorkshire, the farmer’s daughter was stood right next to me as I told her I expected the fox to appear in the corner of the field by the ditch and he should cross in front of us trying to come round on the wind trying to wind scent our position, she laughed and said how did I know that I chuckled and said experience and knowing the land and the foxes on it.
Well bowl me over that’s exactly what this ole Charlie did I could of put a beer mat on the ground where I was going to shoot him, all in all I was there from set to shot to taking him back to the farm house 15 minutes no more, farmers daughter said now that’s why Dad said call you in case of any problems and why he won’t let anyone else shoot on the farm, me and her dad go back to school days and he knows I know every inch of that farm like the back of my hand.

The next time I head out was on a rabbit call out to a very prominent horse breeder who breeds horses for such things like the Grand National and Badminton etc. So as you can see I have some very VIP clients for my professional pest control, the rabbits were eating more than the horses and digging holes in all the paddocks and exercise arenas, I had already ear marked the place for ferreting and arranging to put in some drop traps etc.

This night I had to go shoot some of the closer paddocks with the ole TDR and NiteSite Combo then head out on the bigger part of this extensive horse farm with the 17hmr, we bagged up straight away with the TDR that with the Huggett Moderator literally whispering, the rabbits never knew what hit them as the horses never even knew of my presence, I then headed out on the rest of the farm and the 17hmr did her thing with me behind the butt, I am like a surgeon with that gun I telle, the video telle a better story than mere words so have a look for yourself it’s at the bottom of this article.

The next out I took my boys out with the TDRs first clearing feral pigeons from the grain barns, then we headed out to another horse place to deal with some rabbits and then finished off dealing with some rats on a chicken farm, all very good contracts that I have under my belt, the boys shot like pro’s first on the ferals bagging some magpies as well then on the rabbits accounting for 4 rabbits all on their own merit.

Young David lamping with the red lamp with older brother Connor shooting the TDR and using the field craft I had taught them to stalk in nice and close as I watched on with a mug of tea in hand, Then we moved on to the rat job and loaded up the TDR with the NiteSite Eagle, both the boys took it in turn to shoot and well the smiles on their face grew wider as rat after rat fell.

Well I have left the best till last, I get a call from a very high profile job indeed, scaly tailed ratticuss were invading by the hundred on this venue, they had tried poisons from another well-known pest control big boy that will remain nameless, well to say it was an expensive exercise that all they did was feed the rats and attract more is an understatement, my quote excepted as I had come highly recommended from another prominent client of mine sealed the deal.

I arranged to be there this first night as soon as it got dark, I drafted in my old Dad on this one, now we used the Walther RM8s for this job, the reason for this is the massive shot count we get from these awesome guns, Dad had a NiteSite Viper on his I had the NiteSite Eagle on mine, if you go on my face book page The Ole Hedge Creeper you will see the videos from the shots taken with the Rtec, I even got on film one rat eating another I had just shot, well the night went mad and we filled wheelbarrows full of rats the farmers exact were I am fed up with shoveling up dead rats.

I never knew we had so many, I did chuckle at that as we shot till we ran out of air from my divers tank and almost ran out of pellets, Farmer said no wonder you come so highly recommended you are worth every penny I spent on your service, from now on I will call in you and your professional service, he has stored me in his phone as the RAT SLAYER, I have been called many things but the slayer now that’s a first, what are my final thoughts on the TDR, both in sub 12ft lb or Fac you won’t be disappointed as for me they do what they say on the tin and kill humanly every time, if you’re not getting that from your Air arms then I say either you should get your rifle checked and if as I suspect it’s you that are the weakest link I suggest you try harder.

Until my next humble scribbles I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have enjoyed writing it and taking you to the field with me and my muckers.

TDR Tales and Out Foxing Charlie Ten
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

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Out Foxing Charlie 7

26/3/2019

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OUT FOXING CHARLIE part 7
By The Ole Hedge Creeper.

When I wrote the very first out foxing Charlie, I did because we had literally hundreds of letters and emails asking for my advice why I was so successful with problem foxes when others were not, I don’t consider myself to be any better than anyone else so what could I possibly have to offer to help my fellow sportsmen be more successful, it appears I had more knowledge in the old noggin (head) than I had ever imagined.

There are very few times a fox has out witted me for very long, eventually either with skill or the fox making a rookie mistake I get them, of course a touch of the luck of the Irish comes into play when edging my bets against a worthy foe too. Something I have always said right the way through all my article’s is the need for proper reconnaissance, both by day and by night, daytime for me is the tracking and building up a picture of where I have to deal with said problem fox or foxes and build up a picture of how they attack and retreat etc, its also were I work out all the dangers of the shoot safe shots were and when a good shot can be taken as well as distances etc,

I have even been known to put out signal flags either as safe stops or windage flags etc. Anyone who has read my advanced decoying article’s will know of said flags as I use them as stop shot markers etc, you see for me it’s all about building up that picture of the problem foxes, I have said many times they are creatures of habit just like us, even the most erratic of fox attacks has a set sequence sometimes so subtle you miss it, I have just written big cats part 2 and a fox job with just such an attack that had me scratching my head. You see you must think outside the box and become the fox itself if you are ever going to be successful instead of being just plain lucky as some are, now I still deal with foxes the traditional way with lamp and calling on my hand, of course I use traps/terriers and other legal methods too.

Many folk I see bumble along with half learn’t skills relying more on technology than the skills of the countryman, I say mater the traditional skills then learn to use that with the modern technology and boy oh boy does the job become exciting, I teach my young sports fox calling by hand and I telle them boys have called me many fox in and I have shot them as a joint effort. Now for me lamps I like the new lamps from Deben the new cordless 150 led tracer, what a bit of kit light weight no heavy battery comes with filters and lasts for an absolute age, I have not actually ran it out on a shoot yet from a full charge, those that know this lamp swear by it and those that don’t have it ahhhh boys you don’t know what you are missing.

As you will see in the pic above I do use some of the finest gadgets on the market, for me the best non hand calls I have used to date are the Ico Tec calls, simple to operate light weight takes what the weather throws at them and really does what it says on the tin, in fact they are so good many of my customers now ask if I am using them when they call me into deal with fox problems, they really are massively effective if used right with reconnaissance field craft and the skills of the countryman. It’s no good just going out in a field trying a few calls and getting lucky that proves nothing, know your quarry hone your skills and get the best from your gear that’s the way forward to be successful hunter, take a look at the Ico Tec range on their website www.icotec.com, and if you want one then go over to Best Fox call and see Rob Crampton at any of the game fairs or on line at www.bestfoxcall.co.uk, these calls are like magnets to a predator they come running from all directions.

I have used their entire range to date and I truly can’t recommend these calls high enough, they have The Ole Hedge Creepers thumbs up Seal of approval, these really do what it says on the tin I telle boys and girls. I have used the 101 right up to the 500 and never failed yet so for me they are worth their weight in gold. Next binoculars get a decent set spend a few quid more and it will make all the difference, especially in low light situations, James Trenchard from Trigger Happy joined me recently on a problem fox job at a piggery and sheep station, foxes were coming in day and night attacking piglets and lambs alike as well as some of the farms prize winning hens.

James brought along what he considered a good set of binoculars that was until the light dimmed and well they were not so good, he looked through mine I got from Armex a good German set, he could not believe the clarity as the dim light turned back into daylight through them, as it turns out mine were only about £15 more than his cost, so you see buy once cry once get the best you can afford if not save up a bit longer it will stand you in good stead. Now as for the night vision as sometimes the lamp is not an option, often these foxes have been lamped and chased from pillar to post by all and sundry, so when the slightest flicker of a light goes on the foxes show their brush say goodbye and that’s the last you will see of them. I absolutely swear by Nite Site both from the spotter unit right up to the Wolf on my trusty Browning 243, this gear from a brilliant English manufacturer really does what it says on the tin and again has my thumbs up seal of approval, I have lost count now how many problem foxes the Nite Site system has put in the bag and again is requested by my customers time and time again.

If you would like to see them go over to www.nitesite.com and if you want to buy a unit drop over to www.reallywildadventures.co.uk and click on the shop The Out Post. Just recently I got called in by a farmer (who I don’t normally shoot for) who was losing his finest geese flock to a fox or foxes, the chap who was supposed to deal with foxes there is a bull headed sort of fellow, he really does not listen to what he is told goes bowling out lamp going off like Darth Vader having a good old light sabre fight with Luke Sky Walker, charging about in his 4L 4×4 engine roaring and if he is lucky enough to actually get a shot he misses thus educating said foxes to what a shot over their head feels like.

Like I say I got Called out as this fox or foxes were munching their way right through the entire geese flock, I had my young sports with me for the experience too, now this one was a real tricky one, I had done my reconnaissance during the day as I always do, I had tracked them right back to the earth in the big wood, I could of called the terriers in and bolted them to the shot gun but as it was it needed sorting now not a few days later as more geese would have been taken, so tonight’s the night I decided exactly where I would set up and where I wanted to shoot the fox or foxes.

Now I was pretty convinced it was a big dog fox doing the killing and bringing the geese back to the earth for the vixen and cubs, but I could not be 100% certain, I got one of my young sports to put the Ico Tec GC500 call next to a telephone pole in the middle of the paddock next to the big wood, some 200 yards from the set right on the track the foxes took with the kills. I remarked see that clump of grass I will shoot the fox right there, my young sports took the mickey out of me saying your good but not that good we had a bit of a giggle about it, I positioned my shooting position some 300 yards from the wood and caller so I could see the entire field and paddock clearly in front of me, it was a lovely rising hill with what I consider a perfect back stop, I could not write a text book safe shooting position better.

We waited for the light to dim as we kept an eye out for fox movement, we saw rabbits and hares go about their business, a roe buck following a doe feeding out on the fresh cut field but no fox, the light slowly went and the darkness came all around us well sort of, when I said tricky I forgot all about the ambient light from a very busy main road some 300 yards to our rear, so our silhouettes stood out like daylight. Nothing else for it tuck my young sports down behind my shooting position and give strict orders to stay dead still, Them with the Nite Site spotter so they could see the hunt unfold and me with the Nite Site Wolf mounted on the my Browning 243 on the sand bags I got from Jack Pyke.

Time to start up the Ico Tec GC500 I used the distressed baby rabbit call as being late spring early summer lots of young rabbits about, I got a text say farm dog just chased a fox out of the yard so here we go he is heading our way, I first caught a glimpse of the big dog fox coming along the edge of the wood head down trotting on until he heard the Ico Tec calling. He froze on the spot and then like an arrow took off straight at the caller, as he closed in I followed him till he got to a spot where I wanted to take him, Damn he saw something and bolted off he saw the young sports moving they got excited and were like a hawk ready to stoop, I told them shhhhh stay quiet, I will get him back with the baby rabbit squeal. 2 minuet’s later he was back from a completely different direction he could not resist the Ico Tec calling him like a mermaid, he stopped sat down and looked at the call and that was his last as I put the 58grn Norma ballistic tip bullet right in the engine room,

The Nite Site Ico Tec Browning Norma combo with The Ole Hedge Creeper behind the butt does it again, and guess what he was right next to that clump of grass too, Ohhhhh yes I am that good I said, the young sports got to join in on the entire hunt thanks to Nite site. A few days later James Trenchard was with me and I took care of the big cubs, the vixen was not a safe shot but also made us out on the full moon, so The Ole Hedge Creeper will be back a few days later when there is no moon to mop up and deal with the rest of these livestock attacking Charlie foxes. I hope you have enjoyed out foxing Charlie 7 and like I always say reconnaissance safe shooting and knowing your quarry makes you a better shooter, and when you have mastered this all the best gear we have talked about right here will make the job all the more sweeter.

Until out Foxing Charlie 8 may I wish you all dry powder and straight barrels and keep those emails and letters coming in, we try to get back to each and every one of you but some do slip through the lamp beam just like a sly ole Charlie fox from time to time.

OUT FOXING CHARLIE 7
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
www.reallywildadventures.co.uk

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Shooting With The Silk Moths

13/3/2019

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Shooting With The Silk Moths
The Awesome Air Arms
S510 Ultimate Sporter's

I have shot and reviewed almost everything there is in the way of rifles/shot guns and indeed air rifle, many of my reviews were directly for the companies and will never make it to the pages of a magazine, Air Arms being one of those companies that sends me air rifles to try out and put through their paces both on the ranges and in the hunting fields, these articles do get published both in the magazines and on the websites, blogs etc.

This time Air Arms asked me to review and really put through their paces the simply awesome Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter, a true piece of brilliant awesome British engineering, with art work of the highest standard to match, I have knicknamed this air rifle or set of rifles The Silk Moths, quite simply they are sweet on the eye and as comfortable in the arm as wearing your favorite pair of slippers, to shoot WOW that are as smooth as pure silk, the cocking action is like a well oiled machine effortlessly recycling the next pellet, the shot is so smooth almost like velvet with the silencer (sound moderator) so whisper quiet I literally have to check I had actually fired it, in sub 12 ft lb it is truly whisper quiet and in the FAC version its almost as quiet as its sub 12ft lb brother, boy oh boy both rifles pack an almighty dead accurate punch on target, from the very first shots, my smile just got wider and wider like a Cheshire cat who had just got the cream, I felt like a kid again as I got that buzz of excitement when I fired my very first Air Arms all those years ago, that was the Carmargue that started my passion for Air Arms air rifles, I have written so many articles on that gun and even featured it in some of the chapters in my books.

I have said this before and I will say it again, this will not be a technical article, writing those literally sends me to sleep, the wood is this the metal is that the, sound mod has this in it the pellet weighed that, I washed the pellets in this, someone give me a nudge I am snoring now, what I want to know does the product do what it says on the tin will it hit the target with pin point accuracy, will it humanly kill the vermin I hunt, I have no real interest in what its made of, except my preference is a wood stock and above all it has to be a .22, I am no fan of the .177 although I have several of that caliber.

Right lets get on with this article, we start off on a cold windy afternoon, much like the one now, I am rained off of my pest control rounds due to storm Derrick and health and safety, as I look out of my West Country penthouse apartment office window at the back paddock even the wood pigeons in the oak tree are hunkered down sitting out the storm.

* Young Sport Ambassador George Checking the zero on the awesome S510 TDR*

We start off a few week previous to the Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporters arriving at the office, in fact pre The British Shooting Show 2019, Louis one of my young sports from my Pass It On Young Sports range came to me, he had a rat problem on his families farm around his pet chickens, his Dad a very old friend of mine said could I come up and sort the problem out, I of course said yes and said I would bring George my Young Sports Ambassador for shooting with me for the experience, I got up there on the Thursday tea time and went about setting up my old Air Arms S410 with a NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops mounted upon it, I said to young Louis show us the way where the problem is.

Right away I could see rats on the NiteSite screen and the best bit they never knew we were there, I turned to the wide eyed young sports and said right boys who wants to shoot first, you mean we get to shoot they said? Of course that's why I have brought the S400 instead of the S410, only single shots so you have to make them count and cant get to excited, also lets see if you have learnt and taken on board what I have been teaching you both on the range, safe fire arms handling and shooting from a calm pond is what makes you the best marksman, don’t forget to calm your breathing and take each target on its own merit.

The boys smiles said it all as it looked like all their Christmases and birthdays had all came at once, Louis shot first and straight away bagged a huge bore rat behind some stacked up pallets next to the chicken house, then George had a go and bagged another big rat under the pallets, the boys swapped after each shot putting in some really great shots even on small rats not much bigger than mice, the evening got late very quickly when you are having fun, as it was a school night I called it a night early, well early for me, we went to retrieve the shot rats and I saw a big rat dragging a dead one down a hole, blimey around 20+ shot rats and we only retrieved 2, the other rats dragged the dead ones off and munched them, I have seen this before my theory is those big rats will get a taste for their mates and cure the rat problem for me, but who knows we are still shooting rats there so I may be wrong with that one.

I caught up with my Ole Mucker's Gavin and Mark on the awesome NiteSite Stand at The British Shooting Show at the NEC Birmingham a couple of weeks later and told them of the boys with the rats, they both laughed their heads off with my tale of the big munching rats, you will hear a lot more about the awesome NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops in my other series called Out Foxing Charlie, I wont go on too much about what I consider to be the very best night vision on the market in this article as its more about the awesome Air Arms, but if you want to read more about the awesome NiteSite range go over to the Countryman's Diary Magazine and search for the Out Foxing Charlie series (countrymans-diary.co.uk) all will be revealed right there.

A few weeks later there was a knock on the door, I was as excited as the Jack Russell terrier in the John Smith advert on the TV years ago, I knew today was the day the Air Arms Ultimate Sporters were arriving, I must of answered the door in record time as the delivery driver didn't even have time to get up the steps to my front door, after I had buzzed him in the security door, all signed for, I bid him goodbye and was sat on my sofa like a kid on Christmas morning unwrapping my Christmas presents, seriously WOW as I UN-boxed them, these were things of sheer beauty, so sweet on the eyes my jaw dropped, now some men like cars/fishing rods/golf designer cloths etc, but me its guns and not just any guns but well built guns, Air Arms never fails for me, the sheer beauty the engineering the look the feel it gets me every time. I could not wait to get a scope on them and get out and shoot them, I put a Hawk Scope on the XS and a Walther scope on the R as both scopes had been sent for demo too, you know Air arms think of everything they even built in rifle sling loops, so I added a Jack Pyke rifle sling to the rifles too, the moderators were already on the guns so apart from filling them with air I was set to go as I put them into the Jack Pyke deluxe Rifle Slips and off out I was in a flash.

I Chronoghraphed them and then zero them both for a night on the rats in the hay barn, again mounting a NiteSite Eagle Dark Ops on them I was set, but first the zeroing session I found the FAC version liked the JSB heavies the best as I was running out of my Air Arms Field heavies, but as I thought the sub 12ft lb version like the Air Arms Field Diablo 5.52 the best when zeroing, chronograph reading were exactly what I thought they would be, on the sub power air rifle they were 11.56ft lb and on the FAC they were 32.83ft lb of muzzle energy, so that's about as technical as I will get as I am starting to fall asleep again.

The first rat to show itself never knew what hit it as I let fly with the sub 12ft lb air rifle, a pin point accurate shot right between the ear and the eye as the rats tail did the last throws of the helicopter, those of us who shoot rats will know exactly what I mean, its when the last of the brain nerves of the rat die off when they are shot perfectly, the rest of the evening went on like that with this smooth as silk to shoot rifle, I was enjoying myself so much I actually forgot to switch rifles and give the other a go, I got called off by the farmer to deal with a fox in the nursing paddock of the day old lambs, I switched the NiteSite to my 243, again you will read about this in my next Out Foxing Charlie article.

The next couple of trips out were on one of my professional pest control contracts on a caravan site, this was a tricky contract as some shots were perfect for the sub 12ft lb rifle but others were long shots more suited to the Fac version, now the first day was a little frustrating as there were a lot of people about checking their caravans were OK over the winter etc, so I did not really get a chance of a shot this first day, but what I did get was invaluable field craft knowledge, build up a picture of what was going on, you see this caravan site had 2 problems well 3 actually, the first problem is a squirrel one, the squirrels are getting into the caravans taking a holiday and partying all day and night, thus causing damage and raiding the owners bird table and causing tree damage too, the second are the pigeons were defecating on the caravans causing a lot of damage to the exteriors of the caravans as their poo is like acid, the third is a randy roe buck (male deer) having his wicked way with one of the caravans, that one I will write about in my Professional Deer Management series, you had to be there to see it to believe it, if I had not seen it with my own eyes I would never of believed it, its a good job I took photos I telle.

The next time I went back to the caravan site mid week it was nice and quiet with only the owner there, she came right out to see me as I unlocked the security gates with my key, thank god you are back those darn squirrels caused a power cut and damage everywhere, I will get onto them today I said confidently as I pulled my truck around to the turning bay and locked the gate behind me, I had picked a position to shoot from where I could cover the bird feeders and the Ash Trees, I worked out the last time the squirrels were coming down out of the woods coming along the Ash trees and down onto the bird tables to feed, equally the pigeons used those trees as sitty trees and where a lot of the damage to those caravans were coming from, I was there sat in my truck rifle out of the window for a steady shooting rest with a good field of view in no time, the truck is not only a comfortable shooting hide but the animals and birds are used to vehicles and take not much notice of them.

It was not long before the first pigeon landed in the Ash Tree, I dropped the cross hairs onto his head allowed a little windage and squeezed the trigger, the pellet left the gun like pure silk and struck the pigeon perfectly with the sound of a cricket ball hitting the bat, the pigeon dropped stone dead right by the bird feeder, a cat tried to steal my pigeon so I chased it off and lay it out as a decoy, half hour later the first squirrel appeared on the feeder, thwack I nailed him too with another perfect head shot in almost complete silence except for the pellet strike, he fell stone dead as another appeared in the tree above looking down at his mate, so I nailed him too as he dropped behind the tree, I left it ten minutes just in case any more came out, all clear so I went to retrieve my kills, as I got there that bloody cat ran off with my squirrel behind the tree and 3 more cats sat there looking hungry, I chased them off growling like an old bear at them, I laid my one squirrel out as a decoy like it was feeding and went back to the truck.

A good set of binoculars are a Countryman's best friend, my Pappy (grandfather) taught me that as young Countryman, I scanned tree top and hedge bottom for any sign of movement, spotting another squirrel coming through the hedgerow I swapped to the air rifle scope tracking his movement to the bird table, thwack I nailed him too and as cheeky magpie who came to shout abuse at the squirrel, I stayed in my truck thinking I best not disturb the area again, I bagged 4 more pigeons and 2 more squirrels then thought the light is starting to go so I best go have a clear up and retrieve my shot quarry, before I had even got out of the car a Ginger Tom Cat trotted past the truck with one of my pigeons in its choppers, I got over there and it was a cats convention behind the tree by the barn, the buggers had stolen all my kills except for 2 squirrels and 2 pigeons, all my hard work to feed her cats, I told her I was charging extra for cat feeding.

The next time I got to use the rifles was on a VIP horse riding center and their ornamental gardens, they had a rabbit problem and contracted me in to get it in check, the owner was also partial to rabbit stew asked could I field dress one for him, as this would be his revenge for them munching all his flowers/herbs and vegetables etc, no problem at all in fact I dropped the first rabbit almost straight away with him stood next to me, I said was that one fresh enough for you, he was amazed and said yes please, I later field dressed it on the back of my land rover and gave it to him at the house, again using the awesome NiteSite Eagle Rtec Dark Ops mounted on the simply brilliant Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter I really cleaned house on those rabbits, I recommend Hawk Scopes on these Air Arms air rifles, for two reasons, one they just fit like a glove and are crystal clear and they work the best with all NiteSite systems too. I had young Tess my Dad’s springer spaniel there to continue her training and the retrieving experience, she never missed a beat, I swear Ole Brook my black labs spirit was there guiding her on.

All in all a great days and nights putting these awesome British Air Rifles through their pace, like I say using these Silk Moths (Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporters) really are like firing silk they are that smooth, watch out for my next installment of the Flight of The Silk Moths.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

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February 27th, 2019

27/2/2019

2 Comments

The Shot In My American Adventure
The Ole Hedge Creeper Heads To Vegas & Goes Walk About In America

It all started a year ago at the IWA Trade Show in Nuremberg in Germany March 2018, I had a business meeting there with an American Company for my own Company Really Wild Adventures (www.reallywildadventures.co.uk) who wanted to use me for all their UK/European events, it was a really productive meeting and it turns out the CEO of said company was not only an avid hunter but also a fan of The Ole Hedge Creeper (yours truly) for many years, so our business relation ship started and now we are more like best mates, he wanted me to attend the Shot Show in Las Vegas in January of 2019 and do some book signing on his stand and basically hob nob with some of his clients etc. So that's where this story of my American adventure starts as I board the plane at Gatwick Airport on a cold wet miserable English day with Magg’s my secretary in tow.

We flew with Norwegian Air for the first time, quite a nice plane, clean the food was quite nice, the trolley dollies oh my young cousin is one so she said I am not allowed to call them that, I mean the flight attendants were a bit grumpy but hey ho a direct 9 hour flight into Las Vegas International Airport might do that to you I suppose, then we had to wait in a queue to get through border control for almost 2 hours, I was quickly losing the will to live as I had a touch of man flue so was feeling like a big baby, finally through there we got our bags and headed out to pick up our hire car??? catch this shuttle bus we were told, I swear ten miles later we arrived at the hire car terminal and that alone was an adventure getting through, car picked up and we were on our way to our hotel.

I have been to The States many time over the last 25 years, from family holidays/business trips and hunting and fishing break with my Ole Mucker’s etc. so driving here was no problem, as always the damn Sat Nav (Twat Nav) or GPS as the Americans call it was made by a Drunk China-man, it just went into melt down, thank god for the app on my mobile (Cell) Phone called offline maps, Big Tam my mate from Scotland and I used it a few months earlier whilst in Texas, so I knew I had this as a back up just in case it was needed, on our way now we found the hotel or so we though, we drove round and round the block until we eventually found it after some interesting driving, the dime bars had put the reception for the hotel by the car park and the hotel itself was above the night club, oh dear god what have we booked, reception dealt with we headed to our rooms through the night club to the lifts (elevators) at the very back of the night club, I was worried we would be up all night listening to rave music and the local prostitutes doing business in the rooms adjoining us, thank god I was wrong the hotel itself was not too shabby, Magg’s and I went to our rooms and crashed out as we were knackered, it was 3 am back home but 7 am here in Vegas, all rock and roll I am as I headed to bed, I slept like a log and awoke 14 hours later, I banged on Magg’s Door and said do you fancy breakfast there is a Denny’s Diner about 200 yards away from the hotel as I had googled what was near us.

Half an hour later after we had washed and dressed properly we headed to Denny’s for breakfast, I think Magg’s had a sizzler breakfast and I had the Lumberjack Slam and my first cup of American Joe (Coffee) ahhhhh I am back it was like an angel dancing on my tonsils, I love American Coffee and is the only place I drink Coffee in The States as here in the UK we are rubbish and cant make a good cup of Joe, breakfast eaten suitably fed and watered we headed out to explore, we were staying down town in the old part near Fremont Street, immediately I was accosted by two dancing girls wanting their picture with me and using my camera, then the buggers charged me £7 Bucks (Dollars) for the experience the robbing buggers, that was it I thought I don’t like it here much, I was right too and neither did Magg’s, the things I saw on the streets there and the homeless too, I HATE LAS VEGAS neither did I like the up town either, I am not a gambler, the flashing lights the fake buildings the fake people is not for me, all I will say on Vegas itself is its a plastic impostor of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA I know and love, so I don’t have photos of the place to show you, all I will say if you are into Sex/Drugs/Gambling and Drinking then Vegas is for you, it most certainly is NOT for ME, I am actually proud to say I never spent one dime gambling in any casino or slot machine, I work bloody hard for my money I will be damned if I am going to give it away to some Gambling Joint, So I wont say much more on the place for I wont go back if I can help it, only long enough to do the shot show then get the hell out of Dodge and go see my friends in Utah.

The only place I did enjoy in Vegas apart from bass Pro was Toby Keith's Bar names I love This Bar after one of his biggest hits, by the way The Big Dog is one of my favorite Country music artists.

The Shot Show, WOW mere words and pictures just don’t that show justice, the shear vastness of it is mind blowing, I only did the show for 3 out of the 4 days but I will get to that later in the story, my first day at the show I had to find my chum Jorge and his booth (stand) that was a logistical nightmare on its own, it was easy to get lost even with a map and every hall and booth numbered, like I say the shear vastness of the show over 5 floors with each floor being the same size as The British Shooting Show, eventually around lunch time I found him, we did the usual meet and greet and arranged for me to be on booth (stand) the next day for a 3 hour book signing and meet his clients etc.

I looked around the rest of the show I had time for that day, I caught up with lots of my sponsor’s and old friends, like Jake and the boys from the awesome NiteSite who I consider to be the best versatile Night Vision there is, then catching up with the brilliant Air Arms and the lovely Claire and Sheila, Ico Chuck from Ico Tec game calls, and my ole mate Mike from Eley Ammunition and so many more way too many to name.

Day 2 The Shot Show Las Vegas 2019, I had some pre arranged business meetings arranged with some Big Dogs from my corporate world outside the field sports industry and inside of course, WOW those meeting went so much better than I could of asked for and lead on to other meetings and possible new contracts and clients over the big pond for my Really Wild Adventures so watch this space, it was great meeting up with the boys from Duck/Buck Commander those boys really are just like they are on TV, brilliant Businessmen and just great god fearing people who like a laugh, I am now called The English Redneck after one of my American friends have nick named me it now, I headed over to Jorge’s booth (stand) to do my pre arranged book signing, all the guys already had their books from my online shop The Out Post (www.theoutpostshop.co.uk) so it was just a case of me personally signing them as they queued up to meet me take picks etc. I met more of Jorge’s clients smiled, told stories and generally helped show the red carpet to them, after this I was knackered so when the show finished we headed back to The Red Lobster Restaurant and I am glad to say it never let me down, ahhhhh the coconut shrimp my favorite I horsed that down with a nice glass of pino grigio and it never touched the sides, day 3 at the show was much of the same and by the afternoon I was all showed out, so I said good by to Jorge and his team and all my chums at the show and headed back to the hotel.

The next day like I said we didn't do the show on the 4th day I had pretty much had quite enough by then, I also wanted to escape The Sin City they call Las Vegas as I had more than I could take of that dump, my good mate Robert invited me up to show me around Utah, then I could join him on his trapping lines and to go hunting/tracking and fishing with him in the snow caped mountains above Hurricane and in the desert valleys of Warner Valley in Utah, a life line to a country boy like me so we loaded up the car and drove to hours to Hurricane, Nevada outside Las Vegas simply stunning from high mountains to arid desert and green pastures so beautiful it was mind blowing, the vastness as we drove from Nevada through Arizona up to Utah oh man mind blown with not only the vastness but the ever changing landscape, the further we got from Vegas the wider my smile got as I breathed god clean air and got out to The (real) United States I have come to know and love after all these years, we got to Hurricane and booked into our Motel, well not quite I got pulled over by the police as I had driven down a cycle turning lane, seeing I was a tourist he let me off and gave me some good advice and local knowledge too, I called Robert who lived only 600m from the hotel and headed over to his place.

Right away as soon as we met for the first time in person after 10 years talking and interacting on face book I knew we were brothers of a kin, his lovely mother Amy cooked us a wonderful meal of Chicken Jambalaya and rice with sweet corn bread and home made apple crumble with ice cream for afters, ahhhhh proper home cooked food nom nom nom my taste buds lit up and I felt almost as if I was at home in my beloved Somersetshire in the UK, the whole time I was in Vegas I was on edge my sixth was going off street wise watching my back, but here I felt at home content, Robert and I chatted for hours talking hunting/trapping/tracking and fishing techniques and just being good ole country boys, Magg’s and Amy got on like a house on fire too talking recipes and swapping cooking ideas and more, so all was well in the world as I was back in my second home the USA.

We spent the next nine nights and ten days there in Hurricane, what was supposed to have been a weekend turned into well over a week as we loved it so much, although I did have to go back to Vegas for the last 4 days as I had to finish off some business meetings etc before flying home.

The next day after that lovely meal we met Robert and he took us up to Zion National Park and Bryce National Park, its just around the corner he said, well just around the corner to us in the UK is nipping down to the corner shop to get a pint of milk, but to an American that’s a 2 hour drive, Magg’s really had no idea when I giggled and said I better fill the fuel tank up to full she said its half full now and Robert said its only round the corner, I just smiled and said trust me, that day from door and back to our door at the motel I drove almost 300 miles, now she understands just around the corner American style.

Zion Canyon WOW such spectacular landscape and ever changing, from huge rocky out crops to winding roads through the mountains to Buffalo roaming Mesas, flat areas with grass on top of the mountains like in the western films when to see an Apache Indian sat on a horse on one, google it look it up see for yourself, we stopped in the mountains at a porta loo for a bathroom break, immediately we could see tracks everywhere so as normal our tracker instincts kicked in, we tracked rabbit (cotton tail) fox/mule deer and coyote, there was lots of animal scats (poo) about and we could see the foxes had been grazing on the berries etc, I spotted some scats near a bush on inspection I said dog crap, Robert picked it up and then threw it on the floor fast yup your right, I just started laughing as Magg’s passed him a baby wipe.

We carried on up through the Zion National park as the road wound higher and higher through the mountains, I got to drive through the mountain itself with little windows every now and then showing the outside with view points, that was a unique experience I tell you driving through there going from bright sunshine to pitch black within a few yards, on we drove ever climbing higher, we leveled out on to the top of this Mesa and drove out of the park and headed to Bryce Canyon National Reserve that was just around the corner from Zion Robert says almost 2 hours later.

Bryce Canyon has to be one of my favorite places I have ever visited in the world, snow capped mountain with forests stretching around it for hundreds of miles and deep canyon views that I could see for 40 miles at least in all direction, we stopped at Ruby’s place and out post with a shop and a good eating joint, Roberts aunt worked here and I will say I am not a burger fan, but I had a burger there that day and was the best burger I have ever had in my life, a toasted brioche bun a burger like a steak mushrooms onions maple streaky bacon a slice of crisp lettuce and a sweet tangy BBQ sauce and cut thick chips (fries) like my mum makes, I telle I am dribbling at the thought of it and Robert had the same as me, Magg’s had some turkey wrap thing but even she said I wish I had what you boys had that looks amazing.

We carried on up to the very top of Bryce Canyon but only one road was open as the snow fall was around ft deep, just look at the pic of Robert and myself and see for yourself that's where the snow ploughs had cut through, I had a close encounter with two American crows it was something quite special, for I may be a hunter but interaction with wildlife is not always about pulling the trigger or setting the trap, often its just interacting being there seeing with open eyes and in this case shooting with a camera not a gun, Amy text to say she would be home from work in a couple of hours so we took a long stead drive back home to Hurricane.

That night we feasted on beef stew with home made savory biscuits (like a cheese scone to us) and key lime pie, the next day we went out on the trapping lines high in the snow capped mountains above Hurricane, we checked the traps and set some new ones and talked about trapping methods here in the UK and how they differ from The States with our different laws etc, I actually like the hand cuff traps he was using very humane and soft on the animals he was trapping,

We then headed off in search of some Jack rabbits, it was not long before we were on the tracks of a Jack Rabbit and more, again we pitted our tracking skills and field craft against each other, we tracked Mule Deer, Fox, Coyote, Bob Cat, Cougar, Rabbit (cotton Tail) and of course Jack Rabbit, I first saw it 60 yards away in front of me, Robert saw it too, we both went into stealth mode stalking in, I looked over at Robert and we both looked like a Bob Cat’s stealthily stalking a squirrel, we closed in with almost no sound and not a word spoken between us ghost walking closing in even more on our quarry, The Jack Rabbit looked up and one clean shot from the open sighted 17hmr with a perfect neck shot dropped him cleanly, I was on him faster than a hawk stooping on a Rabbit, that was my first Jack Rabbit encounter as I had never hunter them before, Robert said are they good eating as I normally use them for fox bait, I said are you serious man this is the closest thing to venison you will get, Jack Rabbit is basically a Hare Cotton Tail is like our normal rabbit.

After Robert paunched out and skinned the Jack Rabbit, I put it in the fridge in some salt water as I was going to cook it the next morning low and low, I cooked a Greek dish I learn to cook whilst in Rhodes a few months ago by my Greek friend Michael who owns the restaurant Flora, he is a great hunter and loves hunting mountain hare, I hunted with him in the mountains of Rhodes for the hare then he cooked me Hare Stiffado, so this was what I cooked for Robert, Amy Magg’s and Myself oh and not forgetting Echo Roberts awesome hunting hound who loved me, I must say it was awesome for my first time and not a morsel was left so much so we cleaned the oven dish out with sliced bread, it amazes me how alike us country boys are weather American or English we are just like brothers of a kin.

The next day we went to the Sportsman's Warehouse WOW, what an awesome Gun Shop/Countryman’s Out Door Sporting Goods Shop, almost like Bass Pro but a little smaller with a more personal local feeling, I was like a kid in a sweet shop as I filled the trolley with all sorts of goodies we cant get back here, I bought my fishing licence too and got some bait ready for our fishing trip the following day, we then headed out to The Warner Valley(Desert) to check Roberts trap lines there, alas nothing a lot of signs and tracks but nothing in the traps, we headed home for a roast pork chop evening meal, again the food was just like home in Somersetshire, I really felt at home there in Hurricane with Robert and Amy.

Amy's home made chicken jambalaya with rice and home made sweet con bread.

The next day we went fishing for lake trout/bass/cat fish/ blue gills and other fish, first we tried the community pond they called it, a largish pond that was stocked up with fish, nothing biting there so we headed over to a place called Grandpas Pond that was man made but more like a lake, again it was a cold night the night before and even though the sun was shining bright the fish stayed at the bottom not interested in playing ball at all, it was so lovely and warm in the sun and me being by the water I cant help it I lay on the bench and nodded off snoring like and old Fergie T20 tractor, a lovely day fishing nothing caught but its the being there for me, for if we caught every time it would be called catching not fishing, we headed back as Amy had to work that night so I took Robert and Magg’s out to the Black Bear Restaurant, again google it OMG the food is amazing, I had a fork tender rib eye steak the flavor I am dribbling again thinking of it.

The next day we went to St George and visited the Mormons Temple, my friend Jake from NiteSite it was his Dad who recommended we go see it as it was something not to be missed, I met some amazing people there really nice people, the visitor center was so spiritual the paintings in there literally screamed out to me and one of Jesus and a statue too the eyes followed me all around the room, I am not one for church, but I wholeheartedly believe in god, I would say I am more spiritual than religious, Jake's Dad was right about not missing going there I really enjoyed it and the place spoke out to mu sole, I must thank him for that recommendation when I next see him, it was also sad that some vandals had decided to set light to a small chapel there too and burnt it to the ground, god will deal with them in his good time I say if the law does not catch up with them first, Robert also took me to his local community shooting range, I got to have a go on his 7mm hunting rifle, an AR15 and 9mm semi auto sub machine gun both were owned by a local Cherokee Indian who said have a go with my guns, but by far my favorite gun was a little 32 special revolver, I really love shooting side arms, we did go back to The Sportsman’s Warehouse that day too as it was in St Georges, by the time Robert and I had looked around the place again that was pretty much the day over as it was dark when we came out, I called into Walmart in Hurricane on the way back, I wanted to get Robert and Amy a gift to say thank you for their hospitality, I got Amy some roses and Robert I bought him a gas ram air rifle as he did not have an air rifle and he could teach his mum to shoot with it, he could also ask the local farmers for some vermin shooting around the farm yards and barns now so he could extend his sport, All I will say there were tears in eyes when I gave them their gifts with Amy telling me off as we were their guests, ahhhhhh well when I come back we have air rifles to hunt with now too.

The next day we checked the trap lines in the morning, alas we drew a blank with several of the traps set off but nothing in them, Amy had the day off so in the afternoon we headed over to Arizona to go to an ancient Native American Site to see the petroglyphs, WOW I had such a spiritual connection with the place, many different tribes would go there over an 8000 year period, although now a desert it used to be full of water all around, I could picture in my minds eye what it was like and what the petroglyphs were saying, stories maps traditions all sorts, I have said this before to people and asked have you ever heard the sound of pure silence its deafening, until you have been somewhere that is so remote there is not human noise at all you wont understand what I mean, but when you do you will know what I mean when I say the sounds of silence is truly deafening.

The next day we headed over to Quail Lake, again a man made lake that was dammed off as a water supply to feed places like Grandpas Pond, this huge lake is stocked with so many fish too many to name, Magg’s stayed in the car as it was mountain goat territory to get down to the water at the wild end Robert had taken us too, we set and cast out, almost immediately Robert had caught a beautiful small lake trout, he landed it then released it I caught one a little smaller reeling in to check the bait, and the day went on like that, the sun was lovely and hot all day, as soon as the sun started to set behind the mountain it dropped bitter cold and a wind got up, so we called it a day two happy fishermen, the climb up to the car soon warmed us up though, Robert made Magg’s jump out of her skin as she was asleep in the warmth of the car.

The next day we headed over to Albatross Canyon an Indian reserve, the landscape was vast with wide open prairies surrounded by distant mountains, I drove up one side than over to the other, we drove up the mountain roads ever climbing to 7000 feet above sea level, we looked back across the vast valley we had drove through in awe, as we stood there in the viewing area on a mountain plateau a movement in the snow covered woods caught my eye just as Amy said Deer right there, So Robert and I took off for a shot on this small group of bachelor mule deer Bucks, the shot with a camera was the shot I speak of, using all the skill of the Hunter we stalked in using time honored field craft, we got so close I could hear them breathing, shame it was not in season and I had a bow in my hands, I got the camera shot and as you can see there were some fine beasts there, we then back tracked leaving the group none the wiser we were there, we headed back just around the corner American style that is to home, driving through tree Topped Mountain passes covered in snow, although we did stop at one of Roberts friends places to try out the air rifle on some squirrel, alas none seen but the scenery was stunning so we made some snow ball squirrels and shot them instead, then we headed home for roast lemon chicken with all the trimming and a peach dish cooked by the lovely Amy.

Our last day in Utah, we went in the morning to the Ghost Town, nobody has lived there since the 40s when a flash flood wiped the place out, although a lot of the building and grave yard are still there, its now protected as Utah place of interest for people to visit, it was also where the bike scene was filmed with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and The Sun dance Kid, the afternoon we went back up to the snow capped mountains above Hurricane to check the trap lines, the weather over night had been bad up there and we had some more snow fall, the very first trap we had what Robert called a Ring Tailed Cat, it was like a cross between a Cat/Ferret and a ring tailed Lemur, Robert tells me all the taxidermist love these to stuff, alas nothing else in the other traps so we headed back to pack and have a meal.

The next day Robert and Amy Followed us back to Las Vegas, a bit of a day trip for them and for me to take Robert to Bass Pro, he had never been to one before, I just could not believe that, but then I suppose with an awesome place like The Sportsman’s Warehouse on his door step he never needed to drive 2 hours to his nearest Bass Pro, Robert and I were like kids in a Sweet Shop again we covered every inch of that shop as I showed him round, I knew where it all was as I had been in here the week of the Shot Show, it was my country boys safe place, I knew this was for me in the shadow of Vegas dirty bright lights, an oasis in desert of sin. We went into the place next door to Bass Pro again it was a hotel with gambling but they did have this huge fish tank with mermaids swimming in it feeding the fish and cleaning the tank, so I treated us to lunch and watch the fish and mermaids, alas time ran out faster than we wanted and Robert and Amy had to get back for Echo Roberts awesome hunting dog, I think its a Catahoula or Leopard Cur the breed, I will say what a strong powerful dog with such stamina, I would love one of those myself, we said farewell to Robert and Amy and went back to our hotel for a few drinks, I could not drink the dish water they called beer there, I tried to get some Lone Star beer from Texas now that's proper man's beer, I got to like it when I was in Texas last year but to no avail here or in Utah or Arizona, so I challenged Kevin our barman could he make a paradise cocktail like I drank in Rhodes Greece, oh yes the boy nailed it, so I sank 1 or 3 of those and headed up to bed and slept like a baby.

The next couple of days consisted of a few business meetings that I had to tie up, and going around all the Walmart trying to find any trail cameras that were left, I got one for $30 the first week reduced from $85, whilst I was in Utah they had reduced them down further to $11 but alas 7 Walmart's later not one available so I missed out on that bargain.

The Last Day Magg’s had on her bucket list she wanted to fly over the grand Canyon in a helicopter, I did say after seeing Zion National Park and my Favorite Bryce Canyon National Park, I was thinking the Grand Canyon would be a great disappointment, but none the less it was on her bucket list, we took off and Magg’s froze scared to death and would not look out the window let alone look down, we flew over lake Mead/The Hoover Dam and then The Grand Canyon and the Sky walk, I snapped away did a little video so Magg’s had something to send home, we landed on a small Mesa (Flat Mountain Top) for the campaign toast and to watch the sun set over Vegas, before we saw took off and saw the night glow of the place, Magg’s asked when are we flying over The Grand Canyon? I laughed and said you missed that you had your eyes shut the whole time, I did try to tell you, alas I was right The Grand canyon is a big waste of time, a tourist attraction to take almost £700 Dollars out your purse, to me it was just a load of red rock with a dirty river in the bottom, Bryce Canyon now that's worth visiting, for the helicopter ride was the best bit for me, I got bored with seeing rocks as we flew over though.

The next day we flew home and two days later we were at The British Shooting show 2019 at The NEC in Birmingham like the last month in America did not happen, some great memories made with my good friend Robert where mere words, pictures and videos just don't do Utah/Arizona and Nevada justice, just erase the Las Vegas Hell Hole from the files I say, like I say its a plastic fake impostor of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA I know and LOVE.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
AKA: Rob Collins

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It’s Just A Dog

12/12/2018

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It’s Just A Dog
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

It is with the heaviest of hearts I find myself writing this small tribute to the best friend I could have ever had, this is one reason why I have not written a single article over the last couple of month, after a long battle with cancer, my best mate and constant hunting companion Brook lost her her last battle to that terrible disease, just the thought of my girl set me off in floods of tears, let alone looking at the thousands of pictures videos and memories made with one of the best dogs that ever owned me, that's right you read that correctly she owned me not the other way around, I have tears rolling down my face right now writing this and remembering all the amazing times we spent together both on the hunting fields and off, although I am still very active out in the hunting field at the moment it just does not have the same feel too it, I miss my girl more than words or pictures could say, there is one light Brook left behind for me and that’s to train Dad’s young springer spaniel Tess, I find myself more patient now days more mellow I suppose in the training of this young dog, Brook I hardly had to train as she had 6 generations of her family to guide her and help me shape her into the fine lady she became, we will get to that later in this tribute to Brook and indeed her awesome bloodline.

IT’S JUST A DOG are the words I have heard from several people over the last few months when they ask why I look so somber, I think the fire in my eyes and that I no longer bother with those people or even acknowledge them gave them my answer to IT’S JUST A DOG, so I will go some way to explain how I feel about all my animals not just my Dog’s but Ferrets too, you see for me they are family first every bit as much as my own children, working partners second, so when they say IT’S JUST A DOG they may as well say IT’S JUST A CHILD for my heart knows no difference.

The day I buried Brook on that wet windy November Tuesday my heart broke, high on that Somerset hill she is buried with her ancestors overlooking the valley she hunted so well, they can all watch us hunt and some times I shoot that little wooded out crop to remember them, I put her headstone in position and fired some shots over her, I often look out to the hill when feeding my birds on the shoot and smile with a tear in my eye, not just remembering Brook but also her family, Hollie (grandmother) Kira (mother) Bracken (Father) Bailey(aunty) and Gyp the crazy lakeland terrier, all who have owned my heart and worked so hard together as a family and a hunting pack, So when you people said to me IT’S JUST A DOG you have no idea what my animals mean to me, for they all have left paw prints on my heart.

Lady Brook Of Birdcombe was born in the spring of 2008, Lady Kira of Birdcombe was her mother and Big Bad Captain Bracken of Birdcombe was her father, Lady Hollie of Birdcombe was her grandmother and the first Labrador that I ever had in my kennels, she was a mighty fine dog too and taught her grand daughter well before she left me several years ago.
Brook was born dead and the runt of the litter, someone who will remain nameless said its dead and a runt don’t bother with it, again the fire in my eyes gave them their answer, I worked on her for half an hour keeping her warm under my arm breathing up her nose and massaging her, she gave a squeak and came round, I have never lost a pup yet I said and I am not going to start now without a fight to save her, that little runt with the heart of a lion came on stronger and stronger by the day, she was the shortest legged Labrador I had ever seen, she used to fight her way in to a teat right under the bigger stronger pups, I said right from the start that’s the one I am keeping she is a fighter that little runt with the heart of a lion.

Top pic Kira with her litter Brook is on the teat, baby Brook next couple of pics, Kira(mother) Hollie (grandmother) Baby brook all together in the pen, Gyp the crazy lake land terrier with my son Ryan and then Bailey(Auntie) last Pic Bracken (Father) right Brook left 2 years old, were at the pub next to the shoot after a long hot days dogging in my birds and Ole bracken showing his daughter how its done. and that was our family that was our hunting pack.

The weeks ticked on and at about 6 weeks old the pups would get free run of my garden to play and stretch their legs etc, mush to Kira’s annoyance as she tried to keep them herded up, all the pups would ruff and tumble and play, but Brook was always more serious even at that age, she would play for a short while get the better of a bigger litter mate then come and sit by my heel, something she never grew out of where ever I went she was by my side, I used to go off hunting with Bracken/Hollie & Baily but not Brook she was too young, Brook would sit by the kennel gate for hours waiting for us to come back even as a small puppy, so when all her litter mates went at 8 weeks old she was eased into the pack, Bracken was very patient with her constantly hanging off his tail it was a bit like watching the lion King when Simba wanted his Dad to show him the whole kingdom, he used to climb up on top of my patio table to get away from her, Ole Hollie just mothered her to bits as always she was such a brilliant dog, Kira and Baily always tried to avoid her constant playing as they were a bit grumpy and lazy at times and just liked chilling out under the apple tree unless we were going out hunting that was.

As time went on and she got bigger still sitting by the kennel door waiting for us to come back from being out in the field, I decided to take her along with us to just sit in the hide on a lead and watch her parents etc do their work of retrieving the shot pigeons, you know right from the start she sat there quiet as mouse copying her parents, I remember ole bracken looking down at her with that grand look he used to give, then looking up at me I swear with a wink saying hey boss that’s my kid, I have so many wonderful pictures of them all over the years, alas Brook was the last of her line, I got divorced by the time she was a year old, that you can read about in my second book, but just to say all the dogs died off over the years and I just could not breed from Brook as we were living back with my parents now and just did not have the room for more dogs or even a litter of pups, I only ever bred a litter to keep a pup so by the time I could have had a litter Brook was too old, such a shame in many ways as she would of made a wonderful mother and she would of left me a working partner too.

Looking back through the thousands of pictures I have and memories I just don’t know where to start with the stories of this amazing little runt of the litter with the heart and soul of a lion, in fact when I announced on social media Brook had passed away, I had hundreds of messages and notifications from all the folks that we had worked with, clients who we have coached and Brook had retrieved for, Brook was one of the most written About/Photographed and best loved dogs on the planet, I had forgotten exactly how vast the work Brook and I had done together, condolences and stories still coming in to this day, the latest being only 2 months before she died, we had clients out pigeon shooting in Shropshire, Brook was helping clear up as he always did, She learnt this from her Grand Mother Hollie, basically Brooks job that she had in her head was she had to collect all the dead birds and put them in a pile by the hide, whilst we collected all the decoys and took the hide down, nothing in the world would stop her that was her job, I telle I miss her now just for that alone, now after feeling she had done her bit she would sit by the pile to protect it from any thieves that would try and steal her bounty, the only thing that would draw her away from her pile of dead birds was food, typical Labrador I hear you say, the lady client we had out shooting had some doughnuts in her bag by the hide, now Brooks keen nose soon sniffed those out and you know what happened next, Brook though it was her duty to relieve her of said doughnuts as a payment for all her hard work, much the laughter of the ladies husband, the lady had great pleasure in telling me the full story on face book, I smiled and had a tear at the same time, that little dog really had a sense of humor oh the stories I could tell you.

For me she was my mate, my baby girl, I now find myself all alone with out a constant companion, I may get another dog in the futer but for now Dad’s young Tess has some big working boots to fill.

This year Brook had a major operation and I though she had bounced back to a full recovery alas it only gave me a few extra months, but I will say those extra months were filled with magnificent hunts amazing flushes and momentous retrieves as she was her old self again, I also think she knew she was not long for this world so put extra effort in to teaching young Tess some lessons to stand her in good stead to work with me as a partner.

I will tell you of 2 retrieves she did 1 before her operation and 1 this season, its late January of 2018 almost the end of the wildfowling season, Dad and I are out Rough Shooting then we went wildfowling, Dad flushed a sword of duck from a ditch, he dropped a fine green head Mallard Drake in the long grass on the meadow, Tess was first on the scene she was all round where it had dropped, by the time I got there across the far field with Brook by my side the duck was lost, Brook perused the area, the young dog going round in circles adamant the duck was there, Brook had that look in her eye and was off leaving the young dog standing, she made a perfect line for the ditch into the water and followed a scent trail along the waters edge to a hole in the bank, Dad taking the micky ahhh she is after a rat or something, I knew my dog and knew to trust her, she dug for 45 mins and pulled out a winged green head mallard, now that's a testament to how brilliant she was at her job and why we made such a great team, also remember this was only 1 week before a major operation, that dogs determination and true grit along with experience proved to me she really was the very best, as I told Dad you have to learn to listen to what your dogs and what they are telling you, alas I think that fell on deaf ears, for I am trying to train Dad and his springer, I think I will just stick to training the dog.

The Next retrieve was just one month before she died, funnily enough it was on the same farm as the other retrieve, I decided to take Brook and Tess out for a stretch of the legs, I was not there to really to shoot more to train the young dog and give Brook a bit of fresh air, we had just cut the maize crop the day before and there were maize cobs everywhere, I took the ole single barreled 10 bore out for a walk loaded with double magnum bismuth's just in case a skein of geese flew over as we are quite close to the fore shore just there, you never know your luck in a big town, how many times have you gone out without the gun and could of bagged the shot of a life time, Brook was happy picking up the cobs and eating them like sweet corn something she loved to do since she was a puppy copying ole Bracken, she found a really big full one and carried it with us, I spotted an old green head mallard in a ditch and thought this would make a nice flush for the young dog, I cocked the hammer back on the 10 bore thinking why not I could just eat some pan seared duck breast for tea, I sent Tess on and she flushed the drake from my left to my right about 35 yards out, I swung through pulled the trigger got blinded from all the gun powder smoke and almost cork screwed from the re coil into the ground, the duck dropped stone dead onto the far bank, Tess jumped the ditch and just stood there looking at it, this was her first time seeing a dead duck on her own let alone trying to retrieve it, Brook just looked at me as if to say go get it yourself I got my cob I am carrying, I sent Brook out much to her disgust, you know she crossed the water climbed the ditch and gave the young dog a very disgusted look, she put her maize cob down next to the the duck retrieved it to hand and went back for her cob, I just started laughing I told you that dog had a sense of humor, she came back and gave me a look as if to say you shoot any more and I am going back to the car with my maize cob, I so miss that little dog I could tell you tales all day about brilliant flushes and amazing retrieves, eye wiping dogs that were supposed to be field trial champions and being offered thousands for her by other hunters after they knew her pedigree, like I told one fellow who offered me double figures for her, Pal you don’t have enough money in the world for me to consider selling her, that would be like selling one of my own children.

I hope you have enjoyed hearing just a little about Lady Brook Of Birdcombe my amazing little runt of the litter with the Lion Heart, Brook slipped away in the early hours of a Tuesday morning in early November of 2018, she has left a legacy behind that in my eyes will never be forgotten, as have all the other dogs that have owned me and all leaving paw prints on my heart, I know they all wait for me over the Rainbow Bridge waiting for me come on, so all that’s left to say, if you are of the opinion my dog or your dog, IT’S JUST A DOG then I don’t need you in my life, for you are not my sort of person.

IT’S JUST A DOG
A Tribute to Lady Brook Of Birdcombe

By The Ole Hedge Creeper.

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The Rhodes To My Greek Adventure

20/10/2018

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The Rhodes To My Greek Adventure.
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

After a gruelling show season that started way back in February at the British Shooting Show 2018 and a really busy Pass It On Young Sports year, this coupled with running my my corporate company Really Wild Adventures (www.reallywildadventures.co.uk) and keeping my pest Control Company going its been a really hard year this year, both physically and mentally with youth no longer on my side its a bit harder to get going in the early mornings now, or as mother says, boy you cant keep burning the candle at both ends, your not getting any younger.

So I finished my last show up in Yorkshire at the South Yorkshire Game Fair at Doncaster at the very end of September 2018, I came home initiated my father into freemasonry, got up the very next morning and jumped aboard a plane and headed out to Rhodes in Greece for a well deserved bit of R&R and to also follow in some masonic foot steps and visit the Grand Masters Palace of the Knights Templar.

I arrived very late on the Wednesday evening, so after a cheeky G&T from the bar I headed to my room to get my head down, blimey it was like being in a sauna, but being as tight as ducks backside I did not pay for the air con, I finally passes out and awoke several hours later, the view from my balcony was quite simply magnificent from on top of the hill just above the hidden village of Afandou, this wonderful little family hotel is owned by Tasos, I am now very good friends with him and his son Niko who hired me a great little car at a good rate, the hotel is called the Rhoda Star I telle boys you will love it there its small but has everything including some good entertainment too.

I asked Tasos if he new anyone who would take me out hunting or fishing, he said my cousin Michael is a hunter he is the best on the island, in Rhodes everyone is the best if you talk to them weather its food drink honey you name it theirs is the best, so I took it all with a pinch of salt, I spoke to Michael on the phone and he agreed we would go hunting on the following Wednesday as he was very busy with his business, we can only go on a Wednesday or a Saturday/Sunday these are the only days hunting is permitted on the island, also you are only allowed to take 3 hare, partridge or grouse, so I had a few days to kill as I also wanted to see the island too.

Driving in Rhodes is quite easy once to get used to their lights system and driving on the wrong side of the road, this coupled with not changing gear with the window winder, at the gear box was on my right not my left, this was some funny moments stopped at traffic lights with the window going up and down and Greek people laughing at me saying daft tourist.

The first place I visited was the Grand Masters Palace in Rodos Town, lets just say the drive in there and parking was some what hairy and comical to say the least, I made it into the old town inside the castle walls, yes it was very tourist driven but I could see right past that in the ole cobbled streets, in my minds eye I could see the armies of old marching up and down the Knights Templar in all their splendor trotting down the narrow passages, I got to the Grand Masters Palace with its awesome views over the ancient port, I must admit it took my breath away for a moment, I paid to go inside and I had a good look around, the building itself was truly a work of art the floors the walls the ceilings etc, but the displays not so for me, old pots, pans and tat for want of a better word, where was the knights Armour swords etc, alas I found none of it there apart from a very small room with some remnants of more modern times, all in all I left the Grand Masters Palace quite disappointed, what I will say is don't judge a book by its cover though, for if I thought Rhodes was judged by Rodos Town then I would never of left the hotel coming home deeply saddened, as I have learnt the world over a city/town is much the same wherever you go, but the countryside is something else if you just go look.

For the next few fays I drove the length and breadth of the island, from hidden bays/castles and churches to high hidden mountain roads, my favourite places on the whole island were the little fishing port called Ancient Kamyros on the Ageian sea side of the island and Lindos on the Mediterranean side of the island, I had the most wonderful Kleftiko there in Lindos sat on a roof top restaurant over looking the Acropolis hi up on the hill and the secluded little bay down below.

Now for the hunting, Michael picked me up at 5.30am out side the hotel, I was fresh as a daisy and as excited as a kid on Christmas morning, right away we hit it off chatting like old friends, we got to the hunting area and we met up with a couple of Michael’s friends, they let the dogs out of the dog boxes, wow what a mixed bunch of dogs, hardy mixed breed dogs, in fact they reminded me of my old dog Billy he was as hard as they come with stamina like no other I had met until this day, I actually fell in love with one young bitch, if I could have smuggled her home in my suit case I would of.

No gun for as the boys take safety very seriously and quite rightly so, for they did not know me nor I them yet, so I tagged along picking up a couple of nice pebbles, no gun no problem I would do it Crocodile Dundee style, I wish I had my catapult my Pappy taught me well so a bolting Hare 10 yards away would be no problem, we headed up the mountain and these Greek boys were like mountain goats even the old boy of 82 years old, to start with I held back I didn’t want to intrude and just watched how they hunted, to my surprise they hunted just like me working their dogs close and shooting the bolting hare or often these sure footed quick little dogs would catch the hare, it really was a pleasure to watch these dog men work with their animals both man and dog knowing what each other need to fill the quarry bag.

Michael called me forward said keep your eye out this side of a big bush, the dogs were on point, he gave a little whistle and the dogs flushed on, a hare bolted and Michael quickly snapped shot at it as did I with my pebble, then the dogs grabbed the hare and it was retrieved to hand, all the Greek boys started laughing and cheering, it turned out they were laughing at me and my pebble throwing, now I cant say I hit the hare and I cant say I missed, all I know is the Hare bowled over and the dogs we on it, Michael had defiantly hit in the back back legs it also had a big lump on its head, so who knows my pebble may have struck or not but I am taking that one as a joint effort, we moved off around the mountains jumping across small mountain gaps working the dogs all the way, it was getting pretty hot now as the sun was fully up and we had covered several miles high up in the mountains looking down on the trucks like little ants below us.

Michael gave the order to head back to give the dogs a drink and call it a day, we dropped across to another mountain to drop down behind the cars, then the dogs gave voice the chase was on, Michael handed me his shot gun and was off like a mountain goat deep in the scrub after his dogs, I held back at the ready in case something was flushed in to the open, I saw Michael appear at the top of the mountain with a dog and a Hare in Hand, the boys started talking in Greek not sure what they were saying but I think it was all about the dogs doing well.

We walked back to the trucks Michael telling me to keep a hold of the gun, I knew what he was doing, he was checking me out for my gun safety, for I would of done the very same thing, I got to the truck unloaded the gun and made it safe handing it back with the cartridges in one hand and the breech open, he smiled and nodded as he knew without saying I know how to handle a gun and how it should be carried and made safe.

We headed back to Taverna Maria and met up with some other fellow hunters and friends of Michael’s who were there ahead of us, what lovely amazing people the camaraderie could be seen as soon as we got there, I was made to feel most welcome as the food and the drink flowed, although I could not understand the words I could understand the body language and gestures, so with every word and laughter I just simply understood, its a brotherhood of true hunters, no matter where you are from, it crosses all languages and well mere words just cant do it justice, you feel it more than you understand it I just cant explain it, those of you who have walked the walk and talked the talk will know what I mean, those of you that have not well I just don’t have the words to explain camaraderie of a true Hunter and Countryman and the understanding we have of each other, then Mama Maria brought the Hares out after bring cooked over the open charcoal oven, it was so moist and well seasoned with a beautiful glaze over it, I was already stuffed from the meze we had already eaten but the countryman in me took over for we all must eat what we hunt, I loosened my belt for my expandable belly to make room as I tucked into the hare, wow it was like an explosion of flavors in my mouth, my mind was immediately taken back to the mountain when we had taken these hares earlier in the morning.

We said farewell to Taverna Maria and I said good by to my new found hunting friends as Michael took me back to the hotel on the hill, he invited me down to his restaurant in the village, a most wonderful Traditional Greek Taverna with a modern twist called Flora, its was started by his mother and father and Michael had inherited it with his wife after his parents retired, he wants to hand it down to his son after he had finished university and after he has done his time in the Greek Army doing his national service, such a wonderful story right there of tradition being passed down through the generations of this awesome Greek Family.

The Night in question I went to Flora Restaurant they had a Christening celebration on, all I can say is WOW what a wonderful experience, I saw singing/dancing good food and drink and people truly happy to be together and celebrate the baby and his Christening, Tasos told me try Michaels Stiffado Its The Best, now I love Stiffado I have had it many times over the years and indeed cook this traditional Greek dish myself, its made with a lot of thickly chopped onion and what every meat is available, on this occasion it was Hare again and I will say if god himself had cooked this meal I would believe it, for I bow down Michaels Stiffado is the very best I have ever tasted, it was like a cross between an angle dancing across my taste buds and a fire work display all at the same time as well as being as smooth as silk, I telle if any of you go to Rhodes on holiday I urge you go find The Flora Restaurant in Afandou you will truly thank me, Michael took me out back to show me his charcoal spit oven where he was slow roasting a whole sheep, my first thoughts were WOW what a huge kitchen that was spotless you could of eaten your food off the floor it was that clean, I got to taste the sheep off the spit, seriously if I had of popped my clogs right then I would of gone to heaven smiling, Michael took me back to the hotel as we had to be up early the next morning for hunting again.

I was picked up at 5.30am again, again what I loved was the excitement of the dogs, it was just like here at home our dogs the same look in their eyes the same body language over the, pack, they were excited to be going hunting as were Michael and I, if you have never hunted this way its hard to explain its almost prehistoric where man and wolf work as one for the same goal the triumph of the hunt, we got to a new mountain just over from the other mountains we had hunted previously, this had some flat crop areas and dry grass lands at the foot of it with a dried up river bed, we saw some Fallow Deer, a buck and 2 doe grazing in the early morning dim light, Michael and I stalked in on them and I shot them with my camera, they are called Dama Dama by the islanders but they are fallow deer, I have read many a myth and legend about these deer google it you will be surprised.

Off we set along the dried up river bed we covered every hill/bush/tree and grass land but not a sausage could be found, so we headed up the mountain again, almost immediately the dogs changed they had the scent of something, we worked our way up the mountain this time I had a shot gun in my hands, two partridge flushed one forward over the dogs so no safe shot, but one did flush left to right of me, I only had one quick snap shot as I could not follow through as I knew there were hunters to my right, I ruffled a couple of feathers as it sailed on unscathed, further we pushed on around the mountain, our hunting buddies flushed a hare but it gave them the slip as the dogs gave chase in full voice, by golly what a wonderful sound hearing the pack in full voice echoing across the high mountains it sent a shiver up my spine I telle, Michael was coming down the mountain on a crescent just below me as his dogs went on point, he gave the order to flush on and out bolted a hare, he bowled it over with one clean shot as the head dog retrieved it to hand, that was a great shot I telle, it was now getting really hot so we headed back to the truck to give the dogs a drink and head back, the talk was high spirited as we laughed and discussed our day.

I spent the next day or so chilling at the hotel swimming a lot trying to keep fit, I went fishing on one of Michael’s friends boats and caught quite a few mixed fish not monsters but good eating fish, I dropped them off at Flora Restaurant for I was going that evening for a hunters meeting and get together that Michael puts on for his friends, my fish were to be part of this mighty feast.

I arrived at the Flora Restaurant a short time after all the others, again I was made to feel most welcome, some faces I knew others I did not again that camaraderie was there right from the start, the banter jokes and telling stories started, they told stories to me of past times out hunting and I told some of mine back, Michael translated both ways, one chap next to me his phone went off it was his wife asking what time he would be home, so the banter began again, I told them my ex wife would ask what time I would be home, I always said Dark O Clock, this all the lads found hilarious as Michael translated it the room went into laughter, I have a feeling they will be using that little ditty the next time the wives ask what time will you be home.

I went back the next afternoon to say my farewells to Michael and his family and the beautiful Flora Restaurant, I had a most amazing lamb dish the name of I cant even pronounce, but again I just cant do it justice with mere words or photos, I said my good byes with a full belly and full heart, Michael and I parted with tears in our eyes as we had both met our brothers from other mothers, I would say Michael is the Greek version of The Ole Hedge Creeper, I left Rhodes happy to be coming home and sad too leaving a piece of my heart on this beautiful island that I will be going back too.

And yes the Flora Restaurant and Michael the Greek Hunter who’s cooking and company.

Quite simply IT THE BEST.

Yamas.

By The Ole Hedge Creeper.

P.s I almost forgot, I designed and had 3 rings made with a expert craftsman jeweler, 2 rings were a matching pair for my masonic craft 1 for me the other for Dad, the last ring I designed was a Knights Templar ring that I designed to remind me of my time on this amazing island.

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Gone Wild Fowling

11/9/2018

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Gone Wild Fowling
Opening Day 2018-2019
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

This story starts way back when I was just a Yonker (kid) being told all sorts of stories by my Pappy (grand father) and Dad all about amazing wild fowl flights, I never got to go as I was told I was too young and it was too dangerous, now me a high spirited kid to say the least could dream of nothing more of an adventure to head out after geese or duck from those stories told in front of the log fire in the middle of winter.

I wrote about my first trip in my first book the chapter is called Teal Time, the books are available from www.reallywildadventures.co.uk and all the money goes to the Young Sports Organisation called Pass It On Young Sports that I head up, the money helps a little to run the taster days and events we run on a purely voluntary basis none of us not even me earns a penny from it, but we do get paid in heart tokens when we see the smiles on the young sports faces.

I kept on nagging my Dad & Pappy to take me wildfowling, they eventually gave in and here I am almost forty seasons later still going out on the first day of the season, its the same now as it was back then, for weeks leading up to the 1st of September I cant sleep, I hear wildfowl everywhere I go, the 31st of August well I might as well just not go to bed as there is no way I can sleep, I am more excited than a normal kid on Christmas Eve, in fact truth be known I was never very exited on Christmas Eve for me my Christmas started on the 31st of August, apart from the year I got my 20b a gun of my own on Christmas morning when my dad proudly handed it to me in front of my Pappy and Uncle Dave both countrymen of the old school, this was was three days before my 11th Birthday, I still have that old gun now and use it for all my pheasant and partridge shooting she is still as sweet as the day I got her with a cleaning kit that I still have too.

So as you can see wildfowling runs deep through my veins going back many generations of my family, now the 31st of August was no different except my Pappy is no longer with us God Rest His Soul and my Dad and Uncle Dave no longer come out on morning flight, that said I had my ole mucker Nik along and his son young son Alec, who reminded me of me 40 years ago with a new gun and wanting to go wildfowling, Nik is a member of a wildfowling club down South but the foreshore is no place for a young boy cutting his teeth, so I said bring him with me we will get him out on the river and then do a spot of pigeon & Corvid (crow family) shooting through the day then go just inland from the foreshore on evening flight in a nice little area I know.

For me its all about seeing the sun rise on morning flight and the same on evening flight seeing it set, all the rest is just gravy, I could not sleep counting down the hours until the alarm went off, Nik he slept like a baby but young Alec was just like me he could not sleep either with that wide eyed look of excitement and the twinkle in the eye, we passed each other in my hall way on our way to and from the loo, I said you cant sleep either then kiddo he said no and I keep hearing duck outside, I laughed and said that's the true fowler's excitement son as his ole Dad snored like an old diesel engine.

The alarm went off but we were already awake and dressed with coffee in our fits in record time, Mags my secretary and neighbor banged on the door, I think she was as excited to be out too, so we loaded up the truck with the dogs and guns and headed down to the river, Nik and Alec set up down by the old bridge I went up the far end with Mags and the dogs settled in and watched the sun come up in the East of the ancient hills, 40 seasons later and I never tire of that magnificent sunrise, mere words or pictures just don't do it justice, I sat down with a mug of tea from the flask and enjoyed the spectacle a blessing from god as I thank the Lord for being alive.

I loaded up the Ole 10 bore or the fire breathing dragon some of the lads call it like my ole mate Bruce who I got it off of, its an old Spanish single barrel but all I need is one shot on a ghost rider a wild goose, I hear duck in the distance and then see a mighty flight take wing, Mags and I could of shot several as we let sword after sword of duck fly over us, all young duck flappers some call them, a lot of folk shoot these but not me its not about pulling the trigger its about being there seeing the sights smelling the smells and enjoying gods grace, a kingfisher sat on the gate between us Mags eyes were wide as she loves Kingfishers, a peregrine falcon stooped on a pigeon and we got to witness a beautiful sun rise with a magnificent flight of duck, a brace of older duck dropped right over Nick and Alec and they both saluted them alas they did not connect as the shot well behind them forgetting how fast they fly.

We finished morning flight and headed back for a mighty breakfast Mags cooked us all, we then headed out on some fresh cut maize were there were a few pigeon and Crows hitting in on, I thought this would be a great place to get Young Alec shooting with his new gun, Alec watched the flight lines and chose where to put the hide he set the decoys out and the floater and in the hide he and his dad went, I had a lot of paper work to sort out and emails to send so Mags and I sat in the truck and watched, Alec and Nik got in some good shooting for an hour or so then Alec flagged he was falling asleep so he went for lay down in the truck with Mags and I got in the hide with Nik using Alec new gun, a sweet little gun to that had been measured for the lad of course a little short for me so I just extended my forearm to compensate, I telle I dropped some cracking shots with that little gun.

Alec woke up and came back so Nik went for a lay down and I coached Alec on how to shoot pigeons and crows, the boy had some lessons on the clay ground which paid off, I taught him how to read the birds and to shoot at the right time, the boy was a natural pulling off some amazing shots on some fast moving jackdaws and pigeons, one as Brook was retrieving a pigeon from some of the standing maize another right to left crosser flicked across us Alec mounted swung through and dusted the pigeon centre spread right over the standing maize, I don't know who was more proud His Dad and I or Alec himself as the Cheshire cat smile on the boys face said it all, the day went on much like that and we finished pigeon and crow shooting in time ready to head out on evening flight, we put all Alec own birds he shot in front of the hide and took a pic for the boy to remember the day, then cleared off and headed down to a nice little bit of ground just in land from the fore shore.

We walked out around some of the small river to see if we could get the boy a chance of an early duck, alas the ducks were just a little quick for the boy but what a great experience for the boy just the sight and sound of wildfowl taking wing makes the heart race, I set Nik and Alec up on a small ditch pond that often gets a few duck in there, I set up in the edge of a the maize with my ole 10 bore over looking a big pond that often gets geese on it, as the sun went down in the West the sky looked like it was on fire, like I say mere words and pictures just don't do it justice, both the boys had deer and hares bimble and dance right across in front of them the boys jaw just dropped at the sight of it all, the Lord really was bestowing his blessings on us today.

A lot of duck took flight right over us all, way to high to shoot so we let them go on unsaluted, Nik managed one shot off at a low crosser but missed behind again, you a lot of hmmmm shooters would of a shot at those high birds the same as geese going over or past too far out of range, and that to me is the sign of a very poor wildfowler just wounding birds, the same as going wildfowling without a dog or indeed shooting birds like pigeons and crows over standing crop, you have almost no chance of retrieving the shot birds and if they are left to rot in say the wheat or barley the bales are no good and cause disease in the farmers stock.

Then I heard it the sound that makes all real wildfowlers hearts race, the sound of the wild ghost riders echoing on the wind, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my heart raced and my breathing shallowed, the sound of wild geese coming our way, I got on my Canada goose call and laid it on thick, I turned the skein right towards Nik and Alec, I was willing for Nik to take a goose so Alec could hold it and take it home for roast goose, alas the Skein passes left to right 40 yards out from the boys, Nik never fired he did not consider it a good shot that would kill stone dead, now that's the sign of a good wildfowler not wanting to wound a bird, the boys came back Alec was jabbering like an excited ferret all about his experience with the geese/deer and hares, you know I never fired a shot wildfowling that day but to me it matters not we had such an amazing day coaching a young sport in the ways of the Countryman, as the sun set it looked like the entire sky was on fire, a truly magical evening flight.

I went back a few days later as the maize had been cut and I was training Dads young springer spaniel Tess, I took the 10 bore again not intending to shoot anything but a goose if they came over, I noticed an older mallard green head feeding in one of the little reins, so I worked the young dog along side old Brook just to give her some experience, it worked like a dream as the young dog flushed the ole mallard from the waters edge, I took a left to right crossing shot with the 10 bore dropping the duck on the far side of the river bank, I sent Brook for the retrieve to show the young dog how it was done, Brook was not impressed has she had just found herself a full maize cob, she dropped it next to the duck retrieved the duck to hand gave me one of those I am not impressed looks then went back across the river to get her cob, I don't know that old dog has some quirks I telle, I did a couple of blind retrieves with the young dog in some cover with the shot duck, lets just say there is a lot of work to be done there but she is getting the idea, we walked the reins and rivers flushing wildfowl and pheasants, I never loaded the gun just giving this young dog some experience.

All in all a magnificent start to the season, I took only 1 duck when I could of taken a bag full, I only needed one for my table, remember don't take more fowl than you need its the true Countryman's way, and remember get out on the first and last day of the season, as an old fowler once told me either use it or lose and he was right.

Gone Wildfowling
Opening Day
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

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To my Haters & Stalkers, I am a Lion not a Sheeple, my advice is to not poke the Sleeping Lion, for if you awake me from my slumber you will hear me ROAR, then you will find yourself staying at Her Majesty's pleasure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

About the Archive

As you will all know I am a busy boy and I am asked post articles and review on behalf of lots people in lots of different places.

The images and photos are for illustration purposes only, they may not be of the actual day/article or location in question or even at the same venue, for client/venue sensitivity,data protection and often location or contract legalities, we may use a stock photo at our discretion, The main place to find most of my articles is of course the
Countrymans Diary Magazine.

This Archive is a central location of all those pearls of wisdom I have let loose on the World, whilst its not bang up to date the knowledge contained in here is worth its weight in gold.

Feel free to share this information its all free and it my pleasure to Pass It On.

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