Blimey I just don't know where to start with this article, I am that busy I have blinked and here we are a month later from my last humble scribbles, as always I am almost late for my deadline for the magazines etc, you know its so busy I have actually met myself coming back at times.​

Before I go further into this article, I have a couple of parish notices as we say in Freemasonry, first off we have an awesome international event that I and my company Really Wild Adventures is heading up, we are putting on a brilliant Thermal Night at The Long Ashton & District Rifle Club, in association with The Night Pearl Thermal Company, they are flying in from the Czech Republic to help put this event on, its suppose to be a trade event so all shops etc are invited, but we have opened it up to the general public too, there is a Face Book Events Page especially for the event, you can find it by liking my Really Wild Adventures Page then click on the event itself, full details are on the flyer below too, if you have any problems drop us a line, we are making this like a micro shooting show, there will be trade stands on site as well as a fully functioning cafe and club room, Shooting using the Night Pearl Thermal Systems outside and indoor a have a go air rifle and air pistol range too, bring the whole family as kids are most welcome, my Really Wild Adventures Marksmanship Team will be running the ranges in association with the Pass It On Young Sports Organisation.

My client was overwhelmed with this new thermal equipment, he was calling out rat targets faster than I could shoot them, although I had several magazines running I just could not keep up with re loading them and re airing the gun from the divers bottle, he was shocked to how many rats he actually had, the other pest tech that was with me had the same problem, they kept running out of ammo and air to quickly, as the evening went on the action slowed a little but not by much, by the time we had killed the batteries on the Thermal scopes and spotters we had actually ran out of pellets too, I only had 1 pellet left in the tin, that was some fast action I tell you, I hear folks saying to me thermal for rats that's a bit much is it not? I say nonsense why have a dog and bark yourself, my Oppo carried on with their NiteSite as I moved onto the foxes. ​

There was still a little battery left in the Scops Max III thermal spotter and a fresh battery on the Seer 35 Thermal Scope, the rabbits did notplay ball this night so I left them be, but the foxes did, all I will say is The Ole Hedge Creeper Filled the bag and got the job done it was a bitterly cold night I was glad of my Jack Pyke gear to keep me warm and concealed, The Night Pearl Thermal Systems and The Air Arms Rifle Combos never missed a beat, again watch the videos with this article they will tell the stories far better and than my humble scribbles, my client is on there telling of the wonderful attributes of the awesome Night Pearl Thermal Systems.

​Well I really don't know where to start with this article, one moment its Spring, then Summer and were in full swing protecting the crops/live stock etc from the hungry foxes, pigeons and rabbits etc, keepering my own shoot is a full time job on its own, then its September and the start of the wildfowling and partridge season, now we hit October my birds are to wood and shoot dates booked, all this on top of running Pass It On Young Sports, The Somersetshire branch of The Masonic Fishing Charity, Really Wild Pest Control and Really Wild Adventures, add into this two shooting clubs, range nights and trying to fit in my Freemasonry that's now in full swing, as you can imagine I have not had chance to put pen to paper as it were.

​So here goes, lets start off with my Professional Poison Free Pest Control Rounds, this part of my company is what has really kept me afloat the last 2 years, ghastly Covid closed most of life down, but being a Professional Pest Controller and one of the essential workers I kept going thank god, actually its gotten so busy now I have a team of pest techs contracting to me to help take up the slack, the truth is I really don't like inner city work I am a Countryman, so most of my town and inner city work I contract out, leaving me more time to deal with the Agricultural/Countryside and Habitat management, where my heart really is in this job, although we cover everything we try not to use chemicals or poison unless we have too, I especially like this in my Countryside Management and Agricultural work, this ethos has really paid off with now 40.000 acres on the books and a vast and varied client list under my wing.

From lamps we moved into the space age with Night Vision of all sorts, from home made to professionally made kits of all descriptions, the best there has ever been in my humble opinion and I have tried it all, that's the awesome NiteSite System, right from the start the NS50 revolutionised my night hunting, both professionally and not, the NS200 wow what a bit of kit that was, then came the Viper, the Wolf and the Eagle by golly I was like a kid at Christmas, add into this the NiteSite Spotter and the mini Sentinel Pro spotter, could we do any better, NiteSite weren't done there as they brought out The Dark Op’s Viper, wolf & Eagle night vision systems, but all the gadgetry in the world only gave you an edge, as I have always maintained, good field craft and knowing how to lamp correctly is the only way to maintain good standards, be consistent and get the quarry you seek, for the gadgets don’t bring home the bacon, good hunting knowledge does, the rest of the time you rely on luck, alas what with the outbreak of Covid and many other factors my beloved NiteSite Company closed its doors in good order, I still say it now to this day NiteSite is simply the best night vision there has ever been in my humble opinion, you may not agree that's your prerogative.

Now I have been lucky enough to have hunted, fished, shot and indeed cook and eat game all over this wonderful planet of ours, both by day and by night, I suppose this is one reason I was asked to be the international Eley Ammunition Out Doors Ambassador, a couple of years back at The Game Fair 2019 I purchased out of my own pocket a Night Pearl Thermal 13 Spotter from the then NiteSite team, this worked so well with my NiteSite Hunting, for I spotted my quarry on Thermal and shot it on night vision, a system I truly think I have really mastered especially with the Dark Op’s system, I have shot all over the UK with it after being called in to deal with Charlie Foxes attacking live stock, often where other shooters have failed and I have been paid to come sort the problem out, this has ruffled a few feathers here and there as folk think I am after poaching their lands, this is not the case, I come in deal with the job, get paid and leave again, I cant abide people poaching other peoples permissions, I have had it done to me just recently by ghastly people who should know better, when I am called in I always say have you someone else shooting here, if so tell them to call me and we can work together, I leave knowing that person will be taught to my standards and they know I have no intention what so ever to poach their land from under them, this system has gained me many friends along the way, poaching someones permission its not the done thing at all or the way of the true Countryman.​

So here we are in the Autumn of 2021 and wow what an 18 months this really has been for so many of us, but as always our British defiance to not give in, never back down has stood us in good stead, yes along the way we have lost family, friends, Brexit and indeed awesome companies like NiteSite and more, in many ways I say this has brought us together and made us stronger and more resilient, Hitler never beat us, nor will this dreadful Covid, just like the former its an irritating little annoyance we will beat with our Great British Tenacity of Defiance now pass the Mug of Tea Mucker.

The first night out using the amazing Night Pearl Seer 35 front add on system, plus the Scops Max II thermal spotter, this really was a nostalgic one this night, my boyhood hunting mentor, my Uncle Dave came with me on a fox control job, an ageing man who has forgotten more about hunting than I will ever know, he is the old master who first taught me about the correct way to lamp, track, field craft, and shoot a rifle, he cannot walk far now but hey I have a perfectly good 4x4 so no walking needed Uncle, I knew where the fox was coming into the field of play and knew where he was going, a huge open hillside undulating meadow, the wind swirled from all directions giving our position away, so we could not get in close and personal as I had been taught as a boy, Uncle Always said two things, you must get so close you can put salt on their tail or see the whites of their eyes.​

Alas from this huge meadow we had no cover at all apart from the night herself and the undulating land, I gave Uncle the Scops Max 50 II to use and be my spotter, this was a complete role switch from my boyhood days,  as I was always his lamp man as a boy and Uncle was always the shooter with his Remington 22,250, right from switching the unit on my Uncle was blown away with what he could see, all I kept hearing was this is amazing, oh WOW, as he watched barn owls and Tawny Owls go about their business, he watched them take the voles and mice etc, he watched bats take insects, a badger trot right past us 25 yards away none the wiser we were there in the dark of the night, he watched rabbits and hares, a hedge hog snuffle past in the hedgerow behind us. I thought he was going to faint with joy when a young spiker roe buck walked within ten yards of him, he had a graze on some grass right there withing touching distance of my Uncle, then trot off down to a doe, Uncle Dave just could not get over it all, this all happened in complete silence on a night as black as ash cloth.

Well until my next humble scribbles, I hope you have enjoyed this article, as I type I am preparing to head North to the South Yorkshire Shooting Show in Doncaster, if you would like to see the Night Pearl Systems in action come say hello, don't forget all the Night Pearl Systems are available through Really Wild Adventures on the links below, but remember these words, Field Craft, Mastering The Lamp and Knowing Your Quarry will make you a more successful Hunter and or Countryman.


Out Foxing Charlie 18
By The Ole Hedge Creeper ​

​The game Fair Ragley 2021 was awesome, I only managed to get off my stand and show wring once to go and see Night Pearl, the show itself looked amazing and the atmosphere was simply buzzing as my Young Sports would say, I have to say my stand and show ring really did look spectacular, a massive shout out to my team of volunteers here they did a truly magnificent job helping run it all, the stand was rammed packed full all weekend as was my show ring, one particular show took an unexpected hijacking, we finished the hilarious show as normal parents and other show goers calling for more, this is not unusual, as the saying goes don't work with kids or animals, the kids didn't want to leave the show ring, they wanted more, so we sat down Ole Hedge Creeper Style and did an ad lib story time round the fire, just like we do on the young sports camp outs, only this time we were sat in the middle of the show wring around my decoy display, I passed the microphone round the circle of kids saying tell us a story, I could see the parents cringing what their little darlings were going to come out with, all was going well with the usual funny stuff kids come out with, that was until we got to a five year old girl, I believe her name was Crystal, blonde hair, big blue eyes, a lovely little dress and a denim jacket, actually she reminded me of my daughter Shannon (26) at that age, so I handed her the microphone expecting tales of her toys and her big brother not being very nice, you know the usual stuff, OH NO HOW WRONG CAN I BE, first of all she said her name, pointed over and said that's my Mummy and big brother and sister, both were trying to hide behind their mother, Mummy waved and gave a glaring look, then Crystal came out with it, just like a right hook from Mike Tyson, she proudly announced that her Mother is a Doctor and she has a double jointed backside? Of course the whole place erupted in laughter, her Mother glared even more with steam coming out of her ears telling Crystal to shut up doing the cut sign, so I stupidly asked what makes you think your mum has a double jointed backside? She proudly said in a loud clear voice over the microphone that her mummy breaks wind a lot, actually she used the F word, as her mummy was a Doctor she explained her mummy told here this was why, Crystal also announced her mummy blows off so loud and it stinks, I think mummy fainted at this point.

​Now Crystal was not done here, she then proudly announced loud and clear, do you know what my Mummy and Daddy do when her and her brother ans sister are in bed? She also said I know as I snook down and saw them on the sofa doing it? Doing what I asked? People were in fits of laughter and her mother still trying to tell her to shut up, she then loudly said my Mummy is trying to get fat? It tuns out when the kids are in bed Mummy and Daddy eat all the good chocolate and snacks and soft drinks, phew that was a close one, oh but no Crystal was not finished there, why Mummy was trying to get fat was that she sneaks down when Daddy is not there and scoffs al the good chocolate, Snacks and soft drinks all to herself, tears were rolling in fits of laughter all around my show ring, then Crystal out of the blue came out with you know slugs are snails who don't have a house, out of the mouth of babes, that innocence just fills my heart with joy, I did say I think your not in Mummy’s good books right now, she said no its OK she promised to buy me an ice cream, I thanked all the kids and sent them out of the ring, that has to be one of the funniest show ring demos I have ever done, I am tears of laughter just writing this and remembering it.

​Back top Night Pearl, contracts signed we did a small photo shoot to welcome me on board as a member of The International Night Pearl Team, I must say their stand and products looked amazing, the sort of professional show stand I would expect to see at the prestigious British shooting Show at The NEC Birmingham or at the IWA in Germany or even The Shot Show in Las Vegas USA, the stand really was magnificent and the products well displayed, this just goes to show this brilliant companies ethos to professionalism and quality that really show in their products, especially where the metal meets the meat.

Please keep all the letters, emails, smoke signals and carrier pigeons coming into The Countryman’s Diary Magazine, I do try to get back to you all personally but some do slip through the purse net like a bolting December Rabbit on a cold frost morning, so until my next humble scribble please stay safe and well one and all.

Night Pearl International
The Ole Hedge Creeper
Joins The Night Pearl International Team​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
www.nightpearl.com
countrymans-diary.co.uk 

Where to start? I suppose we should start with The Amateur, I suppose what the Oxford English Dictionary definition of an Amateur is a good start.


The Amateur:
NOUNA person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid rather than a professional basis.
‘it takes five years for a top amateur to become a real Tour de France rider’




ADJECTIVEEngaging or engaged in without payment; non-professional.
‘amateur athletics’



There is also a huge difference where paperwork and qualifications come in to play, I will go deeper into this in the Professional Pest Controller section as there no point writing it twice, but there you go the Oxford English Dictionary states it quite clearly, its not your Job or Profession, you do not get paid for it.


Risk Assessments, Health and Safety, working with the correct GL licences and if needed applying for exact licences like Gull licences etc, as well as the correct Professional Insurance but to name just a small part of the difference between the Professional and The Amateur, also as an Amateur if you get paid even a gratuitous payment like the farmer giving you the shot gun cartridges or air rifle pellets etc, this counts as gratuitous payment ie wages, this also voids your standard Country Sports insurance, although The Scottish Association for Country Sports (SACS) do include an enhanced Country Sports Insurance that covers this, so longs this is not your Job ie your Profession, I would urge everyone to join SACS they are brilliant and really fight our corner where it counts.​

As an Amateur you get to go enjoy and your sport/pest control when it suits you, ie oh I think I might have a go on some rats at the piggery this week, no I wont bother its too cold/wet the Moon is in line with Mars all that mumbo jumbo, I have heard it before, but as a permission you are there when it suits you, many Amateurs I know do go the extra mile to do their best when needed, like my good friend Bucks Moocher he puts his heart and soul in to his pest control for his farmers, but he like everyone else has a day job that must come first, rent/mortgages/kids stuff/the car/the dog/house hold bills etc all have to be paid before you can go an enjoy your Amateur Country Sports or Pest Control, even that needs funding ie the equipment/ammunition/guns/traps birds of prey/dogs/ferrets just to name a few, so your day job pays for this too, now I am not saying here I shoot/hunt/trap, work my animals better than you The Amateur, I know so many Countrymen just like Bucks Moocher who work to best practices every bit as good as me, but that still does not make you a Professional, I will show you in the next section a small glimpse as to why I and my fellow Professional Pest Controllers get paid to do what in many cases you do for free as a hobby.

The Professional:


ADJECTIVE


Relating to or belonging to a profession.
‘young professional people’


Engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.
‘a professional boxer’


Worthy of or appropriate to a professional person; competent, skilful, or assured.
‘their music is both memorable and professional’


NOUN


A person engaged or qualified in a profession.
‘professionals such as lawyers and surveyors’


A person engaged in a specified activity, especially a sport, as a main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.
‘his first season as a professional’


A person competent or skilled in a particular activity.
‘she was a real professional on stage’ ​

We Have touched briefly on the Professional side of the job, now we will look in slightly more depth as to the paper work side, by law and to be insured your Health and Safety paperwork must be spot on, this must be current and up to date always, your record keeping must be exact and legible, all your PPE equipment must be in good order and fit for purpose, if you use chemicals or poisons etc this must all be stored correctly and have the necessary equipment and qualification as well as licences to use it, again your record keeping should be crystal clear, although I have all and more than I will ever need as far as licences and qualifications. I choose not to use it, my personal opinion is that its not good for the environment and secondary poisoning of non target species etc, this is just my personal opinion and ethical approach, although poisons and chemicals have their place in Professional Pest Control, I don't like the idea of the un trained or qualified general public being allowed anywhere near the poisons and chemicals etc, I feel personally this should not be sold in shops etc at all, I know in quantity and strength the general public cant get hold of poisons any more without the correct qualifications and licences etc, but none the less the shop bought stuff is out there and should be banned.


Risk Assessments now that's a right head ache for me even before I start a job, I do have some generic ones but one size does not fit all in this job, so I have to fill the forms out by hand then transfer them to computer when back at the office, this all takes time, time I am to be paid for in my JOB/PROFESSION, method statements now there's another head ache as of the generic ones don't fit all jobs/contracts, so these have to be customised, staying conversant of all the licences, the GL licences, applying for specific ones, I am barely touching on this as I could write a book on this subject, then there's the difference between Amateur Country Sports insurance and Professional Pest control insurance and complying with regulations under that as well, making sure the qualifications are up to date for myself, my animals and birds of prey and all the equipment, not forgetting the trucks and vans being kept in good order, properly insured and sign written just to touch briefly on this subject.

I have touched very briefly of this subject as I want to write a bit about being out on my rounds, but as you can see there is a vast difference between you The Amateur and me The Professional, some take the micky on my social media posts etc, I don't mind one bit, I like the banter and as many have found out I have skin as thick as a rhinos and a nose like one too, but remember don't give me stick if you cant take it back for this Lion bites. ​

I suppose one of the biggest differences I see between The Amateur and The Professional is? The fact I am being paid to be there in all winds and weathers, YOU are not and get to choose when you want to be there, I don't get the luxury to say oh its raining I will put the rugby on instead and have a beer, I have to be on the job day and night, 7 days/nights a week in all winds and weathers, also the client expects results if there is a fox attacking and they employ me to deal with it, then they expect it to be in the bag and dealt with, as an Amateur you can say you tried your best and most often the farmer etc will say have another go when you can, not The Professional your there to get the job done no matter what the weather etc, also a lot of folk now rely on the gadgets, they have no real field craft experience.

I did recommend a fine young man I trained many years ago for the job as they asked me did I know anyone who could fill these big boots, I know he has accepted the position and will be starting in that fantastic role next month, I have told him if he needs his old mentors help or advice he knows where I am, I am the happy one working for myself and doing what I do best and love it, but I will say its not all strawberries and cream you know, often muckers say, oh I wish I had your job and not mine, I say a job is a job and your putting food on the table and paying your bills, looking after your families and enjoying your sport, you wont want my job at 4am in the middle of January, wet, cold and tired waiting to deal with one rat, but the highs do out way the lows in the wonderful world of Professional Poison Free Pest Control.​

Now I have rambled on so much here I am running out of time, space and the will to keep writing, for there is a gurt roast Hoggett dinner waiting for me and an ice cold pint of Thatchers Rosie Cider chilling in the fridge, so what I will do is take you on a whirl wind ride around my pest control rounds, watch the videos and look the slide show and photos that accompany this article.

Fox control has gone mad just recently both by day and by night, lots of early cubs being born and I know of one vixen pregnant now with her third litter, as I have written many times, I don't deal with foxes because they are foxes, the whole idea the only good fox is a dead fox sickens me, such wonderful beautiful intelligent creature, but alas they are murderous too, for if they get inside the hens, lambs or even pet enclosures they go into a killing frenzy and kill everything in sight, as I type I have just picked up a call from a lady client of mine, she is distraught sobbing down the phone in tears, a BXXXXXD FOX just broke into my new enclosure and killed all my hens apart from two, I always teach good animal husbandry first, a lot of the time you can stop the attacks, the battery had stopped working on the electric fence and it dug under the wire buried in the ground, so I now have to go deal with that fox and get everything fox proofed again before she gets any more hens, we can all live with a natural loss, the odd hen, lamb etc, but when they break in and kill everything, that we cant stand for, also these snow flake do gooders releasing town caught foxes off in the countryside. ​

Compete morons and they should be strung up for cruelty to animals, those foxes don't know how to survive in the country, there are no bins or KFCs here to scavenge around, so they either starve to death, get driven off by the country fox as your in his territory, the farm dog has them or I or my compatriots The Amateur or Professional Pest Controller have to deal with them, or even farmer with his shotgun etc, STOP releasing town caught foxes you ghastly cruel people.

keep the emails, messages and letters coming into internationally read The Countryman’s Diary Magazine we try to answer you all, why not tune in on our new pod casts too. ​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
countrymans-diary.co.uk 

George Lilley is one of my now senior graduated Young Sports Ambassador's, he has completed my Ambassadorship training programme with honours, truly a shining light to his fellow Young Sports Ambassador's as well as all the Pass It On Young Sports following on in his shoes, now a professional chef and 19 years old he still has a passion for wild game prep and wild game cooking, he loves Shooting, Hunting, Bush Craft and Conservation, all I have taught him and much more, he has carried on for himself as a fine young man truly an Ambassador for all Country Sports and Conservation, he is also a damn fine shot too, I am very proud of this awesome young man, now earning his own money he has gone straight out and purchased an Air Arms TX200, after years of using mine, although he has other cheaper air rifles, this is the one he always wanted but could not afford, he has put his TX200 to great effect since he purchased his own, as in this photo of the squirrels and magpie that is with this article, he has used every air rifle in the range with me too, from all of my Air Arms to the rest of my vast air rifle collection, he has hunted and shot on the range with them all, but come the end there was only one choice, preferring the spring power of the awesome Air Arms TX200, I asked him to put together a short review of why he chose this rifle over all the others, I hope you enjoy his review as much as I did and remembering the day this shy young man first entered my Pass It On Young Sports Range and out in the hunting fields too.​

The Ole Hedge Creeper.

The Ole Hedge Creeper and myself, putting the Arms S400 to great use on a crop protection job a few years ago now.

I have tried a vast amount of Air Rifles from The Ole Hedge Creepers collection, both PCPs and Springers, finally deciding the Air Arms TX200 was the gun for me, in 2nd place came the HW77 or HW97.

Finally I was back out on the Forestry Conservation Contract, George my apprentice joined me with his Webley Sting Ray spring powered air rifle, he shot very well with that old gun in the hide in the pine plantation, but he was no match for me armed with an Ultimate Sporter, I also had Goose the cocker spaniel to retrieve for me, I do have a great video of shooting some tree rats with the trusty ole Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter, I hope it comes out on you tube OK, I could write a book just about the awesome Air Arms air rifles that have never let me down, especially where the metal meets the meat, if you are looking for just one air rifle to last a life time, look no further than the truly amazing Air Arms Ultimate Sporter, that's one reason this gun has won best air rifle in the British Shooting Awards for the last three years running, you just cant improve on perfection, others try but fall very short every time, that's my opinion anyway. ​

I hope you have enjoyed reading my humble scribbles, please keep the letters, emails, smoke signals and carrier pigeons coming in, I do personally try to answer every one of them, but some do slip past the cross hairs, until next time please stay safe and well one and all.

Remember Air Arms Simply The Best.

Shooting The Silk Moths part 4​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
countrymans-diary.co.uk 

​Filters are another good one, oh I know I will chuck a red filter on they wont see it, WRONG, yes filters can help but they are not the magic cure for bad lampmanship, a dear friend and fellow foxer Robert Bucknell and I had an in depth conversation on my stand at a game fair a few years ago about filters, I think he used some of that conversation in one of his fox lamping articles if I remember correctly, yes some times filters can help, especially in over lamped areas but they can also be over done and cause more problems, for me my favourite filter is a green one, my theory is that the grass is green so does not overly alarm the fox, that said Greg my fellow Co Owner of the internationally read The Countryman's Diary Magazine has a green lamp, the spectrum on that lamp scares everything away including the horses, I like the Night Master Venom green pill, I have had lamp shy foxes just sit there and look at it before now, my theory here is it must be in a spectrum that does not scare them, I really must find out what spectrum codes it is in, all I can say foxes, rabbits and other wildlife just take no notice of this green pill.

​Field Craft, this is where so many people fail on so many levels, first of all just being quiet, small movements are something most folk just cant do, I had one fellow he just could not talk quietly, walk or even just look quiet, I nicked named him crisp packet trousers, when he walked anywhere he sounded like a couple of empty crisp packets rubbing together, as for his foot steps, ghost walking was impossible, he sounded more like an elephant with clogs on, with bells on his toes, smoking especially those vape things, the scent just carries on the wind, I could pin point him at a 100 yards in the pitch dark, just by the smell of cherry or mixes fruit, I will say he did have his uses, carrying equipment, retrieving shot foxes etc, but as a lamp man or shooting partner he was damn near useless, actually I found a great use for him, I would send him off to stalk a perimeter or far off field, the noise and smell of him sent the fox right too me, as you see I am as crafty as the awesome fox too, there is always method in my madness.

The prevailing wind is another thing most people take no notice of, first of all you want the wind blowing from your quarry to you, not the other way around, or they will wind scent you in an instant, obviously this cant always be achieved but you must try to use the wind to your best advantage just like the fox does, this also helps with marksmanship, especially if you have to shoot over any kind of distance, the calculation of the wind plays a huge part, I always recommend you go to any venue in daylight, work out the safe shot and the not safe shot areas for they look a lot different at night, game trails, the attacking points of the fox, oh I forgot to say I only deal with foxes that attack live stock etc I never go out to just cull a fox because its a fox, the if its red its dead attitude is not mine at all, which way is the fox coming in, is he using a game trail, ditch bottom a hole in a fence etc, is he also using them as an escape route and so fourth, even the most erratic of scenarios has a pattern you just have to look, I call it looking through your quarries eye.​

I often get called in to a fox problem after every Tom, Dick and Harry has had a go and FAILED, often its simple mistakes that Educate Charlie as he shows you his brush and a clean pair of heels as he takes a lamb or fowl from right under your nose, I have one very large VIP agricultural client who calls me the resolver, he has me in his phone as such, I asked why he calls me that, his exact words are no matter what pest control I call you in on, you always resolve the problem, often in scenarios like this its showing good animal husbandry/security ideas etc, some folks may not have thought of, but yes I will agree I seem to have a talent when it comes to dealing with the crafty old fox.

One of the things I like to do is study my quarry, weather its squirrels in a woodland plantation etc, or in this case its the crafty Charlie Fox, I have said this many times, its wonderful to watch nature, the fox is a remarkable animal in its natural hunting environment, the fox really fascinates me, this is one reason I am that good at dealing with them, because I study them so much, just like planning a military operation, I want all the intelligence I can get, the patterns and times of his movements, prevailing winds, safe shot areas, right down to making sure my equipment is working 100%, I plan everything down to last detail, I don't just step out onto the battle field to cross swords with a worthy adversary unprepared, a couple of sayings come to mind here, failing to prepare, is preparing to fail, or the 7Ps, Prior, Planning and Preparation, prevents a piss poor performance, so as you can see its not an erratic man with a gun going out to kill an innocent fox as the anti will have the public believe, but many of us don't help ourselves or the industry here by some of the social media posts I see, thwack, shmack, kaboom, Charlie down, if its red its dead, being some of the wording I see used, this does not help us at all with the general public and the authorities, no clear and correct explanation why you just took the foxes life, the correct ethics of explaining it was attacking live stock etc, remember you are all ambassador's for all Country Sports so behave like it, its how I teach my Young Sports the best practices, be prepared, understand your quarry, make sure your equipment and your in-tell is bang on, also check zero before heading out on live quarry, for if you miss you will educate Charlie once more, this is when the job gets a lot harder and usually when I get called in, my message to you here is preparation and attention to detail.

So my final words here are, be quiet in your person, your cloths, your approach, your equipment, study your quarry, stay concealed, make sure your equipment is bang on the money and the rifle properly zeroed, learn and understand field craft, learn how, when and where to use a lamp correctly, don't smell like a tarts hand bag, learn to track and think like your quarry, if your not on foot, don't slam the door of the truck use your natural surrounding to your advantage, don't be so bone headed to learn from your peers or the old guard, respect the land, live stock, the quarry and all mother nature, learn to be disciplined and single minded in dealing with all quarry, especially the magnificent humble Charlie Fox.​

Follow these simple rules of engagement against this worthy adversary and you wont fail, if you do, be a wise man and learn from any fail, for each time its a lesson learned, thus many you wont need to take cheap shots at me for getting the job done where you fail, for if you do what you are supposed to do correctly to best practices, your farmers, clients etc, wont need to call me The Resolver in to deal with a live stock killing Charlie Fox and cross my palm with silver.

So my final words here are, be quiet in your person, your cloths, your approach, your equipment, study your quarry, stay concealed, make sure your equipment is bang on the money and the rifle properly zeroed, learn and understand field craft, learn how, when and where to use a lamp correctly, don't smell like a tarts hand bag, learn to track and think like your quarry, if your not on foot, don't slam the door of the truck use your natural surrounding to your advantage, don't be so bone headed to learn from your peers or the old guard, respect the land, live stock, the quarry and all mother nature, learn to be disciplined and single minded in dealing with all quarry, especially the magnificent humble Charlie Fox.​

Follow these simple rules of engagement against this worthy adversary and you wont fail, if you do, be a wise man and learn from any fail, for each time its a lesson learned, thus many you wont need to take cheap shots at me for getting the job done where you fail, for if you do what you are supposed to do correctly to best practices, your farmers, clients etc, wont need to call me The Resolver in to deal with a live stock killing Charlie Fox and cross my palm with silver.

In this weeks episode (5) of The fat n Hairy Weekly round up we touch on some emotive subjects this week, still with our jovial laughter and banter, spoken in the velvet tones of The West Country, join The Ole Hedge Creeper (Somerset) and The Countryman (Cornwall) as we bring you latest international news and more from the world of Country Sports, Farming and Agriculture, not forgetting Conservation.

We bring you such subjects as, responsible drinking and some funny stories from a time of being young and impetuous young country boys, the loves, the life and stories of the farm yard, from shearing sheep to cattle stuck in a feeder, big cats of Britain, proper country cooking and more.

We touch on the subject and The Royal Family and this Harry and Megan debacle, one thing is clear here, Our Queen has our Love, Loyalty and Respect, our Sword is hers to command as she will, God Save The Queen.

With hilarious tales of past game fairs and shooting shows, the funny stories that happen behind the scenes, like Big Vernon from Yorkshire sitting Stewart on his knee in a Cumbrian meadow sat around the camp fire, giving him advice on love and how to keep a woman happy, or when Greg (The Countryman) tried to sell raffle tickets to the artist so she could win her own picture back.

So many funny stories and more in this weeks show, pour yourself a glass of something nice, sit in front of the fire in your comfy chair, listen to embers of the fire crack as you listen to two ole West Countrymen chew the fat at the bar in the snug.

​Don't forget to click on the button below to hear this awesome Pod Cast.

WOW what a Pleasure nay Honor it was for Greg (The Countryman) and myself (The Ole Hedge Creeper) to be able to interview the infamous Jim Shockey , such a fascinating, inspirational man, pour yourself a glass of something nice, sit down and be entertained, inspired and educated with this pod cast, three great Out Doors Men (Countrymen) come together share knowledge, education, comedy, take the Micky out of each other, Jim learns what the word Mucker stands for whilst we have a beer together, click on the pod cast button below to listen in on this awesome pod cast.

Jim Shockey (born 1957) is a Canadian outdoor writer, a professional big game outfitter and television producer and host for many hunting shows. Shockey is the producer and host of Jim Shockey's Hunting Adventures and Jim Shockey's Uncharted on Outdoor Channel[1] and Jim Shockey's The Professionals on Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel.[2] He is a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), serving the rank Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel (HLCol) of the 4th Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.[3][4] His hunting adventures have spanned six continents and 50 countries.[5] Shockey has been called by Outdoor Life magazine "the most accomplished big-game hunter of the modern era, having taken arguably the most free-range big game species by any living hunter." They also noted that he is "the most influential celebrity in big-game hunting.