​                                              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

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*

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

​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. ​

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.

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.

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

​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.

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.

​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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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​

Recently I and Greg the other half of The Countryman’s Diary were asked to put this lamp from Olight through its paces, Greg testing out down in Cornishshire, myself testing it in Gods Country the County of Somersetshire, where the apples are as sweet as our fine maids and the cider makes you smile, oh and were the best at making cider and cheese too we even have a place called Cheddar to prove it.​

Greg’s article can be found over on The Countryman’s Diary Magazine attached to this one www.countrymans-diary.co.uk there is also a link of where you can buy this light with a special code for a great deal they tell me to all my fans and dairy readers, the light in question is the Olight Javelot M20SX Hunting Set so go over to the magazine read Greg’s article and make your own mind up.

THE BORING BIT.​

I don't write technical articles its not because I cant it’s just they bore the living daylights out of me, this weights this that does that its made of this, ahhhhhh does it work does it do the job in hand is all I care about and is it worth my hard earned coin, so Greg may get more technical I wont, so here is a basic run down of the kit in the box.

Lamp with belt clip for if you want to use it has a hand held torch, the torch itself is a white light, with 3 filters Red/Green and Blue, a thumb pressure on and off switch that mounts to the stock etc using Velcro sticky patches supplied and some O rings for when the others wear out or needs replacing, and heavy magnet mount for attaching the lamp to the gun barrel etc, oh and a rechargeable battery 3.7v battery NO CHARGER.

FIELD TESTING​

As many know I run a Professional Pest Control Company specialising in Agricultural pest control, the first job I took this light on was a rat clearance job in a grain barn and put it on my Air Arms S410 air rifle, the magnet clipped very well onto the air chamber and was quite sturdy, the pics did not come out very good as the dust particles kept clouding the lens of the camera etc, I found the red filter for the light to be the best for this job as the light reduction was quite noticeable through the light and the others being a touch too bright even when adjusting the power, its very easy to hit what I have come to call the disco function on this light and the rats become disco rats as the strobe light kicks in, none the less after a bit of getting used to the light performed quite well even though I found it a little fiddly.

The next job I was called in on was a fox hanging around a lambing shed, I found the shot gun to be the best for close quarter work like this, I mounted the magnet onto the barrel and it held very strongly indeed, Ole Charlie fox did not turn up whilst I was there, for this job I used the blue filter as the red was too dark and not enough light and the white too bright, the green I was saving for the 223 on a job I had coming up, the blue filter worked very well for shot gun killing range, farmer said does it hold when you shoot the gun so we tried a couple of shots and the lamp never moved, I found that you have to set the power of the lamp before you head off hunting, for changing between the powers or indeed the strobe a little tricky and indeed blinding.​

MY ROUND UP

This lamp from Olight is a little fiddly it does take some getting used too and in places I would say its on the could do better list, but in many ways its not bad, I think its a poor show not putting the battery charger in with the kit something I have advised them to add, the price £125.99 hmmmm I would say was a little steep for this kit, although it does what it says on the tin in a fiddly way, I don't think the quality is there for the price considering something like a Night Master Venom does all this is a top quality product and is at least £20 cheaper, for me I would price this kit at no more than £85 as a good all round starter kit, but read Greg’s article take a look at the product and try one for yourself over at www.countrymans-diary.co.uk .

If you would like to send us your products for a field test then please get in touch, but remember its got to do what it says on the tin.​

Reviews.
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

Now that said I probably humanly dispatch more vermin including foxes than most, but everything I cull has always got a very good reason for doing so, its either attacking stock crops or pets etc, many of you know I am a professional pest controller and live to an old Countryman’s code, I also proudly say I don’t use any poisons unless absolutely necessary and under very strict conditions my own being much stricter than industry standards.

Foxes its good to have foxes about but in the right size cog, if the cog gets too big then a proper culling plan is what's needed, I don’t just pull up and shoot a fox, way before I even take a gun or live trap to a situation I study it, I try to work out how many foxes are on that farm etc, is it one fox causing a problem or more, there is a whole list of things I have to tick off before I start a culling Programme to find the balance in that farms machine.

Obviously if its attacking right there in front of me or wipes out a chicken flock etc, then I have no choice but I still go through my list, not when its actually attacking in front of me of course I deal with it there and then.

Coupled with these morons catching foxes in our towns and cities and taking them out to the countryside releasing them, they are not being kind to these animals at all, they are putting them through unnecessary suffering and what I would call animal cruelty, I will pic up on this a little later in this article, my wish for those monstrous animal abusers are this, I wish the fleas of a 1000 camels would infest your genitals and your arms be too short to scratch, for one thing I cannot bare or allow is any form of animal cruelty and this comes in many forms I telle.​

Indeed the next night I tried the old NiteSite Wolf on its lowest setting again from the gate way pointing towards the big bank that runs along the back of the lambing field, the foxes seem to like coming along that bank coming round on the wind scenting whats in front of them.

I had second guessed right and fox no1 came right in, I stayed as silent as the grave and still as a ripple less pond, he came right in to forty yards stopped for a pee and BOOM lights out Charlie, I heard a rustle to my right so I span round the NiteSite catching a foxes brush disappearing across the field, I cranked the NiteSite up to full power, I stayed on him he crossed over a ditch and started up the high bank, I barked at him he stopped half way up a perfect back stop against the high bank, he was close to 200 yards but giving me enough time to take a steady aim off of my trigger sticks, again a perfect engine room shot as the fox rolled down the high embankment.

I retrieved the first fox and went to find fox no2 but alas I could not find a safe way across the deep ditch in the dark, farmer retrieved it the next morning for me, his exact words were you always shoot them in the same spot, my son and I had a bet you would and I won by the way, he said you would do a head shot, nope always an engine room shot if I can, I am the same with deer I don’t take head shots always an engine room shot, its not that I lack the skills of the marksman to be able to do it, but a head moves the engine room does not and I have seen others make the mistake on head shots on fox and deer so not me captain, engine room every time unless dispatching a fox in a cage trap that is.​

I was called back a few weeks later foxes attacking the piglets and the ducks and chickens can I come take a look, I had caught some in the cage traps there but these ones were avoiding the traps and going straight in for the kill, he lost 2 piglets and 11 ducks one night, again these foxes had no fear of man and I had reports of the white van man releasing foxes in the area again.

So I set up in my old gate way again my theory here is the foxes use this area as a crossing point, the prevailing wind normally a N Easterly takes my scent away and me with my back against a post I just look like a fence post in the dark.

This time I heard a vixen calling and then my 6th sense went off again, turning the NiteSite Eagle on at the ready to shoot there was a huge dog fox just sitting watching me 60 yards out in front a text book shot, I was about to pull the trigger then a second set of eyes appeared just behind the first fox.

I steadied myself and took the first fox, the other in the confusion just froze I quickly re loaded the gun as I always have 2 shots in the mag as a back up, bang and I had that one in the bag too, literally a right and left as fast I could load gun, that does not happen that way normally and these were 2 big healthy dog foxes, no wonder they were taking piglets as when I saw the first one I thought it was a German Sheppard for a moment his main looked that big on the NiteSite.

again the farmer was very happy with my efforts, his son came out and said thank god you got that pair they have destroyed my ducks.

I got called back later that week as there was a fox in one of my live traps, farmer checks them for me in the morning and evening to save me going there all the time, I hate dealing with foxes at this time of year as they may have cubs, but when they attack the live stock I am left with no choice.

I always say I am a Countryman of the old school first and a professional pest controller second, I dealt with her with a single shot from the rifle to the head and the rest is history as they say, shame really she was a pretty little fox, but the lamb that was left that she killed was her undoing as the bait.​

Out Foxing Charlie 12
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
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I have entitled this article justly, you see I have been so busy with all my businesses and Pass It On Young Sports, that coupled with going to Germany for the IWA and then jetting off to Texas for a boys holiday of a life time with my old friend Tam, I literally have been Flat Out Like A Lizard Drinking, as I am putting pen to paper as it were, right on the eve of flying off to entertain the crowds at The Three Shires Game Fair, I will reflect on the last couple of months on a whistle stop tour or in brief and will pic up on it all fully with a follow up article.

IWA Germany Nuremberg, my secretary and I flew direct from Bristol landing in Amsterdam then catching a connecting flight to Nuremberg, wow that Amsterdam airport is huge, barely having time to stop for a bathroom break, by that I mean my cable tie was at bursting point, then jumping on our flight, the size of that airport really blew me away it really is massive, I was a little disappointed on our flight from Bristol, there were a large group of lads going over the Amsterdam for a boys trip out, they were very loud and fowl mouthed, I must say how well the staff at KLM dealt with them keeping them calm etc, I will say no wonder other countries don’t like us if that’s the class of British traveller we have, I feel they completely let the side down and made all Bristolians look like complete illiterate morons.


We got to our luxury apartment, WOW the view right over Nuremberg was simply stunning, Burblik our host showed me and Mag’s my secretary about the place, we had 6 bedrooms to choose from for just 2 of us, the apartment was a luxury VIP place normally reserved for very special guests, so I jokingly said well you must of heard of me then expecting Burblik to laugh and say no, to my surprise he said yes you are very famous and why he gave us the penthouse apartment, I asked him jokingly how did you come to the conclusion I was famous, apparently I have a lot of German fans, well bowl me over side ways I know I have a lot of German followers but I never expected that, Burblik was a wonderful host and we have been asked to stay again.


We spent 3 out of 4 days at the IWA, we met up with Air Arms/Jack Pyke/NiteSite and our chums from The British Shooting Show & oh so many more too many to name, the show was awesome as always, I caught up with so many old friends and business colleagues, made some new client and suppliers too.
​On the Monday I had other meetings to get too for my Really Wild Adventures Company away from the show, I was actually in Germany on a double edge sword one side was the show the other side Corporate clients that were on my VIP international clients list, all in all a very successful trip all round.

​I promised Mag’s some time off and to show her around Nuremberg, one thing my Pappy taught me was to be a man of my word, so true to my word I gave her a guided tour of this ancient city and its castle, we went everywhere and I told her what I knew and discovered a lot I didn’t know, so it was a voyage of discovery for me too as I had been here before, my Pappy always said my boy you could live to be a 101 and still not know enough, as always my Pappy was right, we finished off our last night with a mighty meal and watched the sun set over this wonderful city.
We landed back in Bristol at 5pm and by 6pm we had a kids rifle range set up, I promised the young sports I would not let them down or cancel a range night, as I said true to my word and I will never break my word unless for a very good reason.

A day or so later we found ourselves at The West Of England Game Fair, this is one of my local show and I have supported it since it started well over 20 years ago now and never missed one of them, we had an amazing Saturday show and my main ring demonstration was well attended and supported, with lots of young farmers and young sports joining me in the main show ring making my show hilarious and entertaining, we left the show ring to a huge round of applause laughter and a standing ovation from the crowd, Nobby one of my oldest friends and hunting partners was there with his family and his daughters joined me in my show too, that was a very proud moment for me and her dad she did great, she is also a crack shot with an air rifle too and often comes to our range nights with her old dad, Alas we had heavy snow on the Saturday Night so the show was cancelled on the Sunday, such a shame as Lisa and her team put such an amazing effort in putting on that show every year.
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We met the president of the club a chap called Hyde well that was his knick name anyway, such a lovely man soft spoken and articulate, Tam and him got talking about shooting ranges and how Tam always wanted to try shooting pistols and always wanted to shoot an AR15, so we got invited to go to the Temple shooting range a couple of days later.


At the shooting range we met another chap called Coyote, a quick witted self proclaimed Yanky red neck and ex Vietnam Vet, immediately Tam and Coyote locked horns as Tam was as quick witted too, the rest of us just stood there and enjoyed the show as the two bantered off too each other, mere words wont do it justice but lets just say we were in hysterics listening to this pair.


We started shooting and well Tam’s face in the pic with the AR15 says it all, I was asked would I like a go, well of course I would and lets just say I have not lost my touch with pistols shooting a tight grouping out to a very good distance, the AR15 was something and nothing for me as I enjoy precision shooting and would love to have pitched my 223 up against the AR15, but I loved shooting the Colt 1911 in 45 calibre, what pleased me even more was the groupings I got proving what I was taught as a boy is still in there, its only a crying shame we are not allowed pistols here in the UK, for I may have actually of tried to compete for the country as small arms was always my favourite shooting discipline.
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Bass Pro Out Door World Round Rock Texas, I have always loved it in that shop, its a countryman’s paradise in there, I wont go into too much detail all I will say is google them and take a virtual tour for yourself, as always I headed to the calls, and when I say calls I mean the largest calling collection a whistler like me has ever seen, there were calls for everything from Crow or Duck right up to Elk or Moose and every critter in between, as always I started trying out the duck calls, my Pappy always told me play a tune and they will come in wings set paddles down, no ducks but the Bass Pro staff one after another, all asking how I made them calls sing like that, I have lost count how many times an impromptu calling lesson has started when I start playing the calls, now not only the staff were queuing up but also young sports and their families, I have a great video I have yet to edit and put on my channel on you tube so keep your eyes peeled for that, we went through so many calls crow duck goose dove deer, you name it I played it and gave a lesson on it, the more we played the bigger the crowd got, Tam said your never so happy when you are entertaining and you lit up when the kids joined in, I cant help it I follow after my Pappy in that way, he loved kids I love kids and love to see them achieve and light up when they do, as I call it now heart tokens for when you see that spark in a kids eyes when they achieve its worth a million heart tokens, I left Bass Pro after two visits to the shop both times teaching calling.
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Texas Rangers, wow we visited their museum and learned so much, Tam and I were like kids in a candy store in there looking at all the history of The Rangers and the amazing film we watched all about them from their humble beginning to one of the top law enforcement agencies in the world, one inscription on a bronze statue really sang out to me, it was like my Pappy was saying it to me as a boy as he said something similar, it said No Man in the wrong can stand up to a fellow who is in the right and keeps on coming, that really hit me in the heart for my Pappy always taught me to stand my ground and stand for what is right even if it means standing alone, and that is something I often do, for nobody likes warrior until the enemy is at the gates, with the lord at my side there is no enemy that can stand against us.

Bass Fishing with Tommy Cochran at lake Belton, Tommy what a sheer Texan gentleman and awesome fishing guide, we met Tommy at 7.15am and boarded his boat, wow man did that thing fly, we jetted out to where the gulls and turns were diving on the bait fish, we started jigging bt this I mean we dropped a waited minnow jig down to the bottom then started bobbing the rod up and down, Tam says a dollar to the first person to land a fish, we both hooked one at the same time and landed the Bass at the same time so we drew there.​

It went a bit quiet there so we moved off to different spots several times catching a few bass here and there, then we hit a spot were the water was bubbling over with fish, it reminded me of mackerel fishing with my Dad and uncle Dave on Chessel beach last year, Tam and I cast and hooked a fish on every cast, Tam caught the biggest fish of the day but I caught the most species, so I say that’s a draw but Tam says otherwise.

The next day we flew home to Scotland, Tam’s Daughters took me out for a meal and I met up with their husbands great guys both of them, well matched for what I consider my Scottish daughters, I met up with some dear friends Rena and her husband John and enjoyed a gin and tonic or 3 with them, I also met up with my ole mucker Alk a true Caledonian gentleman, alas I didn’t get to see Tam’s son Billy this time, Billy is like my own son a handful always has been but a real character, I will go back up to my Caledonian (Scotland) Home soon, but for now its midnight and I have to be up at 5am to head to The Three Shires Game Fair at the Malvern Show Ground in a few hours, like I say this was a whistle stop tour, I have missed out so much, so I will catch up on this in another article very soon.
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I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures, until the next time all that’s left to say is, arrrrrrr tiz proper job I telle muckers, the bis ava good un.

Flat Out Like lizard Drinking
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

*This is for our next Big Cats Of Britain talk on October, The 27th, 2018, full details of this event are at the bottom of this article*

Here I am out dealing with foxes attacking the live stock, I only deal with foxes that attack and not just shoot foxes because its a fox, here using some of the latest Night Vision equipment from NiteSite.

*These are stock photos from elsewhere NOT from North Somerset, they are just used to illustrate what we are writing about and for reference only.*

I called Danny in to help me on a local estate here in North Somerset, I had reports of livestock being killed, then I had deer being killed, I went out on foot tracking and building up a picture, I was trying to find anymore kills than we had already, as these were all older kills and too decomposed for any evidence to eliminate that of a fox/badger or big cat etc.​

Indeed, I did find more kills on the estate, as always the first to find death are the corvids (crow family) or as they are known when seen in a group, a Murder of Crows, they are like vultures and will find a kill site in no time at all, again they alone will contaminate a site and destroy all evidence.

I got to kill site number two just in the nick of time, it was the fresh kill of a young Roe Deer, upon examination, I could see it was of a large yearling, one of last years fawns, after extensive examination and skinning the beast and finding puncture wounds to its neck, thus eliminating Man/dog or other beasts, I determined this to be the possible kill of a Big Cat.

Again this is a stock photo as the original of the exact kill is a little too gruesome to share.

Again these are stock photos used for illustration purposes only and NOT from here in North Somerset.

So Over To Danny Nineham, The Big Cat Consultant.

I followed the game trail meticulously on my hands and knees covering every inch and leaving no stone unturned, finding plenty of wildlife tracks and sign, from squirrels, rabbits, badger, fox and roe deer, at the same time looking up into every sizeable tree for a branch that had a clear vantage point, finding a few that looked rather promising.

I spotted one such tree, a large beech that had a spectacular curved trunk, so up I got crawling along the bough looking for hair or scratch marks and anything out of place.

Underneath this ancient tree was an old cave, and an old drystone wall long forgotten covered in thick laurel bushes and scrub, the perfect resting place for a big cat.

As I worked my way along another game trail through the woodland three beautiful roe deer in perfect condition took of to my left.

Finally, this trail lead me into another small woodland primarily deciduous with a few tall pine trees dotted around, this area of woodland has a number of deep circular depressions and rock formations scattered around rather random, remnants from its past.

The game trail continued to the corner of the woodland where it went under the fence line and out into another field. Positioned in the middle of this game trail was this old ancient yew tree, this was to be my second location for a camera, this one would cover the whole corner of this area, including the field. Climbing over yet another barbed wire fence, I ventured over to a water trough that was fixed into an open space in the hedgerow, whilst standing over it I looked down onto it with an Ariel view and instantly spotted some tracks that were in the very tall grass leading up to the trough on the other side.

These tracks jumped out at me instantly, very circular in shape with a gait of a walk, there was very little straddle and an average stride length measuring up to a big cat. These tracks just stopped at the trough, becoming the animal I visualised what happened next.

It lapped up some water whilst surveying all the time around it, then disappeared through a hole under the fence-line next to the trough and followed along the hedgerow and disappeared under the fence-line up into the deciduous woodland that I had just come from. By this time darkness was upon us and the rain started coming down so I quickly set up another camera on the water trough finally calling it a day. I went back to the estate with Rob on a number of other occasions over the weeks ahead to add other motion detection cameras in another section of ancient deciduous woodland on some well used game trails that roe deer, foxes, badgers, rabbits and squirrels were using regularly.

We also walked around every field and every inch of hedge-line following it meticulously looking for any sign, pug-marks, hair, scat or a hollow that could be used for a day bed, which I found, at that moment Rob shouted over from the other side of the hedge saying, "come and have a look at this..." ahh, now I know why he's called The Ole Hedge Creeper he has the eyes of a Hawk and the instincts of the Wild...at last, something tangible, a scat, left on the surface only a few hours old.

I broke it open with a forked stick from the hedgerow looking for any bones or fur, the smell was of ammonia. More often than not big cats will bury their scat but on occasions they will leave them along their travel trails to warn others it's their territory (Like a fox does) and other predators.

Here Danny has found were a beast has urinated.

So, to sum up our findings, we have had several black Leopard and Puma sightings by some very reliable locals in the immediate area, including Rob and his apprentice...now, if an offence was committed an eye witness testimony would stand up in a court of law, so, I class a good clear sighting as an important piece of evidence. Rob and his apprentice have seen three different species of exotic cats on the land, we have had several roe deer kills we know of and found the scat and a day bed plus the track evidence I discovered at the trough, alas we captured no big cat this time on camera but It's typical, a big cat will move through its vast territory silently killing undetected in most instances and finally moving on before I arrive to pick up the pieces and put them together.

To be continued as more sightings come in weekly...