​Blimey where has the summer gone? Here we are moving into the wildfowling season and indeed the game season, I am also very busy with my deer herd management too, the summer pigeon shooting is starting to fade into memory now, here in my latest scribbles about this summers crop protection against the grey hordes attacking the crops and the methods and equipment I have been using, your not only getting just one article but two, so as always your getting value for money as it were and a life times experience from the field.


We start off in this one on a very difficult one indeed, this farm is located right on the edge of a town, the shooting angles are very limited here, also because of its location/footpaths/close to an urban population and topography of the land the gun of choice is the Air Rifle, you see the shot gun is not always the best gun of choice, mainly due to the obtrusive ban it makes, safety is never the issue for in Britain we are proud of our firearms safety as we all have very strict rules, but safety none the less is a problem on this farm as people just walk out where they are not supposed to be, that coupled with a vast amount of anti shooting people living around the area makes it a problem, so the quiet pin point accuracy of an air rifle really is the tool for the job, even though you would not be breaking any law using a shot gun, prudence dictates to me the Air Rifle is my first choice.

Now to be a successful pigeon shooter time and time again with an air rifle comes down to mastering your field craft and marksmanship properties, this is why I call this advanced decoying, we will get to how I out smart the Corvid's (crow family) later in the article, quite simply getting pigeons to come into decoys is not the hardest thing if using a shot gun, but to get them to land time and time again and stand for a shot is extremely difficult, I hear many of you laughing and saying I do it all the time, maybe you do get pigeons to land in your decoys occasionally but are you using an air rifle or are you leisurely shooting with a shot gun, with a shotgun people get complacent as pigeons especially juvenile ones in summer are easily fooled.

Many people also rely on the latest gadgets and not field craft, I have said this time and time again, to be a good pigeon shooter or hunter it takes knowledge and time learned field craft, the gadgets help and have their place, but without field craft you just get lucky, I have also said the most essential piece of equipment of any hunter is a good pair of binoculars, reconnaissance and building up a picture of where the pigeons want to be is the key to a good days shooting.
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I will tell you of a few outings this summer protecting the crops in very difficult to shoot situations, especially on the farm I have already mentioned, blimey there are so many outings to choose from as I am a professional pest controller, I specialise in agricultural pest control and crop protection with over 25.000 acres professionally on my books, although I have as many domestic and commercial customers too. ​

I think I will tell you of the times I am out coaching and inspiring my Young Sports Ambassadors, I know you guys like to know how the kids are doing as it revives a lot of your own memories shooting with your Fathers/Uncles/Family Friends or the old game keeper from the village, I know it brings back so many memories for me as a you Countryman in the making, also reading articles from my child hood hero's like Fred J Taylor (The Rabbiting Man) John Humphreys (Country Gun) or The Major Archie Coats (The Pigeon Shooter) that's where I came from as many of you have, I bet you are there like I am now writing this looking off into the clouds of a distant past with a smile on your face remembering your childhood hunting memories.

Niall and the boys in position lets get cracking, indeed the boys had a lot of fun keeping the birds off that end of the field as they tried to learn how to decoy them, all a learning curve a passage of discovery for the boys, I put my Star shaped pigeon pattern out using Enforcer full bodied decoys, this consists of only 4 decoys set in the shape of a long tailed star, I learnt this pattern from the pigeons themselves with the tip of the star no further than 30 yards away, my good friend Matt Manning asked me about this at the Midland Game Fair this year on my stand, I think he is going to use it and write about how it works in some of his articles, I also placed out 1 single crow decoy 25 yards off to the right of the pigeon pattern, part to be a confidence decoy and part to see if I could build a bag of Corvid’s up as both were feeding together and destroying the crop.​

I got back in the maize and immersed myself and became one with nature, young Tess the springer spaniel stayed at my side, within a minute the first wood pigeon landed right in the kill zone, I took a breath exhaled and squeezed the trigger off, whisper quiet the pellet left the gun and a distinct thump as the pigeon dropped to my shot with a few flaps, no obtrusive noise of a shot gun and I barely had time to cock the gun as another landed next to his dead mate, this continued on for about an hour until I had around 20 dead pigeons on the ground, when the birds told me I had to go and tidy up the pattern, that was just the pigeons, the Corvid's did the same in that hour and I accounted for a good dozen of them too, I went out to tidy up the pattern and clear my kill zones for another session, of Course Tess wanted to help too and said I had put the birds in the wrong spots so moved them all for me, ahhhhh a young dog she was just trying to help even when I growled at her to leave them alone, she just stuck her nose in the air and went back to the hide as if to say sod you then you can get it wrong all by yourself, the little bugger also ate my cheese sandwich that was sitting on top my shooting bag, my own fault I should have put it back in my lunch bag.

*Pic for illustration purposes only*

​Back in the hide the action started again for the couple of hours or so until it was time to pack up, I think the picture says it all as the Young Sports helped me pack up, remember we just started with 4 full bodied decoys and 1 crow decoy using a natural hide and air rifle.

Also have you got your gun ice cards? What's that I hear you say? They are Gun In Case Of Emergency cards, they are devolved especially for us country folk, now I know you will say you got it on your phone etc, but what if your phone is in your truck 3 miles away or its flat or locked etc, is it worth it for the couple of quid it costs for these cards not to have it, as they say always carry never use, I have a card in ever shooting coat the truck and in my wallet just in case, I already know this simple card has saved several lives, so don't be a tight arse for this card can save your life, go on to their website www.gun-ice.co.uk
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The last shoot was with my ole Air Arms S410 my own rifle not one on test from Air Arms, I have been using Arms Arms since 1989 and that was an Air Arms Carmargue and I have not looked at another air rifle brand to keep as my own since although I have tested a great many for the magazines etc.

I was called out to a rat job in a piggery yard, again a very old client of mine, I set all the traps in place and even shot a few rats, when the Farmer next door came in to see my Farmer Client, I was introduced and said and well a long story short he is now also my client, I had to look at a standing wheat crop, he had managed to get the barley in but not the wheat before the weather turned, I could not use a shot gun as the fields were surrounded by horses, I gave it a go on a flight line into the wheat field under an old oak tree on the barley stubble, again no hide half a dozen Jack Pyke flock coated shell decoys a face veil gloves and my old Air Arms S410, I telle that little gun in my hands is a laser nail driver, again knowledge and a little reece told me that lone oak tree was not only a flight line but also a sitty tree, I think that photo says it all really not bad for 3 hours eh.​

​Well here we are in part 2 of this series, the first one was such a huge hit, I have received literally thousands of messages through social media/email and at game fairs firstly saying what a great piece it was, also asking my advice of how to decoy pigeon more successfully, I have written a series to help you answer many of these questions called Advanced Decoying look for it on The Countryman’s Diary Magazine, I have imparted a life times knowledge in them, not just mine but also the old masters like The Major Archie Coats, My Grandfather/Fathers & Uncle Dave’s Knowledge too, I have asked many a young pigeon shooter of late do you know who The Major Archie Coates is? All have said NO? I laugh and say read his book on the subject for he was and still is in my opinion the foremost expert on the pigeon and pigeon shooting as well as many other areas, this article will stretch into another series I write called Shooting The Silk Moths, in that one we are pigeon shooting using an air rifle, but not just any air rifle, it is the awesome Air Arms S510 Ultimate Sporter, we will touch on it a little here but we will go deep into advanced decoying/old school decoying in that one and old school top class field craft too, So look out for Shooting The silk Moths part 3, read that one and get a glimpse of why I am so successful where others fail, also in this one we will be putting to the test all new equipment that’s available now, the links for all this gear and more will be at the bottom of this article, right lets get on with why I am here then.

​OVER SHOOTING a field or area, this is the one thing that will ruin your pigeon shooting and blow all the flight lines to buggery, its a miss comprehension that the more you shoot the more you protect the crops, no it does not work that way, also remember under the GL licences you are there protecting the crops not there for sport, the fact you enjoy being there pigeon shooting is not relevant, you are purely there to protect the farmers crops as his crop protection servant, you must have complied with all the rules of the general licence before a lethal finding ie shooting them, I would urge all of you to read and understand the GL licences and carry a copy with you when shooting etc, now over shooting does not help, all it does is educate the pigeons to what a man and a gun is, how many times have you taken one shot when a field is blue with pigeons only to see them disappear and not come back, but as soon as you leave the pigeon pommel the crop and devastate it, more times than you care to count I dare say.


I will tell you of one such situation I have experienced over the last couple of years, many of you know I run Pass It On Young Sports & Really Wild Adventures and put up my show stand at most shooting shows and game fairs around the country, so sometimes my time pigeon shooting gets stretched out, I came back from The Game Fair Ragly 2018 and knowing the pigeons were building up on the crop when I left, I thought I would go out and see if I could move them on before the farmer went nuts and lost his crop, I got to one field of wheat that had just been combined, the other fields of barley were still standing, well blown flat, the stubble/the air and the barley fields were blue with pigeons all over them, I thought blimey I hope I have enough cartridges with me, I drove my land rover onto the stubble fields out to a lone oak tree that I knew was a major flight line, indeed there were pigeons all around the tree feeding, as soon as I drove onto the fields every pigeon from the stubble field/standing barley field and trees headed for the horizon? I turned to my mate saying something is wrong here these birds are acting like they have been over shot, seeing as I had not shot here in a few weeks I decided to investigate, I found dead bird in the hedgerows and what was left of several hide positions, I asked the farmer who had been shooting the fields in my absence? Oh I have let a young lad who is just starting out go out, I told him you would take him under your wing, I just shook my head saying that's not a problem but you let him lose without telling me or me even meeting him, it turns out all the horse folk were not happy in the adjacent livery yard as someone had shot almost every day for a fortnight, knowing it was not me they were all set to go down the farm and have a pop at the farmer, this coupled with an armed response unit going down the farm after complaints of the shooting and shot landing on the road, could have been the beginning of the end for the lad, plus the fact he completely ruined the flight lines by over shooting them, thankfully I have taken him under my wing and he is now learning the right way, it was not the novice fault, he had just not been taught properly by someone with experience, so I say to all you novices out there learn the craft, shoot conservatively, now to all us old gunners out there, I say take a novice under your wing teach them well the ways of the old school.

I will include a few pics of decoy patterns others have drawn, but what I will say only use them as a rough guide, make your own patterns up that work for you, add in a couple of floating decoys to your kit, I am not a fan of the rotary machines although I have 2 of them, I bet I have not used them in over ten years, most of all be flexible, don't build a palace of a hide straight away you maybe in the wrong place, I am often in the wrong place and have to move as the pigeons have changed their minds, don't just sit there like a dime bar and watched the birds fly else where, its a do it yourself day, so what you put in you will get out of it, move the decoys if you have too and keep an eye on the wind changing direction, if birds are flaring find out why? Are they seeing you? is it the decoys? is a decoy on its back work it out, take your rubbish home with you and leave only footprints behind and pic up others rubbish too leave the place better than you found it, have a home for all your shot birds and remember its field craft and reconnaissance that is the key to a successful days pigeon shooting time and time again. ​

I hope you have enjoyed this my latest humble scribbles from a Rough Ole West Country Boy, keep an eye out for Shooting The Silk Moths Part 3 I may incorporate it with my Advanced Decoying series too, so there will be plenty to read and stories to tell. Until next time may I wish you all dry powder and straight barrels.

Flight Lines & Decoys pert 2​

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

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

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

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

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

* Pic for illustration purposes only*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shooting The Silk Moths Part 2​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

​                                              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.