Oh I remember the nights with longdogs and a redeye lamp for the rabbits or call the reds in with a bit of polystyrene on a bit of glass.
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Even now I sometimes go out at night on the links when theres a light breeze and no moon with some polystyrene and a bit of glass with the wind in my face and call the reds in. bang the light on and sometimes see 2 or 3 sets of eyes its funny how close a red will come to you
Grant
Spent plenty of time after the reds years ago. I had a lamp before I was the age for a gun license and would meet up with a gunman at his place and head off through the fields. We finished up late one night and I was walking back home through a couple of fields and I spotted a fox in the distance. Called (mouth and hand method) and the eyes immediately started bouncing. It didn't stop either, it kept coming until it was literally standing at my feet. I could have kicked it! It eventually got my scent and raced off. Nice to be that close though.
Another night we had been at a small pond waiting for ducks to come in after dark. I got home and realised I had lost my phone along the way. Back up the fields I went with the lamp. I found the phone, was walking home in the dark and heard a noise. I flicked on the lamp to reveal a few badgers all around me. Just sniffing around and digging. I sat watching them for what seemed like ages. Again lovely to be so close. They ambled off after a while.
My guns are gone now but it never really leaves you. If my headlights are sweeping across a field I will always be on the lookout for eyes. Even going fishing I'll always step quietly and have a good scope at each new field. I must get out with the lamp sometime and give a call.
Oh I remember the nights with longdogs and a redeye lamp for the rabbits or call the reds in with a bit of polystyrene on a bit of glass.
...
Even now I sometimes go out at night on the links when theres a light breeze and no moon with some polystyrene and a bit of glass with the wind in my face and call the reds in. bang the light on and sometimes see 2 or 3 sets of eyes its funny how close a red will come to you
Grant
Spent plenty of time after the reds years ago. I had a lamp before I was the age for a gun license and would meet up with a gunman at his place and head off through the fields. We finished up late one night and I was walking back home through a couple of fields and I spotted a fox in the distance. Called (mouth and hand method) and the eyes immediately started bouncing. It didn't stop either, it kept coming until it was literally standing at my feet. I could have kicked it! It eventually got my scent and raced off. Nice to be that close though.
Another night we had been at a small pond waiting for ducks to come in after dark. I got home and realised I had lost my phone along the way. Back up the fields I went with the lamp. I found the phone, was walking home in the dark and heard a noise. I flicked on the lamp to reveal a few badgers all around me. Just sniffing around and digging. I sat watching them for what seemed like ages. Again lovely to be so close. They ambled off after a while.
My guns are gone now but it never really leaves you. If my headlights are sweeping across a field I will always be on the lookout for eyes. Even going fishing I'll always step quietly and have a good scope at each new field. I must get out with the lamp sometime and give a call.
We use to walk for miles with a battery pack and torch, either with the dogs or guns, the dogs would be hour preferred method, but never ran on fox etc just rabbits.
The surprise nowadays is I have a small torch 1/4 size of my mobile that will throw a better light than the big old thing we use to lump around, still go out in January on the odd moonlight night and hunt down pheasant, but never to kill, just a visual count in the old ash trees, along the old railway lines.
We use to walk for miles with a battery pack and torch, either with the dogs or guns, the dogs would be hour preferred method, but never ran on fox etc just rabbits.
The surprise nowadays is I have a small torch 1/4 size of my mobile that will throw a better light than the big old thing we use to lump around, still go out in January on the odd moonlight night and hunt down pheasant, but never to kill, just a visual count in the old ash trees, along the old railway lines.
I have a cheap headtorch and a couple of pocket torches that would all do the job now Stew. When we were lads we didn't like going with one guy because his battery pack consisted of a car battery (and not a small one!) in a crude carrier. I think the carrier was made from an oil drum and the lamp was made from a car headlight. Dragging that thing around the fields and over ditches/fences for miles.
Good times though. We'd be out until all hours and head off again the next night.
Later we both rigged out vans and made trailers especially for the job. Plenty of stories there too!
Enjoyed reading your post, have been into rabbiting for many years and do most forms of pest control but must admit long netting when the conditions are right bunnies out feeding and wind in right direction etc there is nothing more rewarding. It is hard getting everything just right though. For the past 2 or 3 years have been using a Pulsar Helion XQ50F thermal for pest control and it has been extremely useful on previous nights for long netting and seeing where the bunnies run etc before i go out and set my net and also to see if maybe a fox or dog walker has just walked by and scared the bunnies in.
