It got to that difficult time this afternoon at about four o’clock when the post pub at lunchtime grumpiness set in. This lamentable state of affairs was possibly brought on by the prospect of having to do some gardening & if there is one thing that your humble correspondent hates more than liberals, its gardening. So sod that for a game of soldiers, it was definitely time for an armed stroll across the fields to put the world to rights with some of Mr Norma’s most excellent 100 grain soft nosed ammunition

Across the fields I set up shop - fields of fire are improving on a daily basis at the moment as the harvest continues - & proceeded to pop some rabbits that were out at about 200 yrds just to check the Blaser’s zero & that there was still a modicum of function in my bloodshot eyes

The left of arc was the hedge in the picture below. At the bottom of the slight slope about 125 yrds away are in fact three gateways which would be a natural place for a fox to come through –however as they (very sensibly) move through such places quickly

When this little fellow poked his nose out, he very quickly got on the receiving end of a .243 ‘persuader’ as that might cause any passing red dog to pause & thus present a better killing shot

& the late afternoon passed into early evening. At about seven-ish a mummy Roe deer stepped out of the still standing corn followed five minutes later by its Bambi & I spent a very happy forty five minutes watching them graze on the fresh grass. But time was now getting on & despite my earlier confident prediction of seeing foxy loxy, there were none in evidence. So I thought that I would have a go a ‘sweaking’ one in if indeed there was one about

Now I know that at times & especially after a few little dinkie-poos I have a tendency to blow my own trumpet, but one thing that I cannot do & that is to make a noise that might sound like an animal in distress – thereby attracting a passing Reynard. Imagine my surprise therefore when after a couple of completely pathetic attempts I heard a noise to my right & as I turned I was greeted by the sight of a young fox, about 25 yards away running towards me at full tilt

As I brought the rifle the rifle round, it turned & ran, but for some reason at certainly no more than 40 yrds, it suddenly stopped, turned broadside on & looked at me once again