Company commander
Patrick Hook takes you through what to do when taking a friend or guest out foxing for the night
To those of us who do it regularly, a night out foxing is no big deal. For many others who have never, or rarely, been before, it can be a really memorable occasion. As a result, one of the things that Paul, my regular shooting partner, and I like to do is to take guests out so they can experience it for themselves.
There are many reasons why people like to join us: sometimes it is because a farmer wants to show us the boundaries on some new land he has bought, or it might be because he wants to see what is wandering about on his fields after dark. Other times it is because a mate wants to shoot somewhere different. Mostly though, it is because someone who has never been out foxing before wants to see what it is all about.
In the clear
The key thing is to make sure that whoever they are, they are able to see and understand what is going on. Simply leaving them to stare into the dark while you shoot is not on — it is as exciting as watching paint dry. For this reason, both Paul and I have spare nightvision spotters, so that anyone who comes along is able to really enjoy the occasion.
I like to get my guests to feel properly involved, so if they are new to the game I often ask them to play an active role. Before I put the caller out, therefore, I explain things like what the wind is doing, where I expect the foxes to come from and why, and what I want them to do if they see something.