Don’t let that fox spot you!
Make sure you don’t clash with your surroundings and have all potential problems covered when in pursuit of your fox, says Patrick Hook
Shooting foxes generally means getting up close and personal, so it’s always worth bearing in mind that while they’re superb at spotting movement, they don’t recognise shapes very well. This means that so long as we keep relatively still, we have a good chance of not being sussed by our vulpine adversaries until it’s too late. Having said that, the one thing that will give you away instantly is if you leave your silhouette exposed against the sky, since the sudden appearance of an unexpected shape will signal potential danger.
Objects of desire
The simplest way to hide your profile is to stand next to something that will mask your outline. Most places in the British countryside usually have a variety of suitable cover to choose from, such as walls, hedges, trees and barns. The problem, however, is that while they may appear to be ideal, Sod’s Law says that the wind will be blowing in the wrong direction, the shape of the terrain will mean you can’t see where you need to shoot, or there will be masses of undergrowth in the way.
The key is to know your ground really well, as there are often many other less obvious structures that can provide excellent alternatives. These include things such as fallen trees, stacks of hedge trimmings, cattle feeders, piles of soil, for example.
Perhaps the most common feature in our native landscape that can be useful is the humble telegraph pole. It can be frustrating to see a fox while crossing an open field – many is the time that I’ve had to act quickly in order to avoid being spotted, and sidling up to a pole has often saved the day.
Wind direction
The first thing I do before trying to find suitable cover is to identify which way the wind is blowing. That’s easy enough when conditions are breezy, but when it’s a bit calmer it may not be quite as straightforward. This is because a combination of obstacles and local terrain may fool you into thinking it’s coming from somewhere else. What really matters is not what it’s doing where you are but where the
fox is coming from — and going to. I keep this very much in mind when I’m trying to find a suitable place to shoot from.
The next and probably most important thing to do is to work out from where your fox is likely to approach. If there’s a field of lambs or a pheasant pen nearby, for instance, covering off any likely access points is a good idea.
But once again, knowing your ground is key. If you have the time it can pay to find a position with a really good view of the area, then spend the last hour of daylight scanning around with a decent set of binoculars. It’s often surprising what you see, and intelligent use of the knowledge can be worthwhile.
“The appearance of an unexpected shape will signal danger”