Night manoeuvres

In the second part of his guide to safe lamping STEVEN WOODHALL looks at putting the theory into practice.

When the night is right

I am often asked what are the best conditions for lamping, and the best time of year. I honestly do not know. I most definitely have favourite conditions and times of year, but like most things they are not set in stone. You can go out on what should be a perfect night at the perfect time of year, and, nothing, not a sniff!

I like dark, and I mean really black nights. You know, the ones where you cannot see your hand in front of your face. And I like wind, not howling but lively enough to muffle the faintest of noises and carry your sent away from the quarry.

Check the weather forecasts regularly, the BBC-1  Countryfile forecast on Sunday at 1225hrs is usually pretty extensive and accurate, or use the internet to access synoptic charts which will allow you to judge for yourself what the weather may or may not do. This will allow you to choose your night relatively accurately.

Keep a written record of your outings, noting the weather conditions, wind direction and other points of interest, this can provide valuable information in the future.

As to my favourite time of year, it has to be just as the harvest is reaped and the now ‘well on’ cubs are making an appearance and becoming more adventurous.

This is the time of year to get the job done and not make hard work for the coming months by leaving litters of cubs to get wise. With skill and a little homework one can rattle off a vixen and her litter, as well as the resident dog fox, often on the same night.

Lamping is though, a year round activity and you should always be familiar with what is going on in your patch. Make sure that you are aware of any sightings and walk your ground looking for those tell tale signs.

Foxes will readily and quickly re-inhabit ground when previous foxes have been despatched, particularly dog foxes that are keen to stamp their authority on an area. Vixens too, although more selective, will quickly settle into a new piece of ground, especially when the urge to reproduce abounds them.

Foxes want an environment where they can feed with as little effort as possible as well as having somewhere secure and protected to lie up through the waking hours.
Game shoots make the ideal location!

Success when lamping is down to a systematic and experienced approach. With your partner you should make the perfect team. Nothing need be said, all night if necessary. Each person should know his or her role on the night inside out. Safety is paramount, because with safety you will have confidence and with confidence comes success.

I always lamp with a partner, sometimes two, but never any more. We know what we are going to do under every circumstance through our well drilled routine. The decision on who lamps, drives, shoots, is made well in advance and once ‘on the ground’ no words are required.

Tactics on the ground

Our routine on a lamping night is simple. Circumnavigate the area first, lamping into likely or favoured areas. Once the perimeter has been done then move into the ground. I always try to work into the wind, this hides both scent and noise from our quarry, quite often though when squeaking, a fox will approach from down wind of you. Panic not. These foxes are usually running keen and will very often present a shot.

I like to try and tempt foxes as the night draws to an end. They have been out foraging and filling themselves all evening and they now return to lie up, stomachs full, tired and lethargic. They are, in my opinion, at their most vulnerable and somewhat off guard. I have probably had most success during those last two hours of pitch black and first 30 minutes of the new dawn.

Heavily controlled areas will produce lamp shy animals. These can be problematic at times and often frustrating to the hunter. Fear not. Many tactics can be employed to bring them in.

The addition of, or change to the colour of, a lamp filter can be hugely successful. Amber is very popular, but try the other colours available. My advice would be to practise by using the different coloured filters to highlight your fox target silhouette, which you should then view through your scope of your unloaded rifle as if taking a shot. It is amazing how different your quarry can look through different colour spectrums. You must be able to identify your quarry in all light conditions so that you are 100% sure before squeezing the trigger. Practice, practice and more practice produce competence.

One of the most effective methods of bringing foxes into range or a safe area is by squeaking. There are many commercially available callers on the market but I have by far had the most success with my home made ones. The good old piece of polystyrene scraped across the windscreen produces a very realistic sound and can be successful. My favourite method however, is one shown to me by a keeper, who has long since departed for more angelic pastures. A piece of hazel stick, some old video cassette tape and electrical insulating tape are all that are required to produce a most successful and more importantly cheap method of calling foxes.

How to make a rabbit squealer

The key with this little gadget is not to blow too hard, otherwise you just sound like a rabbit that has been feeding on curry, plus the cassette tape will tear under its tension. Do not have too large a mouthpiece, an effective seal is important. The diagram shows, with measurements how to make my favoured squealer and my advice would be experiment and make several. Some will be a waste of time, but others will be dynamite, and when they work, well brace yourself, because fox city is just around the corner!

The Three Golden Rules

1. Never shoot at eyes alone - always recognise the body.
2. Be certain of a safe backstop behind your target
3. If in doubt - DON'T SHOOT 

The first time I showed this method to a colleague he was astounded. We had three foxes coming at us from different directions at the same time. I have had foxes come and stand within touching distance of me.

The key is not to overdo the squeaking. The right pitch, at the right volume, at the right time are vital and should be practised. Do not over call an area. If the squealer is going to produce results they are usually pretty quick in coming. It may be well worth calling an area and then moving on, returning later to call and lamp the same patch.

I have in the past had success with particularly hardened foxes by using the squealer and lamp in conjunction with a free offering. Some road kill is usually adequate and seems to always have that extra degree of whiff! Placed in the right place it can have just the effect one needs. You may not necessarily need to put the offering where you intend to dispatch your quarry, but obviously you should have Charlie’s route to it covered by your safe arcs of fire.

If you are successful always try to retrieve your kill. If you are unable to do so through difficulty of access, for instance having to ford a river in the pitch black, then make all possible efforts during the next daylight hours, or tell the landowner or keeper where a dead animal may be. Remember that as responsible shooters we have moral and legal obligations that we must observe.

If I were to sum things up simply I would say that a successful and safe lamper is someone who takes the time to get the basics right, and then continually practises those basics. Be familiar and competent with your chosen rifle, be it .222, .223, .243, or larger. Learn to judge ranges under all light and weather conditions and always be 100% sure that you have positively identified your target, and safe backstop before squeezing the trigger. With your conscience intact you will have many successful nights out in the field, and more importantly, be respected for your skills. Good Luck!

I would like to thank Gamekeepa Feeds Ltd and Lamberts (Lancaster) Ltd for the loan of lamping and optical equipment.

The free BASC Lamping Code of Practice is essential reading. For further information on suitable rifles and ammunition, the law, or any other questions, you can contact the firearms team on 01244 573010 or the game and wildlife management team on 01244 573019.