A Jolly Good Fox Hunt!

JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Well, Yesterday was the opening of Fox season in Pennsylvania and it was quite a coincidence in that we have been being raided by a fox the past few evenings just near sunset. It has really put my outdoor kitties on guard and I have to do a head count every morning just to be sure one did become the foxes midnight snack!
So yesterday afternoon I was waiting and like clockwork I hear barking on the back of the property and it was moving closer along the wood line then it stopped shortly there after almost magically a fox was walking across our patio so I made a bit of noise and it ran up half way on the side hill and looked at me. This was a very safe shot for my somewhat residential area!

Well I was using a lead bullet! but not cast ( .22 LR CCI Velocitor) As I made the shot it started to move & I got it a bit further behind the front shoulder and lower then I would have liked but it didn't go far!
(Afterwards if found out It was a young female.)

My wife witnessed the shot and probably did the happy dance for me being the protector of the Clouder and the kitties would be safe again!

I don't know why but I sort of just stayed out in the nice cool evening air replaying the shot in my mind and it was just about sunset ( we are finally getting some Fall weather) I headed back toward the house when I see another run across the patio.....I did a double take; thinking that the fox I shot got up and ran around the house!!! Again as it crossed the patio and was running up the hill I made a noise and it stopped dead and looked at me! No this one was bigger! I was about to take the shot and it started to sneak away ( I'm not good with moving shots:oops:) I made a louder sound and it stopped instantly and that is all i needed...
center shot right behind the front shoulder! So I got two within 1/2 hour
Had to get photos this morning! Woke my wife up early to take photos! ( probably not the best idea)
Jim
MeAnd2Fox%20Oct%2021%202017.jpg
 
Tom

Tom

Well-Known Member
Nice! Given the coyote and Fox appetites for cats, I tried putting together several kitten sounds on an mp3 player and amp. Sort of a cheap electronic call. It worked well for coyote in a semi populated area. I don't know if FoxPro offers such a call today, but back then it worked on educated coyotes probably because it wasn't commonly used.
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ian,
When I was younger I saved every type of pelt. Unfortunately now I'm just doing pest control. ( Wish I had someone local who still does)
I also barked tanned every Deer skin and Woodchuck for the leather.....I had a lot more energy back then .....I made a lot of nice 18th Century style hunting pouches
Jim
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Nice job Jim. Those make a nice bag, almost as nice as a badger.
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Yes It is a Single Six 1969 vintage (Original workings no transfer bar) Not what I got them with however, I used My Pre JA15 (BRNO) / Chinese 24" barrel Bolt Rifle
This makes 5 Fox with this rifle ( all in my yard) Can't even tell you how many woodchuck!
 
F

freebullet

Guest
Jim, that is awesome!!!!

Boy that one is a fatty. I'd skin them out if you were close.

Them things never seem to stand still for more than a second. Very well done.

Would also love to hear about your exploits & methods for bark tanning if your ever in the mood to share.
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Haven't seen a gray in years, we had them in Fla. Out here in KS only reds, AFAIK, what I have seen.
Maybe grays are here, too, never saw one, though.

The grays are strange creatures, about half dog half cat, it seems to me.

Good to protect the kitties.

Bill
 
Pistolero

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Haven't seen a gray in years. Out here in KS only reds, AFAIK, what I have seen.

The grays are strange creatures, about half dog half cat, it seems to me.

Good to protect the kitties.

Bill
 
Bret4207

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
We had awful troubles with fox for a few years. Then the coyote population ballooned. Now we have awful troubles with coyotes, but a fox is a rare sight. I liked the fox better, they never bothered a lamb!
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
We have both Red and Grey I have only got one Red in a similar situation & it was the first one I shot.

All are troubles started about 12 years ago when the town DPW worked on a drainage ditch about 300 yards from my property They created a large berm
That next year it became a large fox den. I don't know which type fox den up but thant is when I started seeing them. We didn't have any outside companions at that time so I never paid the fox much mind. Back then I actually had a few walk across my patio in the late summer while I was sitting in my rocker sipping a burbon. I found them quite bold.
Then over the years the nightime barking started! To the point it will wake us up at night. I have sealed off the den with large stones many times....but they keep digging new holes along side the old ones ( way too big of holes for groundhogs)
 
Eutectic

Eutectic

Active Member
Great job Jim!!

That canine family is a rough lot..... The bigger ones hate the smaller ones except for dinner! When I built my place we had a lot of coyotes. Then those 'smart guys' thought we needed wolves.... Then for several years the coyotes were gone and big game suffered. About six years ago we started seeing Pheasants. They were increasing until three years ago when we started seeing fox. Every so often we would see a gray; but mostly red.
I saw a big rooster walk down my road one morning..... Shortly later, a fox on his trail. (I thought) I had a perfect cast bullet .25-20 shot too. But I didn't take it. The fox was almost white! A very light creamy tan with the tip of his ears and tail tip a light reddish brown. I didn't take the shot fearing it was a dog! Later several had seen it. I was testing some bullet lube formulas at 70 yards one morning.... My first shot was a shock!:eek: That albino fox was in the dirt of my backstop behind my target and my shot must have been close because it flew out of there!!! I watched but never got an opportunity again. I really wanted a full body mount of him....

Pete
 
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fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member


something like this Pete?
that's an Arctic Fox, they look like a long haired Red Fox.

we had some Red Fox's start denning up in the canyon below our place over in Grace a few years back.
they started running off the rock chucks and the few Pheasants I had seen dropped down to nothing.
I sat and watched and watched and finally figured out where they were denning up and went down to get after them one afternoon.
I had the Charles Daly in 7 Mauser stoked with a 145 gr silhouette bullet I had filed the tip flat.
I had been sitting in the Cedar trees waiting for the late evening shadows to roll down and had a perfect down canyon shot at the entrance with the sun to my back.
my MIL rolled down through the pasture and Basalt rocks on her electric wheel chair to come and yell at me to leave her 'pets' alone.
crazy old broad I couldn't make her understand those Fox were killing her chickens, her stupid cat's, and raising all kinds of cain with the pygmy rabbits we used to have etc..
she didn't bat an eye when I shot the Mtn. Lion that had killed one of our cows, a yote or two, or even the starlings that come into the stock pond.
but I better not shoot those fox's.
 
KHornet

KHornet

Well-Known Member
To see a fox here is rare, but there are a few within the city limits, as
I have seen a road kill or two in the last couple of years. The yotes dominate
here, but not many of them within the city limits. When I was hunting in
Alaska, I saw a few Artic Fox, and also saw a couple of cross fox. Where
I grew up, rabid fox, coon, and feral cats were a real problem in the county
where I lived and the surrounding counties. I shot three rabid fox one year.

Paul
 
oscarflytyer

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Man those are nice! Fly tyer! All I see are tons of beautiful flies. If I were close I would skin those out as well!
 
Eutectic

Eutectic

Active Member
fiver said:


something like this Pete?
that's an Arctic Fox, they look like a long haired Red Fox.
Click to expand...

No, not like that..... Although last winter was bad enough that those could have migrated down!!! (As you know) Less hair just like a red. just like a 'bleached' red fox. Little more light/tan auburn look than your picture with the ears and tail tip slightly darker auburn. i got a close look in the scope at 8x as he walked towards me.... Eyes were pale.... almost a blue/light gray look. I'm pretty sure it was an albino red fox. Wish I'd squeezed off!

Pete
 
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