A Nice Morning Walk

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If this is the best type of thread you can write for a man who is a great fox hunter makes me think that i have forgot more than you will ever know. Has this will be my last response to this thread and your vulgar mouth all I have to say the next time a fox stands and looks at you after you shot at it take notice it may wink its eye before it departs Cheerio
Feltwad
Not to start anything, but I think it's a little uncalled for to be so pessimistic about a fun little story about fox hunting. One time I shot a dove, and it started to dip like it was going to fall to the ground but then it magically flew off! Animals are unpredictable LOL! And even if it is fake, " Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story" - Mark Twain.
 
Having given up tallying after the thousand or so fox, I’m not the least bit amazed at what they will do, I’ve even had one come towards me after I’d fired at him with a flintlock, he took off when he was about 20 yards away; double guns have their advantages.
Even had a very young one creep up and nuzzle my leg as I was getting my sleeping bag out of the boot one night at the side of the highway where I was preparing to spend the night.
 
So,last night,I decided to fling a local vineyard owner if I could go hunting at his block this morning ( incidentally I helped plant the block over 20 years ago ) as my fiancé was heading up to town to pick her kids up for the weekend and I was free for the morning 😁
Well,I never received an answer till after I waved goodbye to her this morning at 7am,at which point I checked my phone and lo and behold I'd been sent a 👍. Lol.
So I got my stuff together,grabbed the Seneca,and trundled out to the block. It had been raining overnight but the early morning had been clear so temperatures had dropped,then cloud cover came over with the sunrise so it was quite chilly.
Arriving at the block,I went through the routine of running a cleaning patch down the bore,then capping off. I loaded a .350 prb with beeswax/olive oil lube over 60gn of 2f ( I KNOW! Way too much! But its what the gun likes! 😊) and set off,unfortunately with the wind at my back as there's only one way to enter the block 🤷‍♂️.
Had a bit of a whistle on the edge of a really nice gully system that I used to hunt before the vineyard sold it off,to no avail. So I meandered along the edge of the vineyard looking down the rows,hoping to see something interesting but not expecting much. Lo and behold though,I spotted a "lump" in the row about 100m off,that just didn't look QUITE right. So I carefully stalked in towards it ( with the bloody wind at my back and canes cracking underfoot! ) until at around 40m it lifted its head and I determined that it was indeed a fox ! I lined it up,set the trigger,and touched the shot off,only to have a delayed ignition and a flinch and missed the fox completely! To rub salt in the wound,he jumped about 2m then stood there looking at me standing there with an empty rifle for a good minute before trotting off. Ah well 🤷‍♂️😁.
Reloading the rifle from my fox face bullet block,I set off again,this time for a steep,wooded hillside that overlooks a lovely river flat where I often fish with my atlatl. Finding a nice big old gum tree with a broken branch to sit in front of,I started whistling. Only interest I had for a good 15 minutes were some crows coming in to see what the fuss was about. Then all the sudden I spot it,a nice big old dog fox,coming out of the tall grass along the river and trotting across the flat straight towards me,fully locked on to my position. My heart started pounding,even after shooting scores of foxes I still get excited. I stopped whistling as soon as he showed,but he still kept straight on. As he got within 30m I very slowly eased the Seneca to my cheek,squinted down the sights,drew an bead on his nose,and BOOM,the shot went off almost unexpectedly and he collapses like he was hit with the hammer of Thor ! Not a twitch. After a minute or so of sitting there composing myself,I wandered down for a look. The ball had missed slightly left,skun down his cheek and entered his chest. Instant lights out.
Then came the chore of skinning him out with a knife completely unsuited to the task,and the walk back to the ute. What an awesome fox and an awesome morning !
From your language, I'm guessing that you are in England? Very interesting....great story. Thanks for posting.

As far as the resident troll and the fox standing, I believe you. Deer do this often, although they are far more stupid than a fox.
 
This is a true story about a gray fox. They are more trusting than the red ones.

I have a gray fox den on a heavily wooded 5 acre piece next to the house. Several years ago a gray fox would come regularly to the edge of our front sidewalk at dusk and start barking that cough sound they do. When either my wife or I would come to the door, the fox stopped barking and went to the cow trough and took a drink. It was if it were asking permission for a drink.

Believe it or not, feltwad.
 
When we built our home we were on the very edge of town. That was a long time ago.

Back then, I had a beagle named Maggie. I recall, one day, going out on the deck and Maggie was baying, just making all sorts of noise and ruckus. She was chasing a red fox across the pastures behind our home. The fox would take off, leaving Maggie in the dust…then it would stop and wait for Maggie to catch up. Then it would run circles around Maggie. Then leave her in the dust, once again. It almost looked like they were “Playing”. This went on for about 1/2 hour or so, fun to watch…Maggie slept like the dead that night…completely tuckered out; snoring to beat the band, like only a beagle can snore.

A couple weeks later, I got up early…very early, and made coffee. I went to sit on the couch, I could hear Maggie snoring away…beagles are such sweet dogs, not very smart, but very sweet. I sat down on the couch next to Maggie, she’s curled up sleeping, next to Maggie was a red fox, curled up sleeping.

I smiled took a drink of my coffee, then all hell broke loose when I realized that there was a fox in my house sleeping with my dog.

Maggie also had another friend that was a big huge feral cat that all the neighbors called Big Ben.

Big Ben would have sleep overs with Maggie, as well.

I miss her so much.
 
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This is a true story about a gray fox. They are more trusting than the red ones.

I have a gray fox den on a heavily wooded 5 acre piece next to the house. Several years ago a gray fox would come regularly to the edge of our front sidewalk at dusk and start barking that cough sound they do. When either my wife or I would come to the door, the fox stopped barking and went to the cow trough and took a drink. It was if it were asking permission for a drink.

Believe it or not, feltwad.
Great story & love the final comment too. Nice!
I was raised in the Appalachian region on the east coast & constantly roamed between 4 states. I've been hunting since 1970, I've seen so many incredible & unbelievable things between critters of all kinds to ppl when they think no one is watching. My entire fam hunts except for 1 brother. The rule has always been if we see a fox or bobcat, put a bullet through it. Period. I've shot my share of Greys & Reds & had many unexpected encounters with them, especially between deer & rabbit hunting. They are so dang smart & really cool to just watch them. I've had a mature Red play with me & a buddy & taunt us, barking, howling & makin other weird coughing like noises, while running away, then stopping to look back, then come back & start over again, run around in circles like a dog playing. Thats just one amazing true story of quite a few just with foxes along. I've had other up close & personal encounters with them & some really funny stuff as well thats just unbelievable if you weren't there.
I'm not gonna get into any mud slingin, but for any real hunter to tear down another hunters post about a bizarre animal story, just shows poor character & the guys waiving his own flag about who & how he is. Yes by all means, use your IGNORE BUTTON. I have a list on it as well as I'm sure some have me on theirs.
 
This is a true story about a gray fox. They are more trusting than the red ones.

I have a gray fox den on a heavily wooded 5 acre piece next to the house. Several years ago a gray fox would come regularly to the edge of our front sidewalk at dusk and start barking that cough sound they do. When either my wife or I would come to the door, the fox stopped barking and went to the cow trough and took a drink. It was if it were asking permission for a drink.

Believe it or not, feltwad.
Thats really cool !
A mate used to have a wild one ( they're all wild here,illegal to keep them as pets ) that would eat out of his hand. Apparently it had been doing so with other people in the area for a few years. This was in a small coastal city too
 
When we built our home we were on the very edge of town. That was a long time ago.

Back then, I had a beagle named Maggie. I recall, one day, going out on the deck and Maggie was baying, just making all sorts of noise and ruckus. She was chasing a red fox across the pastures behind our home. The fox would take off, leaving Maggie in the dust…then it would stop and wait for Maggie to catch up. Then it would run circles around Maggie. Then leave her in the dust, once again. It almost looked like they were “Playing”. This went on for about 1/2 hour or so, fun to watch…Maggie slept like the dead that night…completely tuckered out; snoring to beat the band, like only a beagle can snore.

A couple weeks later, I got up early…very early, and made coffee. I went to sit on the couch, I could hear Maggie snoring away…beagles are such sweet dogs, not very smart, but very sweet. I sat down on the couch next to Maggie, she’s curled up sleeping, next to Maggie was a red fox, curled up sleeping.

I smiled took a drink of my coffee, then all hell broke loose when I realized that there was a fox in my house sleeping with my dog.

Maggie also had another friend that was a big huge feral cat that all the neighbors called Big Ben.

Big Ben would have sleep overs with Maggie, as well.

I miss her so much.
Sounds like she likes hanging out with the riff raff ! Lol
 
i had a female gray fox who, upon hearing my .22 fire, would regularly trot into my yard and pick up the chipmunk or squirrel that I had just shot off the bird feeders. On one occasion, she managed to get three chipmunks into her snout by using a tree stump to push against. She rewarded us once by bringing in her kits to say thank you. (For Fact-Checking trolls, who may be ready to pounce, I will admit that the anthropomorphism regarding the thank you is mine. the rest is factual.)

ADK Bigfoot
 
i had a female gray fox who, upon hearing my .22 fire, would regularly trot into my yard and pick up the chipmunk or squirrel that I had just shot off the bird feeders. On one occasion, she managed to get three chipmunks into her snout by using a tree stump to push against. She rewarded us once by bringing in her kits to say thank you. (For Fact-Checking trolls, who may be ready to pounce, I will admit that the anthropomorphism regarding the thank you is mine. the rest is factual.)

ADK Bigfoot
Isn’t that cool
 
Foxes are interesting critters, I hunted once with a young man name of Mike, a White Mountain Apache, as we strolled along paths, he paused and pointed out a fox sitting in the middle of it watching us, with out saying a word he motioned, me over to a log and we sat, as I remember about 20-25 minutes, and just waited, the fox left after about 5-10 minutes into the set. He told me at the end of the day, that his relationship with the animals was dictated by his religion, and the teachings required him to set and wait if a fox was found waiting for him, when I asked why, he related that they will bring other animals to the area. We are blessed in this part of Virginia I live in with both red and grey type, I smile every time I see one, and to this day would refuse a shot on one, just out of respect.
 
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