The fox pages

Varminting and vertebrate pest control. Small game, hunting feral goats, foxes, dogs, cats, rabbits etc.

Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 17 Jun 2018, 10:44 am

Hey AZZA....how did you go...??
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 17 Jun 2018, 11:38 am

Lip squeaked this one in to 20m this morning after he spent 5 minutes ignoring my penny whistle. Took 2x34gm size 2 loads to drop.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Oldbloke » 17 Jun 2018, 12:27 pm

Well done. They seem to be moving around a fair bit at the moment. See them daily dead on side of the highway.

Weather has been too shirty for me to go out.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 17 Jun 2018, 1:59 pm

Stix wrote:Hey AZZA....how did you go...??


Foxes were a little scarce when I went down i saw one and consequently its now a key ring. Darren the property owner informed me on the Saturday that a roo shooter had cleaned up a large black fox around about a month or so after my last trip. Still trying to get a pick.

One day Stix lol
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 17 Jun 2018, 4:38 pm

:thumbsup:

Bludy roo shooters...spoiling our fox fun...!! :lol:

Ive heard of white foxes...was talking to a guy a little while ago who seems to think they are like albino roos...the occasional genetic mutations are out there but very very few...

He's seen one light fox with a black streak down its back, & no albino roos in his long time...

I want a red (tan) & black n white rabbit skin.

I had the chance for a b&w bunny in feb but chose to leave it to breed...havnt seen any activity over that warren now in 2 trips so it might have fallen to other environmental pressures...i should've taken it when i had the chance--but it was behaving all frolicky & horny like so i left it... :thumbsdown:

As you say Azza, one day we'll get em...!! :lol:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 17 Jun 2018, 6:58 pm

There out there Stix the majority of the foxes i have shot on the property have been very dark. Many have had a few large spots of black on them. There were heaps of them last time as i said only saw the one and as stated is now a key chain ornament.

Had a fair bit of luck this trip nailed a few large pigs however i dont know what i prefer pigs or the humble fox. Although I guess my opportunities were somewhat limited I went down with the to be property owners son in law. He enjoys a beer or 12 in the evening and I wont let him near the tools once he'd crack one.

First property i call my own so to speak just starting to know the place and a few places yet to be seen. There is alot of game presence its just tracking them down.

Not to mention im not the most seasoned hunter and with a bit of time hope to build upon my skill sets.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 17 Jun 2018, 9:56 pm

You'll buuld the skills up mate...each time we get out we learn, even if we dont realise...!!

I dont have access to pigs & never shot one, so maybe one day ill get up there & you'll teach me the art of how to find the swine ...!!
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Bent Arrow » 17 Jun 2018, 10:08 pm

You learn and build skills every time you step out in the paddock mate. I took my boy away for a couple of days last weekend, my goal was to get him in range and create a solid shot opportunity for him on his first goat. It didn't come together, but we both learnt heaps and had a great time. I could have easily dropped a couple with the 25-06 but I never even chambered a round because the weekend wasn't about that.........
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 18 Jun 2018, 1:30 am

Warning--blood guts & skinless bodies lay ahead...


So i havnt been out for 3 months...& it was driving me nuts.. so Friday night of the long weekend i loaded some ammo & rang the farmer.

I arrived after sunset on the Saturday, & after a couple of missed shots on foxes, one shot that was so bad i ripped at the trigger like a stalling tractor & threw in flinch too just to make sure i missed--a really stupidly executed shot...& having had a lot of activity in just the first 2 paddocks (probably having seen up to 5 foxes here, & another 5 on the way into the property) & not having heard that "whollup", I was starting to get frustrated...then a repeat of what was happening--one appears 150 yds-rifle out settle reticle & it moves-it pulls up, re-position car settle reticle & it moves-it pulls up, position car settle reticle & its gone again...well for nearly 20 mins & 3 paddocks this smartar&e little fukr toyed with me.
So i lost my cool so off i drove & chased it if you like-not a mad man chase that many idiots do with foxes, rather a calculated chase & pull up at the right time...& it worked--the fox pulled up barely 100 yds from the car--you beauwdy...!!!...position car, switch off ignition lights off, rifle out window reticle settled, gentle squeeze and..."CLICK"...OMG NO WAY...!!! FMD...!!!!!!!!-i forgot that i had an empty chamber for the cross country endurance test as i was holding the rifle....gees...!!...so i chamber a round (now by this point the fox has been standing there for probably some 20 seconds) so the fox turned its head to run when the round fed out of the mag, so with a little squeek it turned only its head back, so i nearly settle the reticle below its left ear & just as if it knew the right time, it meanders over the ridge, giving me an odd glimpse of its eyes here, then over there, then it vanished into nothingness...
I had a look around but he was probably rolling around in stitches laughing under the car...!!! :x

Really frustrating, so much activity but nothing in the bag--to drive spot & shoot tenacious foxes really is hard by ones self...Gggrrrrhh...!!

Anyway, i figure im going to bed, so on my way back i try one more paddock--the next one in the direction that fox was going which was the first paddock i was in..
Well the same thing happened, only this time (& admittedly, partly out of frustration) i let a shot rip on a male who trotted off at 180 odd yards--i heard the impact clear as the report but no fox in the scope--a quick scan of the terrain with the light & i see it closer to the car in the opposite direction it was headed & just standing there looking at the ground (obviously not feeling too flash & probably in shock)--i wasted no time in sending another round into its chest.
As you can see, the first shot was not a good one--im usually pretty good at them on the move out to a good 200 yds but i think a little combined frustration & hesitation made its way to the trigger & the result was fox not feeling too well.
TBH i feel pretty bad about that, but at least it was dispatched within probably 5 seconds from the initial impact.
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I wanted the skin so psyched myself into dealing with the innards & skinning him out.
It took a while, (im still well & truely learning the art of skinning foxes) & at one point i had that intestine wrapped a few times around the legs, but by then i was used to the gor so just persisted.
Unfortunately i lost his tail (did not come off with the skin)--it was loosing some fur anyway, & the skin of his tail was quite thin & weak, so i had to split it & inch by inch peel it off--ill sew it back on once tanned if i feel so inclined.

So there i am, skin in car & ready to head off to salt this skin & get to bed...so car running, i turned on the headlights & there not more than 80 yds directly in front of the car is another fox quietly going about sniffing out a meal of mice--it wasnt until i re-positioned the car that she got a little hesitant & retreated a ways off in the opposite direction.
A quick squeek of the whistle got her attention back, then im assuming a mouse on the ground got her interest, so with a comfortable side on shot into her chest at around 120 yds, she fell over. I still pulled that shot too--but close range so made no difference--not up to my usual standards at all-3 months without seeing a paddock has taken its toll...!!
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Upset tummy...not feeling too well...
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I was a little shocked to see an exit wound on her a good inch or so in diameter..usually the 204--well the entire last batch of 32gr Zmax did not exit once on any fox, despite the range, angle or point of impact on the body.

So i took her back to camp where by the fire i stole her pretty frock & salted her & her hubby's clothing.
Here she is the next morning, just before i took & layed her to rest next to her partner.
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The Missus-exit wound.
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Here is a pic of the bullet path--entry is bottom right of pic just behind shoulder--ive not had an exit on a chest shot fox with these bullets (32 Zmax) so this is surprising for the bullet to have not completely fragmented--it is a new batch that i started on the last trip out, & i did have one (i suspect) have a jacket partially rip off the core--anyway these bullets should be fully fragmenting within the body, not exiting.
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Camp.
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May the rest in peace...
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RIP...
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Next day i terrorised a flock of pigeons in the area with a basic sub moa load of 36gr of 08 in the new 22-250.
After trying to get position on the flock unsuccessfully from elevated paddocks at 300 yds, i had to settle for a 180 odd yard shot from different direction over the bonnet.

As i drove to the position, a bunny popped up & ran to sit over a nearby warren at around 40 yds...well ok if you insist...!!
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Bullet path--not happy with exit wound.
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So back to the pigeons...Here is the quick over the bonnet set-up...
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Broad daylight 3pm...?!!?!
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With inspiration from Bent Arrows recent weekend get away pics, i took this after the shot.
The wind was about a 5mph full left to right...i like the trail of feathers across the ground, a bit like the tail of a comet.
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My quick out over the bonnet set up.
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This was the result of a 50gr Zmax w/ MV of 3500fps @ 180 odd yds...only one wing & no sign of the other...a frangible bullet into a feathered pest is certainly a visual spectacular through a scope....like someone stuffed explosives in an old fashioned feather n down pillow...POOF...!!!
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Comet tail.................
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Here's the view back to the car...
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Back to car.
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(the second pigeon--there was one behind the other so i tried for a "two-fa" shot--was curious to see if enough bullet would hold together on exit & drop the one behind.
Well it didnt--but it was winged by shrapnel, & much to the annoyance of the bird of prey who came to investigate, i grabbed the 22 & finished the poor little winged pigeon.
I was amazed actually, not only was there the bird checking out the pigeon, there was also a cat that skooted off when i shot the pigeon with the 22....but the farmer wants the cats around the sheds left to keep the mice down, so even though ive seen him around a fair bit on morning walks with the 12g, he is safe.!

Next night i made my way out to the other property, hoping to get there with an hour or 2 of daylight to snipe some bunnies...but i stuffed around setting trail cams & thick cloud over the western horizon effectively made for an early sunset by a good hour, so whilst i had a quick look around, i missed any real opportunity to sit a wait for the unsuspecting bunnies to rise from the depths & snipe them.

So ive eaten my sandwich & set up the light on roof, & waited long enuf so i start up & flick on the light to half dozen bunnies 60 yds infront of me...well they took off with the light on.
So i drove 50 yds further & same deal-bunnies not sitting in the light....so i sit waiting with the light out for them to come back out of mallee, & when i turn the light back on, there's a set of eyes sitting patiently for the said bunnies & facing me directly...i swing the light, take a peek through the scope & bugger me--ive been teleported to Africa & im staring right at a fukn lion...!!!...no s**t this cat is a fukn monster & i cant believe its just sotting there...!!!
Thank god ive already got the gear out over the bonnet like previous pic, so i close bolt, settle reticle on its chest, breathe, hold, squeeze.... ... ...BANG....KERTHWOAP...!!!...you bewdy...!!!
I see its face squint as it tensed up then fell over...

Its the second biggest cat ive ever seen through a scope, & the biggest cat ive ever dropped.
Now im not just saying this, but the pics do not do this beast any justice...
Im 6' in my boots with a long leg, & under his own weight with his back toes just under my belly button, his front feet just caressed the ground...
This is a stock Tikka T3 & ive just plonked the fellow down from a grip on his scruff of neck--he's not stretched.
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Mr Ginger
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A 204 cartridge for some perspective that measures 2.280"/57.9mm.
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Big boy
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I took my time skinning him out--i wanted this one in good nik-although i cut one back leg a little short...
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All done...
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Here is the salted skin next to the skin of a full grown mature fox...
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Cat skin/Fox skin (full size mature fox)
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Here is the skin after ive fleshed it out with the pressure cleaner....the table is 600mm wide X 1200mm long.
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Wet hairy pussy...hehe
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So, after that monster & a good de-frocking job for an amateur, i was pretty stoked & it was only 8pm so i cracked a beer...!!!
Well i got one mouthful of the beer & hadnt moved the car before i was on again...
100yds infront of the car is a pair of glowing eyes that mustve been curious of the smell.
Well it didnt hang about-taking off to well beyond the reaches of the light.
But i persisted for a good half hour--having driven to the edge of the next paddock & parked up i worked back to within a shootable range.
The range finder said 214yds but it was a stubble paddock so it could be 180 or 280 yds out.
Bugger it, ill give it a crack as im sick of sittin here...
...BANG... ... ...KERTHWOAP...!!!

Ya think i could find it...i looked for a good 30 mins..!!
Tied a high vis vest to the nearest fence, & went back next day & found it.
She was 260 yds, & again with an exit wound...!!?!...so bad its blown its shoulder off.
Attachments
2018-06-14 20.17.38.jpg
Bad exit wound for 204 at 260+yds.
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Last edited by Stix on 18 Jun 2018, 1:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 18 Jun 2018, 1:44 am

Here is a pic of looking back to the shooting position.
Mite be able to see the high vis on the fence.

Nope maybe not...stupid technology wont let me upload it...

Anyway...with trail cams i also got some pics of fox taking bunny guts, & some very interesting footage of murder of crows behaving strangely with the dead pigeon...

Had to drive home the Monday evening through some heavy rain...
This was taken 15 mins before i hit the downpour...
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Well that was long eh...!!!

By the way batman is old news...
Here is the latest in crime fighting suits...
Yep...its a CatMan suit...
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CatMan suit.
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Happy Foxing...!
:drinks:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Bent Arrow » 18 Jun 2018, 8:56 pm

That's one big cat!
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Howaguy » 18 Jun 2018, 9:01 pm

Wow awesome report Stix and good shooting. That .204 does some damage for a little projectile, I’m thinking those pills you are using might have to hit solid bone for them to fragment properly like a head shot but at the speed they are travelling you would think it shouldn’t matter where you hit them. That’s one hell of a big pussy cat you got as well, a real trophy, just goes to show how big these feral cats can get in the wild.
It would not surprise me if a cat like that would take down a small wallaby :wtf:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by southwest shooter » 19 Jun 2018, 1:36 pm

Great tale of your adventure .
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 19 Jun 2018, 7:58 pm

Thanks guys...ive just logged and i probably should have put this in hunt reports...and i can see that the pics are out of wack to the text...sorry about that...there is a great example of how this fantastic technology trips over itself here & there...because i can assure you it wasn't set out like that when i posted it...

Yes its a big cat for sure, & as i said the pics really dont do its size any justice...i would have loved to do the hold it at arms length in front of you trick but i had no one with me to take the pic--it would have looked like a lion with that technique...lol

Howaguy--as for the damage done by the 204--yes it does its part for sure..you should see what they do to a bunnies head... :o .. :lol: ....but im concerned about this batch of bullets actually--the last box of 500 did not do this at all.
I was lucky that the bullet that hit the cat did fully fragment-very lucky actually because i pulled that shot too (i still remember as soon as the trigger broke seeing the scope pull right-i really shot bad this trip :unknown: )-i cut its chest open after having skinned it & there was literally nothing-absolutely no sign of heart or lungs or diaphram, just a mash of blood & its spine--& thats what they should be doing. :thumbsup:

I think this batch must have a much thicker jacket than the last batch--not only am i getting the exit wounds, but the animals are moving from where they are shot :thumbsdown: , admittadely only a step or two & the sound of impact is much louder too-much closer to the sound of the .222 or 22-250 impact, but with the other batch they were quiet & literally fell where hit & didnt even twitch...!! :thumbsup:
So i might buy another batch if i can get one with a different batch number & try them...because im going through a fur fettish at the moment, & ive only had that cat & one fox that have not been damaged by exit wounds from this batch...if im blowing a foxes shoulders off on exit at 260 yds id rather be using the 22-250...but i want fur hence using the 204. :D

My load is not hot by any stretch, its only going around 3600fps, so they are not doing what it should be doing at around the 3800-4000fps.
I could change to another load i have with a faster powder & get it doing anywhere between 3850-4000fps which may fragment the bullet more, but i will have to buy more powder :( & it is not as accurate (admittedly good enough for foxing)--the current load gives me a nice round group of 3 shots into .4" max with chrono showing SD in single figures & ES just in doube figures--so its good for the long bunny headshots... :clap:

Id be interested to hear if anyone else has had this inconsistancy with the 20 cal 32gr Zmax...?...i might ask the question in another thread.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 19 Jun 2018, 8:54 pm

Geezus f***ing Christ stix,no such thing as a short post from you aye ? :D
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 19 Jun 2018, 11:18 pm

Yes
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 19 Jun 2018, 11:24 pm

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Yea it was sitting in my phone for a while...add to it here n there...then went to post it & it was miles long...i actually cut it in half :lol: --a heap more pics n little tales i coulda put in there... :roll:

Looking at it tonight for first time i thought the same..ffs i did that...??!! :shock:
Shouldve just had 3 or 4 pics with a line for each...

Ill probably short circuit the forum if i ever get to the place i can go in Vic or over West coast... :lol:
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Re: The fox pages

Post by sungazer » 20 Jun 2018, 9:56 am

looks like you are doing a good job of skinning though now Stix even if you dont think so. You got that head off the cat pretty nicely. The last fox I skinned i tried to take the head skin and only got one ear the other ripped off. Any information you have would be nice. I have the last three fox skins tanned two with the commercial stuff the other with Alum/salt and it is pretty good in comparison. I am not sure what to do with tails. Some people say strip them and i have done that and it didnt tan well and later broke apart. one book I have read says split them so you can get the mix in there. That worked best. Another I did half and half and it looks a bit crap.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 20 Jun 2018, 10:54 am

You absolutely have to split the tails,and get the cartiledge out of the ears. Its a must.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 20 Jun 2018, 11:50 am

sungazer wrote:looks like you are doing a good job of skinning though now Stix even if you dont think so. You got that head off the cat pretty nicely. The last fox I skinned i tried to take the head skin and only got one ear the other ripped off. Any information you have would be nice. I have the last three fox skins tanned two with the commercial stuff the other with Alum/salt and it is pretty good in comparison. I am not sure what to do with tails. Some people say strip them and i have done that and it didnt tan well and later broke apart. one book I have read says split them so you can get the mix in there. That worked best. Another I did half and half and it looks a bit crap.



Run a knife around the base of the tail pull the skin off fill tail with metho and put in a container of metho for two weeks. After two weeks wash shampoo and condition i usually put a 243 or 308 case in the back of it blow dry good to go. I have done 4 this way all still look like the day they came off the fox.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by sungazer » 20 Jun 2018, 12:06 pm

Interesting Azza ATM I am leaving the tails attached to the skin so they go in the tanning solution. Any tips on how to skin ie how to cut the skin to leave the tail on so far I cut near the bum hole cutting it out effectively and work from the underside splitting the first bit then doing the peeling thing. Still learning this.

Thanks bigpete From the two I have split which have worked to the one I havent which smelt then broke i think you may be right unless there is a way of getting the solution down into the cavity.
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 20 Jun 2018, 1:34 pm

Thanks sungazer.
Yes the cat skin came off nicely--but you can still see a bit of my "worry" on the skin in the form of those chest muscles under the skin...at that point i was worried about a nik so i went the cautious route.

Ive done 2 cats & 6 foxes from the last 2 trips...infact 3 cats including the first ginger one that started my fettish (thats getting tumbled/broken as i speak)....
And i find that the cats are far easier to skin--also seem to be much easier to flesh & thus have a better finish on the leather side.

As for the tails, ive only got one off in tact-that was done immediately after shooting.

I met a guy recently that can skin them out in less than 3 mins & the tuff difficult ones dont take him more than 5 mins...i havnt seen him do it, hopefully i will one day, but he seems genuine.
He says he splits the first 4-5" of the tail & cuts the tendons, then it comes off in one.
Another guy has suggested a loop of wire that closes around the tail when you pull.
My best success was pull skin up tail from around all rump to the point the tendons expose & bulge out, cut the tendons (if cant make out the tendons clearly do like a ring bark with a knife a short ways up the tail) split the tail 3-4 inches, then slowly get it started until its peeled an inch or so past the split, then it came off with a slow but steady pull.

The bottom jaw-i do a symetrical cut through fur on bottom jaw-extend that cut to the cut down the centre, then just peel & ease them off with tension & knife.

The ears-with hand on fur side i scrunch skin up close to where its still connected, & with a fist type grip almost roll hand/fist backwards for tension on skin & cut deep into ear cartlidge.
Do same with eyes then just peel back snout running edge of knife along membrane.

I split tail for salting fleshing & tanning.

Hope this is of some help...its hard to describe this sort of thing...
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 20 Jun 2018, 2:50 pm

We used to do the tail last then wrap the skin around the base of it a few times then just pull it off the tail bone. Simples
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 23 Jun 2018, 1:39 pm

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IMG_20180623_130443.jpg (237.92 KiB) Viewed 8658 times

Unlike Stix,I can keep this short. Lip squeaked this vixen in to about 10m before blasting her with a load of BBs. Very effective. Skun her out for a friend,first time in nearly 20 years. Made a bloody mess though. Good times
bigpete
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South Australia

Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 23 Jun 2018, 6:15 pm

Well now i know how to keep it short...ill bring em to you to skin out...!!
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
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South Australia

Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 23 Jun 2018, 6:23 pm

Lol
bigpete
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South Australia

Re: The fox pages

Post by Stix » 23 Jun 2018, 8:58 pm

Hehe...

How long does it take you to skin out a fox BPete..?
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
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South Australia

Re: The fox pages

Post by sungazer » 23 Jun 2018, 10:35 pm

Not sure if it was worth skinning that one it looks like it is full of holes :lol:
sungazer
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Re: The fox pages

Post by bigpete » 23 Jun 2018, 10:47 pm

Took me maybe 10-15 minutes. Its been a long time.
bigpete
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Re: The fox pages

Post by Jon79 » 28 Jun 2018, 11:43 am

Went out the other night to shoot a few hares for dog tucker and also threw in my new Howa 308 in case any deer or porkies had ventured out on to the crops.

After picking up plenty of hares with the 223 this fella was laying out in the paddock looking at me and I still hadn't tried out my new 308 on anything besides sighting it in, the temptation got to me in the end and I picked up the 308 and knocked him over......going by the GPS he was 287 meters away and lets just say that the Outback ammo 165gr gamekings aren't gentle :o
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Jon79
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