The fox pages

[Bent Arrow]

I thought it might be good to have a place to put some hints, tips pics of success for those of us that like to chase the red coats. Heres a couple of photos to get the ball rolling.. One from last week and two from a dawn session this morning.

[Bent Arrow]

Previous discussions on fox whistles

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3086

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6100

[Stix]

Nice one...!!
The foxes & the thread...

Ill have to start dressing up my sucessful fox hunt pics...

[Stix]

Tell me BA...are you using that log as your base to prop n whistle for the 2 foxies laying on it...?

I ask because i never have any luck whistling in daylight hours...i only have success under spotlight.
Any i get by day are by chance encounters.

[brinny]

Great idea for a page....got quite a few (hundreds) of pics from a lot of years hunting....heres a few....

https://i.imgur.com/GhPlpr9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BcIbNta.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/J9M7sPq.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XHEs6wc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/717qcqk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/S2TOaCu.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/YXQ0I5v.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/djmEiXZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dlH6fDj.jpg

[Bent Arrow]

Tell me BA...are you using that log as your base to prop n whistle for the 2 foxies laying on it...?

I ask because i never have any luck whistling in daylight hours...i only have success under spotlight.
Any i get by day are by chance encounters.

Nahh, just conveniently located logs for laying dead foxes on. I mostly whistle late evening and early morning, the first and last 1-2 hours of light seems to be pretty productive for me. I don't spotlight much anymore, im struggling hard to find someone that can either shoot or hold the spotlight and drive. The property all three of these came from is very rocky and I'd like the underside of my 4x4 to stay in one piece.

[Daddybang]

I think this thread should be shut down!!!!


Only because I don't have foxes up my way and I get bloody jealous!!!!

[Stix]

I think this thread should be shut down!!!!


Only because I don't have foxes up my way and I get bloody jealous!!!!

Well come on down...ill take you out...ive got another property in the south east to get to so you'd be welcome company cos ill have to go by myself...!

[Stix]

I don't spotlight much anymore, im struggling hard to find someone that can either shoot or hold the spotlight and drive. The property all three of these came from is very rocky and I'd like the underside of my 4x4 to stay in one piece.

I understand--everyone i talk to is an expert at spotlighting--especially foxes...
But the reality of it is all too often the opposite...

And the rocks...yeeouch...i hate those hidden devils--i got a big mallee root last trip...i was lucky it was sandy.

[Daddybang]

I think this thread should be shut down!!!!


Only because I don't have foxes up my way and I get bloody jealous!!!!

Well come on down...ill take you out...ive got another property in the south east to get to so you'd be welcome company cos ill have to go by myself...!

If I ever get a chance to get down your way stix I'll take ya up on that!!!

[Oldbloke]

The last one looks like he's having an afternoon nap.

[marksman]

here's one I shot a while ago, one of the most accurate factory rifles I have ever owned
I went through melbourne friday morning, about 4.30am coming from warburton way, counted 7 foxes in the suburbs on the main roads where they are safe, they were very big dogs eating road kill and getting into the rubbish bins

[AZZA'S HJ47]

Will be chasing a big fox next time im at the farm. Came round a corner and there he was sunning himself in the morning, he bolted as soon as we saw him. Looked like a fox cross boarder collie. Hopefully get him next time

[Stix]

A fox cross border collie... ....one is 70's burnt orange & the other is black & white...!!!

I mean mistaking a black & white cat is legitimate...but...uhh...
& you saw this in daylight... ...!!

Man...i tell ya...no drugs when you got guns dood...!!!

[Stix]

here's one I shot a while ago, one of the most accurate factory rifles I have ever owned
I went through melbourne friday morning, about 4.30am coming from warburton way, counted 7 foxes in the suburbs on the main roads where they are safe, they were very big dogs eating road kill and getting into the rubbish bins

Very very nice...!!!

There used to be one i would see consistantly within 100yds of my house on a main road less than 10 kms out of adelaide cbd...
Sadly someone else got him & his living quarters are now permanantly filled with water...

Ive noticed one thing about you marksman, you like green grass...many of your pics have a lot of green grass...even your hornets in your yard...!!!

[Stix]

Marksman...What is the round & rifle...?

[AZZA'S HJ47]

A fox cross border collie... ....one is 70's burnt orange & the other is black & white...!!!

I mean mistaking a black & white cat is legitimate...but...uhh...
& you saw this in daylight... ...!!

Man...i tell ya...no drugs when you got guns dood...!!!

Size comparison wise looked more like a collie

And was more of a blackish colour.

It also appears i will have to get this one next time to restore my credability

[RoginaJack]

Hey Bent arrow, nice shooting but Gee, it's dry out your way, eh?

[Bent Arrow]

Hey Bent arrow, nice shooting but Gee, it's dry out your way, eh?

Yeah, Adelaide Hills. Dry as a bone at the moment

[marksman]

Marksman...What is the round & rifle...?

the rifle is a ruger vt in 22-250, only shoots 50gr nosler shots one hole at 200
since buying its been bedded and a rifle basics single stage trigger and stock alterations to fit me better but it shot very well before any of the alterations
my daughters favourite rifle for head shooting bunnies for bigfellascotts southern fried rabbit

[Stix]

One hole at 200...wow...!!!
Very nice...!

More nice green in those pics...!!

[brinny]

Out for a look last night and bagged these four with the thermal......

[Stix]

Out for a look last night and bagged these four with the thermal......

[Bent Arrow]

Nice, I like the idea of thermal. Might have to think a bit more about that........

[brinny]

Nice, I like the idea of thermal. Might have to think a bit more about that........

Got asked to have a look at a place nearby to potentiallty cull some roos on tonight BA....and i asked the farmer if i could take a look for a fox while i was there...he said no worries...i ended up with another 4 out there with the thermal on my Sako 85 204...once you use thermal....there is no going back to spotlight.............heres the video of them....

https://youtu.be/xummEhs0QkM
https://youtu.be/jcV3tdd1QRU
https://youtu.be/zhot63fYgCs
https://youtu.be/tvBMp294uFc

[Stix]

Again, nice one brinny...
Have you ttied5the 32's yet or still on the 40's...?

[brinny]

Again, nice one brinny...
Have you ttied5the 32's yet or still on the 40's...?

Cheers Stix....Been to the LGS and stocked up on the 32s, but havent loaded any as yet.....They will be in the next batch....Keen to see how they perform against the 40s....

[Stix]

Easter fox jaunt...i love fox season...!!!

I went for an early morning walk the first full day there & saw a fox in the trotting through the middle of a paddock...didnt have the bipod on & had nothing to rest on so i just watched it through the scope...(it was a good 400 plus yards away & only visible for 20 seconds or so...i didnt want to have a half arsed crack at it & risk injuring it or scaring it away while i was there...i rather wait for a better opportunity).
The fox had just caught itself a fat healthy bunny & was trotting off to the line of malle to fill its belly...ive never seen a fox with a live bunny in its chops before...i got nothing that morning but that made the day for me...early sunny autumn morning walking around the country side with a gun & seeing a happy fox with its equivelant of bacon & eggs at an organic cafe...love it...!!!


So there are lambs popping out everywhere so foxes & crows are hanging around the flocks like flies...just waiting for the unsuspecting stray...

2018-04-04 09.30.59.jpg (356.7 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

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This little fellow was cold & lonely all by himself...probably a good 800m to a Km away from nearest flock so was abandoned & tucked up under the smallest of paddock shrubs to keep warm for the next fox that came along...(pack of 22lr win sub hp's & a 22-250 cartridge for size reference...at probably barely a day old they are pretty small & frail)...when i drove past with the spotlight it popped up & chased the car bleeting its little lungs out...i drove off in denial of wanting to save it...After all i had foxes to shoot...!
I returned 5 mins later & picked him up & returned him to the flock...he went along with 3 other lambs & followed them up to 2 mothers, one of which didnt want the poor little blighter...he just stood there & let the flock wander off...
Maybe the farmer would take him as he's been known to hand rear abandoned lambs, but i have to drive to high ground to get service..
The little fellow snuggled up in my lap right away , poor little thing was desperate for mum ...
But i had to put him on the back seat cos...

Abandoned...returned to the flock...

2018-04-04 09.38.48.jpg (243.76 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

... i had some business to take care of...

2018-04-04 09.40.19.jpg (526.74 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

Thought id push the blanket up against his body...probably wasnt a good idea given i was going to throw him back out in the cold, but maybe the farmer would take him & hand rear. it..?...
All i did was push the blanket up to him, he has managed to somehow snuggle himself almost into it...!!

2018-04-04 09.41.37.jpg (257.6 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

One of his cousins wasnt so lucky...caught this guy mid meal...this pic is taken as the fox fell-untouched, & shot from the same direction as the pic is taken.
Its the first fox of the new 22-250--blew a whopping hole on entry side of it which i wasnt happy about as it had an amazingly good pelt...but i was hankering for the rifles first fox, & got it at a good 180 yds...the shot felt nice--22-250's are like camp fires i rekon, there's just something that feels right about being around & lighting one up at night...!
But its back in the case for this one because im in the beginnings of a fur keeping fettish...!!!

2018-04-04 09.37.43.jpg (370.4 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

Rang the farmer & he didnt want the new born--said to throw it back to the flock so it atleast had something to follow...so i did...the reality is its probably not with us anymore--no doubt suffered the same fate as its cousin above ...i hate being a softie...!!!

Just give me a minute... another set of eyes...!!!

2018-04-04 09.42.48.jpg (278.64 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

I know this is fox pages & not hunt reports, & i dont want to hijack a thread, so apologies for not being bothered doing this in hunt reports.

All in all i had a fruitful few days...
Got the longest headshot ive had on a bunny with the 204 at a healthy 270 yds (im no long range expert with a custom rifle so im pretty happy with that shot...!)...i played for the shot & got it--had to guess a bit of hold over so was pretty happy with my guess...!!

270 odd yards

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Saved a few more little shrub fluttering finches...not to mention a few more bunnies left for me to shoot from having returned this fellow to the earth from whence he came...i actually thought it was a fox as all i could see were its eyes through the little bush it was hiding behind & i was also getting some flare off of the barrel from the scope mounted light.
.

2018-04-04 09.28.10.jpg (380.71 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

And hopefully ill be able to stitch on the half of the tail i ripped off of this bitch while skinning her. at 3am...

2018-04-04 09.35.17.jpg (532.69 KiB) Viewed 21600 times

I really suck at skinning foxes...takes me for ever , which makes it forever'er when its 3am & you want to get up for a dawn/early morning stroll with the shotty...im happy to take tips from anyone who has a system down pat...

Im not going to do the alum tanning again--just too much work...going to get a good kit & give the tanning a proper crack...!

I really do love fox season...!!!!!

[Bent Arrow]

Great stuff Stix.

[YoungBuck]

Great post Stix, I enjoyed reading that