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Handgunr,
Come on, lets have todays report. bhw and his partner are kicking our perverbial a**es. I haven't gotten out in a few days. Hopefully the snow will help out. We only got about 6 inches of the white stuff total.
Dave,
I don't mind getting my a$$ kicked now & then....keeps you humble....
Went out Weds. and man we had a ball......didn't kill a thing, but saw plenty. We hunted two seperate locations. Just outside of Batavia, and over near Geneseo. In both area's we hunted on laneways, as brush was heavy on both sides and we only brought our rifles...no shotguns.
As we were walking down a lane that passed through heavy woods on our first setup, we crest a knoll walking very quietly, and stopped to survey a possible setup location. We were in a shaded area, but could see clearly in both directions. As I turned my head back in the direction we were going to head, a huge red fox had crested another knoll up a ways (about 100yds) and as we were frozen still, he bolted off into the brush.
A big AW-SH*T.....came forth, and I setup right there and started calling....after a few seconds, with my crosshairs in the area where the fox disappeared, all of a sudden a female red pops up about 25yds beyond the knoll I was on.
Yep, another "oh sh*t" (quieter). I cocked the Encore and after repositioning the scope, I could see that the crosshairs just cleared the crest of the knoll I was on, while swinging to her head. In the split second I had, I thought "man, is this bullet gonna clear the ground, or what ?"
Just as I was ready to squeeze, she turned and bolted back into the brush. No big deal, I thought, I'll give it a rest and come back. We headed out where we were originally going anyway, and after seeing nothing, I alone, headed back around to call on the female again.
Now, so that you understand, this laneway is less than the width of a single car driveway....feet at the most. This female red was smart.
So smart, that on the way back to the area, I positioned myself on the other knoll (kinda like a set of camel humps) and started calling. Keeping my head down, so that just the top of my my hat and gun barrel were barely visible, I started calling. Nothing responded....or so I thought.
After getting to my feet and starting to walk, I spotted where that little b*tch came out and sat in a spot where she just peered over a small mound and spotted me. Not more than 20ft. away. Never saw or heard her....like I said, quiet snow...
Now I was determined....heading over near where we figured her den was, which is very heavy brush, I started calling. A long shot in there would've been 20yds.
I grabbed that "medium rabbit distress" you sold me Dave, and I really wailed on it. I put everything into it and didn't hold back.....
I never saw any preliminary sign of her.....then, all of a sudden.....ZOOOOOOM...she went flying past me at MACH 2 within 15ft., until she caught my scent line behind me. She did a fast hook manuver, and shot back around, angling back to where she came from. Scared the B-geesus outta me.
Well, we pulled up stakes and headed over to Geneseo and one of my favorite go to spots. An old abandoned railroad bed about two miles or so long.
After walking up the bed about a mile or so, we spot a large red fox walking up the bed mousing (which is the norm over there).
I plop down in the middle of the bed, and flip my scope covers up to shoot. As I reached for the raspy rabbit call, the fox jumped off the RR bed about 120yds up from us into the brush. I started calling in hopes of bringing the fox back around to the bed for a clear shot.
As I started to call, in between where the fox jumped off the bed, and where I was, a feral cat pops up onto the railroad bed and starts running at me.
As he got closer, he starts running at me sideways (dogwalking kind of) with his tail all puffed up and ears down spitting & hissing, all while I was still calling.
Now mind you, Dennis is standing right besides me snickering, with his .17 Remington.
As I lost the cat in the scope being so close, I said, giggling, "you better quit snickering, and blast that bastard if he decides to make a move"...he was that close.
I think he realized he was looking down the barrel of a .223, cause all of a sudden at 10ft., he bolted off into the brush. We held our shots because we were there for fox & coyotes.
From where we were, to the end of the railroad bed was about 800-1000yds. After seeing the one fox, I knew there was more...always has been.
It's a car's width wide, and unless they jump out on the bed and walk towards, or away from you, your shot "window" will usually be brief.
Getting to a good spot, I started scoping the upper end of the bed, and all of a sudden a yellow, or golden fox stepped out onto the bed about 700yds up. I've heard of certain color phases of fox like this, but it's the first one I've ever seen. In the sun it was absolutely gorgeous. Trying to call it in was fruitless, it wasn't having any.
While Dennis set up in an adjacent field about 50yds off the RR bed, I stayed down on the bed itself.
Firing up the E-caller for a couple minutes, then stopping, I got the feeling that something was watching me. I turned my head to see a red fox standing 10ft. behind me with a mangey tail. As I rolled my head around further...it split back into the brush....
That was it for the day.....no shots, but it was fun regardless. Your calls seem to be getting good responses.
Now, how about you ?
Take care,
Bob
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