Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Yotechaser's follies

November24th

Called this dog in twice I think. The first time it didn't commit and just disappeared. About an hour later on the next set he came slinking in after about 20 minutes of calling. He actually had a couple magpies following him. I've heard of this but never seen it. He was trying to downwind me but a nice little bark stopped that nonsense and I let him have it. This is the first kill for my Bushy and my first for 09. 145 yards. He's so pretty I decided on a full body mount.


12/3
May not be a big deal to some of you but let me start by saying I have never even seen a fox in Washington state. The landowner who is 84 and has farmed his whole life has never seen a Fox. So it was quite a surprise to bag this beauty today. At first I thought it was a coyote as it was a ways out but when I got the scope on it I just couldn't believe my eyes. They have some fox on the west side of the state but I didn't even think we had them on the east side. Anyways, here's a pic. The pic just doesn't do it justice these are absolutely gorgeous little critters.

Shot was 177 yards. Bushy Varminter .223, 40 grn barns varminator (discontinued). Exited, but with minimal damage.

I was just jacked. I'm 42 and have never seen one in Washington, probably never will again. I am going to have this dude mounted.



12/5
Got a couple more saturday. Called in 6, saw 8. One busted me and my buddy missed 2. Aside from the misses it was a great day.

#1 was 125 yards trotting, big male. He just wouldn't stop so I gave it a try and made a good hit.


#2 she came in with her hubby. This was a very aggressive female. Came in from a looooong ways out. She was charging so I stopped her and zapped her at 135 yards. Hoped my buddy would get hubby but he never did stop for the shot.



Hopefully I'll have more to add over the next couple of months. I absolutely love chasing these critters.

Wow...cool beans man...good season so far..

Ingwe

Congrats on the fox! That is a beauty. They are a real rarity in these parts of North ID also. I've never seen one while calling and have spent hundreds of days doing so. This past summer I got a real good look at black phase fox just south of Colfax.

That is an absolutely beautiful dog. Big, well furred (especially good fur on the tail)and very clean.

Yotechaser: One of my taxidermist friends has had the "mange" three times!
Be careful you as a human can get the "mange" - its fatal to the wild creatures (they eventually freeze to death!) but it can be cured in humans!
What a beautiful Fox you harvested there in Washington - I lived there for 49 years and only saw a a couple of them in all that time.
Again good for you and if the hair on your body starts sluffing off then head for the Doc!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

wow sounds like I need to be hunting with you

congats

I stay away from the mange dogs. One of the other dogs was just starting with it. Pink in the crotch and "armpits?" What a horrible disease for a wild animal.

Good job Yotechaser !

Nice rifle too -i'm a bolt gun guy but have to admit an AR is probably the best predator calling set-up there is.

In coyote country a fox has a rough row to hoe ,they are usually found -generally speaking- near housing or farming areas where the people tolerate them but won't tolerate coyotes.That way a fox can stay out of the jaws of a coyote.
I saw a black phase fox killed on the west side of boise -it was jet black on its back and charcoal black underneath -should have stopped and got it -came back a bit later and it looked like a dish-rag.
Well good going on the coyotes !and fox.

I like bolt guns too. I'll be breaking out the 220 swift here in a little while. Typically it comes out when the dogs start hanging out there a ways. Love that swift.

Went out today with no luck. The prop I hunted was all winter wheat. Usually it's about 1/2 stubble and always produces a dog or two. Yotes seem to stay where there is some stubble. Did see a couple but they were 4-500 out. Figure I'll get them when the snow flies.

The composition of your fox photo stands out as one of the best game photos I have seen anywhere in the last year.

That should be on the cover of Fur, Fish, and Game or Predator Hunting magazine(even with the AR, and I don't even like AR!)

Try and sell that photo!

Thanks I appreciate that. I try to take decent shots and certainly do appreciate that comment. Everyone gets lucky once in a while.

10/13

Had a hell of a day with only two to show for it.

Set #1
As I was setting up the deke and the caller my partner shoots. He misses one broadside at 130ish. Hadn't even started calling yet! We start to call and about 30 magpies come in, I KNOW this is going to be a good set. I was in a smallish pasture, my partner was behind me watching the big pasture. Anyhow a yote pops out right in front of me at about 50 yards. I didn't want to have a runner with the shotty (which was stupid I know) so I put it down got the rifle just got the scope on it and it leaves. 2 minutes later BOOM. Right behind me my bud smokes one. We call for 10-15 more and nothing. He stands up to go get the dog and another runs right in front of him. No shot.

The next few sets were a bust then off in the stubble we see 3 dogs. One decides to take a nap. We stalked to withinn 150 yards. My friend (MR 14 POWER) has a dog sleeping in the stubble and MISSED!. A half mile stalk to within 150. Sleeping dog, prone, off a bipod, all the time in the world..................MISS. Oh my god!! That was just awesome. These dogs can really make a grown man cry. This guy is a damn good shot in that type of scenerio too. Just can't figure it out.

Went off to another spot and it's all in winter wheat so we know we arent going to see much action. We do manage to kind of call one in and then BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. There is shooting in the valley just below the dog. He takes off in a hurry. The shooting just keeps going and going. We're pissed but how are they to know? We walk to the top of the cliff and look down and theres a G#D D#*M trap range right there.

Next spot. I call in a double. I never saw #2 but did see #1 as he winds me. made a hell of a wounding shot through some brush at 200ish but had to track it through the cat tails a bit but got it.

Not the best pic but it was a long day and we needed to get on the road.

12/28
The last two trips have been dry but I managed this guy today. Howled him in first thing in the morning.

1 great sport aint it...............

You inspired me to go get a set of whites last night!
Great pictures, especially the fox! ATTABOY!
whelennut