R Buker
New member
Was making a pot of coffee this afternoon and looked into the field to my south. There was a red fox mousing. Well, hunting has been slow this year so decided to pop him from the front door.
I grabbed my .17 and poked it out the door. The fox was initially behind some brush so I had to wait on the shot. Finally he got to where I thought he was clear and I took the shot. I'm not sure what the heck happened but I ended up hitting him high in the front leg. I went out to where he was at the shot and confirmed that and decided to give him some time before I began tracking.
After a half hour or so, I grabbed my shotgun and got on the track. We had fresh snow last night so the trail was easy to follow with fresh tracks and blood all the way along. That fox sure put on a lot of miles! I trailed him about a mile to the south of where I shot where he turned East and went another near mile. From there he headed back West and crossed the lake I live on. (nearly a 360 trail) He ended up going north on my lake just past the property line where he went into a den. Along the trail I had found several spots where he laid up. But, this was to be his final hiding spot.
Well, I've got a couple of wiener dogs at home that love to hunt. I went home and got one of them and went back to that den. No tracks coming out so the fox was still in there.
I've never sent my dog down a den before even though that's what they are bred to do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I know he's hell on coons and such that he catches in the yard but this was something new.
He went directly to the den and began to sniff and bark. It didn't take much encouragement and down the whole he went. The den went down and then took a hard right. After the dog cleared that right turn, I didn't hear a sound. Now, keep in mind that this is the first time I've let him go down a hole and I'm getting more and more nervous as the seconds tick by.
Before long, I see his bobbing butt coming back up the hole. I grabbed his tail and helped him out. He was dirty but had no blood and wasn't all worked up. I assumed that he hadn't made contact with that fox.
While I was glad he was back out of that hole so I didn't have to be nervous it didn't take long and he zipped right back in there. This time he was gone longer and I was really getting nervous. I started to call and call to him to get his fuzzy butt back up above ground. He didn't come.
Now I was beyond nervous.
The next time I saw his hind end coming up toward that hole I grabbed his tail, hauled him out of there. This time I had to admit defeat and was just glad that little dog didn't get stuck in that hole. Hopefully the fox will recover and I'll get him another day.
I hate wounding and losing an animal!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Buddy heading down the hole.
Where's my DOG!?
Giving him a helping hand out.
Randy
I grabbed my .17 and poked it out the door. The fox was initially behind some brush so I had to wait on the shot. Finally he got to where I thought he was clear and I took the shot. I'm not sure what the heck happened but I ended up hitting him high in the front leg. I went out to where he was at the shot and confirmed that and decided to give him some time before I began tracking.
After a half hour or so, I grabbed my shotgun and got on the track. We had fresh snow last night so the trail was easy to follow with fresh tracks and blood all the way along. That fox sure put on a lot of miles! I trailed him about a mile to the south of where I shot where he turned East and went another near mile. From there he headed back West and crossed the lake I live on. (nearly a 360 trail) He ended up going north on my lake just past the property line where he went into a den. Along the trail I had found several spots where he laid up. But, this was to be his final hiding spot.
Well, I've got a couple of wiener dogs at home that love to hunt. I went home and got one of them and went back to that den. No tracks coming out so the fox was still in there.
I've never sent my dog down a den before even though that's what they are bred to do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif I know he's hell on coons and such that he catches in the yard but this was something new.
He went directly to the den and began to sniff and bark. It didn't take much encouragement and down the whole he went. The den went down and then took a hard right. After the dog cleared that right turn, I didn't hear a sound. Now, keep in mind that this is the first time I've let him go down a hole and I'm getting more and more nervous as the seconds tick by.
Before long, I see his bobbing butt coming back up the hole. I grabbed his tail and helped him out. He was dirty but had no blood and wasn't all worked up. I assumed that he hadn't made contact with that fox.
While I was glad he was back out of that hole so I didn't have to be nervous it didn't take long and he zipped right back in there. This time he was gone longer and I was really getting nervous. I started to call and call to him to get his fuzzy butt back up above ground. He didn't come.
Now I was beyond nervous.
The next time I saw his hind end coming up toward that hole I grabbed his tail, hauled him out of there. This time I had to admit defeat and was just glad that little dog didn't get stuck in that hole. Hopefully the fox will recover and I'll get him another day.I hate wounding and losing an animal!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
Buddy heading down the hole.
Where's my DOG!?
Giving him a helping hand out.
Randy
