Cleaned up on foxes

[branxhunter]

Both my brother and I haven't been out for a shot for a long time, so we organised for a spotlighting trip last Friday night, specifically targetting the young fox pups that are starting to get around. We have been noticing quite a few during the day as we drive to and from work.
 
The location was a friends farm we used to shoot on back when we were at high school around 60km north of home. It is rolling redgum country with some scrubby stuff out along the edge of the back paddocks.
 
We started out just on dusk at around 9pm. Our friend drove the ute while my brother and I sat on the back. A beanbag on the cab of the ute provided a stable rest for the rifles. We had my Rem HB .22-250, my Ruger .17hmr, and the 12g shotgun. My brother also brought along the fox whistle.
 
The upshot of the night was that we knocked off at 1am having shot 16 foxes (4x 12g, 1x 17hmr, 11 x .22-250) and a feral cat. We only missed one fox shot at - one that was on the other side of a netting fence, and I obviously didn't thread the 50gn V-max through the gap.
 
Unfortunately we were half way home when we remembered that scalps are worth $10 each at the moment......
 
Marcus

[Jorge in Oz]

That would suck bro. At least you got rid of some more reynards. $10 is pretty good but a bit of work as do you need to take not only the scalp but the rest of the coat. Not sure on what the requirement is.
 
At least you got a good haul with your brother.

[gitano]

Holy Mackerel!

Great going. How did the .17 HMR do and what was the range for its kill?

Paul

[branxhunter]

The fox shot with the .17HMR was like all the others except one - a young pup. It was about the size of a large rabbit. It was also very stupid.
 
We had just driven through a dry creek crossing and were winding our way through some trees up the ridge on the other side when we came across around half a dozen rabbits in the dry grass. My brother knocked over 5 of them in quick succession as we slowly made our way towards and old shearing shed.
 
As I swept the spotlight across the shed I saw the tell-tale flash of fox eyes next to the shed about 100m away. I tracked the spotlight back and there it was just sitting up on its haunches watching us. I nudged my brother (he was focussed on another rabbit in the headlights of the ute) and he dropped it cleanly with a headshot.
 
Young foxes are usually innocent to the danger poses by the spotlight or gunshots which makes things a bit easier. On the night we came across a litter of 4 and got all of them, and later on another 2 and got both of them.
 
I think we probably saw 3 or 4 older more cunning foxes - one flash of eyes in the spotlight and they moved away over a ridge or into a creekline and we lost them. We only got one of these older ones. We sighted it from the flash of eyes out in the open paddock and sped off towards it. As it ha looked away we lost sight of it only to find it had doubled around behind us. A quick U-turn and we took up the chase.
 
The fox knew it was in trouble because it was running flat out, and the old naturally aspirated diesel Toyota Hilux had to be treated a little unkindly to catch it. We eventually did, and my brother proceeded to shoot all around it before nailing it with the 5th or 6th shot. Not the best shooting for sure, but the first time in about 6-7 years we had chased down a fox while spotlighting.
 
It is quite difficult trying to hit a fast baulking fox from the back of a fast moving zig-zagging vehicle, while holding a shotgun with both hands and bracing your legs against the sides of the ute so as not to fall off. It is made even more difficult if you have to reload the shotgun. It is mostly a case of quick point and shoot as there is no time to smoothly swing the shotgun. Larger capacity pump and auto-loader shotguns are definately an advantage over a sidexside or under-over in this situation.
 
Marcus

[gitano]

Cool!

Paul

[davidlt89]

excellent!!!!!

It is quite difficult trying to hit a fast baulking fox from the back of a fast moving zig-zagging vehicle, while holding a shotgun with both hands and bracing your legs against the sides of the ute so as not to fall off. It is made even more difficult if you have to reload the shotgun. It is mostly a case of quick point and shoot as there is no time to smoothly swing the shotgun.

that would pretty much land us in jail!!!!:yes: God Bless.

[Jorge in Oz]

excellent!!!!!
 
that would pretty much land us in jail!!!!:yes: God Bless.

even on private property David?

[gitano]

For most of our history, game has been "Public" property. It is only in the last 20 to 30 years that "Private Game Farms" have showed up.

For the vast majority of the country, native game animals and even some exotics in some places, (gemsbok, ibex, and Barbary sheep, in New Mexico fir example), are "public" property regardless of where their feet land. As such, the method and means allowed for legal take is regulated by common law.

In most states, it is illegal to shoot from a vehicle, even if it is stopped and the engine is off. It's REALLY illegal to shoot from a moving vehicle.

In many states, it's illegal to have a loaded firearm in a vehicle. In some states you cannot have the ammunition in the same 'compartment' as the firearm. In other words, if the firearm is in the cab, the ammo must be in the trunk, and vice versa.

In all states I am aware of, it is illegal to shoot "from, on, or across the maintained surface of a road".

In Alaska it is illegal, except for natives, :angry: to shoot from a boat or a snowmachine or an ATV (we call them "four-wheelers"). It used to be legal for white men to shoot from a boat as long as the boat was not in motion from the engine. In other words, you could turn the engine off and when the boat stopped coasting from the momentum imparted by the engine, you could shoot. It is no longer legal to shoot from a boat at all.

There are special exceptions to some of these laws, but they are VERY few and far between, and even if legal, are generally viewed with a very critical eye.

Paul

[22hornet]

For most of our history, game has been "Public" property. It is only in the last 20 to 30 years that "Private Game Farms" have showed up.
 
For the vast majority of the country, native game animals and even some exotics in some places, (gemsbok, ibex, and Barbary sheep, in New Mexico fir example), are "public" property regardless of where their feet land. As such, the method and means allowed for legal take is regulated by common law.
 
In most states, it is illegal to shoot from a vehicle, even if it is stopped and the engine is off. It's REALLY illegal to shoot from a moving vehicle.
 
Paul

In my state, NSW, most all hunting until recently has been on private land. Public land hunting has only started in NSW in the last 5 years or so. Down in Victoria hunting on public land has been allowed for as long as I can remember. ( Hey, they don't get good weather so they might as well have something good..)
 
Hunting from a vehicle, most often "spotlighting" is an easy way of getting animals. It's how alot of "hunters" get started. I say "hunting" because I think its more like "shooting". Spotlighting is OK for pest erradication but its not my preferred hunting method. Each to their own though.
 
And don't get me started on laws about "native" hunting rights......

[Jorge in Oz]

Interesting Paul that although you have such relaxed guns laws compared to Oz you have much stricter laws in relation to hunting on private land. I guess animals being public property would govern actions even on private land. I think its good that the US at least manages the game animals. Can't say that happens in all states here especially Queensland but the upside was there was no bag limits on deer. I will miss my red deer hunting but looking forward to chasing some Sambar here in Victoria.

[gitano]

Part of the reason we have such aggressive game laws is that we have, through COMMERCIAL exploitation, extirpated several species of animals, and almost extirpated MANY more. It is almost incomprehensible that a species as abundant as the passenger pigeon was killed off. There are records - commercial records - of flocks of passenger pigeons extending from horizon to horizon FOR 10 DAYS! All killed off commercially for the fad market in New York, Paris, and London. Extinct. Makes me sick to my stomach. We almost killed off the bison through COMMERCIAL hunting, and it had NOTHING to do with removing the food of "Indians". We almost exterminated every duck species found on the east coast. We almost exterminated the turkey. We almost exterminated the bighorn sheep. We almost exterminated the prong-horned antelope. We almost exterminated the whooping crane. The list is long. When we finally got a handle on the problem, the pendulum swung the other way. Unfortunately, but typically, the sons of bachelors we call politicians acquiesced to the commercial interests, and started their regulation on the SPORT hunters. Ultimately and happily, ALL commercial hunting is outlawed now. Now, because of habitat loss, even "sport" hunting is heavily regulated.

Let us not confuse "The Right To Keep and Bear Arms" with hunting. They are as unrelated as bicycle chains and oranges. Our "relaxed" gun OWNERSHIP laws are in NO WAY linked to hunting or game management.

Paul

[davidlt89]

even on private property David?

I think Paul summed it up my friend. It is even illegal here to "lean" your loaded firearm against a "parked" vehicle. And here is the one that gets me going.............. I live in one of the very few states that it is "illegal" to hunt on Sundays. And trust me, this law has nothing to do with religion!!!!!!! God Bless.

[drinksgin (deceased)]

In Texas, shooting from a stationary vehicle is limited to those who cannot walk, otherwise, no.
A new law just went in effect Sept. 1, it is legal to shoot feral hogs from a helicopter now.

[Jorge in Oz]

Sorry guys ypur laws don't seem relaxed at all apart from the types of firearms you guys can own. From Paul's explanation I cna understand why things needed to be regulated but as always they seem to go too far the other way, just like it happened in 1996 here with even pellet guns having to be registered. We seem to have more freedom when it comes to hunting on private property so I'm greatful for that and that I can still have a bolt action rifle to hunt with.
 
Thank you Paul for your explanation it gives me a better picture of your neck of the woods. Makes it not so bad here and I'm greatful for what we have.
 
I can't believe you can't hunt on Sundays in your part of the woods David.
 
Quote "In Texas, shooting from a stationary vehicle is limited to those who cannot walk, otherwise, no.
A new law just went in effect Sept. 1, it is legal to shoot feral hogs from a helicopter now."
 
I guess DG that does not discriminate for those that can't walk and still want to hunt. Shooting ferrals fro helis is widely used in Oz and N.Z.
 
Cheers
 
Jorge

[branxhunter]

Here is a photo (unfortunately a poor one) of some more I knocked over during the last week - 2 short spotlighting trips for 6 more foxes. As you can see they are only little fellas
 
 
Marcus