Two legged fox

[Wilky 0]

Had a walk out with the terriers this morning, an invite from a gamekeeper to check some earths on his shoot, had a nice steady do with a young dog, nothing special, just run of the mill really, dog in, dog on, little bit of settling time and a 3 foot dig in easy ash, dog fastened on, a dollars worth of lead and job done, a good do for a young dog, but no more than you would expect.

 

Then went to try some bigger earths with another dog and could hardly believe what we saw, walking up to the first earth the dog was spinning on the couplings, good sign, popped a few nets on and let the dog have a look. Within seconds he was on and a little bit of give and take was going on, then silence. I bent down to listen at the hole expecting the fox and dog to have moved into the earth, but could hear the dog fast hold and grunting away. A quick sweep with the box and it was obvious the dog was coming back towards the hole end and only had about 12 feet to come back.

 

We sat back and listened to the dog pulling away, until he was in sight, as he got into reach we helped him back and was absolutely gobsmacked, the dog had killed the fox, but this fox only had two legs, I can only guess at an RTA, but one of the front legs was smashed off just above the elbow, with the bones exposed except for a mudball on the end of the bones. The back leg on the same side was smashed above the joint but just just dangling on by a bit of fur, these injuries were as fresh as they come.

 

This earth is a good quarter of a mile from the nearest road, where there is a good wall to get over, and I can see adrenalin helping it jump the wall after being hit by a car, but crawling all that way to the earth I find bloody amazing.

 

I've come across road casualties before, but I've normally found they get under the nearest bit of cover and curl up to either lick their wounds or die and I'm not taking credit for the dog killing this fox, which he is well capable of, because the poor bugger must have been three quarters dead anyway.

 

I've always had a lot of respect for the fox, but seeing this put it into perspective for me, they are one tough and resourseful creature and I was amazed and humbled at what I saw and felt quite sad for the animal, they deserve better than that, but at the same time I felt quite priveledged to have ended it's suffering.

 

It kind of took the edge off the morning so we buried the fox and called it a do at that. Stevie took a couple of pictures with his phone of the dog drawing the fox, but flattened the battery before he could get a good one of the damage to the foxes legs.

 

 

 

[Guest sniper]

if the bunny lovers had there way who would destroy teses ill animals. nice clean up job!

[Guest gman]

It is good that you got to the fox to end the suffering Wilky.I once shot a nice buck in the states and upon retrieving it found it only had 3 legs and another was broken for a long time hove pointing to the side and it was walking on the top of its ankle fur worn off and infected.Upon skinning the deer I found 5 diferent bullets lodged inside and healed over.I was glad to put the deer down,it really gave me a somber feeling to know what they go trough in their lives.

[Guest Dillon]

Your right mate they are an amazing resourceful animal, and if it wasn't for you controlling the foxes he would have been left to die a very slow painful infected death

 

Nice work

[Wilky 0]

I'm sorry mate, but that's not how I see it, I'm not interested in wholesale slaughter, foxes need controlling when and where they cause a problem, and it needs to be done as humanely as possible, there's no glory in killing everything you come across just for the sake of it, and if we all did that, what would we do with the terriers when there were no foxes left.

 

I wasn't trying to come across as a fox slayer, I've to much admiration for the animal for that, it was just a morning out that made me stop and think a bit, perhaps if I was bit more eloquent it would have come across a bit better.

 

Just my opinion, and we're all entitled to one.

 

Wilky

[J Darcy 5,871]

Well said Wilky..

[IanB 0]

Wise words wilky, if only everyone saw it that way...

[pegandgun 52]

Wilky

[Tarmac 1]

exactly how i see it wilky- spot on words...

 

Big dog fox- its people like you that have ruined it for the geniune one's!

 

Again wilky well done and a good true read. I'm still after that thing if your willing to sell- computer has been down recently so could'nt get in contact.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

The fox is a true surviver.Ive seen some amazing recoveries from injuries that should have seen them off.Ive also been witness to how adrenaline can drive on a wounded fox.I was out lamping a while ago ,we had the .222 and the lurcher with us .A fox was called out from some forestry and sat down on the edge of the tree line about 1ooyds away.I lined up for the shot on the bipod and pushed the legs into the soft mud we were stood on.The shot hit home but I saw charlie spin round in the scope and disappear into the trees.I believe the bipod sank further as I pulled the trigger.Took the lurcher over to the spot and found a fair area of blood ,leading up a deer run.The lurcher was let off and wasted no time getting on.Sounds of contact eventually reached us and my mate made his way to it with the lamp. When he returned with the fox we both could not believe how far it had got with a hole the size of a tennis ball in its back.We always lamp with rifle and lurcher and this case reinforces the need for a good catch dog to mop up human mistakes.

[Guest Hedgehunter]

I agree with a lot of the previous posts,we should be grateful to have quarry to hunt,respect quarry & don't let it suffer,it may often appear that some creatures are pure evil but they are just doing what instinct tells them to do in order to survive.This from a man who has lost poultry on numerous occasions & it always hens that get taken never surplus roosters.Such is life!

[Guest young lampers]

spot on wilky mate

[tricky dicky 0]

Its nice to hear someone with respect for their quarry!! attitudes like that (BDF) are what get us all up shitcreek!! I was out the other day & came across a site which will stay with me for a long time-curled up at the side of a manure heap was a fox which had been shot on its nearside,front leg swinging & hind leg mangled & infected yet still the poor sod tried get up it was a heartbreaking site,needless to say i dealt with it & went away feeling sickened seriously contemplating giving up certificates-you can keep your guns-none of this with a dog/hound

[Guest RobW71]

Had some of that myself Chimp

 

Regards Rob

[badger 91]

hi there [bANNED TEXT],

there,s only one good fox, thats a dead un.

 

ho ho ho off foxing i must go!!!!

 

well chuffed you nailed the 2 legged !!!f----- !!!

 

rgds big dog fox.

 

 

heads up, i smell a rat lol