Had an interesting hunt about two weeks ago. A friend of mine and I had dragged an 80 pound chunk of frozen muskrat carcasses on a sled about 1/2 mile off the road and into a hidden field. We went back a few nights later and saw the usual crow and coyote tracks. Temps in the upper 20s. We got set up a little after 8 PM in light and favorable wind on a snow covered field. It's 200 yards deep and 100 yards wide, woods on three sides and brush on the fourth. We sit at the top middle end of the field, overlooking the entire field.

I had set up my Foxpro FX3 and Jack in the Box on top of the baitpile as an added attraction. It was about 150 yards dead away from us in the middle of the field. My friend sat to my right with his .243 and handheld red spotlight, I had my Rem 700 VS in .223 with a Lightforce 170 mounted to the scope.

Not much happened for the first hour, but we stick it out at this place because we almost always at least hear the coyotes in the distance - never ever saw a fox or fox track there. I always start with a rabbit in distress for the first couple call sequences "just in case" a fox is near, then go to the coyote calls. I was in the middle of a cottontail in distress call when I see an orange eyeball about 220 yards away and 15 yards into the woods. That was about 9 PM. I called on and off for the next hour and ten minutes, always able to see one or two eyes but never a body through the thick brush. Somewhere around the 45 minute mark the critter barked and we knew that we had a fox. It travelled up the right hedgerow, across the back woods, back up the right hedgerow, then back across the woods and finally up the left hedgerow. It was very wary of coming out in the open but very interested in the sounds coming from the call. It would move and sit for 5 minutes, then move, then sit. I had the spotlight on the entire time and I can say that the rheostat on the Lightforce sure came in handy because I could use very low light for over an hour and had enough strong light to continue hunting later.

Finally, it moved up along the left hedgerow - I think maybe it was really trying to get a whiff of scent, but the wind was perfect for us. It approached an opening and I remembered to lip squeak. It was amazing! I got instant attention and one more lip squeak got it to come up on top of a snow covered stone fence. It stopped broadside at 80 yards and I took a heart shot. That was it. I don't know if it was more exciting for me to do the calling and make the shot or for my friend to see it all done "textbook" style.

All I can say is that these prime fur Grey Fox are some of the prettiest critters roaming the woods. This was a 10 pound female and by herself. I shot using handloaded Hornady V-Max 40 gr. at 3,300 fps from my Rem. M700 VS in .223. I wish I took a picture, but the entrance hole was about nickel size and I couldn't believe that there was no exit. Grey Fox are very uncommon in the places I hunt so to see and shoot my first was a thrill.

Erict,

way to go. great story. Love to shoot those greys. Be sure and keep your camera handy. Good luck and good hunting
GWB

Erict,, I just have to commend you on your patience, and dang tough sticktoitness..
My word, you sat in that snow and freezing temps that long to take a fox.
I don't know of many callers that could , or would have stuck it out that long.
Hell I have trouble sitting for an hour calling a lion, in shirt sleeve weather.
Your my new hero..

As the old saying goes, perseverance pays off!

You definitely earned this fox. Nice going!

great read and nice looking fox... congrats

Wow!

Waidmannsheil!

Beautiful Fox & Good Hunting!

Thanks Gents.

It was much easier to sit and wait than you think because I had eyeballs in my scope the entire time. We don't see many fox around where I hunt - many think that the coyotes have pretty much displaced the greys and especially the reds. I spend plenty of time in the woods during archery and regular deer season and haven't seen a fox in many years, so I was pretty excited. I would have waited just as long even if it were a coyote. While it would have been a good hunt without a shot, it was even better sealing the deal at the end.

There isn't much public land for many miles from where I live, so I mostly hunt private land locally. That has certainly limited my "stand" spots, so when I hunt the spots I tend to stay there longer. I envy you guys out west that can hunt 20 minute stands then move all night long. (At least I save on gas).

Sitting in the snow and cold is just a matter of being prepared. The weather is one thing you can't control so you take what you can as long as the wind isn't too bad.