Today it was raining a little bit and i decided it might be good day to sneak up on the squirrels. So i rode the ATV back so far and then got off and walked to my favorite hunting spot. I like to sit back against a large tree and its on a shelf where overlooks another shelf and you can watch for squirrels either on the ground below or in the trees. I liked how the leaves were wet and didn't make a sound when you walked on them.

I'd just sat down against the tree and was looking up in the tree branches where you usually see the nice red squirrels. Then something large caught my eye on the ground. A red fox came trotting out of some brush jumped over some grapevines and passed behind some brush and a tree. When it emerged, i was ready. At least i thought i was....I got it in the sights of my .22, pulled the trigger and wouldn't you know, i didn't have a shell chambered! So i managed to chamber one without much movement, but not without noise and the fox at about 30 yards looked right at me. I knew i only had a split second but i only had to move the gun a little to get the fox in the sights and i eased off a quick shot but a good one and got him right between the eyes. (Although the ears are bloody like the shot came out the ear, when i skinned it you could see the shot exited out the dead center of the back of the neck. Couldn't have pulled off a quick shot like that except that little .22 has a magic trigger. Here's a picture of the fox:

Nice going!

Was the pelt prime?

It looks like you are atleast 1/16" off dead center--did you jerk?

Thanks Bobby. The pelt may not have been prime...the flesh side has that bluish color instead of being white.

Good eyes, Carpetman. Your approximations are correct, except i didn't jerk. That sixteenth inch was due to a 9 mph southwestern wind.

Plinker

Good shot Plink, looks like a pup from here.

Tween the eye's is a no questions asked shot huh?

I got a bobcat a long time ago at about 80yds with a shot there, but, was 3/4" off center.
still dead though.

George

Great shooting on the bobcat at 80 yards.

This fox wasn't a fox, it had too big of testicles to be a pup. That's just the camera angle. My mother said it was a big fox.

Plinker

Your story reminds of a kid I once knew…back in the mid 1970’s he was watching his spot in the woods waiting for the beagles to circle the rabbit back into the range. Out of a clearing trots a nice red fox. The kid up and shoots with his single shot 12 gauge, no doubt using his favorite Peters blue shell with a load of 6s. The fox falls. The kid’s grandfather helps him skin it. They hauled it to the fur buyer the next Saturday.

IIRC I got $40 for that hide and thought I was rich!

Oh, so that kid was you! I thought so! Good story and what a valuable price to get for the fox hide. Was a sweet payday for ya.

Plinker

Fur prices sometimes will shock you.
Up or down.

Good deal, hope you spent it wisely, for another gun, or traps etc.

George

Nice going!