11,12 and a Red

[Grayfox]

#11 came after another fast set. I had went to this property earlier in the year but after the long walk in, the wind was wrong so I left. I went back with the wind in a favorable direction and a little warmer temp. I walked up on the West side of the corn stubble field and found an area that had a little dip to the South of me about 50 yards away with a hill tapering up to the South of that. The wind was from the South but very light. I turned on the caller very low and continued getting set when I looked up and see one comeing slowly down the hill directly South of me. It walked slowly to about 70 yards from me and stopped so I squeeezed off a shot and it dropped. Heavy male with a nice coat.

I left that spot and hit another with no luck then headed for #3.

I walked quite a ways in from the road and set up overlooking hayfield to the East and a corn stubble field to the South. I turned on the caller and did a little distress and then did some howls on my hand call. Nothing showed for almost an hour except about 6 cows that were very interested in me on the other side of the fence. I was getting ready to call it quits when I see one South of me, coming in along the field edge. I let her close the distance until she looked to be getting a little nervous and took the shot at 40 yards. Looked a little further that night.

The next night I hit three spots with no takers and decided to try one last one before I went home. I had seen fox tracks crossing the road the past month or so near this property and thought the wind might just work this morning. I put the caller a little upwind of me with the hopes anything that came out would come out of the brush to the East of me and not the woods to my back. I called for only 15 minutes or so when I see him standing out there 70 yards East of me. The neibor had his yard lights on and it really helped having that little extra light( you could land a small plane out there with the lights he leaves on) I swung farther to the left to get on him but it must have seen me move and ran 5 yards and stopped again. That time he waited a little too long to leave and I dropped him. Hit it a little low but might be salvageable.

Rob

[minky]

Greyfox, do you skin and stretch them yourself?

Do you sell them locally or send them to one of the big auctions?

I have a friend who sends his coons to a big auction house and makes a few extra dollars.

They are some nice furs, congrats!

[Grayfox]

Minky,

I've skun a few of them earlier in the year but the majority get combed out and put in chest freezers and taken in whole. The local buyers have only been paying about $5 more for green un stretched furs around here and it takes me about 25 minutes to skin a coyote and it ain't worth the extra $5!

Rob

[water rat]

Keep up the good work! Thanks for the photos and stories of the hunt !