Arcticmanak
Lil-Rokslider
This morning I went out calling for the first time this season. I had several spots in mind to make my stands and ended up being successful at the first, an elevated position in a patch of woods, with unusally good visibility through the trees and a recreational trail running down through the draw below me.
To reduce chances of pelt damage I usually take a 22mag if hunting in tight quarters where shots will be under 100 yds, or a 22-250 or 6x45 in open areas with greater chances of taller shooting.
But at my first spot I left the 22mag in the truck and instead took the Ruger 10/22. Yep, the humble 22 LR. I recently completed a refinishing job on it, topped it with a Sightron S1 1.75-5x32 scope and zeroed it at the range last week. My plans for this gun really did not include predators, but simply small game and plinking. But hey, this first area would afford shots no further than 50 yds, and I just had the itch to use this gun that I had put quite a bit of work into.
I have called this spot in years past, and although there is evidence of small game and fox in the area, I'd not called in any predators.
I put the foxpro and decoy about 30 yards below where I sat on a little finger ridge donned in my Kryptek over white camo, sat for a few minutes to let the woods quiet down after my arrival, then started the calling sequence.
No more than five minutes into calling, I spotted a red fox running, maybe more like flying in. He was on the recreational trail and coming in at top speed. I found him in my scope and followed him in. He barreled up the trail, then jumped off into the deeper snow below me. At 10 yards from me he stopped broadside with that quizzical canine look, head cocked to one side, trying to figure out just what this decoy was all about.
I aimed right behind the front shoulder squeezed the trigger, and the diminutive 22 thundered
, ...or at least cracked, sending a bullet in the direction of my quarry. The fox jumped, barked and tore off with no visible injury, leaving me thinking how stupid I was for bringing this rifle instead of something more suitable to the task.
The fox ran about 50 yds, still in my view dashing between trees, then stopped, still showing no sign of injury. I took a hail mary shot at which the fox leaped out of sight into the heavier cover.
I knew my first shot had been good, and was confident the fox was mortally wounded, but hoped that it would not run too far and be lost. With my 22mag sitting back in the truck I was rethinking my choice of weapons!
I waited about 10 minutes and then went down to where the fox was standing at my first shot. There was no blood. I followed his tracks through the trees to where he'd been standing when I fired my second shot. Still no blood. "Not promising," I muttered.
I saw where he bounded into the trees and I circled around to pick up his trail. Thankfully, not 10 yds in the trees there he was, piled up, and stone dead.
A healthy, mature male with a pretty nice pelt...quite a prize for the first day afield with my newly revived 10/22.
I brought my prize home and began skinning it with my yellow handled Case trapper knife, and discovered that I'd hit it with both shots, and both completely passed THROUGH. The first hit was right behind the front shoulder, and the second a little further back through the ribs. I was impressed with the performance of the standard Remington 22 LR ammo, although clearly lacking the knockdown power of the 22mag.
Although I'd rather take a rifle packing more punch for everyday predator calling, I was impressed with the performance of the oft slighted 22 LR. It got the job done today!
Thanks for coming along.
Pictures attached below.
To reduce chances of pelt damage I usually take a 22mag if hunting in tight quarters where shots will be under 100 yds, or a 22-250 or 6x45 in open areas with greater chances of taller shooting.
But at my first spot I left the 22mag in the truck and instead took the Ruger 10/22. Yep, the humble 22 LR. I recently completed a refinishing job on it, topped it with a Sightron S1 1.75-5x32 scope and zeroed it at the range last week. My plans for this gun really did not include predators, but simply small game and plinking. But hey, this first area would afford shots no further than 50 yds, and I just had the itch to use this gun that I had put quite a bit of work into.
I have called this spot in years past, and although there is evidence of small game and fox in the area, I'd not called in any predators.
I put the foxpro and decoy about 30 yards below where I sat on a little finger ridge donned in my Kryptek over white camo, sat for a few minutes to let the woods quiet down after my arrival, then started the calling sequence.
No more than five minutes into calling, I spotted a red fox running, maybe more like flying in. He was on the recreational trail and coming in at top speed. I found him in my scope and followed him in. He barreled up the trail, then jumped off into the deeper snow below me. At 10 yards from me he stopped broadside with that quizzical canine look, head cocked to one side, trying to figure out just what this decoy was all about.
I aimed right behind the front shoulder squeezed the trigger, and the diminutive 22 thundered
, ...or at least cracked, sending a bullet in the direction of my quarry. The fox jumped, barked and tore off with no visible injury, leaving me thinking how stupid I was for bringing this rifle instead of something more suitable to the task.The fox ran about 50 yds, still in my view dashing between trees, then stopped, still showing no sign of injury. I took a hail mary shot at which the fox leaped out of sight into the heavier cover.
I knew my first shot had been good, and was confident the fox was mortally wounded, but hoped that it would not run too far and be lost. With my 22mag sitting back in the truck I was rethinking my choice of weapons!
I waited about 10 minutes and then went down to where the fox was standing at my first shot. There was no blood. I followed his tracks through the trees to where he'd been standing when I fired my second shot. Still no blood. "Not promising," I muttered.
I saw where he bounded into the trees and I circled around to pick up his trail. Thankfully, not 10 yds in the trees there he was, piled up, and stone dead.
A healthy, mature male with a pretty nice pelt...quite a prize for the first day afield with my newly revived 10/22.
I brought my prize home and began skinning it with my yellow handled Case trapper knife, and discovered that I'd hit it with both shots, and both completely passed THROUGH. The first hit was right behind the front shoulder, and the second a little further back through the ribs. I was impressed with the performance of the standard Remington 22 LR ammo, although clearly lacking the knockdown power of the 22mag.
Although I'd rather take a rifle packing more punch for everyday predator calling, I was impressed with the performance of the oft slighted 22 LR. It got the job done today!
Thanks for coming along.
Pictures attached below.
