This could not have been scripted better in Hollywood.
Earlier this year I was introduced to Anton by a mutual friend in the competitive shooting community. Anton is a 14 year old young man who has shown a lot of skill and interest in competitive shooting. He also is interested in hunting, so our mutual friend thought that I might give Anton a hand getting into predator hunting. I was all to willing to help pass on what so many PM members like Jeff Mock and Byron South and others have shared with me. Anton joined me on his first predator hunt a few months back. First time out he got a shot at his first coyote but didn't connect. Second and third time out we got to see coyotes but didn't get a shot. So a few weeks ago Anton called and asked about fox and bobcat hunting. So he and I planned a hunt for this weekend.
Mr. Murphy must have also gotten the memo, since the weather report was calling for winds up to 30 mph all over AZ. When I went out to load up the Mule it began pouring rain. I had my doubts about the day.
We got to our area and as we rolled in I told Joe (one of my regular partners) and Anton that I wanted to pull a sun up stand. So rather than unloading the Mule, we simply slid out of the truck and went up the wash.
I set Anton next to me and had Joe watching to our extreme left. 9 minutes into the stand I see a fox crest the hill ahead of us. I whisper to Anton and we both swiveled up the wash. Nothing showed. I dropped the volume and switched to gray fox distress. I glimpse a gray fox slinking in to my left, hidden in the brush. The fox stopped short so that Anton couldn't get a clear shot past me. I figured that we needed to make the shot, so I fired my shotgun into the fox.
Suddenly up the hill ahead of us two other foxes make a break for it. I turn and see what I thought was a 3rd for making a break for it as Anton swung and fired a shot. I send a shot at one of the other foxes and Anton sends a second shot uphill. It was then that I see feet and the brush shaking. I told Anton to get up there that he had one down. As Anton approached the bush he said that he could see it down and as he watched it took it's last breath. I told him to pull it out of the bush. As he was reaching in he said, "Boy, foxes sure are big."
He then comes out with two huge things. One was the coyote that he shot and the other was a grin from ear to ear. His "fox"turned out to be a coyote. So we had managed to call in 3 foxes and the coyote. He was pumped. It was all he could do to catch his breath. But once he did, and we got photos he was ready to go again.
So off we went. We pulled a dry stand, then on stand #3, with Anton right next to me we again were about 9 minutes in when this gray fox pops up on a rock above us. The fox gets up and takes a look down at the caller. Anton and I realized that the fox was a bit far for him, so I decided to go ahead and take the shot. The video is a bit quick and the fox is out there about 40 yards, but it is still fun to watch.
So we did a total of 7 stands. We called in 4 foxes and a coyote and shot 2 of the foxes and Anton's coyote. I still think the smile is the best thing we got.
Earlier this year I was introduced to Anton by a mutual friend in the competitive shooting community. Anton is a 14 year old young man who has shown a lot of skill and interest in competitive shooting. He also is interested in hunting, so our mutual friend thought that I might give Anton a hand getting into predator hunting. I was all to willing to help pass on what so many PM members like Jeff Mock and Byron South and others have shared with me. Anton joined me on his first predator hunt a few months back. First time out he got a shot at his first coyote but didn't connect. Second and third time out we got to see coyotes but didn't get a shot. So a few weeks ago Anton called and asked about fox and bobcat hunting. So he and I planned a hunt for this weekend.
Mr. Murphy must have also gotten the memo, since the weather report was calling for winds up to 30 mph all over AZ. When I went out to load up the Mule it began pouring rain. I had my doubts about the day.
We got to our area and as we rolled in I told Joe (one of my regular partners) and Anton that I wanted to pull a sun up stand. So rather than unloading the Mule, we simply slid out of the truck and went up the wash.
I set Anton next to me and had Joe watching to our extreme left. 9 minutes into the stand I see a fox crest the hill ahead of us. I whisper to Anton and we both swiveled up the wash. Nothing showed. I dropped the volume and switched to gray fox distress. I glimpse a gray fox slinking in to my left, hidden in the brush. The fox stopped short so that Anton couldn't get a clear shot past me. I figured that we needed to make the shot, so I fired my shotgun into the fox.
Suddenly up the hill ahead of us two other foxes make a break for it. I turn and see what I thought was a 3rd for making a break for it as Anton swung and fired a shot. I send a shot at one of the other foxes and Anton sends a second shot uphill. It was then that I see feet and the brush shaking. I told Anton to get up there that he had one down. As Anton approached the bush he said that he could see it down and as he watched it took it's last breath. I told him to pull it out of the bush. As he was reaching in he said, "Boy, foxes sure are big."
He then comes out with two huge things. One was the coyote that he shot and the other was a grin from ear to ear. His "fox"turned out to be a coyote. So we had managed to call in 3 foxes and the coyote. He was pumped. It was all he could do to catch his breath. But once he did, and we got photos he was ready to go again.
So off we went. We pulled a dry stand, then on stand #3, with Anton right next to me we again were about 9 minutes in when this gray fox pops up on a rock above us. The fox gets up and takes a look down at the caller. Anton and I realized that the fox was a bit far for him, so I decided to go ahead and take the shot. The video is a bit quick and the fox is out there about 40 yards, but it is still fun to watch.
So we did a total of 7 stands. We called in 4 foxes and a coyote and shot 2 of the foxes and Anton's coyote. I still think the smile is the best thing we got.
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