A Fox Afternoon

[Jay]

Took my newly restocked SW for a walk this afternoon. I wonder how many grouse were taken with it by previous owners? I wonder how many will be taken with it by future owners? Doesn't get any better!

[Stan Hillis]

Three timberdoodles and a grouse! Nice afternoon walk, Jay. Nice Sterly, too.

Don't think woodcock have made it this far down yet. You seen any, Bobby?

Stan

[DSizemore]

Nice gun....and bag. I like the wood. Just enough figure and finished nicely.

[bbman3]

Great gun and birds! You cannot beat a sterlingworth for hunting though i have to restock them with higher dimensions.Stan no woodcock seen so far.All that snow may move some down. Bobby

[mike campbell]

I've spread this pic around the internet but, hey, it was a Fox that did the deed. Got this cool bird yesterday with my one and only grouse/WC gun for 20 seasons.

[Jay]

Beautiful photo, Mike, and that is one nice SW, but why does the doodle look so pristine? He's perfect! Whenever I photograph one they always look like their feathers are all mussed up, or matted down with dried dog drool. I am suspecting that the bird in your photo died of a coronary sans the presence of a gun or dog!

[mike campbell]

They don't all look that way, but when they do you have to preserve them. Fold the wings in close, wrap in a paper towel and carry some aluminum foil if you're looking for one to mount. The one I already have mounted died from 3 or 4 #6 pellets while I was pheasant hunting. This one took a couple of #7.5 to the head (the opposite eye is missing) and a few to the body through one wing. It's one more reason to avoid shooting them with anything smaller than 7.5.

When I saw the flashes of white as this one tumbled, I questioned what I'd just shot. So I hupped the dog and made the retrieve myself.

[vaturkey]

Nice to see the Foxes out there. I'll be hitting the Va National Forests tomorrow trying to round up a few myself. Numbers have crashed here as compared to just a few years ago when they only marginally sucked. Just hope to flush a few tomorrow and hear the thunder as they say.

[fiasconva]

That had to be a fun day and great pic. Mind telling us what type of shells and loads you used?

[Jay]

Mike, am I ever dense sometimes. I just checked out your photo again, and the doodle's white wing feathers just jumped out at me! A most unusual bird. Have never seen such feathers on a Woodcock.

If the shell question was directed to me, I've been shooting RST, 7/8 oz., # 7s, almost exclusively. Enough pattern density for Grouse and WC, but a large enough pellet for the occasional state stocked Pheasant that we may encounter. Of course this load is most effective if delivered by a Fox!