Benchtalk

Erv and Randy Fox Hunt Dec 1985

---

by Randy Robinette

The pic was taken the first week end of Jan., 1985 - the last time Erv (my mentor) and I hunted together - Erv quit altogether after the following season; his ability to 'spot' ('glass') bare ground foxes was equaled by few.

The fur in the pic was what we shot during a ten day stretch ending on the last day of the New Years holiday - except for Christmas day, we hunted all day every day. Naturally, WINDY and COLD, but sunny days are ideal - in our area, a N/NW wind is best (well, for driver-side glassing anyway). Ideal days are below 20 degrees F with 15+ MPH winds.

Ya just go out and hunt as if there was a foot of snow everywhere - not complicated at all . . . you've just got to learn what a fox, or, more likely just a sliver of one, looks like from 1/4 mile or more away! Once in a while, one will be seen laying very close to the road - we've seen a few sleeping IN the road ditch.

However, most often, Reynard will chose a location from 400 to 800 yards off the nearest road. Preferred locations are soybean fields and (assuming dry &/or frozen conditions) plowed fields;not too many of these anymore - most often, chisel plowing is about as close to 'plowed' as it gets. Foxes like to lay in chiseled ground too, but an old fashioned (bare/black) plowed field is always worth a good glassing. Hope the pic attached. Be well and ENJOY! R.G.