Hmm, kind of wishing I'd sprung for the video gear now, but a photo and the story will have to do.
Fox are in all year in the county where one of my hunting clubs is, and a bud and I gave it a go last night using the relatively new PVS 14's and thermal gear I got for my son and I.
I was using a Pulsar HD 19A spotter, had a 35mm Hunter MKII on the rifle and was wearing PVS 14's, my bud was kitted out in my son's gear and using his rifle, with a Patrol doing double duty as hand held spotter and weapon site and a PVS 14. We worked up wind to our calling site, selected for wind and height of crops as well as proximity to wear I'd seen several fox turds.
We set up and the call started and within 30 seconds, using the 19A, I spotted a pair running to the call and let my bud know. My bud was still attaching the IR Patrol to the rifle using the Wilcox mount but was able to get it done and get the first fox in his sights just as it pulled up about 5yds from the call, about 35yds away from us. One shot with the 5.56 using 62gr Federal Fushions and that one was down. My bud hadn't see the second one and I called it out to him, "another one, left, about double the range." The second one was making a beeline for cover, but made the mistake of stopping to look back. One more shot and that one was down, about 80yds from us.
We tried two other sets and at the last set briefly saw one fox or maybe coyote several hundred yards out with the thermals, but the wind was swirling and shortly after feeling the breeze on our necks we got busted.
We called it good then since we were getting eaten alive despite using almost a whole can of repellant (DUH, we both forgot our Thermocells.) I'm still scratching today.
My bud is Army and now in the Reserves and was in Iraq. He was familiar and some with the PVS 14, and has had some experience with thermals both in the regular Army and more recently in the Reserves, but the IR Patrol blew him away. I think I had to pry it from his hands at the end of the night. He is a (former I think) red light hunter, now having thermal withdrawals.
JPK
Fox are in all year in the county where one of my hunting clubs is, and a bud and I gave it a go last night using the relatively new PVS 14's and thermal gear I got for my son and I.
I was using a Pulsar HD 19A spotter, had a 35mm Hunter MKII on the rifle and was wearing PVS 14's, my bud was kitted out in my son's gear and using his rifle, with a Patrol doing double duty as hand held spotter and weapon site and a PVS 14. We worked up wind to our calling site, selected for wind and height of crops as well as proximity to wear I'd seen several fox turds.
We set up and the call started and within 30 seconds, using the 19A, I spotted a pair running to the call and let my bud know. My bud was still attaching the IR Patrol to the rifle using the Wilcox mount but was able to get it done and get the first fox in his sights just as it pulled up about 5yds from the call, about 35yds away from us. One shot with the 5.56 using 62gr Federal Fushions and that one was down. My bud hadn't see the second one and I called it out to him, "another one, left, about double the range." The second one was making a beeline for cover, but made the mistake of stopping to look back. One more shot and that one was down, about 80yds from us.
We tried two other sets and at the last set briefly saw one fox or maybe coyote several hundred yards out with the thermals, but the wind was swirling and shortly after feeling the breeze on our necks we got busted.
We called it good then since we were getting eaten alive despite using almost a whole can of repellant (DUH, we both forgot our Thermocells.) I'm still scratching today.
My bud is Army and now in the Reserves and was in Iraq. He was familiar and some with the PVS 14, and has had some experience with thermals both in the regular Army and more recently in the Reserves, but the IR Patrol blew him away. I think I had to pry it from his hands at the end of the night. He is a (former I think) red light hunter, now having thermal withdrawals.
JPK
