Fox gets Poult!
05-16-2006, 03:15 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Georgia
Posts: 882
Fox gets Poult!
Yesterday, May 15th was the last day of turkey season here in GA. I was returning from picking up my new turkey gun and saw a friend that I knew had been hunting. He began to tell what happened while turkey hunting.
He said while calling, two hens came in. All of a sudden they began to look in specific direction and then ran off. He said another hen, in the direction the other two was looking, began to cackle and was really acting up, he couldn't see her. Then a fox ran by him with a very small poult in its' mouth. He said he started to shoot the fox, but didn't.
I have to admire him for not shooting the fox, not to mention the law violation involved. I made a promise to myself a while back not to shoot anything I wasn't going to eat unless it threatened me and I had no choice. However, I'm not geting on the lecturn, in the past I would haven't gotten mad if I saw a fox, bobcat, etc. killing any turkey and would probably have killed it. I just don't have the heart to do it anymore, and as mentioned above, not to mention the law involved.
I like to think I'm a better person for my change of heart.
Just rambling, dog1.
He said while calling, two hens came in. All of a sudden they began to look in specific direction and then ran off. He said another hen, in the direction the other two was looking, began to cackle and was really acting up, he couldn't see her. Then a fox ran by him with a very small poult in its' mouth. He said he started to shoot the fox, but didn't.
I have to admire him for not shooting the fox, not to mention the law violation involved. I made a promise to myself a while back not to shoot anything I wasn't going to eat unless it threatened me and I had no choice. However, I'm not geting on the lecturn, in the past I would haven't gotten mad if I saw a fox, bobcat, etc. killing any turkey and would probably have killed it. I just don't have the heart to do it anymore, and as mentioned above, not to mention the law involved.
I like to think I'm a better person for my change of heart.
Just rambling, dog1.
05-16-2006, 07:22 AM
#2
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 730
RE: Fox gets Poult!
On the last day of our season (Saturday) I was driving down the road to talk to my neighbor, and something caught my eye. I looked up and saw a red fox running up the hill. It had something black in it's mouth. I immediately thought that it had a turkey. It ran to the edge of the woodline and stopped. I fumbled for the binoculars, and finally got them focused. I could tell that it was too small to be a turkey. Would you believe that it was a big black cat? I never knew they would catch cats. There is a trash dumpster about 125 yards from where I saw the fox. And, after telling my neighbor about it he said that he saw a black cat hanging around the dumpster. It won't be hanging around there anymore!
05-16-2006, 07:44 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Heaven IA USA
Posts: 2,597
RE: Fox gets Poult!
Sounds like "Nature" is just being nature to me. We humans, being the "intelligent" ones have a hard time understanding things some times. We have a tendency to paint the fox as"evil" because he kills an innocent, helpless poult. In his world he just went through the drive-thru and picked up lunch. He has to eat too as well as a litter that more than likely is somewhere in the area.
Of course in our greedy little minds we want the poult to grow up so that we can enjoy killing it ourselves or it's offspring; so we see the fox as a tresspasser/poacher of sorts. But in reality we are the ones intruding in his domain.
If it was carrying a baby opossum, skunk, or a weasel, instead of a poult,does that make it a "better" fox? Don't get me wrong. Under the right circumstances I would harvest a fox just like I would any other game. But not at this time of year when they have a litter waiting to be fed.
I think your friend did the right thing.
Of course in our greedy little minds we want the poult to grow up so that we can enjoy killing it ourselves or it's offspring; so we see the fox as a tresspasser/poacher of sorts. But in reality we are the ones intruding in his domain.
If it was carrying a baby opossum, skunk, or a weasel, instead of a poult,does that make it a "better" fox? Don't get me wrong. Under the right circumstances I would harvest a fox just like I would any other game. But not at this time of year when they have a litter waiting to be fed.
I think your friend did the right thing.
05-16-2006, 08:12 AM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IOWA/25' UP
Posts: 7,145
RE: Fox gets Poult!
ORIGINAL: Antler Eater
Sounds like "Nature" is just being nature to me. We humans, being the "intelligent" ones have a hard time understanding things some times. We have a tendency to paint the fox as"evil" because he kills an innocent, helpless poult. In his world he just went through the drive-thru and picked up lunch. He has to eat too as well as a litter that more than likely is somewhere in the area.
Of course in our greedy little minds we want the poult to grow up so that we can enjoy killing it ourselves or it's offspring; so we see the fox as a tresspasser/poacher of sorts. But in reality we are the ones intruding in his domain.
If it was carrying a baby opossum, skunk, or a weasel, instead of a poult,does that make it a "better" fox? Don't get me wrong. Under the right circumstances I would harvest a fox just like I would any other game. But not at this time of year when they have a litter waiting to be fed.
I think your friend did the right thing.
Sounds like "Nature" is just being nature to me. We humans, being the "intelligent" ones have a hard time understanding things some times. We have a tendency to paint the fox as"evil" because he kills an innocent, helpless poult. In his world he just went through the drive-thru and picked up lunch. He has to eat too as well as a litter that more than likely is somewhere in the area.
Of course in our greedy little minds we want the poult to grow up so that we can enjoy killing it ourselves or it's offspring; so we see the fox as a tresspasser/poacher of sorts. But in reality we are the ones intruding in his domain.
If it was carrying a baby opossum, skunk, or a weasel, instead of a poult,does that make it a "better" fox? Don't get me wrong. Under the right circumstances I would harvest a fox just like I would any other game. But not at this time of year when they have a litter waiting to be fed.
I think your friend did the right thing.
05-16-2006, 01:16 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 2,820
RE: Fox gets Poult!
Truthfully, do you think that fox will stop at just one polt, or do you thinkif he gets the chance, he'll clean out that hen's entire brood?? Now on top of that, you have a fox den close by with "more" turkey polt eaters on the way as well. I'm sorry to be the exception to the rule here folks, but I would a shot that fox right then and there, giving the polts that are left a much better chance of surviving!!
05-16-2006, 02:23 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Georgia
Posts: 882
RE: Fox gets Poult!
maytom,
Don't get me wrong, I'm not passing judgement on anyone. In the past, for me, that would have been a dead fox, I just can't do it anymore. Deer hunting used to be a bigger passion for me than turkey hunting, I don't know why, but I can't do it anymore, and I can't explain why. Regardless, I'm not going to shoot it, unless I eat it, just my boundaries.
dog1
Don't get me wrong, I'm not passing judgement on anyone. In the past, for me, that would have been a dead fox, I just can't do it anymore. Deer hunting used to be a bigger passion for me than turkey hunting, I don't know why, but I can't do it anymore, and I can't explain why. Regardless, I'm not going to shoot it, unless I eat it, just my boundaries.
dog1
05-16-2006, 02:38 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 2,820
RE: Fox gets Poult!
No harm done. We all have our opinions and views on things. I wish thatfox would eat mice instead of turkey polts. Between the racoons, skunks, and opossums eating the eggs out of the nests when they find them, the poor polts have to sweat out two weeks on the ground before they can fly up into the trees. You have to wonder how many actually make it to adulthood? Maybe that's the reason they lay 12 eggs, so that 6-8 get to be table fare so the other's can make it?
05-16-2006, 06:12 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 579
RE: Fox gets Poult!
That's what makes nature interesting! Predators and prey! When you see all of this play out, count yourself one of the lucky ones. Not too many people witness the struggle to survive, in person, and even fewer will understand and accept it.Your friend is one of the lucky ones!
05-16-2006, 07:38 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: West Winfield New York USA
Posts: 545
RE: Fox gets Poult!
Antler Eater, I like what you wrote. Dog1 you are a much better person for your change of heart for sure. It's funny how some think its a crime for a fox to kill a turkey and than go out and kill a turkey themselves. GREED! I think the fox should bite us for killing his turkeys.
