Could be. I think what we can NOT rely on is that bad looking teeth are a sign of old age.

Those are beauties.

Thanks guys.
and Bob even though you are not trapping this year you have some great captures!

Yes very nice haul of lynx there Yukon. Good job. Where are you guys in Yukon at with your snowshoe hare cycle ???

Nice job Jeff! You are The Cat Master! Beautiful fox pic Bob! If they get to be a problem around the homestead let me know!

Ron I am in Alaska (along the Yukon river) it seams we have bunnies but I dont see many at all I do catch a few in my sets. we have had a high lynx cycle for about 5 years now I expect it might crash soon. we dont seam to be on a 10 year cycle more like 20 year. four years ago I cought 80 lynx and the past two years 60 and this year I have 42 so far so it seams to be declining but I still have a month to trap yet so might make 60 yet.

lol.. Pawpincher

Dang and I new that. I seem to get you and yukon254 mixed up for whatever reason.

I have been reading here on this site that some places in Alaska the snow shoe have may have crashed already. Once your hare cycle crashes it is indicative of when ours will follow.

Finally got the right conditions to do some effective fox calling today. Called three stands, had two come in, none went out. A little redemption for missing a couple earlier in the year. One at 125 paused for a look back, head shot, and one at 40 running, shoulder shot. Using my new Rem 597 semi auto .22 Mag. Lovin' it already! 2 shots 2 kills!

#1 Bang Flop, Face plant



Nice Day!!


#2 Bang Flop Skid.


Blind hog with a couple of acorns...lol!

Nice shootin! I miss having fox around to call.

I hear ya'! When I was stationed in Sitka I nearly went stir crazy not being able to go calling.

Woo hoo! Picked up a Henry lever 22 mag, what kind of rounds you using?

I tried several different rounds but found my gun really likes the 40 grain CCI Gamepoints. They hit hard and mushroom like a big game bullet- and are grouping really good for me. The exit holes on both of those were about the size of the end of your pinky. I used to shoot the Federal 30 grain TNT's in my old .22 Mag with good success but this gun doesn't like them much.

Nice shootin! I wanted to get into callin but its a lil late so been getting things for next year. Overwhites, decoy, calls, wanting a e-caller. I want to get the Ruger Bolt .17HMR Any pointers a new guy getting into calling.

I have a ruger 77/17 and they are a good quality firearm. I used it on fox and it worked awesome. I would not hesitate to hit a cat with it.

Karrie and I were at the Festival of Native Arts at UAF last night.

We bumped into Otterman and the lovely and talented Fish Boss selling their "fine, fancy, fur" products in the craft section!

Fairbanks T-man people, you should come out tonight. The dance performances are free and a lot of fun! Native friends from all over Alaska are dancing and it's great!

Workshops during the day. Evening dances start at 6:30 pm again tonight.

Pete

Pete was good to see you wish we had more time sorry about that my fault!
Yup like Pete said a good time up on the campus come up and see us this evening

Looking at YOU is my duty.

Leering at the multitude of young Yu'pik lovelies in attendance (including the one sitting at your table....!) is a pleasure!

Lot's to think about when you set up. Play the wind by setting up in an area where you have good vis down wind and set your caller cross wind from you. You need to be able to see the caller when you set up! Often times they will run in and stick their nose in the caller. The second one that came in yesterday came in in less than 30 seconds and ran right to the caller. I waited for it to stop but it never did, it just wheeled around and headed back out. I shot it about 10 ft. from the caller. Camo is always good but having something behind you to break up your silhouette is very important. Try different prey sounds and species specific distress sounds and don't be afraid to try different things. You never know what secret weapon you will find! Once you find what works for you stick with it until it doesn't work anymore. Don't over call your areas. I call each of my stands no more than twice a year and usually only once. Most importantly be patient and persistent. Call each stand at least a half hour and don't get discouraged. I had about 15 blank stands before having some luck yesterday. That's just the way it is. Lastly go to Predatormasters or one of the other forums and also read everything you can on the subject. Pic below is where #2 stopped and turned at the e-caller.

Fox ran in and stepped over the alder branch at the caller and then pivoted and headed out. Had to make the running shot. I usually set the caller between 25 and 50 yds. out depending on the thickness of the cover. Thicker = closer!



This is what I look for, but every stand is a little different. Fox is dead in middle of pic, e- caller is just to his right. I have a little elevation, wind is from right to left and fox came in from trees on the left.

Where do you guys usually shoot predators? in the chest or the head?

akpawpincher:
Great photos and good write up on calling. For some reason fox were always the toughest for me to call because I think my major problem was overdoing the volume because I am somewhere between deaf and really deaf. I always position the speaker at least 50 yards from me and with any kind of wind I couldn't hear the caller. The other thing I found to be very important is any sounds you make getting to the call sites. If you use a heavily muffled ATV like mine or worse yet snowmachine you can bet it they can hear your caller they heard what you got in with. Even snowshoes in no wind conditons can be tough. Spent a lot of hours with a cold rear setting in snow banks but it really warms you up to get them to sniff the speaker.

AKP:

Is your 597 the LSHB model ? Is that the only 597 in 22 mag ? I was wanting a stainless composite, but don't think it comes in that. Thought maybe you already researched it.

Thanks