Low FT/LB fox.

[Nath]

Many of you are aware how I don't rate ft/lbs as the determining factor in how well game goes down. I got this feller this morning with a 12ft/lb air rifle @ 30ish yards so in fact he prolly got hit with 7ft/lbs!

This is one reason I use a 30/30. I did not get infected with magnumitis but noticed the effects on my friends. More is not allways better.
More pics to follow as I lose the post every time I shuttle back to photobucket to get the next picture.

[Nath]

Here you can see the pellet that was just under the skin on the opposite side. I aimed for the lungs and that good hollow whack sound came back.
The fox just acted startled at first and ran 30yds or so stopped looking back at me, it then went to trot another ten and just piled up kicking for a short while. A bit like a arrowed deer.
Nath.

[Nath]

Here is the pellet. I assume it grazed a rib on the way in.

[El Chivo]

Nath,

I'm not sure which browser you use, but you should be able to open up 2 copies of it. Then you can do Photobucket on one and Leverguns on the other, and cut and paste between them. I do that all the time.

Thanks for the update, I seem to remember you getting another fox a month or so back, with a .177 pellet. I went big bore for my airgun, I got the .22, but I know if you place the shot correctly you'll ruin his day.

[gamekeeper]

Nath,
That's amazing I have never used an air rifle on a fox, perhaps I have been missing out over the years.

Good shooting.

[Jaguarundi]

Nath,great scott what a shot !I didn't know a .177 pellet would penetrate that deep in the chest cavity of a fox.Cool !

[Nath]

Here you see Tia retrieving the fox and you can see her trying to keep away from those teeth!
I will explain why I don't rate ft/lbs of any value in determining a bullets performance.
This fox wieghed about 14lbs so lets multiply that by 20=280lbs or if you like a good deer.
I think the pellet had 7ft/lbs in it at 30yds so lets times that by 20=140ft/lbs so a 22 mag is all we need boys to get deer with, no?
All you got to do is get something to go from one side of the lungs to the other and preferably out the other side, now I don't care if it is a 32/20 or a remultrabrightmagnum but forget ft/lbs, just forget'm. Over here somebody has advised the police licencing of guns that a 22 has not really got enough ft/lbs to reliably take fox and so don't really allow one for the shooting of fox's, you have to go bigger I have been told many many times that you need a margin ft/lb wise to allow for a bad shot and spent many an hour looking for fox's and deer that have walked of with their guts trailing behind them!
My point is boys, use your levers with them old slow cartridges. Don't worry about wound channel size or shape. Don't quiver at the thought of your buddy having twice as many ft/lbs just get on with it and trust your instinct as a hunter and not on the latest gimmick

[Nath]

GK, I have to use the air gun around home because of the nieghbors. They know I do it but I don't want to wave a red rag at them do I !
It took two magpie this week too.
I can get away with the odd 22 shot under special circumstances
Nath.

[gamekeeper]

Over here somebody has advised the police licencing of guns that a 22 has not really got enough ft/lbs to reliably take fox and so don't really allow one for the shooting of fox's, you have to go bigger

This bit of stupid Government advice allowed me to uprade from a .22LR to .22 Hornet but they still insist a 30/30 is too much! I hope the Government don't read your posts or I'll be back to a BB gun!

[rjohns94]

Excellent post and pics and point. We all could use the reminder that shot placement is not only our goal, but is our duty as hunters. Pic your shot, execute it properly and get the results you so plainly show. Thanks for the post

[Pete44ru]

Another excellent post, Nath - Nice shot placement - CONGRATS !

[Rimfire McNutjob]

You'd better go shoot it again. I'm sure it can't possibly be dead at 7ft-lbs.

[JReed]

Thats cool. I use my pellet pistol all the time for busting rabbits and ground squirrels and have never been disapointed. Its good to know that it will do like wise to a fox what it does to bunnies.

[kimwcook]

Nice story Nath. Jolly good.

We used to hunt grouse with a pellet gun. Worked great. Head shots and down they'd go. You could get four or five of them if you worked it right.

[Nath]

There you go nutjob, I recon I could of subjected it to more ft/lbs had I clubbed it to death with the air gun's butt. Ft/lbs are not the guage that they seem to have become. The only time a ft/lb is of any use is when you are rebuilding an engine!
Nath.
Ps. I have been getting up early and watching this fox for weeks waiting for the distance I needed. Now what am I gonner do tomorrow!

[shawn_c992001]

Nath, what kind of pellet did you use?

[Nath]

Shawn, they are called Bisley field. They are round nose with a tiny dimple in front. They also have a little wad cutter type of edge around the front band. Their skirts are pretty thin judging by how much it has blown out by the air pressure.
Nath.

[Griff]

Someone wise once said, "shot placement, shot placement, shot placement are the only three things needed to effeciently take game". I leave it at that. All our arguements abour this caliber or that, are just that, hot air, for without shot placement it's just lead (and sometimes a little copper) making waves in the air. I know, you can make up arguements about which caliber is needed to effect shot placement, but in fact, all of them can if the right conditions are met.

Excellent shot Nath, and a good post to boot! That was a "lever" pellet gun, right?