Put this fella out of his misery...

aaakev

Went out yeaterday evening on a farm where i shot a fox 2 weeks ago and saw signs of loads more. I wasnt out long when i spotted a fox on the steep bank of a stream trying to pull something out of it, he was ocupied so i had time to get into a good position on a hill above him and about 200 yards away.

Sent the 50gr hollow point in above his shoulder and he dropped into the stream. When i got to the stream i discovered it was a dead sheep he was trying to pull out!

Pic is of him here he landed in the stream and the sheep he was teying to pull out


I went around and got him, he stank and after fliping him over i noticed he had a big bald spot on his stomach and a hige open wound on his leg/groin area, id say he was in serious pain with this and iv no idea how it happened



I was checking out the exit wound and he had a similar wound on his front knee


Anyone any ideas what might have happened him?

meathstevie

By my reckoning he ended up being clipped by some sort of a vehicle in the very recent past.

Cass

Seen something like that before. I believe it's a bacterial infection from a wound. It could have been much smaller at first. Imagine a slight tear from wire or something similar and as the infection grows the skin is destroyed.

Now i'm not a vet, but it's a sore, nasty, and painful condition, and based on those photos was fairly advanced.

You done it a kindness.


As a side note, was the sheep in the stream moved?

aaakev

It looked very painful, i dont know how he was walking!

Yeah i managed to get a rope around the head and pulled the sheep out, it was very badly deteriorated tho so i have no idea how long it was there

Cass

Not able to hunt so was scavenging wherever he could find it. Without things like the sheep carcass, etc. he most likely wouldn't have lasted much longer.

Fair play on clearing the carcass. Too many wouldn't have bothered.

aaakev

Up stream if a couple hundred sheep and dozons of cows, couldnt be left there!

Have to say the american eagle 50gr hollowpoints are a serious foxing round, the always exit so dont dunp all there energy in the target but the exit holes are devistating. Best of the cheaper ammo i reckon and accurate enough too

aaakev

223vmax wrote: »

I would never use that type of ammo on a fox for exactly that reason.....

Why? Once your sure of your backstop there is no issue. They dump a hige ammount of energy, any fox iv shot has been dead before he hit the ground, iv also shot goats with them and had the same results. An fmj i wouldnt use but a hollowpoint is a hunting round.

223vmax

aaakev wrote: »

Why? Once your sure of your backstop there is no issue. They dump a hige ammount of energy, any fox iv shot has been dead before he hit the ground, iv also shot goats with them and had the same results. An fmj i wouldnt use but a hollowpoint is a hunting round.

My apologies aaakev - I misread your post. Sorry

aaakev

223vmax wrote: »

My apologies aaakev - I misread your post. Sorry

No bother lad ya thought i was usin fmj?

223vmax

Yes...:o
Note to ones self "read post properly before responding!", especially first thing on Monday morning.

Not too proud to admit a mistake....

One shot on kill

Well done for clearing the stream. What caliber did you use.

aaakev

One shot on kill wrote: »

Well done for clearing the stream. What caliber did you use.

Cheers lad. Use a .223

Lotharmike

Read about wounds like that before I did a bit of digging & found the link.I think its from Mites by the picture you posted link here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_fox#Diet.2C_hunting_and_feeding_behaviour ,read on down to the disease section of the red fox.
Some interesting reading on it.not a vet but the description of the wounds & loss of fur would be a big indicator of the disease.All being said you did the animal a very big favor.

aaakev

It sounds like a horrible way to go. it could well have been him knawing away at himself from reading the link, iv only seen mange once around here in a cub i shot a few yrs ago