The Sidney herald., 1960-11-30
SDOs'ESnseza g
Column
By III. Max Stone
Mont. Fish & Game Dept.

And you still haven't had
enough hunting and shooting for
this season? If your answer is
mo-, may I suggest that before
you dispair completely, please
consider the sport1hunting of pre-
datorS. Those hunters who are
reluctant 10 put their favorite
"shootin' iron" away until next
fall r provided with an OPP
portunity to keep the old eagle
eye" sharp and in focus.
Bagging a predator cam be
mere difficult and exciting than
killing a deer or other game-type
animal. The red fox ranks high
in this category. Sport-hunting
for Nh. Reynard is one outdoor
activity much overlooked and neg
lected by Montana sportsmen. In
pursuing him, you are not just
hunting another animal, but you
are hunting a hunter for more
experienced in the art of decep-
tion than yourself.
Several styles of predator hunt
ing are popular with sportSmen
throughout the country. The one
most likely to end in some sort
of community social gathering is
the roundup" This entails a GER
tain amount of planning and u
perviSion and consists of sur
rounding a likely area with hum
ters. All participants converge
toward a target or kill area, driv-
ing the quarry ahead of them. The
success of such an outing is some
times relatively low, as members
elf the hunting lines often gather
in small groups and discuss inn
pCr1tant matters of local interest.
This leaves open space through
the line providing the fox an
avenue of escape. Hence the
greatest value lies in becoming
better acquainted with ones
nelghbors. (Incidently, sometimes
a fox is killed..
The most difficult way to take
a predator is TO still hunt. This
truly pits the intelligence anC
know-hoW of the hunter againSt
THAT of the hunted. Fresh track
ing-Snow increases the chances
| for success of the hunter, bur
the odds still favor the prey. The
ability of the purSer to exercise
his proWeSS is more than amply
provided for. Even when the mo-
ment arrives and the target i!
:. sighted, the hunter is usually pre-
| occupied with more important du.
| ties. This may vary from extri-
: eating himself from a brush pile
barbed-Wire fence or other awk.
ward situation, to satisfying {
nicotine fit"
Concealing oneslef in a bruSl
pile or other menaS of camouflagt
with a 'squeeker' or predator cal
l and trying to lure the quarry int
shooting range is most appealing
to some hunters. This requires al
I aDility to wait patiently and i
, take a zero for success more oftel
cham a fox. Strange stories ofteI
emerge from this kind of hunting
I Most important, the hunter ha
2 ample time to conjure up excuse
and reasons for not being success
Is full.
.a One of the more popular way
to enjoy fox hunting is the "ju
hunt" Dogs are almost a must
for this experience and Those wit
Sdrong voices are most in demant
20 The object of this type of huntin
Il is ito get the dogs started on tn
n hot trail of a spooked fox. TIL
next item of business to atten
= to is the building of a large cam
fire. While stationed a comfortab-
distance from the fire, the pal
Elephants liSten with strained eal
to the baying of the hounds. o
cold nights this can become rath
er trying. However, most fore
sighted hunters will have tn
means wherewith to break tn
monotony of sitting and at TIL
same time provide the comfort
and warmth derived not entirel
from the fire. While in this stat
of friendliness, many importar
matters are discussed and the al
tributes of any particular activit
amply investigated. Whether {
not the object of the hounds al
OentiOn is Drought to bag is pure
Iy academic.
No matter which type of hun.
ing may catch your fancy, pre-
dators offer some of the fine
recreaticnal possibilities availab
to the "off-season" hunter.