IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Idaho => Ice Fishing Idaho => Topic started by: Walleyewacker007 on Jan 20, 2018, 01:35 PM
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I was up at Warm Lake for some night fishing a couple days ago and had a unique experience that made me wonder how many other ice anglers have had similar encounters. It was a very dark night, my headlamp was almost dead and I only had about a 20' ft field of view. I had just gotten set up when 2 red fox came right up to within 2-3' ft. of me! I was just looking at my flasher and jigging when I got a wierd feeling and looked behind me and there was a pair of glowing eyes circling in with another set to my left creeping slowly in. My first thought was wolves so I instantly dropped my rod and beer, grabbed for my pistol which is kept in my front pocket ready to go for man or beast and took a few steps back while quickly scanning the area for any more potential threats. After what seemed liked minutes but took only a few seconds later they moved in a little closer into the light and I was able to discern the 2 invaders were indeed fox and not wolves. I took a deep sigh of relief as I put my piece away and picked my rod and what was left of my beer off the ice. These things were almost certainly being fed as they had zero fear of me,walking right up, sniffing around, circling my jawjackers. At that moment my only fish of the night came on a jawjacker that I thought a fox bumped only to see the rod bend with a trout on it. One of the fox even grabbed my bag of corn and ran only to drop it a short distance away after I ran after it...sneaky *****! That made me think, anyone ever go hunting while fishing? Here in Idaho red fox may be hunted, however, not in Valley County where I was at the time. I can only imagine all the tickets I could have gotten as well- baiting, hunting with lights, drinking while hunting, etc. I would like to hear some other folks' stories and experiences along these lines. Any trophies other than fish come off the ice?
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I waterfowl hunt sometimes when i ice fish hayden had a few complaints but its all legal so what ever i usually go away from everyone and make sure i hunt in safe shooting lanes
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Just read today that it sounds like the area you're talking about will be open to hunt come 2018.
"Eliminate existing area closure to allow both trapping and hunting of foxes throughout Valley County, including on private land."
https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/fg-commission-ups-daily-bag-limits-turkeys-2018-19
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I was up at Warm Lake for some night fishing a couple days ago and had a unique experience that made me wonder how many other ice anglers have had similar encounters. It was a very dark night, my headlamp was almost dead and I only had about a 20' ft field of view. I had just gotten set up when 2 red fox came right up to within 2-3' ft. of me! I was just looking at my flasher and jigging when I got a wierd feeling and looked behind me and there was a pair of glowing eyes circling in with another set to my left creeping slowly in. My first thought was wolves so I instantly dropped my rod and beer, grabbed for my pistol which is kept in my front pocket ready to go for man or beast and took a few steps back while quickly scanning the area for any more potential threats. After what seemed liked minutes but took only a few seconds later they moved in a little closer into the light and I was able to discern the 2 invaders were indeed fox and not wolves. I took a deep sigh of relief as I put my piece away and picked my rod and what was left of my beer off the ice. These things were almost certainly being fed as they had zero fear of me,walking right up, sniffing around, circling my jawjackers. At that moment my only fish of the night came on a jawjacker that I thought a fox bumped only to see the rod bend with a trout on it. One of the fox even grabbed my bag of corn and ran only to drop it a short distance away after I ran after it...sneaky *****! That made me think, anyone ever go hunting while fishing? Here in Idaho red fox may be hunted, however, not in Valley County where I was at the time. I can only imagine all the tickets I could have gotten as well- baiting, hunting with lights, drinking while hunting, etc. I would like to hear some other folks' stories and experiences along these lines. Any trophies other than fish come off the ice?
I have had similar experiences on multiple occasions. Freaks me out every time.
On another note, I really want a fox fur bad. One year I was at the the poison creek parking area and had a fox just taunting me to shoot it. I knew it was illegal to attempt to harvest the fox (in many ways) but I wanted the pelt bad. The only shot he presented was straight down the boat ramp over the lake. I decided to take the higher road and follow the law and do the right thing. Boy am I glad I did. I walked down onto the ice and found a man sleeping in his shelter on the ice with his 2 boys about 100 yards past my field of vision. If I had tried to kill the fox, they would have been right in line with the fox give or take only a small margin. That man on the ice has now become one of my best friends. Had I chose incorrectly, it could have turned out in tragedy.
Even if it does become legal to shoot fox in valley county, I urge you to exhibit extreme caution if you fire a weapon on the ice. Often there is fog on the ice which limits visibility and there are many other factors that could come into play making harvesting an animal on the ice dangerous.
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I've had Canada geese fly over very low while ice fishing and thought, "Dang! If a fella had a shotgun and a stamp that would be SO easy.
I figure if I get legal and ready that'll never happen again. :P
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Be careful about drinking while carrying a weapon, that will get you in trouble faster then anything else.