 Robert Ramsey of the Placerville, California, "Mountain Democrat" thought the book worthy of winning the Dutton award, characterizing the narrative as "always interesting" and principal characters Tod and Copper as "unforgettable", while praising Mannix's "ability to enter into the world of animals and portray it".A reviewer for the "Catholic Library World" considered it a "memorable and delightful reading experience" written by a man "who knows the ways of foxes".Author and sportsman Richard Alden Knight praised the novel, stating that it "surpasses any writing I have ever encountered on the thinking processes of animals" and that the story of a duel between natural enemies is "told well and written with feeling".