Foxes

264junkie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
117
Location
Central Maine
Seeing a lot of Red Fox sign this year and plan to try targeting them specifically in the next few weeks....Can anyone share (or PM) me any tips. I've never had the fox response from dying rabbit calling that I would think...Do those that hunt them have better luck with bird/rodent immitations?

Thanks,
Junkie
 
There are some good videos out of Australia I watched on Utube last night. They use a widgeon whistle...Sounds diff. than ours though.
 
Seeing a lot of Red Fox sign this year and plan to try targeting them specifically in the next few weeks....Can anyone share (or PM) me any tips. I've never had the fox response from dying rabbit calling that I would think...Do those that hunt them have better luck with bird/rodent immitations?

Thanks,
Junkie

I've hunted a lot of Red Fox over the last 40 years and found the best way to kill them consistantly is to Glass for them, stalk within whatever range you feel comfortable, if you wish to call them closer use a squeaker or lip squeak dependent upon distance/weather/environmental noise etc. They are more apt to respond to rodent or bird sounds than anything else. In heavily hunted areas the spot and stalk is best especially when they are curled up on the snow. Good Luck
 
I agree on the Red Fox deal and I have killed alot of fox spot and stalk. I have seen them respond to rodent calls best but you need to be close and if close they lose their mind with a mouse squeak and its DEADLY. White suit and bedded fox is almost as good as bedding my wife. Oops did I say that. Red Fox have a comfort zone and if you can't get inside that zone you need to snipe them. Example were i live everything is sections or square miles. I will drive around and glass/spot for the pretty orange fluffy rocks half mile out on sunny winter days. Come late January early February they pair up to "bed" together to make little ones. Then you find two fluffy orange rocks and my wife will be second that day for sure. If I don't want the thrill of sneaking i range them and snipe them. Dont miss because they will sometimes be laying next to hole and wake up and disappear into it. Pairs I usually don't see by holes. Most of the time not over 850 yards cause if farther can drive around section and get close. Obviously terrain may be different. Ive shot them that far and hit right on and they got up and ran away just fine - I hit right in the C off the curled up ball - bullet hole in snow and all - may never happen again but can. I either cross country ski out to them or i snow shoe to them. When close or ears come up be ready. I sometimes take these off when needed and belly crawl. The best thing i have for close up is an old oak sled / tobogan. The kind 6 children could sit on and the front curls up and around like a C. Make sense? I waxed the bottom and painted it all white. Drilled holes in C part and put a PVC pipe crossways on top of C part and then notched out PVC pipe for gun rest. Now i take this sniper sled out and lay down on it and put gun butt between chest and barrel up on rest above curl. Just lay there and and start pulling with hands. Oh ya I drilled holes in the front of it - the C part - so i can see out when needed if have to duck head. Ive gotten 29 yards on one Red Fox this way. When you start to get close the Fox will hear stuff and possibly wake up. Just watch for his ears to move. If he moves just put your head down and tlook thru the holes on the C. all he'll see is the gun sticking over the rest which will look like a fence post or stick etc. Just wait. He'll sleep again. I have even pulled this thing across wind blown ICY snow that sounds louder than you know what and they look around and go back to sleep. YOU ARE NOW IN THEIR COMFORT ZONE. See when they wake up from sound they look out at road distance and don't see anything. They are not looking around at how close you are because what could be that close without making noise - a stick or is that a fence post. I would love to have a "debri" field behind me one day. At about 100 drop the rifle, 50 yards drop the shotgun, 10 yards drop the bow, after that I havent' figured out what weapon to use and another problem is how i would carry all that crap. Red Fox seem to be territorial and will be back if you miss them. Seem to have a smaller area than coyotes. They seem to keep the coyotes out of their area too. Aggressive little things. Have shot alot of coyotes in area and see more fox then. Have shot alot of fox in an area and seen more coyotes. Obvious huh- my experience. Sheep farmers out west shoot ALOT of coyotes and I have hunted lands were just seen ALL fox. Weird but true. I have called in more fox at night with spot light than during the day. Watch the laws on night hunting. I believe if you spot and stalk youll be a happier and more successful Red Fox hunter. thats my fingers windy 2 cents.
 
Any distress sound will work.

If you can sneak into a few hundred yards of a sleeper, a mouse squeeker has accounted for many a fox.

Dont use any coyote sounds.
 
This is the easiest way I have ever encountered to get yourself a fox.
They can be the dumbest animal in the world. Especially when young.
This video was shot on the south coast of Western Australia near Esperance.
I might add that I was not the lucky person to have shot this video.

YouTube - Fox attack
 
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Thanks for the tips everyone....Not really in "spot and stalk" territory but I will definitely stick to the rodent and bird sounds. Looks like they're hanging pretty close to the marshes near my house....Looks like they're getting mice out of the cattails??
 
This is the easiest way I have ever encountered to get yourself a fox.
They can be the dumbest animal in the world. Especially when young.
This video was shot on the south coast of Western Australia near Esperance.

Great video...From the vid's I've seen there are just a few more foxes down under than we get in coyote country. What's your caliber of choice for least amount of pelt damage. I'm guessing the .17 would be pretty popular.

Thanks,
Junkie
 
Great video...From the vid's I've seen there are just a few more foxes down under than we get in coyote country. What's your caliber of choice for least amount of pelt damage. I'm guessing the .17 would be pretty popular.

Thanks,
Junkie

When I was shooting for pelts the .22 magnum was the best calibre most of the time as the foxes were real close and easy to shoot. A very effective round and cheap to buy. I also used .223 for long range shots. And yes , the .17 is gaining populatity for the reason you say.
Foxes here are near plauge proportions and do untold damage to our native fauna. Them along with feral cats. I imagine the person/s that decided to introduce foxes all those years ago would be turning in his grave now.
 
Ive used 22 magnum, and 223 solids to eliminated pelt damage. I have seen the 17 do some good and not blow out the other side.
 
Foxes here are near plauge proportions and do untold damage to our native fauna. Them along with feral cats. I imagine the person/s that decided to introduce foxes all those years ago would be turning in his grave now.

Sounds like another reason to visit the land DOWN UNDER.
 
When using rodent sounds for reds don't over call, be sparing with the noise.

If you over call they can think that their stalk has been busted by the rodent and they will just move off.

One sound that works well is gray fox distress even if there aren't grays in the area, it seems to pique their curiosity.
 
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