Fox Hunting Tips

[hunter1254]

Does anybody have some fox hunting advice they'd be willing to share? Anything will be appreciated.

[tobyking8773]

watch the weather, hunt just before and just after major storms roll thru. They sometimes come in multiples so just cause ya shoot one, don't get up til the calling is done. early evening and early morning(dawn) are times their prey is also most active It's much more productive(i've found anyway) to hunt in pairs, one can shoot while the other shines and you can carry a shotty and a rifle.

[fingers80002]

If your looking to save the pelt, DO NOT use a 30-30 with Holow-points.

I have pics to prove it!!!!!!!

[XD40coyote]

A .22 mag rifle or A 12 GA with #4 shot ( bird shot, I think same is used for geese) is what the guys I know who hunt foxes like to use. I have skinned many of these foxes and the pelts are not messed up.

If you can get some other hunters you can actually hunt red fox by driving in daytime. I'm not sure of the set up and tactics though.

Grey fox are more aggressive to calling than reds.

Use a decoy with your call, preferable an electronic remote caller with decoy together. Set it off to the side a bit from where you are, so when a fox comes in they focus on the decoy instead of possibly spotting you. Shoot the fox BEFORE it is too close to the decoy, so you don't shoot the decoy!

Wind direction is important just like with deer hunting. You can use scent control and sprinkling fox urine or skunk will help too, but where you stand vs the wind is most important.

You need to camo up and use brush or make an easy portable blind.

If you are walking out, it may be good to have your gun already loaded. You may jump a fox from some brush. Red foxes do this stupid thing where they run about 25-50 yards, then stop and turn and look back at you. Having a rifle here is a good thing, as long as what is behind the fox makes it safe to shoot.

Best shot is a chest shot on a fox, larger target area, though shotgun it won't matter so much, just go for the front of the fox. A foxes heart is located low and about 3 inches behind the elbow.

Hunt reds on edges. Reds like field edges, esp grassy areas, where they hunt for mice. They travel tractor lanes in fields and run along hedgerows and in drainages. Grey foxes like thick wooded stuff and travel logging roads and the like, but they will hunt edges just like reds.

Most of what I know is related to trapping, but knowing fox habits is also good for hunting them!

[Arch007er]

Don't forget the .17 HMR

[plk457]

What is everyones favorite call? rabbit? mouse? How long do you typically keep the call on for? 10 minutes? 20?

[2008jake]

Get a friend who has some canadian honker decoys just a couple up in a field and start calling also turkeys work well too. Not to big of a spread you want the foxes to feel they have a upper hand and a small flock of birds have less of a chance and is to tempting to a decoy shy fox thats been shot at by a single crying rabbit decoy. My friend uses these set ups with good results.

[tobyking8773]

WEAR A HELMET! A friend of mine got nailed in the head by an owl when we were in high school. using a mouth call, he was the "bait" and sitting a couple yards away from me. Felt something fly by me fast and quiet and then look over at him after he screams like a little girl and is all layed out in the snow clutching his head in his hands. After we processed the whole thing, it was pretty funny...both "ha ha" and "hmmmm" funny. Years later when using a cassette player, we had one come in and flip the tape player....

[XD40coyote]

I got another tip today. If you shoot them in the lungs with a .22 mag they may run up to 150 yards before keeling over. There is little to no blood with a lung shot ( they bleed internally), so keep your eye on the fox as it runs off. Of course if there is snow you can find where they ran by the fresh tracks and likley see some blood drops on the snow. The guy who told me this has had it happen more than once.

I have also been told that foxes will be very interested in the distressed woodpecker call, not sure why, but I guess it's a good change-up from wailing wabbits.

[fingers80002]

Originally Posted by XD40coyote

I got another tip today. If you shoot them in the lungs with a .22 mag they may run up to 150 yards before keeling over. There is little to no blood with a lung shot ( they bleed internally), so keep your eye on the fox as it runs off. Of course if there is snow you can find where they ran by the fresh tracks and likley see some blood drops on the snow. The guy who told me this has had it happen more than once.

I have also been told that foxes will be very interested in the distressed woodpecker call, not sure why, but I guess it's a good change-up from wailing wabbits.

A .22 Mag. HP will make a bigger exit to let it bleed out.