Lamping Foxes

F

fallback124

Member
Hi all

First proper post here, I am looking for some advice on regards to lamping foxes have a few stupid questions so here goes,
Bit of background had a nasty encounter with a youngish fox taking 3 of my 6 chickens during broad day light he even had the cheek to come back again during the day the same day! Never had any problems in 10 years here with foxes and chickens.. I have a 17hmr only ever used for rabbits, i have purchased a lamp handheld since. Now I have gotten permission to shoot around the fields near me and I am trying to ask some more farmers on the opposite side of me so i have more land to cover. At the moment shooting on 4 relatively small fields beside my house, What i normally do is get my self set up with wind in favor have a bank behind me scan around quickly with the lamp, leave it for a min or two call and scan repeat this a one or two times then leave. So far have seen nothing but have heard a fox call around the same time every night at around 10pm, now my current permission has land near where i think i'm hearing him call out but nothing there is also a small forestry near my permission but is a field or two away and i'm trying to get ahold of the farmer..

I have a few more questions, Is what i am doing the right idea? is there any need to sit out calling for 10mins + in a small field ?

So far i have went out at 8pm, and tonight at 10pm again hearing the same fox call at 10, I have been varying my times out to see if i can catch a fox on a route, Might give dusk a go..

would baiting be a good idea? shoot a few rabbits and throw one out every day or two for two weeks ?


what do you do if the wind isn't in favor any point at all going out?

When i'm lamping and spot a fox is there any sort of procedure i should do? From what i have seen it's lamp off straight away gun on the sticks moved to direction then shoot if safe etc. I have found when looking through my scope at the lamp the recticle kinda fades is that normal ?

I do not have any caller atm just use the mouth trick should I invest in one?

Is there any other advice you would recommend to me someone just starting off with foxing ?

Sorry for the stupid questions just seems like a lot of information / experience needed!!

Thanks
 
fallback124 said:
Hi all

First proper post here, I am looking for some advice on regards to lamping foxes have a few stupid questions so here goes,
Bit of background had a nasty encounter with a youngish fox taking 3 of my 6 chickens during broad day light he even had the cheek to come back again during the day the same day! Never had any problems in 10 years here with foxes and chickens.. I have a 17hmr only ever used for rabbits, i have purchased a lamp handheld since. Now I have gotten permission to shoot around the fields near me and I am trying to ask some more farmers on the opposite side of me so i have more land to cover. At the moment shooting on 4 relatively small fields beside my house, What i normally do is get my self set up with wind in favor have a bank behind me scan around quickly with the lamp, leave it for a min or two call and scan repeat this a one or two times then leave. So far have seen nothing but have heard a fox call around the same time every night at around 10pm, now my current permission has land near where i think i'm hearing him call out but nothing there is also a small forestry near my permission but is a field or two away and i'm trying to get ahold of the farmer..

I have a few more questions, Is what i am doing the right idea? is there any need to sit out calling for 10mins + in a small field ?

So far i have went out at 8pm, and tonight at 10pm again hearing the same fox call at 10, I have been varying my times out to see if i can catch a fox on a route, Might give dusk a go..

would baiting be a good idea? shoot a few rabbits and throw one out every day or two for two weeks ?


what do you do if the wind isn't in favor any point at all going out?

When i'm lamping and spot a fox is there any sort of procedure i should do? From what i have seen it's lamp off straight away gun on the sticks moved to direction then shoot if safe etc. I have found when looking through my scope at the lamp the recticle kinda fades is that normal ?

I do not have any caller atm just use the mouth trick should I invest in one?

Is there any other advice you would recommend to me someone just starting off with foxing ?

Sorry for the stupid questions just seems like a lot of information / experience needed!!

Thanks
Click to expand...
A cheap red led torch I used for a good while as they can pick up a glint from a good distance. I would make a medium pace sweep of a field and if I picked up a red eye shine just keep going past and turn it off.
same again just to confirm then here is the important bit of "knowing your ground"
if it was fine I would set up the rifle on the sticks where I last got a eye shine quick flick with the led and light it up. Where people fail is not being able to move the sticks and get on as it has moved. (you read this a lot as people say the guide put me on a good deer but I faffed around and it was gone lol)
We recon you have 3-5 seconds with a fox so make sure of the back stop etc and then use the lamp.
 
If you are upwind of the fox then you’re wasting your time, one whiff and he’s gone. When you call him he will try to approach the sound from downwind so that he can use his nose to locate the source, hence why people use remote callers.
Baiting will help as long as the bait isn’t drawing him across your scent trail.
 
Can you see your chickens from your home?
I'd feed the fox to a pir light, you can get battery ones, as soon as he starts coming to some bait tie it up so he has to hang around a bit. I have in the past put red fil over the pir light. You don't need it to be bright. Shoot the rascal from the window.
Get a torch mount for your scope and a remote switch whip. Use a second torch to scan with when on your neighbours land.
Similar to this old photo.
IMG_20170118_220244441.webp

I rarely call. If I see one at the far end of a field I may try to see if it will come but rarely do I call blindly. I prefer to find them first.
I've also had them being vocal recently which is unusual this time of year. They maybe dropped town fox's!
 
I would not call - thermal has shown me as many run away as run to

I would bait every day - once it goes a couple of days on the trot be there the next - set up a seat - or bench

It wont be just 1 fox

Controversially i would not over think the wind issue - the fox is coming near your house - to the chickens - it expects to smell human

I have a similar little field that is used by us all then time - by our car park - and its the best spot on the whole shoot for getting to grips with foxes

Rather than spend money on callers -fancy lights etc - spend just a bit more and get a day night scope - C50 would be my suggestion -

If you cant run to a thermal spotter yet - just scan with a weak torch - it will show the eye shine - soon as you spot him light off - scope on the bait zone - which you know has a safe back stop

Then you just need the one thing that money cant buy - patience and a steady hand
 
Fallback124,

You'll get plenty of good advice, guidance and tips on here regarding how to shoot foxes, lamping etc, which is good news for you. However, getting back the to reason that you want or need to remove "Ol Charlie"...the chickens.

Slightly off topic, I know, but my advice would be (unless the situation prevents you doing so) set some snares.

Plenty of information on tinternet regarding the code of practice and methodology for fox snaring and once you’ve got it cracked, it's another string to your bow...or round in your magazine! ;)
 
A little bit of bait on the same spot every night (a rabbit could do a whole week if you portion it) in range of an upstairs window, and you will shoot your fox eventually.
Follow the other tips given here on SD as well 👍
I often place small pieces of bait under a piece of turf, it stops it from getting robbed by magpies and the fox has to work to turn the over.
 
Last edited:
When I'm shooting urban foxes in the city, I use pig or lambs liver.
Small pieces of chopped liver and smear / squash some of the soft liver into the deck. The fox will eat the pieces, but then stand there, lapping at the ground to lick the juices and liver slurry, giving you more than enough time to squeeze the trigger. When I've used a trail came to watch foxes, I've wired a chicken drumstick to a stake in the ground in front of the camera and watched the fox try to get the meat off the wire...again, giving you plenty of time to make the shot.
 
Anchored bait and a trail cam.
I find a tin of punctured pilchards high up a fence post works wonders. Your trail cam will confirm visiting times etc.
Get yourself in a position down wind or up high of the bait station(silage bails make wonderful high seats if there's any about)
jall55 said:
Meant to say - as bait i would suggest dry dog biscuits - it gets the fox used to feeding on that spot
A rabbit means it can run in pick up and run off
Click to expand...
Always make them work for the bait by anchoring it or making it difficult to get at.
 
Len the dog said:
If you are upwind of the fox then you’re wasting your time, one whiff and he’s gone. When you call him he will try to approach the sound from downwind so that he can use his nose to locate the source, hence why people use remote callers.
Baiting will help as long as the bait isn’t drawing him across your scent trail.
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the replies all! a lot of info much appreciated.

This makes sense, how often would you bait and would you bait it at night or does the time matter at all when baiting? I think I have a good idea where i could bait with a nice backstop aswell.
much appreciated !
 
Mac78 said:
Anchored bait and a trail cam.
I find a tin of punctured pilchards high up a fence post works wonders. Your trail cam will confirm visiting times etc.
Get yourself in a position down wind or up high of the bait station(silage bails make wonderful high seats if there's any about)

Always make them work for the bait by anchoring it or making it difficult to get at.
Click to expand...
thank you
Currently looking into trail cams, was thinking a half frozen rabbit into the ground!
 
Lee the Gun said:
Fallback124,

You'll get plenty of good advice, guidance and tips on here regarding how to shoot foxes, lamping etc, which is good news for you. However, getting back the to reason that you want or need to remove "Ol Charlie"...the chickens.

Slightly off topic, I know, but my advice would be (unless the situation prevents you doing so) set some snares.

Plenty of information on tinternet regarding the code of practice and methodology for fox snaring and once you’ve got it cracked, it's another string to your bow...or round in your magazine! ;)
Click to expand...
To be honest was my own fault haven't had any problems with foxes so they were out in a pen, i think i have now foxified it and made sure he can't dig in haha with some cement. I was thinking of setting snares but was just wary with a lot of cats around. May do so though thanks!
 
Smellydog said:
Can you see your chickens from your home?
I'd feed the fox to a pir light, you can get battery ones, as soon as he starts coming to some bait tie it up so he has to hang around a bit. I have in the past put red fil over the pir light. You don't need it to be bright. Shoot the rascal from the window.
Get a torch mount for your scope and a remote switch whip. Use a second torch to scan with when on your neighbours land.
Similar to this old photo.
View attachment 332103

I rarely call. If I see one at the far end of a field I may try to see if it will come but rarely do I call blindly. I prefer to find them first.
I've also had them being vocal recently which is unusual this time of year. They maybe dropped town fox's!
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information I hope to recreate this haha..
The chicken coop is near enough the house but not in the right angle to shoot from the windows have thought of this aswell.
I may buy two trail cams one outside the chicken coop, we did have a large dog but lately he has gone blind so the fox may come around at night.
 
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