The foxes are calling

Not heard a single call this year, usually hear them every night out the back of the housing estate and along the railway embankment.

Neil. :)
 
Most fox calling is done for locating purposes, cubs calling to parents, young foxes out hunting in their early day like to keepin contact by calling to parents of siblings. Of course during the main mating season, December to the end of January calling is used to locate a mate. I have been watching a couple of pais of foxes from the early stages of mating through to the final coupling and not once was there any calling from them. I just wonder if where there are reasonable numbers of foxes do they need to call as they know where others nearby are located?
I know there are a fair number of foxes in my area but only once this season have I heard any calling yet foxes have paired. As a matter of interest the only calling I heard was from an area where I know there are very few foxes present.
 
Hi all!
Out last night with the caller, had my first two fox; both scampered boldly in from the same direction about ten minutes apart. Both dogs, one young the other a big old boy.
Thermal proved its worth again, an early spot allowing a quick but composed shot.
65grn Vmax homeloads out of my mauser .243, chuffed to bits I must say.
Hammo

UPDATE
Had a walk round this morning, and found number 3! I was positive I had hit him square on last night, but could not find him - presumed the shot had flipped him off the bank, into the river. But there he was, dropped on the spot on the far bank. I was searching the nearside bank last night, but he was evidently far side, all along.

So thats a treble for me! first successful night on the fox!

Hammo.
 
UPDATE
Had a walk round this morning, and found number 3! I was positive I had hit him square on last night, but could not find him - presumed the shot had flipped him off the bank, into the river. But there he was, dropped on the spot on the far bank. I was searching the nearside bank last night, but he was evidently far side, all along.

So thats a treble for me! first successful night on the fox!

Hammo.

Well done!

On a related note, I saw a report in the local media this morning about a litter of five cubs that had been discovered somewhere in South Devon. Tragically, they'd been torn apart by something - the article claimed it was by a dog. Whether that was the case or not, I don't know - but it does show that litters can be reasonably far advanced, even in mid-January. As Old Keeper says above, established pairs don't need to call each other, so it's my belief that most of the calling we hear is from opportunist animals moving about and looking for 'love'...
 
Speaking to a farmer friend last week and he had caught a very large vixen in his cage trap , after dispatch he discovered a belly full of cubs very close to being born.
 
Had a big old dog fox last night which made a right racket as he came in from around 600yards away to a hare distress reed call to be met with a 50gr v-max at around 130yards, seen and heard absolutely nothing else on the best part of 1800acre from 8pm until 3am on foot.

As for cubs it's a few year ago but I dispatched a milky vixen on the 13th feb, her den was located with terriers and the cubs dealt with which all had their eyes open so must of been at least 10-15 days old if not more very unusual on the high ground we were on.
 
I nobbled a pair 14th. The gate
Dog chased the vixen for a couple of hundred yards, she decided to go one way the dog the other. Still showing interest the vixen curved round and went back towards the dog.

They now live upstairs in Foxy heaven.
 
I heard a new tip (for me) yesterday, middle in a field at the right shooting distance from your hide stick a freshly cut small tree around a 3 inch stem size into the ground and the fox on its regular patrol will come to it out of curiosity - as to what is this new thing here?
 
I have watched a few youtube vids of 'flapper' rigs being used to lure fox/coyote in the States, a big scrap of rabbit fur with some white belly or tail on it.
Anyone here tried similar?
Seems a good idea to add a visual lure, in conjunction with caller. I am looking for a cheap pigeon spinner/flapper rig to adapt!
 
I have watched a few youtube vids of 'flapper' rigs being used to lure fox/coyote in the States, a big scrap of rabbit fur with some white belly or tail on it.
Anyone here tried similar?
Seems a good idea to add a visual lure, in conjunction with caller. I am looking for a cheap pigeon spinner/flapper rig to adapt!

BestFoxCall do a sound-activated lure that whirls a piece of fur around in a very convincing manner. I like to use mine in the summer when the cubs are about in daylight. It's made for the IcoTEC caller, but it also works with the FOXPRO units, and only costs something like £40.
 
Hello,out yesterday on formal shoot.10 past 10 such a din started,pair of foxes ,in love, wandered through 2drives before just wandering away after first gunshot.
 
I had 6 in the same field last tue eve around 1030, only out for an hour or so, 4 dogs, 2 vixens, no calling what so ever , just the good old Thermal/longbow combination.
 
Grassed one Friday night ( dog fox) 18:30 hrs on the dot, moved to another area after and grassed two more foxes around midnight,( 1 dog and 1 vixen). Saturday night from 18.45 and 20:00 hrs, (1 dog and 1 vixen) no noise no pairs straight forward foraging foxes, didn't see another fox after each night and packed up 01:00 hrs each time
There are about, but Just quietly foraging away as normal, didn't need to call or anything just nice and steady with thermal and NV on the rifle.

couple of nice nights out apart from the Siberian winter on Friday night in a high seat. :roll:
 
Two new chicken / smallholder permissions to make a start on Friday night, hope the weather dries up a bit!
These are the ones I like, no need to cover field after field, just set out the caller and wait static.
Hammo
 
Two new chicken / smallholder permissions to make a start on Friday night, hope the weather dries up a bit!
These are the ones I like, no need to cover field after field, just set out the caller and wait static.
Hammo

agree 100% keeps you on your toes, I'm lucky enough to have a decent bit of thermal kit for spotting then over to normal NV

you've still gotta get your field craft banged to rights

nothing like stalking in on a Charlie and getting it right first time around, there's not many foxes that give you a second chance. :tiphat:
 
agree 100% keeps you on your toes, I'm lucky enough to have a decent bit of thermal kit for spotting then over to normal NV

you've still gotta get your field craft banged to rights

nothing like stalking in on a Charlie and getting it right first time around, there's not many foxes that give you a second chance. :tiphat:

I had a lovely thermal spotter - Pulsar FDX50, just sold it to fund my .17 Hornet, now been forced to buy a cheap Flir thermal as I can't do without one now!
I will see how the Flir unit performs, but can see myself looking seriously at the Pulsar Helion when it arrives here.
Hammo
 
Hammo ive had a .17 hornet for 2 years now very versatile rifle for charlie and bunnies hope you enjoy it as i have

My CZ527 .17 hornet is due to arrive at RFD 'One day this week'
Hoping to get a phone call this morning, but not holding my breath! Absolutely detest waiting!!!!
Working afternoons this week, so could get out and zero, if it arrives before friday. 12 hour shifts sat and sunday, into 12 hours next few weeks, so will struggle to get out in daylight hours.
I thought I could manage everything with my .22LR and .243, but found a need for something that doesn't give the horrendous occasional ricochet of .22LR, and has the legs to push out to 200m easily, for mainly Fox, Rabbit and Crow work. Settled on the Hornet, and hoping it fits the bill perfectly.
I am buying 100 25gr heads with the rifle, as Im told they are very good, should hang onto velocity and energy better than 20's, what are your thoughts?
pm welcome, before we completely hijack this fox thread!
Hammo
 
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