Fox at night..what calls and what methods.

[jonesbach]

Up until now, i have always done all of my lamping walking around each farm and scanning around when i thought would be my opportunity for a shot. Ive had plenty of success for bunnies in this way and the odd fox here and there when they happened to be in range of my rimmy. Now i have my .223 up and running (cheers again garyb! )im just wandering how all of you foxing guys go about their night, do you walk around like I tend do or do you stay in a certain spot and manage to call them in? if you call them, what calls do you find best(i know preference may be a lot do with this)

 

thanks in advance!

Edited September 13, 2010 by jonesbach

[garyb]

Drive / walk round - scanning with the lamp

 

Will only call if the shot isn't safe or due to range.

 

Sometimes I will call nearby "likely" hotspots... Woods / Cover etc

 

I use my hand to call foxes - tried a few manmade calls of the years, but nothing comes close to the palm of the hand - and you never forget to take it out with you!

 

Glad to hear the rifle is going well for you.

 

GB

Edited September 13, 2010 by garyb

[bullet boy]

I particularly use the WAM call.IMO this is the best call available.

[harv]

Got to agree with Gary you can't beat the palm of your hand on those long nights waiting for Charlie :blink:

Edited September 13, 2010 by harv

[Blackbart]

Got to agree with Gary you can't beat the palm of your hand on those long nights waiting for Charlie :blink:

 

 

Just make sure you remember which hand, if a fox does appear later.

[al4x]

Just make sure you remember which hand, if a fox does appear later.

 

I actually think in that case he's probably used to the taste of fox :blink:

[harv]

I normally ping a rabbit and make some self abuse mittens first :blink:

[blister]

i use frenchies boys home made fox caller works a treat for me and cost me nowt be useing it tonight on charlie

[Frenchieboy]

i use frenchies boys home made fox caller works a treat for me and cost me nowt be useing it tonight on charlie

 

It's good to know that someone is still using the callers that I made, hopefully they are still getting a degree of success with them.

I use an array of different callers as I believe that some foxes will come to one type of caller when they will not respond to another type, maybe they have got educated to one or another.

I use an electronic Predator caller with a remote control - I am not overly impressed with this one as the remote can be a bit fiddly and tempramental at times, often prefering to use a Mini Predator Caller which hangs on a lanyard. These electronic callers get used to (Hopefully) get Charlie into the area from a distance away.

For closer work or if you know that there is a fox hunting about in the area I will use a WAM or Widgeon Caller (The WAM is, in my opinion, the better one of the two) and if they fail to respond to them I will try one of my own home made callers.

If however I am certain that there is a fox in close proxi,ity I will use a mirror and piece of polysturene which very rarely fails to get Charlies attention.

 

With regards to method I prefer to set up Bait Stations near well used runs - This is purely because I can not do as much walking about as I used to be able to do in times gone by or I would prefer to walk up and "stalk" foxes as I believe there is more satisfaction in getting results that way!

I realise that there are others who will do things very differently to me and get just as much success if not more than I do but I get reasonable results and satisfaction from what I do.

I hope this helps a little!

Edited September 13, 2010 by Frenchieboy

[proTOM1]

Drive / walk round - scanning with the lamp

 

Will only call if the shot isn't safe or due to range.

 

Sometimes I will call nearby "likely" hotspots... Woods / Cover etc

 

I use my hand to call foxes - tried a few manmade calls of the years, but nothing comes close to the palm of the hand - and you never forget to take it out with you!

 

Glad to hear the rifle is going well for you.

 

GB

 

:blink: Like gary have tryed manmade calls but palm of the hand is always the best ,well it works for me

[ollie]

I like many others use the back of my hand or fingers. I will also bring a wigeon call to add a bit of variation, but find that the hand works so much better because it is easy to adjust the pitch and tone of call.

[Ireland's Finest!]

I've found the little wooden fox call of ebay to work the best, if you use it regularly enough you can learn to do plenty of varying sounds with it I found.

[mikee]

squeeking a piece of polystyrene on the windscreen seems to work ok

 

mikee

[markbivvy]

squeeking a piece of polystyrene on the windscreen seems to work ok

 

mikee

Must be a pain getting over barbed wire fences with it. :blink:

[henry d]

We`ve had good results with a foxpro scorpion, but you`ll need deep pockets. The good thing with it is that you can change the call if it isn`t working with the fox, we had one that didn`t like hare and rabbit distress, but soon came in when we changed it to a distressed chicken. Not surprising as it was in the vicinity of a free range chicken farm........

 

Another thing to try is to bait an area or use horse hoof bait :blink:

[jonesbach]

cheers guys, nice range of replies here. I purchased a cd of "fox calls" from flea bay a while a go and have them on my phone(cheaper than electronic caller) but the charlies werent interested in any of the following...vixen on heat, dog fox mating, rabbit squealing, hare distress or widgeon!!! got a bit frustrated to say the least as the little $#i+ just lay down in a place i didnt have a safe shot! think ill resort back to my widgeon caller or possibly purchase a wam caller...my palm doesnt seem to make the 'right noise'!lol :blink:

[RichardP]

cheers guys, nice range of replies here. I purchased a cd of "fox calls" from flea bay a while a go and have them on my phone(cheaper than electronic caller) but the charlies werent interested in any of the following...vixen on heat, dog fox mating, rabbit squealing, hare distress or widgeon!!! got a bit frustrated to say the least as the little $#i+ just lay down in a place i didnt have a safe shot! think ill resort back to my widgeon caller or possibly purchase a wam caller...my palm doesnt seem to make the 'right noise'!lol

 

 

Really surprised that no-one has mentioned the call by "fox call uk" only a tenner if you look around and really devistating i bought one to try and first night out had 5 fox's all galloping in.......the best made call i have found yet.

 

Rich... :unsure:

[Big Dog]

Over here the foxes are going blind there is so many lamping and missing (missed a view recently too ).

 

How I get around to shoot foxes:

This varies depending on time of year, weather and just how lazy I feel. E.g. This summer I shot a lot of cubs and parents which is unsual for me. A lot of famers were at me so as I shoot their land I shot foxes. I used my car to entre fields early in the morning, park up a hill and glassed the area. This worked well for spotting one family which I dispached in total. Early morning walks any time of year where I think a fox is working. At this time of year mostly from a 4x4 at night using a lamp.

 

Calls:

I normally use my hand. Lost a great wee call bought in USA of Canada 25yrs ago. Can remember its name but had great success with it. To be honest like someone else said I prefer not to use a call if I can.

 

Lamp:

Have been using a Lightforce lamp both rifle and handle options. these are ok but big £££s. My battery pack stopped working last month no kick in it at all (Debens)

 

One other thing:

If you normally shoot at night (bed timeish) if not getting anything try going to bed early and get up early and go out at 0400 to day break. I am just at that point again where I think the foxes are starting to out smart us on time. I may be worth a try.

 

Anyone got thoughts on other battery or lamp options??? I may raise a new post on this latter.

[jonesbach]

Over here the foxes are going blind there is so many lamping and missing (missed a view recently too ).

 

How I get around to shoot foxes:

This varies depending on time of year, weather and just how lazy I feel. E.g. This summer I shot a lot of cubs and parents which is unsual for me. A lot of famers were at me so as I shoot their land I shot foxes. I used my car to entre fields early in the morning, park up a hill and glassed the area. This worked well for spotting one family which I dispached in total. Early morning walks any time of year where I think a fox is working. At this time of year mostly from a 4x4 at night using a lamp.

 

Calls:

I normally use my hand. Lost a great wee call bought in USA of Canada 25yrs ago. Can remember its name but had great success with it. To be honest like someone else said I prefer not to use a call if I can.

 

Lamp:

Have been using a Lightforce lamp both rifle and handle options. these are ok but big £££s. My battery pack stopped working last month no kick in it at all (Debens)

 

One other thing:

If you normally shoot at night (bed timeish) if not getting anything try going to bed early and get up early and go out at 0400 to day break. I am just at that point again where I think the foxes are starting to out smart us on time. I may be worth a try.

 

Anyone got thoughts on other battery or lamp options??? I may raise a new post on this latter.

 

Thanks BIg dog..may try out the old bed early trick..see if the mrs will join me too! lol

 

as far as lamp.. i use a cluson cb2 million candle lamp (1000m) and 12v battery. good for about3hrs on and off lamping. they also make a 2million candle in the same lamp.

 

never rated the lightforce as so many problems with them for such a high cost!had my cluson for 8 years and only ever changed the reflector once..battery still as good as ever!

[NorfolkPoacher]

i use one of those ultimate calls for a tenner, really good piece of kit once you get the pitch(s) right. anyone know where i can find a wam call on internet or in sunny norfolk??cheers .Dave.

[jonesbach]

i use one of those ultimate calls for a tenner, really good piece of kit once you get the pitch(s) right. anyone know where i can find a wam call on internet or in sunny norfolk??cheers .Dave.

 

more expensive than your existing method...supposed to be the dogs bollks though..?!

 

 

http://www.wamfoxcall.co.uk/