shootgun Posted December 25, 2013 Report Share Posted December 25, 2013 Hi folks, hope you all had a good Christmas so far I have quite a lot of foxes on my permisision and managed to get within 30yds in the past, while i was shooting rabbits with the air rifle... obviously not the right tool for the job. I have got my SGC and own shotguns now, so i'm tempted to give it a go. I've got few fox calls and made provisions of Gamebore Mammoth Magnum 50g BB Any tips, anything i should know before i go out? What are the best times for calling in foxes? Which choke is best? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted December 25, 2013 Report Share Posted December 25, 2013 Pattern those heavy loads as they will preform very differently with different choke you can blow the pattern easily 1/4 often give good results. At 30 yards normal game loads are fine for foxes any further I like 2,3, or 4s 36-40g or 1s if you really want. I don't really like BBs personally pattern poorly and not many pellets 2&3s hold a better pattern and still kill foxes nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1979 Posted December 25, 2013 Report Share Posted December 25, 2013 havent shoot a fox with a shotgun for a long time, but i have used 3 and 4's, i did try sg's and special sg's to. atb simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted December 25, 2013 Report Share Posted December 25, 2013 Only things I can think of is not to use a tight choke (1/2 at most), pace out 40 yards to use as an absolute max range, and bear in mind that the shot does carry a lot more than No 6, so what is behind your target is even more relevant than usual. I use Eley Alphamax 42g BB for foxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 42 gr no 1's work fine. Plenty clout and plenty pellets to fill the pattern, 1/4 and 1/2 choke. All i use now if shooting Charlie with the Shotgun As said in previous posts, I'm not a fan of bb's either. ATB, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Thanks for the advice so far chaps, i have to use the 50g Mammoths now, as i bought 4 boxes(are coming 10 in a box) . I have 1/2 choke in my semi, so i'll leave it there. Roll on saturday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strangford wildfowler Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 My father uses a 3 1/2" cartridge think there about 50 grams loaded with BB with full choke out of a semi auto and they drop the Fox like a tone of bricks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Always better to put them on the pattern plate / board. Even if you already have the shells, that way at least you know what not to try in the way of a shot and also were you gun is likely to shoot in relation to were your looking. Put the board up at 15 , 30, 45 yds try each. I have had some cracking success with slightly lighter loads through 1/4 choke so don't go blindly down the more choke bigger shot route. Those big 3 1/2" super magnums in lead are not required and counter productive in a 12ga in my experience. 40-50 grm of number 1 or BB in a 3" for me Often the best call is no call just be in the right place at the right time, if the foxes are heavily shot they soon become cautious of the call but then they can still come in like a sheepdog at others. There is no ultimate call and look out the fox will try and get downwind of a call and stalk in (many will never be seen) The shooter meanwhile is expecting them to come directly in with the wind up their rear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Always better to put them on the pattern plate / board. Even if you already have the shells, that way at least you know what not to try in the way of a shot and also were you gun is likely to shoot in relation to were your looking. Put the board up at 15 , 30, 45 yds try each. I have had some cracking success with slightly lighter loads through 1/4 choke so don't go blindly down the more choke bigger shot route. Those big 3 1/2" super magnums in lead are not required and counter productive in a 12ga in my experience. 40-50 grm of number 1 or BB in a 3" for me Often the best call is no call just be in the right place at the right time, if the foxes are heavily shot they soon become cautious of the call but then they can still come in like a sheepdog at others. There is no ultimate call and look out the fox will try and get downwind of a call and stalk in (many will never be seen) The shooter meanwhile is expecting them to come directly in with the wind up their rear Thanks, great piece of advice here. Just for the record, I'm using 3'' shells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 3's or BB work well, full choke is no problem with either, put the shot in the right place they fall down, lighter shot is fine but they need to be close! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli383 Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Sorry to go off topic here guys hopefully you won't mind but is BB larger than number 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 As previous posters have said ,no3 shot is best for pattern/energy.BB can pattern poorly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicdmb Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 Sorry to go off topic here guys hopefully you won't mind but is BB larger than number 1? yes BB is bigger than No 1's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli383 Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 yes BB is bigger than No 1's Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted December 26, 2013 Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 BB isn't dramatically bigger than No1 but yes it is. The trick is to pattern first Choke, shell and gun all act together. Sometimes you get surprising results from a combination of these three things acting together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB1954 Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 What ever you use you must pattern it with your gun and choke selection first. My gun with 1/4 choke puts 45% pattern in 10" circle at 30 yards using home load of 36 grams of BB shot. Works for me, good luck. I would like to know how those 50 gram loads pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootgun Posted December 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 Didn't had the chance to see a fox this week end or to pattern the Mammoth Magnum's ... patterning all the cartridges i use, is on my to do list for this winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger got stichs Posted December 29, 2013 Report Share Posted December 29, 2013 the last ones I shot I used fiocchi 1-7/8oz #3 goose loads they seemed to do the job just right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Field Shooter Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 When I was living in Cornwall I was a member of the Looe Valley Beagles and the the guys used a few different shells most used 46g BB's in 2 3/4inch or 3inch magnums in AAA some of us also used 9 pellet SG although most if not all shots were between 10 and 30 yards with 40 yards as the max with the average choke of half being used one guy did use 3inch magnum AAA's through a turkey choke but not sure what his patterns were like but when he shot at a fox it usually didn't move again so that combo worked for him. Again as the other posts suggest pick a cartridge and pastern it you will be surprised, for instance my mossy 835 will put all 9 pellets of SG in a 12inch circle at 25 yards through half choke past this the pastern opens up to much and past 35 Yards is a waste of time. The picture (Taken a few years ago shows my daughter holding the dog fox) shows a fox shot at approximately 30 yards with SG crossing in front of me, notice the pellet hole in his nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 Keep within sensible ranges and the BB`s will pattern fine. After BB the patterns get gappy and will require a good gun/choke/cart along with a good shot to put them in the right place at the right time. I like 1`s - 3`s in suitable weights (36-50gm) for most shotgun shooting but for up a highseat I really like 3 1/2" buffered loads in US size 2 and tight choke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo Posted December 30, 2013 Report Share Posted December 30, 2013 up to 30yrds I have used no,3s 36g never seen a fox run from one yet, certainly stops them in their tracks as the pic shows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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