no fox....
01-11-2002, 12:14 AM
#11
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Atown Astate Australia
Posts: 13
RE: no fox....
Hey, Drew here in Oz. Male foxes are called Dogs, babies are called Pups.
Foxes will rarely respond to a whistle (screaming rabbit) from mid winter through til mid spring as they are way too busy looking for a mate (or mates) and defending/patroling their territory form other males. Each vixen will have her own personal period for mating and this lasts for about 2-5 days sometime between mid winter and mid spring so the dogs are full time on their tale waiting for that exact moment when they can procreate (otherwise another dog will be "in there" quick smart). He will rarely eat during this time and that's why any dogs shot during this period are quite scrawny (eventhough they may have a thick coat). Get yourself a bottle of fox urine scent and mark a couple of trees regularly in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY, then wait in ambush at dusk and dawn for the resident dog to come along and over-mark the trees. Or, if you can find/use one, a vixen bark call will work really well.
Towards the end of spring is the best time to whistle in a dog as he now shifts to "provider" mode for the pregnant vixen or new-born pups deep in the den + of course the odd snack for himself to build his energy levels back up.
The end of spring and beginning of summer sees the pups and vixen emerge from the den and begin to feed. The pups will practice hunting at dawn, dusk and sometimes even during the day on insects like crickets, grasshoppers and cicadas. No need to whistle them up, just find where the insects are and wait. Mum will usually be with them but if you want a few more foxes to shoot next year then I wouldn't take her as the pups will not survive. (I take the mums in Australia as any fox is a bad fox being totally feral and a major killer of native wildlife...but they are not in your neck of the woods!)
Late summer and right through autumn (fall) you can whistle in the older pups, mum and dad.
Wear FULL camo. Find a spot with your back to a cliff or thick brushline with a good view of the surrounding countryside and whistle for 3-5 minutes. Be very still and look carefully for movement. Once you notice a fox has heard you and is starting his bolt towards you STOP WHISTLING and let HIM find YOU - a dead rabbit placed 30 metres in front of you is a great way to get his attention off you and on his "prey"...if he comes into range at pace then whistle through your lips and he'll pull up like he had hydrolic brakes...SHOOT. If you have no response then carefully stalk to anotherspot about a mile away and try again.
Good luck mate...a challenging quarry, but a great trophy.
Edited by - turbow on 01/11/2002 01:17:22
Foxes will rarely respond to a whistle (screaming rabbit) from mid winter through til mid spring as they are way too busy looking for a mate (or mates) and defending/patroling their territory form other males. Each vixen will have her own personal period for mating and this lasts for about 2-5 days sometime between mid winter and mid spring so the dogs are full time on their tale waiting for that exact moment when they can procreate (otherwise another dog will be "in there" quick smart). He will rarely eat during this time and that's why any dogs shot during this period are quite scrawny (eventhough they may have a thick coat). Get yourself a bottle of fox urine scent and mark a couple of trees regularly in the MIDDLE OF THE DAY, then wait in ambush at dusk and dawn for the resident dog to come along and over-mark the trees. Or, if you can find/use one, a vixen bark call will work really well.
Towards the end of spring is the best time to whistle in a dog as he now shifts to "provider" mode for the pregnant vixen or new-born pups deep in the den + of course the odd snack for himself to build his energy levels back up.
The end of spring and beginning of summer sees the pups and vixen emerge from the den and begin to feed. The pups will practice hunting at dawn, dusk and sometimes even during the day on insects like crickets, grasshoppers and cicadas. No need to whistle them up, just find where the insects are and wait. Mum will usually be with them but if you want a few more foxes to shoot next year then I wouldn't take her as the pups will not survive. (I take the mums in Australia as any fox is a bad fox being totally feral and a major killer of native wildlife...but they are not in your neck of the woods!)
Late summer and right through autumn (fall) you can whistle in the older pups, mum and dad.
Wear FULL camo. Find a spot with your back to a cliff or thick brushline with a good view of the surrounding countryside and whistle for 3-5 minutes. Be very still and look carefully for movement. Once you notice a fox has heard you and is starting his bolt towards you STOP WHISTLING and let HIM find YOU - a dead rabbit placed 30 metres in front of you is a great way to get his attention off you and on his "prey"...if he comes into range at pace then whistle through your lips and he'll pull up like he had hydrolic brakes...SHOOT. If you have no response then carefully stalk to anotherspot about a mile away and try again.
Good luck mate...a challenging quarry, but a great trophy.
Edited by - turbow on 01/11/2002 01:17:22
01-13-2002, 07:30 PM
#12
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: POWELL WYOMING USA
Posts: 3
RE: no fox....
Hey glad you liked the links. I did not now what a male fox was so I looked it up in the World Book, so here is the lowdown on the fox.
female - vixen
young - cub or pup
male - dog
I hope this is a good bit of info for you and I learned something also. And for your calling, I have the best luck with a bird in destress ( i.e. woodpecker or a chicken ). The sounds of rodent squeals works real good too. Good luck again.
female - vixen
young - cub or pup
male - dog
I hope this is a good bit of info for you and I learned something also. And for your calling, I have the best luck with a bird in destress ( i.e. woodpecker or a chicken ). The sounds of rodent squeals works real good too. Good luck again.
