My first Fox attack that ended in a kill

[Shellz]

We have subsonic rounds here for our .22. CCI makes them. Great fun! What brand of .22 you getting? I have a Marlin XT. I'm sure you'll love whatever you get! Argh! The anticipation!
Around here, you'd be frowned upon if you didn't take the fur! I'm thinking of taking the tail & making a coyote decoy with it. Nothing gets a coyote madder than a fox invading its territory!

 

[Mygirls20]

If I remember correctly it was a mossberg semi auto. ( I went through like 12 rifles today to find the one I liked) Ya I am super excited lol Is it weird for a 24 year old girl to be totally happy with a .22 for valentines day

Ya I have coyotes to and I dont know what I am going to do with them. What do you do with the tails of the foxes? Does it bring them in so you can shoot them?

 

[Steemroo]

A standard approach for luring foxes or coyotes is a call that mimics the distress call of a wounded prey animal. I Know people who've used them - I think it was a cassette tape you just played. It can get on your nerves (a rabbit shriek is most common, it's harrowing), and it doens't always work - but it can.. Or so they told me.

Google this - I'm curious and will do the same. Cabelas, gander mnt, bass pro shop - bet they sell this & more.

If the fox isn't being trapped by the bird - might mean it's trap-shy - possibly someone live trapped it, drove off and set it free. Now it knows and won't go in a trap' maybe... I know you won't set it free - as the other man said - that just makes it someone else's problem.

There are coyote & fox leg traps with rubber guards that supposedly make them dog safe, i.e if a dog steps on it, the trap won't cut it or break a bone - but - I have no experience with these. Since the fox does not have to enter it, it's easier to get a live trap shy fox, at least in theory.. Don't know your state's laws on these, either.

Coyotes can be very tricky and hard to shoot - and sometimes you get lucky and get an easy shot.

Right, take care of your birds & family. We always used hollowpoint ammo for our 22s. Never tried subsonic (now I'm -curious to try some) - just make that first shot count.

 

[Steemroo]

Oh, Mossberg's a good company!. Contrast!

Looked up fox calls, and there are many choices. Ones you blow and tapes.

Mating calls, kit calls, prey in distress and many more - and some are for red foxes, some gray.

Don't go spending money on this to experiment - it's hard to learn how to call. My impression, however, from what hunters have told me is the tape of a rabbit in distress requires little skill to use - it's easy - and is the most generally useful one.

If you want to read more, google "fox calls tape" to start. Anyway, there's some info - if you think it might help' go tor it.

 

[Shellz]

Oooooh, a semi-auto! I don't have one of those yet! I don't know about Mossbergs, you'll have to let me know later!
I have an electronic caller (FoxPro) that has a bunch of pre-recorded animal calls on it. Also have a woodpecker decoy that attaches to it. There's a remote you use to select the call + volume you want. The unit you place a distance away, so your target doesn't see you. It is focused on the moving decoy. Can bring in your target close this way, if you're downwind of it. Pre e-caller, I got a big yote to come in, just by making squeaky noises with my mouth against my hand! I was a newb, on first hunt, and it came right behind me! It gave me a short, loud & low howl about 10 feet behind me! That was exciting! Yeah, going to mount foxtail on that e-caller! Some folks take a fox to taxidermist (or do themselves) & use the entire top of fox pelt & tail to create a realistic decoy that way. Think of the season when you hunt varmints. Coyotes are mating now, (Canada) so some female yote howls are good. Also, puppy distress. Rabbit distress hasn't worked here because they know they've eaten them all! Lol!
Definitely not unusual for you to want a gun for your birthday! I thought I was a freak, too! You're not alone, trust me! Everything I got for Xmas, is hunting related! It's my other addiction! I'm 48 & Just got started last year. I suggest if you want to get into seriously hunting yotes, join a hunting forum. Be selective, not all forums are the same. Can find plenty of info, just glean what you can, and hunt SAFE! Best of luck to you & Happy Birthday, Mygirls20!

 

[Mygirls20]

Ya I dont know if I will get totally crazy will all the calls and stuff lol. I didnt see the fox at all night before last but this morning... The traps door was shut so I slow walked up on it only to find it empty

Mouse maybe?!?! I have no clue what set it off. But I was smart enough to put the trap on a untouched pile of snow. I saw fox tracks the little F(*$(@( even peed on the trap. I am guessing he has been caught before which is going to make getting rid of him so much harder

I reset the trap putting it next to the chicken run and let my girls out I am going to keep a really good eye on them today. Hoping he can see that he cant get into my new fortified run and get desperate and go into the trap. We will see... Kicking myself in the butt for not just having a gun in the first place. I would have had everything solved the first night he attacked.

 

[JackE]

I seen a clip on YouTube, that had a guy call in a fox with a compact mirror, and a piece of styrofoam from a cheap cooler. He just rubbed the styro across the mirror three or four times., paused, then repeated. Then, you see this fox coming across the field, he squeaked the mirror again, the fox kept coming, then BLAMMMMMM, down goes the fox, just like a puppet who got his strings cut. They have all kinds of videos like that on YouTube, everything from trapping methods, to shootings.
I see my fox,(some times foxes) around every now and again. Of course, it's ALWAYS when I'm unarmed. One of these days, his luck will run out. I ended up getting 400' of electrified poultry netting from Premier and surrounding my coop with a 7000V protector. See pic below.
A waiting period to get a .22. What a joke. I guess they feel you must have a"CoolingDownPeriod", before you take custody of that deadly weapon., HAAA. As far as the ammo goes, try getting some on-line. I've heard there has been a run on bullets of all kinds, but, geeese, you ought to be able to get some .22s.
Jack

 

[Mygirls20]

I seen a clip on YouTube, that had a guy call in a fox with a compact mirror, and a piece of styrofoam from a cheap cooler. He just rubbed the styro across the mirror three or four times., paused, then repeated. Then, you see this fox coming across the field, he squeaked the mirror again, the fox kept coming, then BLAMMMMMM, down goes the fox, just like a puppet who got his strings cut. They have all kinds of videos like that on YouTube, everything from trapping methods, to shootings.
I see my fox,(some times foxes) around every now and again. Of course, it's ALWAYS when I'm unarmed. One of these days, his luck will run out. I ended up getting 400' of electrified poultry netting from Premier and surrounding my coop with a 7000V protector. See pic below.
A waiting period to get a .22. What a joke. I guess they feel you must have a"CoolingDownPeriod", before you take custody of that deadly weapon., HAAA. As far as the ammo goes, try getting some on-line. I've heard there has been a run on bullets of all kinds, but, geeese, you ought to be able to get some .22s.
Jack

haha Cooing down time is what I told my husband. I couldnt believe it was going to take that long for a .22 You have a very beautiful coop/run lucky chickens. Have you ever had problems with hawks?

 

[chickenman700]

I also had a fox get into my chickens. It actually happend twice. I thought that i fixed the problem but he was determined and did it again. He killed my roosters. Anyone have any extra black australorps, blue orpington, wheaten marans, or light brahma roosters? I would like to hear from you if you do. Thanks.

 

[JackE]

haha Cooing down time is what I told my husband. I couldnt believe it was going to take that long for a .22 You have a very beautiful coop/run lucky chickens. Have you ever had problems with hawks?

I have hawks around, but (KnockOnWood) have not had any loses to them. I've even seen eagles flying over the branch/creek back in there. My birds seem to be really tuned in to airborne predators when they are out. They know what a hawk sounds like. They'll get under the coop, or hide in that clump of brush seen in the picture. I also have crows around and they, the crows, must have a certain call for hawks. Because I have seen the chickens respond to those calls the crows make. They'll pop their heads up and head for cover.
Jack