Predator calls and foxes, how well do they work?

[Carolyn]

I have raised chickens several years and lost many to different predators several of them being snatched by foxes particularly in the spring. I have an electric net fence but my chickens can fly over it (42inches). Finally I got a dog. I have spent the last 2 years with no losses as I have trained one then another border collie pup. I rehomed both, not because they weren't good LGD but because I did not have enough L for the D to G. My age and my health problems interfered with training the last one but basically they had far more energy that an old lady and her chickens required. They are both happy with a bigger pack and bigger responsibilities with horses, cows and boys.
About 3 weeks ago I woke up to hear the small flock of OEG that my nephew gifted me with talking excitedly outside my bedroom window. I looked out and the oldest hen was telling a pretty young fox something as the roo started his own verbalization. I tried to be quiet as I called for my husband to get the gun and out the door but the fox was startled and first retreated and then left before my husband could get in a shot. I was sick because it is very cold and these birds are used to lots of free ranging. My nephew traps and he arranged for some one close to me to come trap the fox on my 12 acres. However while they found lots of fox signs and an active den 50 ft into the woods they also found a lot of dog tracks and felt to set out traps would mean catching neighbor hood dogs. ( He didn't ask me if I cared).
The foxes have raised in the edge of my woods for several years. An electric fence and a dog worked but I need to make some repairs to their house to keep them in the fence and have time to find another dog that is more my speed. I have been without a dog about 2 months and so far have not lost a bird nor have I seen the fox again.

Now my nephew has suggested using a predator call and shooting them. I have questions. Will that work for foxes? Will it call up additional predators? Any one with experience who can answer my questions? Thanks.

 

[blucoondawg]

A predator call can lure in any varmint in the area, many people use them for coyote and bobcat around here, fox will respond as well. I have even heard of coon responding, basically you are playing an animal in distress call, usually a squealing rabbit, rodent squeaks or even deer fawn distress bleats, any carnivore or omnivore in the area could respond to the call looking for an easy opportunity at a meal. The thing with calling is it takes some practice to be good at it and there are many factors to consider, such as camoflauge also wind direction can blow human scent to the target animal and it will not respond. It isn't as easy as just playing a call and all the critters come a running. There are calls which you blow into and there are electronic calls that play a pre recorded sound some of these get very expensive and I hear of poor to mixed results with the cheap ones.

I'd say you have a good lure right now, chickens. Just wait for the varmint to come and shoot it in the yard or on its way to the yard.

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks. I think one of my biggest concerns is will it attract predators that I would not normally have?

 

[blucoondawg]

Well it won't lure anything that isn't already close enough to you to hear the call anyways, also the call is only used for the short period of time the caller/shooter is out on the hunt. In other words it isn't like baiting where you would throw a smelly pile of carrion out in the woods that is going to be there for days and hours and smell strong enough to draw animals from long distance.

I wouldn't worry much about calling drawing in more predators. The thing is calling isn't overtly successful anyways unless you have someone who is good at it.

 

[Carolyn]

Thank you.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Two videos are worth a thousand words.

Sorry no subtitles.

 

[Cluckysnap123]

Don't shoot it the poor thing could have babies the poor things!

 

[Carolyn]

Not yet; they are in their winter den. Babies come later and then mother fox catches a chicken every opportunity she can and then brings her young ones back to teach them to hunt. They love fast food chicken, no frying required.

 

[petrel]

First, please note that many states have designated seasons for fox hunting. They are specifically intended to prevent killing them while they may have pups in the den. Read up before you set out.

A good call can lure: foxes, coyotes, bobcats, feral and domestic dogs, feral and domestic cats, raccoons, etc. I cannot stress the importance of knowing your backstop and properly identifying your target before you dispatch it. Also, in open country an electronic caller with the volume controlled properly can draw predators from nearly a quarter mile away.

With this said, unless you or your nephew wants to take up predator hunting, I'd recommend asking your local game warden if he or she knows of a reputable predator hunter you could ask to come and remove whatever predators he or she finds near your flock.

 

[Carolyn]

We are within the law; my nephews are experienced but I am not and wanted more information. Thanks.