Need to up my grey fox kills any suggestions?

[John Malone]

Hey guys, the grey fox around here are getting out of control. I'm sitting on approximately 100 acres that i hunt. No other fox hunters or trappers that I know of in the area, lots of private land. I can walk this property late evening and catch glimpses of at least half a dozen fox in different spots.
  I manage to get a few every year by ambushing them as they cross areas I know they cross or calling them in. I really need to up that number some how. Can only trap them from jan2-jan31. I'm new to trapping so I need to make the most of the hunting season nov1-jan1. Any suggestions, maybe bait piles, dancing naked under the moon any advice is welcome.

[Stumpkiller]

Raise some chickens.


They will come to you.

[The Whittler]

What do they taste like?

[indianalongbowshooter]

learn how to sound like a cat/kitten in distress..or a grey fox pup in distress.. have had them almost run over me using  either.

[John Malone]

Only ate one fox, kinda tough and stringy best I can remember.

[fling]

buy a nice .25cal air rifle. as much fun as bow hunting.

[John Malone]

I have an AR but its not an air rifle.
Guess ill just have to spend more time calling. Only have a month and a half left so i need to kill as many as possible then trap as many as possible during january.
Not going to be able to rabbit hunt this year and i love rabbit.

[TradBrewSC]

I did commercial Coyote trapping for years here in SC, and did really learn how to catch Grey's easily but never really targeted them BC their numbers are pretty slim around here and really aren't considered a nuisance to me or my clients.  

Easy to catch with a simple beginners dirt hole set in the right place. On a property as small as 100 acres you should be able to put a good dent in a week..

PM me if you want some trapping advice as I am happy to help.

If I may ask, what is your hatred towards them? Do you have fowl on your property?

[John Malone]

Thanks TradBrew, I've been researching the trapping I can only use cage type traps where I'm located. I have a lot more confidence in my bow. My problem is there are so many around  the rabbit population has taken a huge hit so I want to even it back out so to speak. I figure if I kill as many as possible during hunting and trapping season and don't hunt the rabbit maybe it will straighten out in a year or two.

[John Malone]

Oh I have no hatred for them their beautiful creatures, just way to many of them. And I love a good wild rabbit stew in the winter.

[TradBrewSC]

Fare enough! I enjoy a rabbit stew as well!

In that case I would try either a tree stand or ground blind sit first using a light toned distress call, blowing frequently. You can even put a cotton ball or tuft of hair on a tall piece of grass (maybe with cottontail scent) as a visual stimulant in your "zone".

It will be much more productive when it gets really cold as they are still eating insects right now. Their primary diet in warmer months is hoppers, berries and such, but after a couple of frosts they will really be focusing on field mice and the occasional small cottontail. So a load coyote type electronic call may be a bit much and make them shy.

Preferably set on the downwind side in a more open area facing dense cover as they approach from thickets until a quick pop out where a shot opportunity would be possible. Like Yotes or anything else they prefer to approach from the downwind side but also dislike being in the open so if you force them to stay upwind by being in the open it will be best.

Hope this helps. haven't done it in some time but have certainly has success with this past

[the rifleman]

The best calls we found were the old johnny stewart tapes--- grey fox in distress.  We used a good cassette recorder w tone adjustment to get raspiness.  We would stand 20 yds from woodline, use amber lensed lights and keep main beam up in tree tops with halo on ground.  The halo would pick up their eyes and when they were in range wed lift up our shotgun and theyd often sit down for easy shot--- work out alignment of light on your head first so main beam aims with barrel.  Number 4 shot worked great.  Back then we would get as much as $65.00 a pelt-- that tells you how long ago it was.

[the rifleman]

We would often score 3 or 4 a night.  Best areas were around swamps.  Im sure the digital calls would have even more clarity.

[John Malone]

Not legal to hunt them at night. So its early morning or late evening, its going to cut into my deer hunting.

[1Longbow]

Buy your self a cheap 17HMR, deadly on fox and easy on the fur. 20 grain XTP bullets

[woodchucker]

Put some Fox urine on a tree, within range of your stand. Any fox coming by, will stop & lift his leg.

[BAK]

They are interesting critters.  I was in a stand in central IA years ago before we became popular.  I saw a nearby ceder tree shaking and here a grey fox had climbed all the way to the top of it.  Got it after it crawled down and walked by my stand.  Their almost like a cross between a red fox and a coyote.