GRAY FOX QUESTIONS
- Thread starter je/phx/23
- Start date
jp23-
Grey fox are as dumb as a fox comes. My experience shows you can call them in over and over, and beat them over the head with volume. They love distressed puppy sounds and if you can't get the shot, change your tune and he'll often return. I can't remember one that circled me to use the wind to his advantage during my fox years. Reds however, the opposite is true. In the future, please don't type in all caps as it hurts our ears and is difficult to read, thanks. Good luck.
Grey fox are as dumb as a fox comes. My experience shows you can call them in over and over, and beat them over the head with volume. They love distressed puppy sounds and if you can't get the shot, change your tune and he'll often return. I can't remember one that circled me to use the wind to his advantage during my fox years. Reds however, the opposite is true. In the future, please don't type in all caps as it hurts our ears and is difficult to read, thanks. Good luck.
Pruson
New member
Weasel told you right, they can be called occassionally during the daytime. But you might get pretty frustrated if you only go during the daytime. They are much easier called at Dusk and Dawn, than during the mid-day hours. Unless naturally, you are in their bedroom with them. The first hour or so after civil twilight in the morning and the last half-hour of daylight are the witching hours, get ready. Have fun! Love dem' grays! They have the heart of a lion! Over-aggressive, I hate to call them dumb like kendog did, even if they do resemble that remark.
As for calls, if everyone around your parts are using the distress rabbit calls, shift to a high pitched shrill bird sound, it really works well also. A Johnny Stewart PC-3 and get out on the end of the reed and bite down and let er rip. Works for me. If your into electronics the FoxPro adult bluejay, quail, starling, shorebird, game chick, turkey in distress all work very well. Haydel's Mouse squeaker is a tube, mouth blown call that has more volume than most squeakers, especially the bulb types. Get in close in heavy cover where you think they are at and use that one.
As for calls, if everyone around your parts are using the distress rabbit calls, shift to a high pitched shrill bird sound, it really works well also. A Johnny Stewart PC-3 and get out on the end of the reed and bite down and let er rip. Works for me. If your into electronics the FoxPro adult bluejay, quail, starling, shorebird, game chick, turkey in distress all work very well. Haydel's Mouse squeaker is a tube, mouth blown call that has more volume than most squeakers, especially the bulb types. Get in close in heavy cover where you think they are at and use that one.
Adding to Pruson's remarks, realize that grey fox are very nocternal and are denning animals most of the time, year round. To the caller that means when the sun is up, he's tucked under a log pile or down a hole. Tough to call him out of there.
The red fox dens only when there are pups. That makes him callable during daylight hours most of the year. During the harshest, coldest weather, a red is great to call during daylight.
The red fox dens only when there are pups. That makes him callable during daylight hours most of the year. During the harshest, coldest weather, a red is great to call during daylight.
Red Fox use there dens here from Oct.-Jul.if not more.Thats old school to think they dont.Gray Fox also wise up to calls,They will respond but stay in cover and bark,They can still be had but they educate on every mistake.If they didnt there would be none left at the end of season.
GS
New member
I believe the grey fox can become smart to a particular sound. It takes longer than a coyote but they can stop responding to the same sound. Fortunately for us they never figure out why they hear so many different sounds coming from the same location. I can call the same grey fox repeatedly with different sounds over long periods of time. I once called the same grey back to me with 4 different sounds at the same stand before he became tired of the game.
They will use their nose if they happen to come from the down wind position. If they approach from the upwind direction, their fatal flaw is that they most often will check out visually first and then circle down wind which is the opposite of coyotes. Most coyotes will use their noses first in high wind and then come in to visually confirm.
They will use their nose if they happen to come from the down wind position. If they approach from the upwind direction, their fatal flaw is that they most often will check out visually first and then circle down wind which is the opposite of coyotes. Most coyotes will use their noses first in high wind and then come in to visually confirm.
Pruson
New member
I agree, they do sometimes learn that some sounds suck and bite and sting. That is why I recommedned in my post above "As for calls, if everyone around your parts are using the distress rabbit calls, shift to a high pitched shrill bird sound" I really believe I normally have better luck around here than most cause I ain't singing their songs.
Also on GS's comment about they will use their noses. On different occassions I have seen them actually stop and test the air, similair to a coyote, BUT most of those times I provoked it by muting the screamer or stopped calling as they was inbound. As long as they are busy listening or seeing, they are coming. Let something change and they shift senses to verify. I can almost call it before he does it, it sure is fun sometimes to play with em.
Good post guys, different opinions and all. Glad I ain't no expert on reds today. "Whoa! not meaning that I am on grays either" Just having fun with mistakes that I have made, ain't that learning.
Also on GS's comment about they will use their noses. On different occassions I have seen them actually stop and test the air, similair to a coyote, BUT most of those times I provoked it by muting the screamer or stopped calling as they was inbound. As long as they are busy listening or seeing, they are coming. Let something change and they shift senses to verify. I can almost call it before he does it, it sure is fun sometimes to play with em.
Good post guys, different opinions and all. Glad I ain't no expert on reds today. "Whoa! not meaning that I am on grays either" Just having fun with mistakes that I have made, ain't that learning.
thx guys for the great info that grey i shot last week was the first fox i have called so all info is helpful think all try my foxpro this time with a decoy cause i found alot of cat scat also
still learn only been at this for two years but enjoying every bit of it thx again john
still learn only been at this for two years but enjoying every bit of it thx again john
R Buker your huntin to much at night,try it when its light,When are fox not being chased in south Mn.in the fall and winter? I can show you a dozen places any day during the winter where there are fox in the ground or a culvert.Yes it comes from pressure!25-40 years ago I seen a completely different Red Fox they would lay 50yd-whatever off the road Now unless there mating You are hard pressed to find a sleeper.There are still a few in the slews but not at all as it use to be.See an awful lot in culverts though.And we still have a good # of fox there adjusting to the pressure and thats a fact.
R Buker
New member
Willy,
We are going to have to agree to disagree. I grew up in Southern Minnesota (Waseca) and do more day time hunting than night time hunting. I trapped my way through college and caught a ton of foxes.
I'll give you this much. Yes, reds do use culverts quite a bit. Not real sure why. They don't tend to nest in them and they'll use them during the winter time too. But, unless you are trying to track them down, they seldom use a den during the winter time. Now, starting late Feb and March, they start hanging around dens as they prepare to set up housekeeping.
I know of several dens in my area and when I go past them during the winter time, there are never any tracks going into them. When I was trapping in the fall, I never saw dens in use. It's true that we aren't seeing the sleepers we used to. I attribute that more to the lack of foxes and lack of snow for spotting them. The last few years have been terrible for snow. Mange nearly wiped out the foxes across the state. Coyotes are keeping the numbers low.
So, we'll agree to disagree. Your experiences have never been my experiences.
Randy
We are going to have to agree to disagree. I grew up in Southern Minnesota (Waseca) and do more day time hunting than night time hunting. I trapped my way through college and caught a ton of foxes.
I'll give you this much. Yes, reds do use culverts quite a bit. Not real sure why. They don't tend to nest in them and they'll use them during the winter time too. But, unless you are trying to track them down, they seldom use a den during the winter time. Now, starting late Feb and March, they start hanging around dens as they prepare to set up housekeeping.
I know of several dens in my area and when I go past them during the winter time, there are never any tracks going into them. When I was trapping in the fall, I never saw dens in use. It's true that we aren't seeing the sleepers we used to. I attribute that more to the lack of foxes and lack of snow for spotting them. The last few years have been terrible for snow. Mange nearly wiped out the foxes across the state. Coyotes are keeping the numbers low.
So, we'll agree to disagree. Your experiences have never been my experiences.
Randy
varmit_master
New member
HI i called one gray in the mor day time and it was a young one i had the old JS 512 caller with the 75ft cord so the speaker was in a small tree i had that little gray come in and sat down by the tree and look around i didnt shoot him because he was to little so i let him go i have called grays in the day time we have more gray fox than we do reds ones and that night i have had them just about run over the top of me lol VM
cat whacker
New member
grey fox do get call smart and they do use their nose when comming to a call. Pups and uneducated greys may run up your leg before they look around, but call one in a dust him wiht #2 shot and try to call him up the next day. He will set out there a couple of hundred yards and bark enough nothing will come in. This country gets called heavily and has for years, and very seldom will a grey fox come in and not circle downwind. The difference between them and coyotes is a fox usually will be in range when he does it. And before everyone disagrees I use over 15 different tapes and 5 mouth calls and have called in and killed well over a thousand fox in the last 15 years. Also as we are starting to get more coyotes we are getting less and less fox to charge the call. Now they are coming in almost like cats, at a snails pace from bush to bush.
Nothin to disagree about I dont know how many a ton of fox would be.But I know what ive put away in 35+ years.Your dens that are empty are not where the fox stays in winter,These are the places they guard when and after breeding,If they are bothered enough they wont have pups in them,they will move and have them elsewhere incl. culverts.If your fox are laying out there not pressured much. Ever notice in breeding season all the fox that all of a sudden show up its not all dispersal or somplace wouldnt have any.Cant believe that as good as you want every body to think you are you dont see this stuff .You must be gonna sell something pretty soon A book,tape???????