AZLance Report post Posted October 7, 2010 Went calling today and had a fox come in so quick that he was at my feet before I had time to react. He was literally 1 foot from the end of my shotgun barrel. Obviously I'm not going to shoot with a shot gun at one foot. What are some tricks you have learned to help diffuse this situation, and let the fox move on but not take off running at full speed. This has happened to me several times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted October 8, 2010 I've had that happen to me three times. Once the fox actually made contact with my boots before running off. A second time, I hit it with the stock of my rifle. The final time I threw a stick at it when I spotted it racing towards me. I was calling for bear and was not going to waste a shot on a fox. Two out of three times, the fox hung around for several minutes and gave me the obnoxious fox bark, which may have scared other predators away or alerted them to somehting suspicious in the area. Foxes make me nervous when they are around and I fear having to receive rabies shots. Now, I always place a few nice throwing rocks next to me before I ever start to call! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted October 8, 2010 I knew a guy who several years ago had the fox pounce on him and bite and scratch up his face pretty good. Needless to say he had to get rabies shots... I was not as concerned as much about that as I was actually getting them to hang around long enough to get a clean shot at... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted October 8, 2010 Those three that came closest to me were very pesky and did hang around. Other foxes that stoped around the 20-50 foot range took off and never came back, but the close ones didn't need much encouragement to hang around. They would pop up in bushes or on rocks and bark and me and circle partially around me and bark again...move to another vantage point and bark some more... and after a few minutes they finally left. They must be extra hungry, extra naive, or extra prideful when they come in that close that they end up sticking around a bit longer after being tricked. Who knows for certain? I'll let you know. I'm out tomorrow after work and a half day Saturday to check trail cams. I'll blow a few stands and see what comes in. I'll take the 12 gauge along in case a cat comes a-looking! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLW Report post Posted October 8, 2010 a digital caller can help with that. last year i had a fox jump up on the same rock ledge i was sitting on, i was holding the caller in my hand. it happened so fast he growled at me as i eased the caller and set it down with my shotgun laying across my lap kinda already pointed at him i picked it up and just pulled the trigger without even getting the gun up to my shoulder he did a backward summersalt off off the rock. after that happened i now put the caller out even if only 10 yds or so. i haven't called any in with hand calls i usually only use them when calling coyotes. just be caytious not to shoot your caller............ hope this helps james Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted October 8, 2010 Pay closer attention, don't call until ready to shoot and shoot before the fox gets to 1 foot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Jonathan Report post Posted October 9, 2010 Pay closer attention, don't call until ready to shoot and shoot before the fox gets to 1 foot. Can't go wrong with that advice! But seriously, perhaps using a decoy or some kind of visual stimulant at 10-15 yards away from where you are set up so that focus becomes that instead of the auditory stimuli from your call? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted October 10, 2010 the fox came in from behind without making a sound. The wind was blowing in my face, so he had to have winded me. I was ready to shoot, but that would be pointless to shoot at 1 foot, unless I wanted a cup holder in the middle of my fox... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
