Fox hunting advice

[Joel]

Ok guys, am planning on going for my first fox hunt. I have a property lined up that has rabbits and foxes. I am planning on whistling some in. I would really appreciate some advice if you have any for me

[adam]

Hi Joel, this is an artical I wrote for Bowhunting Dowunder Magazine I hope it helps.

A lot more could be added to this if anyone would like to share.

The Art of the Whistler.

Whistling foxes has been a passion of mine since I ever started hunting with a bow and arrow. Over the years I’ve been taught a few other methods then just the tin whistle and I’d like to share these methods with the bowhunters that don’t already know them.

I’ll start off with a little story about an old dog fox I hunted a few years back.
My local hunting grounds had a good variety of small game, Rabbits, Hares and Foxes. Armed with a little true aim 50# recurve I worked the creek lines, blackberry patches and rocky outcrops on the property. All these areas are prime fox hideouts during the day. Down in the last paddock I’d always seen a good dog fox, but since the first time I whistled him and didn’t follow through with a shot, (cunning buggers) he has never been interested in the whistle again. I like to call these animals Educated. When I reached the last paddock I decided to try a squawk sound that my little mate Roger Charnock had shown me, and most likely Dave Whiting had shown it to him years before. Wetting your lips and sucking on the tin whistle makes this sound very well. Well didn’t I get the shock of my life when I seen this fox coming full pelt across the paddock. Backed right up against a shrub I knew I was well concealed so I let the red runner come in real close. I put some curve into the limbs of the recurve when the fox was around 10 meters and let out a growl to pull him up. He prop up as he put his haunches on, not a moment later the arrow disappeared into his chest and exited near his back leg. He sprung off side ways with is tail in the air, a good sign that the shot is fatal. He drop after making a 10 meter dash and it ended there.

Now that’s an exciting bit of hunting in my books, having a fiery little vermin like the fox come bolting towards you is heart racing and will test your shooting abilities under pressure. They might not have ivory or antler but a fox skin on the hunting room floor is a great trophy.

Ethical Harvesting Gear For Foxes.

Any razor sharp 2 3 or 4 blade broadhead with a tough construction would be suitable for foxes. The fox is a tough little bugger, but not in the sense of thick hide or being a solid animal. I would think that any razor sharp arrow from a minimum poundage or 40 pounds too the chest would result in a quick humane harvest. There may be a few novice bowhunters out there that would consider a judo type of head for fox hunting; I’d advise against that no matter what poundage you are using.

Making A Stance

If you’re hunting with a partner you want to signal to him that you’re going to have a whistle and get into positions. I won’t whistle until arrows are on the string and hunting partner and myself are well concealed against a tree, shrub, rock etc, you want to break up your outline and blend into your surrounds. It also helps if there’s a few object out in front of you, so the fox isn’t looking at the only thing out in the paddock being you and a tree. Now the reason we have the arrow on the rest, fingers on the string and bow arm in position is a fox will come right on in with out you knowing or just plain come on in so quick you won’t have time to get ready. Being at the ready will also save a lot of movement, reaching for arrow etc. Speaking of movement I just turn my head when whistling to spot foxes coming to the call. Quite often a fox will sit back and watch for a few seconds to see where the distressed rabbit (tin whistle) is, so you don’t want to move much as you may have eyes looking in your direction. When a fox does show up watch him come all the way. If your hunting with a compound draw early when the fox is not looking towards you, or if he’s vision is blocked for a second behind a bush etc draw then. Traditional shooters just do your thing at close quarters. If you don’t anchor for long like me and soon as that string gets to the face its release time then you’ll probably want to hold at half draw or do the full draw once the fox arrives at your shooting distance. After the shot has been taken just keep whistling, there could well be another fox on its way in. Also keep quiet even once the fox has gone down to the hit. That applies to all game. If an animal has been hit and you spook it, it may not go down as quiet if spooked; an adrenalin rush will carry a hit animal further then what should have been. Once you have snuck up on the downed fox and have confirmed its expired then you can talk and congratulate your mate.

Hopefully I can cover the skinning and natural tanning of foxes in another edition.

The Lure

The tin fox whistle has to be the most basic and productive fox hunting tool in the galaxy, its using it right that’s not so easy. The best I can explain is you put chatter in it when blowing. A lot of hunters let out little blows of say a few seconds then have a good look around and continue this for around 2 minutes. I just keep blowing on that tin whistle and I really get it going, the louder the better. I’ll whistle for around 3 minutes with big and little burst only stopping for a few seconds to take a breath. I generally phase it out then start loud again and move on after a good look around. Throughout the whistling session ill constantly check all directions even down wind. Too many times I’ve been caught out with a fox behind me; I can still see myself 3 foot off the ground letting out a 14 year old little girls scream when a fox snuck up on me from down wind. I turned around after the whistle not expecting it. I didn’t really let out that scream, well so I like to tell myself anyway.
Now there are all types of ways foxes come in, and with experience you’ll know how to react to all of them. There’s the cunning old buggers that sit back for a while and walk in real slow staring in your direction all the way, the ones that are young uneducated or have nothing in there stomach, then there’s the foxes that just sit back or pay no attention to the whistle at all. This is where the squeal squeak and squawk can come in to play in the game of hunter and fox. Most foxes can’t resist the thought of crunching down on a native bird especially one that’s already wounded, which is what the squawk sounds like. You can get the squawk sound by sucking on your tin fox whistle or a really high pitch squeal by wetting two of your finger tips and sucking on them. Practice that and get it down pat, by the time you have it right the other family members in your house will be so sick of hearing it they’ll be glad your gone hunting. A lot of guys have said they can get the foxes in but they are so quick at close quarters they are having trouble hitting them. Like most of the information I have provided today it was passed on to me from other hunters, well Dave whiting taught me this one. When the fox is about 1 meter before the desired distance let out a gentle growl to pull him up. Make sure the growl is not to aggressive as he’ll just turn and keep running, not in your direction. Now you have a stationary target, make sure when you pull him up your ready to release.

Prime fox hunting

Foxes breed for a short period of time in mid-winter being early July to late august, at this time of the year foxes can be impossible to call in. Late September and thru October you should see a few foxes coming in and you should be able to whistle foxes with good result up to the next breeding time.
Favored areas for foxes are creeks, river beds, fallen timber, bushes that provide good cover, rocky out crops and death pits.


History of the fox in Australia
.
The European Red Fox was originally released near Melbourne, Victoria, in 1845. It wasn’t long till foxes started preying on native animals in this beautiful land we call Australia. The reason for the fox’s arrival to Australia was recreational hunting.
The Fox quickly crossed the Nullarbor Plain (south-western South Australia) into the state of Western Australia.
By 1893, Victoria and New South Wales had a bounty on fox scalps. All most every town had a fox weigh-in.
The European Fox reached Queensland approximately 1910 and since then has had a massive effect on all the different ecosystems of the state of Queensland.
Anyways give fox hunting ago it’s a good bit of hunting, and a flavor to our land.
Good hunting all, Adam Greentree

[Joel]

Hahaha wow thats you Adam!? I have read and re-read that article so many times. There are some great pics too. That article has been the only advice I have had, it is very well written! Thanks mate
Have you written anything on skinning yet?

[adam]

Been working on a skinning artical for a while, just need a few better pictures to put it together.

Thanks for the kind words mate, my grammer(spelling) isn't the best but I try.

A few things I didn't add to the artical were the tricky foxes that will do a full loop around you when whistling, they do this to get the wind in there favour, sometimes changing the call will make them come directly in(like changing from rabbit in distress to bird call). Or take the shot if there close enough while circling as they certainly won't get closer if doing the circle around you.

Also something that has worked for me in the past is carrying a flu flu or whistling arrow. If a fox is at its den or a black berry bush and won't come out to the call, you shoot this arrow(flu flu) out into a bit of open, get another arrow on the rest asap, 9 times out of 10 the fox will bolt over and see what made the noise (flu flu) and you get a clear shot, but be quick they will smell your scent on the arrow if they find it. I used this last year, a fox walked into some blackberrys and would show its self, so I launched a flu flu 5 meters in front of the black berry and the fox jumped ou tto have a look.

Adam

[Joel]

Very cunning. I wouldnt mind getting some flu flus but havent ever seen em go. I'm really pumped to go out for the first time. Am thinking of going out just to get whistling practice before hand with a camera. Hope I might get some good shots

[adam]

Have you heard anyone whistling yet mate, it can be hard to master to start with(and to explain). If not Ill try find a video of it so you know what it sounds like(chatter in the whistle kind of thing)

Adam

[Joel]

Ive checked out some videos on youtube. There seem to be some cool ways there. Plus I found a fox whistle selling webpage and listened to how that bloke did it. I think I can get the gist. Thats why I want to go practice with a camera (at different location so fox wont know I'm after him). Good idea?

[adam]

yep good idea mate, hope you see some.

Adam

[Joel]

Thanks mate, will post the some pics if I get any