Foxes pairing up, bad time to shoot?

Czhornet

As the title says, I have been lamping lately and have come across pairs of foxes in fields where they are pairing up around this time of year. Is this a bad time of year to shoot foxes as only one of the pair is shot and I’m afraid that it might educate the other fox to the lamp and associate it with the shot following after.
(a bit like missing it really). What are your thoughts?

clivej

Czhornet wrote: »

As the tile says, I have been lamping lately and have come across pairs of foxes in fields where they are pairing up around this time of year. Is this a bad time of year to shoot foxes as only one of the pair is shot and I’m afraid that it might educate the other fox to the lamp and associate it with the shot following after.
(a bit like missing it really). What are your thoughts?

Always take the shot,

Benny mcc

Sometimes if you're lucky you hit the vixen first so if you're ready the dog "sometimes" runs a bit then stops to look back for his mate and you get the second shot. Rare but always be ready. Shooting for years and shot 3 doubles all in 6 months. That was 3 years ago but only single Fox's since. That was with the 17hmr. They don't look back much after the 223

Grizzly 45

This is the BEST time of year to be hunting fur-bearing critters.:)
Winter, this is when their fur is the thickest and fullest if you are hunting for pelts.

Czhornet

Benny mcc wrote: »

Sometimes if you're lucky you hit the vixen first so if you're ready the dog "sometimes" runs a bit then stops to look back for his mate and you get the second shot. Rare but always be ready. Shooting for years and shot 3 doubles all in 6 months. That was 3 years ago but only single Fox's since. That was with the 17hmr. They don't look back much after the 223

I got one pair this year and the only reason was like you said, I shot the vixen first and the dog ran off and but stayed in the field and kept trotting around the place until he got the scent of the vixen followed it and the only time he stopped was the sniff the vixen and ended up side by side in the field. And yes they dont hang around after the .223 goes pop!

steyrman

I find this time of year perfect when foxes are paired up I take the first fox in front as it’s vixen no vixen no cubs to worry about if you leave her there good chance of picking up the dog fox in a few hours I have shot over 16 foxes in the last week 11 vixens 5 dogs

Benny mcc

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

This is the BEST time of year to be hunting fur-bearing:) critters.
Winter, this is when their fur is the thickest and fullest if you are hunting for pelts.

I see the price of fur in the US If I could get someone to ship some over I'd never work again

Hunter456

when you shoot one of the pairs the other will run but what i normally do is try and call in the 2 close enough doesn't always happen but when you do shoot one the second will run on abit, reload and get on the other fox but if ya dont get the fox changes are when you return you will. this a great time of year for controlling foxes they are out in numbers. setting bait atm for 2 i seen last night hopefully they will be on the ground this week.

Czhornet

Hunter456 wrote: »

when you shoot one of the pairs the other will run but what i normally do is try and call in the 2 close enough doesn't always happen but when you do shoot one the second will run on abit, reload and get on the other fox but if ya dont get the fox changes are when you return you will. this a great time of year for controlling foxes they are out in numbers. setting bait atm for 2 i seen last night hopefully they will be on the ground this week.

Its not easy to get the second fox to stop after the first shot, have seen loads of pairs and each time I only get the 1 (shot 7 on Sunday night) but at least I know there is still one more in the locality and worth another visit!
That was the whole point of starting this thread, will the second fox be wiser next time?

Hunter456

Czhornet wrote: »

Its not easy to get the second fox to stop after the first shot, have seen loads of pairs and each time I only get the 1 (shot 7 on Sunday night) but at least I know there is still one more in the locality and worth another visit!
That was the whole point of starting this thread, will the second fox be wiser next time?

often returned the day after for the second fox, in the same field there it be mooching around the place i'd get a shot off.

Benny mcc

Yes the second fox will be wiser but take the shot when you get the chance. The second fox will take a bit of work to get. Often a windy night with the shot gun and a bit of thinking will sort him. We some times use two lights from different directions. He'll watch one and the second will get close enough to drop him.

steyrman

9 foxes in 3 nights most of them paired up great time to reduce the numbers in the area with this cold snap on the way it will get better