7 replies to this topic

[Bozsik]

Cool, damp, and foggy were the ticket this morning. I had a couple of hours of calling this morning. I stopped about two miles east of the main fork in the road as you come from Camp Far West. There is a DFG heavywhite steel post gate on the left side of the road, so I paked just beyond it. After suiting up and snagging Point Blank's Rossi 223, I tramped down the path 1/4 of a mile or so from the public road.The terrain had open oak and I was near the cottom of a gully that empties the area during the wet. Finding a knocked down Oak with plenty of lichen and moss on it, I snuggled in amongst the severed branches. It didn't take long for the fog to lift, since it was fairly thin anyway, I was prepared to start calling. The Fox Pro was in the car this time. Don't exactly know why I didn't take it with me, but I grasped the Circe Cottontail call a friend of mine gave me recently and cut loose with some screams. They sure seem louder when you are out in the silence of the woods then they do when practicing at home. Anyhow, the second set of squeals was just winding down when a nice gray fox pops up on the trail from which I had just passed while setting up the stand.His nose went do the ground immediately as he reached the part that I had stepped through only moments before I set up. There was plenty of dense cover provided by the blackberry bushes. I was certain he hadn't seen me, but he was quick to perform a 180 an bounce back into the briar patch.I was thinking there probably wouldn't be much of a chance of a yote nearby, if the fox is there, so I kept calling for another 10 minutes. The fox pops back up onto the path three feet right of the previous emergence point. Well, he stayed there for about 45 seconds and jumped back to whence he came. If it were the season for them, I had the crosshairs on him and watched him for about 35 of the 45 seconds he was visible. No yotes today, but I really feel good about the number of responses I am getting. My calling techniques are improving, or the animals are getting dumber. I like to think it is the first. The other thing I noticed is the Circe call is very high pitched compared to the other two cottontail calls I own. And it is certainly higher than the Jacks. Since I have not called any foxes until now, and the only two I have called have been the two times I have used this call, I think I will use this particular call for foxes when the brush is thick. Anyone else call foxes with a Jack call?db

[Iron Worker]

Bozick When is Fox season? Where is spencville? Hey I'm going to buy a fox pro in the next few days. Which one? 16 calls or 32. Do I really need a glow in the dark remote? How long does it glow? The difference between the two is a $100 bucks.

[capitol]

If your buying a NIB Foxpro there is only one choice. Its the FX-3 with 32 sounds. No you dont NEED a glow in the dark remote, but it's a nice feature when your playing in the garage or scaring kids on Haloween :DBoz, now that I think of it, sorry to hi-jack the thread with foxpro stuff.

[Bozsik]

Doesn't open until the later part of Nov. Spenceville Wildlife Area is managed by DFG and is northeast of Sheridan, East of Marysville. I have been out there only six times so far. All of them this year. Once to use the rifle range (big mistake) and the other five to hunt. I have seen either yotes, or in this case a fox, on every hunting occasion but one.I also ran into turkey this time and a few quail. There was another person with a German shorthair pointer. He was jump shooting the ducks at the onsite ponds.As far as a Foxpro is concerned, I am not that experienced at calling yet, although I have a sharp learning curve for these kinds of things. I have spent the last three decades photographing wildlife in the western U.S, South Pacific Islands, New Zealand and Australia. and not hunting them with firearms. I did a large amount of hunting, trapping, and falconry, as a kid and into my early twenties. My 11-year-old son got me back into the game last year. I am glad he did, because I almost forgot how it feels to hunt with a firearm. (feels great)The FoxPro I have doesn't have the remote control, though I can surely appreciate the value it would have. It is not in my price range. I have found that the electronic call is not the BE ALL, and End ALL for calling. The yotes get wise to the machine calls after a short while and they don't respond. The advantage with a hand call is that you can vary the way you call with the same call. It could be like two different rabbits.As for what to do, get a couple of hand calls. Shooter showed me his Foxpro at one of the first meetings I attended last year. They are well made, and I have called in a number of yotes with it. It is sure nice to have both hands on the weapon when something appears. When the fox appeared the first time this morning, I was still just tapering off with some whimpering sounds. I didn't have the gun in both hands. If it were fox season, I wouldn't have had him until he showed the second time.As for a glow-in-the-dark remote, they work well for calling aliens. I hope I haven't babbled on too much for you. I know some of the other members in the club can give you some wiser sage advice, but that's all I have. If you are thinking about trying Spenceville out, I can provide you with a map to the area I spotted the fox. They do have a beautiful coat. I think they are much nicer looking than yotes, though a prime winter yote is a beautiful animal as well.dbdb

[Iron Worker]

Thanks So from HWY 80 I can get on HWY 65 and go to HWY 20east is that right? Thats closer than Fort Sage mountains. So am I going to be harassed by some animal rights activiest there? Yes a Map would be great. Thanks for your effort. What town is close by with a Motel? Do I need 4 wheel drive? Fow pro is itTX3 with remote.I've been doing better with the hand calls. For me the closed reed is the easyest. Last time out with the open reed the reed got screwed up to much saliva or some thing it sucked after a few minutes. But I did manage to call one in with a "Song Dog" Pictures soon blew big chunk out ofher chest with Hornady 52 gr A-Max 22-250 AI.dead before she hit the ground.

[ShooterJohn]

The FoxPro I have doesn't have the remote control, though I can surely appreciate the value it would have. It is not in my price range. I have found that the electronic call is not the BE ALL, and End ALL for calling. The yotes get wise to the machine calls after a short while and they don't respond. The advantage with a hand call is that you can vary the way you call with the same call. It could be like two different rabbits.db

I disagree with Dave to a point. Electronic calls can be over used and used incorrectly too. Biggest mistake most people make with them is cranking them up to loud and then letting them run on and on without varing them. It scares a fair number of animals away that way. The best purpose for having the remote is to start the sound out low and slowly work it up, or up and down. Maybe change to a different sound and then maybe shut off the call and use a mouth call or even in unison. Sure animals can get used to them but if you change it up especially using a remote it will work better for you. After all it's just a tool and you have to be smart and use it efficiently. Just my opinion but a good electronic call can work wonders used correctly. There are tons of tips for using them on the web. I would start at FoxPro's forum site and read through there too. A big plus with them is the call isn't you, so an animal coming in isn't looking at you.

[Bozsik]

John's right there. It's not an exact science. The author of a book I just read says to never change calls unless you get a hanger and you want to squeek for them, and others will tell you to swap back and forth. I haven't had mine that long, and it isn't a remote, as I have said. The one yote I did get with it when I used the built-in delayed timer (was about 30 yards away) never even saw me when I nailed him. I was about 90 degrees to his left and only 30 yards. I am sure he was surprized for an instant!! INCOMING!! db

[ShooterJohn]

I agree Dave, it's difficult without a remote. And again there isn't an exact science of how to use them.