Calling grey fox

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ElmoreB84

New member
I just received permission to call on some land that has grey fox and was wondering if they are much different than calling in coyotes? The area I normally hunt doesn't have fox, so everything about them is new to me. I have a spitfire that will deliver today that has quite a few bird distress sounds as well as grey fox distress. Should these calls work, or do I need to invest in something else? Any info would be greatly appreciated
 
if you can hunt yotes, you can hunt foxes, gray distress sounds work, as well as rabbit distress, im sure bird distress would work as well but i haven't tried it. just remember to hunt the thick, and be ready they usually come on the run.
 
ElmoreB84,

It sounds like the setup you've got will do just fine. I call lots of grays when I'm calling in the canyons around Arizona, and they're always fun to watch. The gray fox is a hard charging lion-hearted little predator that will come to a lot of distress sounds.

When I'm targeting grays I normally start my stand with some woodpecker distress, mix in some cottontail screams & rodent squeaks, and then hit the grey fox juvenile or adult male distress. If you're in an area that's got 'em, that combo will normally put them right in front of the speaker.

Once you have them by your caller, you can switch sounds over and over and oftentimes keep them around for several minutes.

Here's a 2 minute video of a gray fox that demonstrates the sound changes:



It was early in the season and his coat was pretty thin - I gave him a pass.

Best of luck to you,

Mark Healy
 
We have a bunch of Grays back here in the East. If you got FoxPro sound #226 "Scream-n-Gray Fox" on that Spitfire, it will be about all you need.

Great advice above. Stick to the thick cover, don't actually worry about the wind as you would with a coyote. All the sounds listed above will work, but those Gray Fox Distress and the Scream-N-Gray just seem to work a little faster sometimes. They are bold, careless, wreckless and quick to get into the sound.

Have fun!

Thanks for sharing that video clip Mike.
 
Originally Posted By: PrusonWe have a bunch of Grays back here in the East. If you got FoxPro sound #226 "Scream-n-Gray Fox" on that Spitfire, it will be about all you need.

Great advice above. Stick to the thick cover, don't actually worry about the wind as you would with a coyote. All the sounds listed above will work, but those Gray Fox Distress and the Scream-N-Gray just seem to work a little faster sometimes. They are bold, careless, wreckless and quick to get into the sound.

Have fun!

Thanks for sharing that video clip Mike.

+1 on the Scream-n-Gray!
 
Greys don't all seem to care about the wind, some will come in a circle down wind and still keep coming.
Many times I have had them sit and bark like coyote does when they smell you. When that happens switch from the prey distress to a fox distress and get ready, they usually come a runnnin.
The ones around here will respond to just about any distress sound you can come up with. Just make your set up where it's within earshot of a patch of thick brush.
My country doesn't have a lot of coyotes, but is lousy with grey fox. They are a lot of fun to call, pretty comical the way they act when they come in.
 
Thanks for all the good info guys! Luckily the only fox distress sound I put on there is #226 Scream-n-Grey, couldn't get that lucky again in a million years. Definately not the way my luck usually goes! What about a decoy? I have the Mojo critter and the Foxpro Jack in the box.
 
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Scream n grey is awsome. If you have any way to download sounds try to find Johnny stewart grey fox pup. If not then just use scream n grey and watch out. They will be running around your feet in a matter of minutes. I have had them a couple feet away from me as soon as I have turned the caller on.
 

Re: Decoys -

You really won't need decoys for gray fox - they normally don't require much encouragement. However, it won't hurt anything either. Not to mention, when you're calling the thick brush looking for grays you just might get a bobcat to come in. We have had excellent results with the Mojo Critter and bobcats.

Oddly enough we have had some jevelina raise heck with the Mojo Critter too. They've never bitten it, but they've come very close.

Regards,

Mark Healy
 
Fox Pup sounds work.

Some will not come until all sounds are off for a few minutes. These were younger ones.

It is almost too late in the year now, but they arn't too far from pecan trees. Possibly other nuts.
 
If you use a decoy, don't go to big in size. I've seen Grays intimidate by a larger decoy that was making alot of motion. Here is my only decoy, only moves on the wind, and it works, obviously. Keep it simple for Grays.

FPFeatherFox.jpg
 
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