What caliber do you like for fox shooting?

[wakey87 2]

12 gauge got to make dow ith what you got lol

 

[hunter1 63]

Well said Deker

[Mr_Logic 5]

Quite simply, whatever I have with me at the time!

 

If I am out for fox, the rifle will depend on the land, not on the species. In the same vein, if I was rabbiting but could get no closer than 400 yards, I'd be shooting the 243 at the bunnies.

 

All depends on the land - do you have neighbours who don't like gunfire? Is there a built-up area nearby? How big is the land? Is it flat? Are there long shots? Will you be reloading for the rifle?

 

Those are the questions - Charlie can be killed with pretty much anything, so the other factors come into play.

 

I have Hornet, 223, 243 as my main fox rounds - I shoot over a number of different permissions and the different levels of range and noise do come into play. If I could only have one, it would the 223 each and every time, but then only as it is a compromise between the other two.

[223 cz 0]

what is the prefered calibre then guys,.?

if iwas to send in for fac i would put down a 22lr and 17hmr for fox, would that be suitable

Nope need centre fire.

 

Not necessarily true, it depends on the firearms dept that he deals with. Some will pass .17HMR for fox outright, some for "opportunistic fox" only, some consider it included when specifying "Vermin" on the FAC (in which case it could be an implicit approval for .22LR), others will treat it separately and put "Fox AND Vermin"

 

If you're considering HMR for fox, I'd speak to your FEO first and get his thoughts (as they do vary from area to area). I think most people on here however would suggest a small centrefire for a dedicated foxing rifle, regardless of what your own FEO might allow.

defo depends on force ive got fox on hmr mate in next county cant have fox its a joke

[Urban Fox Control London 8]

I use a .22lr 10/22 Ruger, though never further have 25 yards as most of the time I am shooting out of the 1st floor window into someone's back garden. Back stops must be in place as a matter of course following a strict Risk Assessment and bait/lure placement. This type of control method is only adopted as a last resort if the nuisance urban foxes are trap shy. This may be due to to having been previously trapped by another Pest Control company and illegally released. (The Abandonement Act 1960 & The Protection of Animals Act 1986 Section 9). If it is not safe to carry out a distance shoot, I am not to proud to walk away. Otherwise, I use a .22lr S&W pistol on a open Section 5 ticket to dispatch trapped foxes on-site. It is very quick, clean and humane. I always notify the local Police Control Room of my activities and get a reference number, but as everything is kept so quiet, nobody in the areas is any of the wiser. All dispatched foxes are taken to a local vets for clinical waste disposal. I know it sounds a bit OTT but I feel that it is best practice and professional.

I have recently heard some horror stories about other pest controllers thinking that its ok to use a non-FAC air weapon to dispatch a fox. This is barbaric and must cause a degree of suffering and pain to the fox. No air weapon should ever be considered for this type of pest control or dispatch.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Urban Fox Control London

[rjimmer 4]

If you have/get a .223 that will shoot well with the cheap rounds like Privi and Samson, then that would be my choice until you get into reloading.

[Alan108 0]

I had a visit from my FEO yesterday( I meant Friday,I keep thinking it's Saturday,another senior moment,LOL) as i've put in for a .243.We were discussing different calibres for fox,and he said that it's LEGAL to take fox with a .22r/f at close range,BUT did say "what is close range?"he didn't advise it nor was in favour of .17 r/f for fox either.prefering a minimum of .22 c/f (Hornet)

 

 

Alan

Edited January 11, 2010 by Alan108

[Deker 3,478]

I use a .22lr 10/22 Ruger, though never further have 25 yards as most of the time I am shooting out of the 1st floor window into someone's back garden. Back stops must be in place as a matter of course following a strict Risk Assessment and bait/lure placement. This type of control method is only adopted as a last resort if the nuisance urban foxes are trap shy. This may be due to to having been previously trapped by another Pest Control company and illegally released. (The Abandonement Act 1960 & The Protection of Animals Act 1986 Section 9). If it is not safe to carry out a distance shoot, I am not to proud to walk away. Otherwise, I use a .22lr S&W pistol on a open Section 5 ticket to dispatch trapped foxes on-site. It is very quick, clean and humane. I always notify the local Police Control Room of my activities and get a reference number, but as everything is kept so quiet, nobody in the areas is any of the wiser. All dispatched foxes are taken to a local vets for clinical waste disposal. I know it sounds a bit OTT but I feel that it is best practice and professional.

I have recently heard some horror stories about other pest controllers thinking that its ok to use a non-FAC air weapon to dispatch a fox. This is barbaric and must cause a degree of suffering and pain to the fox. No air weapon should ever be considered for this type of pest control or dispatch.

 

 

Edit!!!

ATB!!

[njc110381 0]

My first choice if you can get one would be .243 because you can change your conditions for free to include Deer at a later date. If you can't have that then .223 has good range and easily available ammo. The .22 Hornet is a sub 200 yard rifle but is much more gentle and mild than the bigger .22s.

 

These days I use my .17AH for most of them or 6.5x55 if they're shy.

[slingshot 0]

No truer word spoken by Deker. .17rem very flat shooting but need to put the bullet in the :hunter:right place and barrel foul up after 15 round and burn out like 22-250. 12 bores with full choke and 3" cartridges BB or 1 best up to 40 yards. Any of the .22 centerfires will do the job 22-250 and 220 swift very noisey and the barrels can burn out. 222 and 223 not much between them. One that is often over looked is the .22 hornet good for 200 yards moderates very well, cheap to reload. Can reload them for subsonic rounds right the way up to 3000fps. But will not make the grade for deer. 243 will cover you for deer/foxes

Just curious for future reasons, but that caliber do you prefer for foxing? I do like the 22-250 but would like others experiences with the other calibers. So what caliber would you recommend for foxing?

[loves2hunt 5]

223 works fine for me i accounted over 100 fox last year so it must be doing something right atb

[Lewdan 17]

Just curious for future reasons, but that caliber do you prefer for foxing? I do like the 22-250 but would like others experiences with the other calibers. So what caliber would you recommend for foxing?

 

 

I use a .22K hornet--brilliant on fox out to a max of 200yds

 

LD

[bert69 5]

I'm probably only repeating whats been said before but .243 is a great allrounder and is relatively cheap to feed with factory rounds (i don't have the time nor the inclination to homeload but hats off to you guys who do). As has been said it will cover all eventualities and can be used on deer (we have a burgeoning population of fallow and roe on my shoot). I have recently acquired a howa 1500 with stainless varmint barrel with a t8 mod and 3-9x50 burris scope and am more than impressed with it, although i have only killed some paper and a couple of crows with it so far at 150 yards i get it to group about 1.5 inch which is just dandy for me as terrain dictates that i dont do alot of long range like you guys, (that grouping is with norma 100 grain soft nose which i use for everything). As the gunsmith i spoke to said; 'there are no degrees of dead'.

[chocky14u 4]

The question you need to ask yourself is "Do I plan to go deer stalking also?" or is a "specialist foxing weapon?". If you plan to stalk then i would recommend .243 85/100gr bullet not as accurate as some other calibres i admit but i have fox and deer kills beyond 200yards to prove its versatility.

 

Having a versatile weapon may also please the police authorities who might not like to see too many weapons in a cabinet.

[chocky14u 4]

I'm probably only repeating whats been said before but .243 is a great allrounder and is relatively cheap to feed with factory rounds (i don't have the time nor the inclination to homeload but hats off to you guys who do). As has been said it will cover all eventualities and can be used on deer (we have a burgeoning population of fallow and roe on my shoot). I have recently acquired a howa 1500 with stainless varmint barrel with a t8 mod and 3-9x50 burris scope and am more than impressed with it, although i have only killed some paper and a couple of crows with it so far at 150 yards i get it to group about 1.5 inch which is just dandy for me as terrain dictates that i dont do alot of long range like you guys, (that grouping is with norma 100 grain soft nose which i use for everything). As the gunsmith i spoke to said; 'there are no degrees of dead'.

 

I have the same gun....first thing is to fit a Timney trigger it instantly tightens the group's my Howa trigger was 5.5lb ish Timney set about 2.5lb; if you are going to fire factory rounds i found that my gun loved federal sp 100grain last bought 12 mths ago (£22ish per box 20)now fire homeloads 40gr Hodgdon H414, Speer 100gr SP LR primer....gives very similar zero to federal factory loads....good luck