When getting ready to set our for a hunt, there are 5 fox whistling fundamentals that I try to keep in the back of my mind that lead to a successful hunt.

Wind:

is pretty self explanatory in hunting, don’t let the fox smell you! It is imperative at all times that the wind is blowing towards the shooter so any potential foxes have to be on top of you before they scent you.

Sound:

remain as quiet as possible and ensure you don’t make any foreign noises you wouldn’t expect to hear in the area you are hunting. Example: Close car doors quietly, Don’t let the tin fox whistle bang against your binoculars or rifle scope. 

Control:

is a broad term i used to cover everything relating to the shot. Breathing, heart rate (where possible) sight picture, trigger release and patience. Wait for a shot to present and try not to rush it. All good in theory but often goes out the window when the adrenaline kicks in!

Outline:

try and call from a location that breaks up your outline, such as against a tree or rock. Don’t walk on hill tops and skylight yourself. If hunting at night, try not to light yourself up and give away your position by keeping your torch in an outstretched hand not close to your body.

Movement:

when a fox is coming in do no not move whilst it is looking in your direction. Try and keep all movement at a minimum and deliberate.

The most important thing to remember is enjoy yourself and don’t be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes. Mistakes are part of the game and help shape out hunting skills into the future.

Get out there!

Are you stuck trying to work out how to whistle foxes in Australia? Here are a few fox whistling tips to help set you on your way to bagging your first fox on the whistle.

The first tip I recommend is just getting out there. Foxes won’t whistle themselves and the best way to gain experience is to experiment and see what works in your hunting patch.

The second most important tip is??? You guessed it. Wind. Foxes have a keen sense of smell and at the first sign they smell trouble, they will bolt before you lay eyes on them. Always do your best to position yourself down wind from a likely fox location and keep and eye on wind changes.

What whistle?

There are many different types of whistles from the trusty tenterfield fox whistle  to electronic callers. My first suggestion is to pickup a tenterfield fox whistle  from your local gun shop (or make one) and practice practice practice. The tenterfield whistle is a tricky fox call to master however once you have the basic technique down packed you will have them coming in like the pied piper. Another great call is the button whistle. The button whistle is much simpler to use and can be dynamite on foxes. The best part of all, it is cheap! Usually around $2 at your local gun shop. I have also had great success with the shotgun shell whistle and my latest whistle the T2 fox whistle from Fox Calls. Overall my favourite whistle is my Silva mini tenterfield which has many scalps to its name.

What gun?

The simple answer is, whatever you have. Foxes can be hunted with a .22 rimfire (close range) or any of the smaller centrefires such as the 204 Ruger or the most popular Australian centrefire .223 Remington. Shotguns are also an awesome weapon against foxes when using BB’s or above. Shotguns however are best suited when you hunt with a friend as often a fox will sit just outside shotgun range so a rifle is a must.

Where to whistle?

The best way to work this out is to think like a fox. Foxes need three key things to survive: A water source, A food source, Somewhere to seek shelter. Food sources can be anything from domestic livestock to ground dwelling birds, mice, insects and marsupials. I try to look for areas that tick off all three key points above. The places I have the most luck are rolling hills that also contain deep creeks and hopefully water. Creek banks are the perfect spot for foxes to burrow and fresh water means plenty of insects, frogs and water birds to snack on. Another favourite of foxes are orchards, foxes love nothing better than climbing trees to flog a few apples.

The setup

when calling a creek system I try to find some trees either on the side of the bank or 50 metres or so away from the bank. I setup at the base of a tree to provide some shadow and break up my outline. It is important to enter the area as quietly as possible and then wait at least 5 minutes for the bush to adjust whilst sitting dead silent before commencing a fox whistling session.

Time of the day

I like to do most of my fox whistling at first light. I have had success in the afternoon, however I find the best time is from sunrise until around 10am if calling during the day. I also like to mix it up sometimes and call at night using a rifle mounted torch and handheld torch for scanning.

Hopefully the above will be enough to get you started, over time I will add more tips and tricks to help sort out the cunning red fox. Always remember identify your target before making a shot and ensure there is a safe backdrop.

Get out There!

Nothing is more frustrating than organising a fox hunt, only to miss your target when the opportunity to fire finally arises.

Some hunters are not lucky enough to get out as often as others, therefore it is imperative to test your gear before making that trip to the field. I have been burnt on a few occasions, most recently when I organised an early morning hunt to sort out some pesky foxes for a local farmer.

I arrived at 5:30am on a brisk winters morning and made my way as silently as possible to my first stand. I made myself comfortable and waited for the light to peak over the horizon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhyiyN8FRvF/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Once there was enough light to see what I was doing I peeped on my Tenterfield and glassed the surrounding creek bed and tree line.

Not much was happening so I setup my trusty jetboil to boil up a warm tea to get some warmth back into my body.

To my surprise a fox begun barking around 100 yards to my right and I could just make him out amongst the trees. I quickly shouldered my tikka T3 and chambered a round. I centred the scope on his chest and squeezed the trigger, suddenly my worst fears hit when the very loud click snapped right next my ear.

I quickly cycled the action and centred again, click.

Thinking I had some bad ammo I grabbed a fresh box of factories from my pack and cycled again. By this time another fox appeared out of the creek 25 yards directly in front. I centred again, F@ck@ng click once more. In frustration I stood up only to see a third fox 60 yards to my left.

I have been hunting this place now for two years and never got close to calling in more than one fox at a time.

The hunt was over and the foxes bolted and I went home very frustrated. Turns out I got oil inside my bolt which gummed it up and prevented the firing pin hitting hard enough to ignite the primer.

Check your gear to prevent disappointment in the field