Fox Hunting

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • 05dodgedaytona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 18, 2009
    3,686
    Cecil County
    What caliber would be good for shooting foxes? Any recommendations on a taxidermist in or close to Harford and Cecil County? I would like to have the hide tanned and maybe get a mount done. After you shoot one do you gut it or take it to the taxidermist the way it is? Thanks in advance.
     

    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    My buddy does it but he is PG.

    He will tan but sub out a mount. His taxidermist is fantastic. I’ll pass the info if you are willing to travel.
     

    SavageShooter

    Active Member
    Jan 10, 2014
    644
    Arbutus, MD
    I am a predator hunter. I use .17 Rem. centerfire (this is not the .17 HMR rimfire). Does very little pelt damage, goes in and explodes. I have also taken ground hogs out with the .17 Rem. I have used .223 with 40 to 50 gr. bullets and have done more pelt damage. I actually have almost cut a few fox in half. .223 will definitely take the fox out. 17 HMR is ok but does not have the distance of the .17 Rem. I think you would take the fox whole to the taxidermist so you don't do pelt damage.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    What caliber would be good for shooting foxes? Any recommendations on a taxidermist in or close to Harford and Cecil County? I would like to have the hide tanned and maybe get a mount done. After you shoot one do you gut it or take it to the taxidermist the way it is? Thanks in advance.

    You can go in a whole lot of different directions with this "caliber" question. Many more still if you reload. And shorter range, just to add to the mix of possibilities, a load of 6 shot does a great job for intended mounts.

    You'll give up and gain capabilities that you may find favorable regardless of what rifle cartridge you choose. Me, if I were to decide that I am going to be a dedicated fox hunter in this area, and I intended to sell pelts in a tough market where pelt condition matters? And I hunted an area where lower report is desirable, but I wanted sufficient thump to take fox to 200 yards? I'd probably buy a rifle chambered in 22 Hornet.

    Now if I really wanted or needed greater range? Well, that's not the Hornet. But that's just another example that there's no free lunch. The tradeoff of extending range may well be additional pelt damage. Some of which can be mitigated by bullet selection, but that's a whole other discussion in a thread that could already go in 100 different directions.

    Regarding mounts, I would highly recommend that you speak to your intended taxidermist in advance. Then closely follow the advice you are given. What you don't want to do is to create extra work that your pro will need to attempt to repair. They're taxidermists, not magicians. I can almost guarantee you for example, that your taxidermist will want to do his/her own skinning. Many will want a fox that has not been touched by a knife in any way, and has been carefully wrapped in freezer paper and frozen.
     

    SummitCnty

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 26, 2013
    2,223
    Frederick County
    I got two last year with a 22 shooting stingers and also got one with a 17 WSM. No pelt damage and they both didn’t go very far. Only had to shoot one twice. I put them whole in the freezer till I got them to the taxidermist.
     

    SavageShooter

    Active Member
    Jan 10, 2014
    644
    Arbutus, MD
    05dodgedaytona if you are only taking them at that range or little further 17 HMR would be fine. You don't have wrap a lot money in a nice 17 HMR rig. I've taken fox from 50 to 150 plus with the 17 Rem.
     

    newmuzzleloader

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 14, 2009
    4,766
    joppa
    PM Foxtrapper, she's still active here but not like she used to be. She's in Cecil county now and does taxidermy. If you search for her posts you'll see pictures of her work.
    As for caliber I've usually shot them with a .223 but I shooting to kill the chicken stealing bastids not save the hide.
     
    Last edited:

    knovotny

    Active Member
    Feb 5, 2013
    980
    Aberdeen, MD
    Freeze it whole. It's a skill to skin something well enough for taxidermy. Even when I was skinning 20+ raccoons a year, I still cut off a whole lot of ears and eyelids.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,680
    I am dropping ones trying to get in to my chickens. Using 22 quiets mostly because I’d circumstances. My neighbors are cool with bow deer hunting and a couple whacking varmints with guns. Don’t particularly care to advertise though. Once my suppressor shows I’ll be using CCI Supressor loads. 45gr at 969fps soft lead should do a decent job.

    Better than 40gr segemented at 760.

    Quiets are so so on fox and raccoons. Unless it’s a head shot they’ll mostly run off unless you get a second (or third) shot in. Almost never survives the experience long. But if looking for a pelt...

    Not ideal.
     

    Wsanner

    Active Member
    Sep 19, 2012
    254
    I shoot 30-40 fox a year. 90% of the time I use a 17 rem. On the bigger fields/depending on the wind I will break out the 22-250. 22-250 within 150 yards leaves spaghetti though. Ive shot them between the eyes with the 17 and left a dribble of blood down the nose....
     
    May 28, 2015
    6
    Baltimore
    My $.02

    I've had success hunting fox with 17HMR 20 grain hollow point CCI from inside of 100 yards. I use my 223 for anything past that. I use 55 grain and it doesn't destroy the fur too much.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,163
    There is Galyen Taxidermy associated with Fair Hill Liquors (I think it is the same owner) on Rt.213 about a mile south of Rt.273 intersection. I never used them but they have been around a long time.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,940
    Messages
    7,259,701
    Members
    33,350
    Latest member
    Rotorboater

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom