turkey loads for fox

davejohnson3

New member
buddy shot a fox last night, 49 yard shot with 3" #4s and took 2 shots, it ran about 20 yards into some brush but we found em. i am not sure if we would have found it with one shot but i am convinced that turkey loads would be enough for em. i picked up some kent 3 1/2" 2 oz #4s for my 835 to use for fox with a turkey choke, think that a 3 1/2" would anchor em faster? anyone else use turkey loads for em?
 
Did you use the Ulti choke?Regardless I have the same gun and with the Ulti choke I get great Patterns with Feds 3" BB load.IMO that would be better than any 4 shot load with a good bit less recoil/better penetration.
 
I've shot coyotes with 20 gauge 3" number 6 turkey loads, so it should work just fine. I wasn't coyote hunting but they seem to like my decoys...
 
I'm surprised to see so many guys convinced that a 12lb fox is THAT MUCH TOUGHER than a 20lb turkey? Many of the load/choke combos out there now are easily 60yrd turkey weapons, after swatting feral cats at 50-60yrds with my turkey gun (Benelli Supernova, Tru-glo Gobble Stopper choke, 3.5" Winchester Supreme High Velocity Turkey 5's-now called "Double-X"), I'd be hard pressed to say it wouldn't work well enough on fox too.

BUT....

I personally wouldn't be excited about using turkey loads for fox, mostly because I don't really see a reason to do so? #4 buck loads are readily available, and they're not any more expensive than turkey loads, so I guess I just don't see why you'd use turkey loads?
 
Originally Posted By: VarminterrorI'm surprised to see so many guys convinced that a 12lb fox is THAT MUCH TOUGHER than a 20lb turkey? Many of the load/choke combos out there now are easily 60yrd turkey weapons, after swatting feral cats at 50-60yrds with my turkey gun (Benelli Supernova, Tru-glo Gobble Stopper choke, 3.5" Winchester Supreme High Velocity Turkey 5's-now called "Double-X"), I'd be hard pressed to say it wouldn't work well enough on fox too.

BUT....

I personally wouldn't be excited about using turkey loads for fox, mostly because I don't really see a reason to do so? #4 buck loads are readily available, and they're not any more expensive than turkey loads, so I guess I just don't see why you'd use turkey loads?
I dont think it is so much a matter of weight as it is body composition. Fox are small but i have seen them take alot of punishment before giving up the grave.
 
i am just thinking about using them because i already have them available to me, no one locally sells #4 buck, and im not supporting dicks sporting goods at this time since they pulled all their guns off the shelves. i shot today at 40 yards and got 30 pellets in a paper plate, and 10 in the small 4" circle in the middle. im guessing that will do. 40 yards would be max probably most shots wouldbe about 30 anyways
 
Originally Posted By: davejohnson3i am just thinking about using them because i already have them available to me, no one locally sells #4 buck, and im not supporting dicks sporting goods at this time since they pulled all their guns off the shelves. i shot today at 40 yards and got 30 pellets in a paper plate, and 10 in the small 4" circle in the middle. im guessing that will do. 40 yards would be max probably most shots wouldbe about 30 anyways
if shots average 30 yards you are good to go
 
Back when I was a kid, the local hound/fox guys ran plated #4 shot. Normally it was pretty close shooting and if they didn't kill the fox the hounds would catch it.

As fas as going out and calling fox, I'd say skip the turkey loads and get some Nitro #2 shot or my fav is the copper plated BB. The BBs kill at a good distance and work on yotes to.
 
Originally Posted By: VarminterrorI'm surprised to see so many guys convinced that a 12lb fox is THAT MUCH TOUGHER than a 20lb turkey?
Swatting a turkey in the head and neck isn't the same as having to penetrate fur and flesh to get to the vitals on a fox.

They both need a good and proper hit reguardless of what you are useing,however.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: VarminterrorI'm surprised to see so many guys convinced that a 12lb fox is THAT MUCH TOUGHER than a 20lb turkey?
Swatting a turkey in the head and neck isn't the same as having to penetrate fur and flesh to get to the vitals on a fox.

They both need a good and proper hit reguardless of what you are useing,however.

Tim's right. Big difference in a turkey and a fox.
I kill turkeys with #6 shot.
 
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Jeff,
You got many fox/hound guys in Ky these days ? I know it used to be a big deal.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: VarminterrorI'm surprised to see so many guys convinced that a 12lb fox is THAT MUCH TOUGHER than a 20lb turkey?
Swatting a turkey in the head and neck isn't the same as having to penetrate fur and flesh to get to the vitals on a fox.

They both need a good and proper hit reguardless of what you are useing,however.

Proper placement is universal. Frankly, my 50yrd groups with my turkey gun are bigger than a fox, so busting a fox in the vitals is also busting it in the head and neck, and beyond a doubt it's harder to penetrate feathers than fur, and I find shot in the breast meat occasionally. Usually, for fox, I'd rather "pop a top" than risk blowing out the side of a good pelt even with a rifle.

I'm not trying to say that a fox isn't harder to kill than a turkey, but my point here is that if a load is capable of dropping a turkey at 60yrds+, and they ARE, then I really don't get why guys are acting like 30yrds is "stretching it" for fox, or worse, like they wouldn't be effective at all.

I shot a few fox when I was a kid with birdshot. No, they weren't 70yrd shots, but it wasn't that uncommon to roust out a fox a time or two each year when we were rabbit hunting, all we had then was 7.5 or 6 birdshot 2 3/4" 12ga or 20ga. It'd put them on the ground.
 
Yep finding shot in the breast meat means it didn't make it to the vitals.
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Also, last I knew fox skulls are much harder that turkey heads.

Like alot of things, will turkey loads work , yes. Are there better choices,Yep.

I've killed a pickup load of fox and turkeys over the years. Hopefully with a little luck atleast another pickup load or 2 of each, before calling it "game over".
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Too bad the yotes are taking over the fox areas, I'd much rather see those pretty reds.
 
Originally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeToo bad the yotes are taking over the fox areas, I'd much rather see those pretty reds.

....Currently trying to figure out how to change our local ban on "urban predator hunting". Sure seems like if we were allowed to bust down some of these urban yotes maybe the fox could re-establish. I remember when I was a kid, the family of red fox that lived in my grandma's backyard in town was the highlight of her day.

I've also spent a lot of time trying to put up cover for fox and cats out "in the wild" at some of my hunting spots that hopefully will re-establish some fox populations. But I'm just one guy...
 
Originally Posted By: Tim Neitzke
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Jeff,
You got many fox/hound guys in Ky these days ? I know it used to be a big deal.

Yep.
We still have several. Those guys are in it for the chase only, and they'd never dream of killing a good "running fox".
Lots of them have taken to the training enclosures to get away from the deer and the highways.
 
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