Foxes can be notorious predators around the farm – they can eat your chicken or attack your dog or cat. People use different methods to control predators, including firearms. But, can an air rifle shoot a fox and kill it?
Generally, an air rifle can shoot a fox and kill it humanely if it is the right caliber size and produces enough energy. You are more likely to kill a fox with a .25 or .30 cal. air rifle than with 177 or .22 cal. This is because higher calibers carry plenty of power and are accurate.
However, to shoot a fox and take it down successfully using an air rifle, aim at the right area. That could be in the head or chest preferably.
In this post, we dive into whether an air rifle can shoot a fox and more useful things you may want to know.
Can an Air Rifle Shoot a Fox and Kill It?
Foxes are big animals. They are not small-sized coyotes or rabbits.
What this means is that if you will stand a chance of taking one down, then you must come with an air rifle that offers the capability for the job.
Specifically, you should consider any air rifle chambered in .25, .30, .45, and above. These guns boast a lot more power than say the common .22 caliber.
What you get from a shot by these calibers is a clean kill executed humanely and with great consistency. The muzzle energy produced by these calibers is nearly the same as what one could get from shotguns.
In addition, you are likely to have better results with PCP air rifles. They are easy to shoot, unlike springers.
The problem with using springers for shooting animals like foxes is that it’s pretty difficult to shoot accurately. Springers are for guys who have a lot of experience under their belts.
Another key point you are looking at is shot placement. You don’t kill a fox by hitting just any other area on its body.
Target the head or chest. The high-caliber air rifles also carry heavier slugs or pellets that can even penetrate a fox’s skull or run through the heart or lungs if aimed in the chest.
Can a .177 Pellet Kill a Fox?
Being one of the most common and popular calibers, .177 has become a must-have on the shelves of many shooters. But can a .177 pellet kill a fox or even an animal of that size?
A .177 pellet cannot kill a fox. The pellet may be lighter and therefore faster in flight, but lacks the weight and final impact, and power to penetrate a skull or go through some fur.
The weight of an average .177 pellet is something between 7-10 grains. This is quite light and can only give shooters higher velocity – which is not an equivalent of power per se.
The energy required to down a fox is not just a few tens. You could need over 40 foot-pounds of energy. Such amounts of energy cannot be produced from .177 pellets that may only give a maxi average of about 17 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.
Even if you moved closest to the animal, for instance, 10 yards and shot a .177 pellet through the head, the fact that your pellet has only 12 foot-pounds of energy alone annuls your effort.
With that said, you may want to look for a more powerful air rifle. A .25 air rifle can get your job well done. Then get the heavy pellets.
Will a 22 Air Rifle Kill a Fox?
The 22 air rifle is another one of the layman’s choices for nearly everyone launching into airgunning stuff for the first time. Will it kill a fox on the run?
Generally, a 22 air rifle would struggle to take down a fox because it carries less power, and impact on the target is not that hard. It might just wound the animal and leave it to suffer and succumb to injuries especially if the shooter does not have plenty of experience under the belt.
But for someone who’s been shooting for long, a 22 air rifle can drop a fox with extremely correct shot placement. And you would definitely need to be within close shooting range – probably less than 50 yards.
In other words, you have no room for error while using a 22 air rifle to stop a fox. Rather than gambling a lot with a less powerful option, you’d better get an efficient air rifle for the job.
Using the wrong air rifle can also get you into problems with the authorities. If the animal happened to run off and die somewhere on a thoroughfare or in someone else’s yard, you could find it rough explaining yourself in a court of law.
How Do I Kill Urban Foxes?
The killing of foxes is not something one can ceremoniously get into doing. In fact, foxes are protected animals which means you won’t just start killing them without a proper reason, more so when you are in urban areas.
There is probably something you are not doing right that attracts these predators in your compound. When their populations become too much, the need for control is crucial.
You are aware that firearms would be the best bet. But you can’t discharge a bullet in urban vicinities – it’s outlawed and no one does that.
Perhaps the other option would be air rifles. Air rifles are not as powerful as guns are but there are high caliber air rifles that will drop foxes.
However much air rifles are not restricted by Federal Law in the U.S. before you buy one for use in your neighborhood, make sure to seek consent or consult with the local authorities.
If they allow, you can go ahead and get a quiet air rifle for use in your urban backyard. Be sure it’s environment friendly or else you could soon be at crossroads with your neighbor because of a loud air rifle.
Is It Illegal to Shoot a Fox with an Air Rifle?
The entire wildlife diversity is protected by government authorities to make sure that killing animals including foxes is controlled. Before you buy an air rifle for the main purpose of shooting foxes, have you consulted with your local authority or animal department?
In many places in the United States, the killing of foxes by air rifles in case they are becoming a serious problem in your farm may not be illegal. You do not need a license to own and use an air rifle in the U.S., which means that you don’t need a permit to kill a fox if it threatens your life or property.
But even so, some states and regions do limit air rifle shooting in city limits. This is because of the potential accidents that can occur if there were stray pellets or badly aimed shots.
Also, if you are trying to control foxes with air rifles, finding the best there is in the market for the job is really going to determine whether you are observing the law or not. Low-powered calibers are a no-no for foxes.
You don’t want to be causing pain to the animals and letting them die from the wounds. So, you will definitely go for high-caliber air rifles that deliver a lot of muzzle energy to drop a fox-sized animal.
What is the Best Air Rifle for Shooting Foxes?
Not all air rifles can shoot a fox dead. Not the .177s or .22s – you want to start with more imposing calibers in the .25, .30, .45, or .50 caliber types.
Foxes are large animals. They need large-sized caliber air rifles for successful shots. A powerful, quiet air rifle combined with the high-quality shooting acumen of the shooter will definitely bring down a gullible fox.
Since they have a good sense of smell, you are not going to get too much close to one. What this means is that a powerful air rifle that sends heavier wind-resistant projectiles downrange without much loss of velocity, muzzle energy, and accuracy is most needed.
If you are thinking about what heavy caliber to carry for your fox hunting mission, you wouldn’t go wrong with this powerful Benjamin Bulldog .357 PCP Hunting Rifle
(amazon link) It’s efficient and easy to shoot.
Alternatively, a Benjamin Marauder Wood Stock Air Rifle (amazon link) chambered in .25 caliber would be another great choice for many experienced shooters. The best part about this air rifle is its low-noise shooting ability – great for neighborhoods.
Some shooters do not have space for any margin of error. For this reason, they want the biggest caliber there is for large animals.
That’s a good idea if you see foxes as part of large-sized animals. The best big bore air rifle with plenty of energy for a straightforward knockdown would be the Seneca Dragon Claw (amazon link) that offers up to 230 ft./lbs. of energy. This is monstrous power that is more than enough to down a fox.
Final Thoughts: Can an Air Rifle Shoot a Fox?
An air rifle can shoot a fox and even kill it if the correct caliber size is used. Foxes are fairly large animals that require more knockdown power to get a kill.
Therefore, only air rifles chambered in .25 caliber and above may kill a fox. To that effect, do not engage lower-powered air rifles as these will only inflict injury and pain to the animal leaving it to suffer and die in hiding.
Always find out what the local authority laws say about shooting air rifles in your area. You may also need to visit the animal department and seek guidance on the matter.
