Fox Barks

[foxtrot]

I was wondering if anyone understands fox vocalizations.Many times I will have fox answer me from a distance with a single bark that I'm sure many of us have heard.This is a good sign most of the time as the fox usually approaches soon after.This year starting about the end of December the fox would answer me with a short double bark.I have never heard this  before until this year.I'm not sure if this has something to do with breeding season or if it is an alarm bark.I have tried this type of bark in my calling sequence thinking that maybe it is a mating call but have not come to any conclusions yet.Any opinions or experiences would be appreciated. 

[uncle buck]

Kind of hard to interpret fox barks...But it seems when they just keep barking constant their is danger..namely most times you have been busted.
By the way coyotes will do this too.. Constant barking in the distance..By the way when the coyotes do this always go to the coyote pup..You would think of going to fox pups will do the same for fox... Only three times in my entire calling years have I called back a barking fox.. That was by jumping back and forth to red fox canine sounds on my Foxpro FX5...However try it next time they, coyotes or fox bark at you or you hear them in the distance.. Go to the like animals pup distress sounds...

I have heard the two barks like you said...They bark twice and shut up only for about 45 seconds and bark twice again and shut up for about 45 seconds.. I have heard this when coyotes are in the area.  Always watch when all kinds of critters are acting up.. it could mean the coyotes are there....  deer walking along the roads in numbers and not in the fields,, of course that double bark of the fox with just brief moments of silence.
What I would do in this case would go to my calling coyotes scenario.  You just might be surprised when a coyote shows up all of a sudden...

Finally they could be getting that urge now since they are looking for a mate.. This might occur where you hear them barkinig even before you get your stuff and move to a calling stand..  you just happen to step out of the vehicle and you hear that bark..Again it could be coyotes in the area too...

Also think of our domestic dogs when they bark... Either are protecting their turff from intruders, want food,  or want companionship (mating)..
Same applies to the wild canines..

[foxtrot]

The more you think you know about this calling game the more complicated it becomes.I use to think when a fox barked it meant you were busted,and in some cases that is so.Like when they are close to you and down wind they probably winded you.But then there are times when they bark at you and there is no chance that they winded you or they are simply to far away to have detected a threat in their area.In this situation when a bark is heard its a good bet that they heard the call and are on the way.I didn't always feel this way but after totally changing my calling methods a bark in most cases is a welcome sound especially on reds.The grays seem to act differently.As for the double bark  thanks for your opinion U.B. its  input like yours that makes you think.Looking back I feel 99% sure that there were no coyotes present at the locations where this was heard.So I would have to rule that out.In one situation the barking started when a shot was fired at another fox and a second fox started double barking in the distance.This makes me think it is an alarm.
  In another situation the double barking started after I had called for a short time and there was no way he detected me other than my calling or so I thought.Looking back on that situation I could have spooked him walking in although no eyes were seen.Here again I would have to lean towards an alarm responce.I have never called in a fox after he double barked but I have many times on a single bark.
At times I like to use my own rendition of a single bark when calling and have seen them coming to the call the same as a distress call.Unless I see or hear something to change my mind I would say a double bark is an alarm.   

[foxpro51]

We recently called in a red fox within 10 feet of a bale of hay we were sitting behind. The fox came in behind us and we could not get a shoot. Now busted by Mr, Red who now ran about 150 yards and started barking. I guess he was pissed there was no real rabbit there. LOL

[foxtrot]

Their good at sneaking in the back door.I hate when that happens.

[uncle buck]

Now you take coyote barking...Even Major Boddicker in the Song Dog book...High lights  Barks and Wuffs... Now you have to be able to tell which bark is one that they are going after a rabbit.. That's a good bark..Then the other barks along with Wuffs.. that means danger.. Hope you all have heard a Wuff wuff wuff wuff from a coyote... Again that is the time to give them the coyote pup.. Major also recommends that you stay away from making barks because that an alert to coyotes... The only barking that I do is when I do the Coyote Challenge and of course the JS Coywolf Bark which is probably a rendition of the Coyote Challenge anyway...


Ever listen to his Song Dog how too tape... He like to use rabbit sounds along with what sounds like a canine drying to run down that same rabbit..  Think in your life how a non hound dog type canine sounds when it tries to catch a rabbit..


As far as knowing what barks really are...I Ain't No Dog!!! I have had better success when hunting coyotes or fox to stay away from barking..
If someone like Major Boddicker also stresses it ...It's jsut why I don't mess with it as a sound..

By the way I have Dennis Kirk Coyote Cassettes that have howls, whines, and barks all in sequence.. I  did not even overlay any of those sound to my FX5 because of the barking.

[uncle buck]

I was still thinking about the two barks and silence then the two barks.. etc etc..warning...see it could be coyotes in the area and they,fox are doing it to warn other fox..See they are not worrying about man they are worrying about the big guy in the pecking order.. Wait until your calling and think your hunting fox...Maybe using a woodpecker sound then all of a sudden you hear coyotes start howling at you.. See you really don't know in our 67  counties of Pa if the coyotes are there or not??  A good rule that I follow now is:;  After the deer season..If you find the deer your going to find coyotes.. No matter what area of the state your hunting in...If you want to hunt coyotes go and hunt were the deer are herding up now.. I posted this before.. When I hunt public lands in NEPA.. I will drive in on the roads.. If I see deer feeding along the roads like 1:00 AM now in Jan and Feb I always call in coyotes.. Now if I don't see deer along the road feeding at  1:00 AM  as I go from the entrance of the public land to the parking area I don't call coyotes either...

[uncle buck]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6NuhlibHsM&feature=related

[beastman]

I just watched that youtube video, is the one they call the vixen scream always a grey fox?  I heard that noise right across the road from my house last year in September, it went on for nearly a half hour.  The other one that I recognized was the fox cry I think they called it.  I heard that for the first time a few years ago, the call had just shut off and a fox let loose with that about 2-3 times, I wasn't expecting that and I didn't nearly, I think I actually jumped out of my skin.. lol

[zekedogg]

Good stuff thanks UB

[uncle buck]

I think the person that did this probably just added a gray fox picture.. It probably has nothing to do with the sound.. However just remember this... The gray fox bark is a lot lower or deeper gravely sound... The reds is more high pitched.. I would have to listen to the youtube again but I think they might all be red fox barks???

[foxtrot]

I just listened to the sounds and there is one sight called red fox barking.Its at night with fresh snow.  That is exactly the sound I was talking about.