Foxing: the calibre and the kit.

The law, briefly

Foxes are a legal quarry species with no closed season, and unlike deer there is no night-shooting restriction: lamping and thermal foxing at night are lawful with the landowner's permission. What you need is written permission over the ground, a rifle on your FAC whose conditions cover fox (the wording is typically fox, vermin or "any other lawful quarry"), and a safe shot. No minimum calibre is set by law for foxes, which makes it your judgement call: the standard is a clean, humane kill.

Choosing the calibre

• .17 HMR. A rimfire option for calm nights and closer work around farmyards where a centrefire is too much. Accurate and quiet, but respect its limits in wind and range.
• .223 Remington. The sweet spot for most foxers: flat enough, hits hard enough, cheap and everywhere, moderates well. A 50 to 55 grain polymer-tip load is the classic. Check your twist rate if you fancy heavier bullets; our twist guide explains.
• .22-250 Remington. The long-field specialist: noticeably flatter and faster than .223, which buys you margin on range estimation and wind at the cost of more noise, more powder and shorter barrel life.
• .204 Ruger. Very fast, very flat, very little recoil, so you often see your own strike. A cult favourite for good reason; ammunition choice is narrower.
• .243 Winchester. The dual-purpose answer. If one rifle must do foxes and deer, .243 does both properly: light bullets for foxes, 90 to 100 grain for deer. See our deer calibre guide.

If it's your first dedicated fox rifle: .223, moderated, with a 50 to 55 grain load your barrel likes, and spend the money you saved on optics.

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Seeing at night: spot with thermal, shoot with what suits

The single biggest upgrade in foxing this century is the thermal spotter. It finds every warm body in the field in seconds, at any light level, through light cover. Most serious foxers now run a thermal monocular for spotting plus either a thermal riflescope or a digital night vision scope with an IR illuminator for the shot. Budgets, trade-offs and recommendations are in our thermal vs night vision guide, and there is no legal restriction on using thermal or NV for foxes.

The traditional lamp still works, is the cheapest start, and teaches fieldcraft fast, but educated foxes go lamp-shy quickly.

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The rest of the kit

• A moderator. Protects your hearing, keeps the farm quiet, and often lets you take a second fox that never heard what happened to the first. Our moderator guide covers the choice; no slot needed since the 2026 law change.
• A caller. An electronic caller placed crosswind of your position brings foxes to you and anchors their attention away from you. Mouth calls work too and cost pennies.
• Sticks or a tripod. Night shots are taken standing or sitting far more often than prone. Quad sticks or a decent tripod turn marginal shots into routine ones.
• A zero you trust. Confirm it with the moderator fitted and the ammunition you carry, and know your drops: our muzzle velocity guide is the starting point.

Fieldcraft that matters

• Backstop first, always. At night it's harder to judge, which is why you walk the ground in daylight and plan safe arcs before you ever shoot it dark. No backstop, no shot, whatever the thermal shows.
• Identify beyond doubt. A thermal blob is not an ID. Cats, dogs and deer share fields with foxes; close the distance or use magnification until certain.
• Play the wind. A fox trusts its nose over everything. Approach and call with the wind in your face or across you.
• Tell someone. Let the farm know you're out, and consider telling the police non-emergency line if you're lamping near houses; it saves awkward conversations with armed response.

Common questions

What's the best all-round fox calibre?

.223 for a dedicated fox rifle: effective, affordable and easy to moderate. If the same rifle must also take deer, .243 is the answer.

Is it legal to shoot foxes at night?

Yes, with the landowner's permission. Foxes have no closed season and no night restriction in Great Britain, unlike deer. Your certificate conditions must cover fox, and the shot must be safe and humane.

Is .22LR enough for foxes?

Only at very close range with perfect shot placement, and most experienced shots won't use it as a fox round at all. A .17 HMR close in, or any of the centrefires, is the humane choice.

Can I use thermal or night vision for foxes?

Yes. The restrictions you may have heard about apply to deer at night, not foxes. Thermal spotting plus a thermal or digital NV scope is now the standard setup.

Do I need a special FAC condition for foxing?

Your certificate's conditions for the rifle must cover fox: typical wordings include fox, vermin or "any other lawful quarry". Check yours before you go out, and ask your licensing team if the wording is unclear.

Last reviewed 7 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.