Predator Hunters Using Electronic Callers

January 21, 2011

Question:Some friends and I are all predator hunters and are confused by the regulations regarding hunting with electronic callers when it pertains to gray fox. Is it legal to shoot a gray fox that responds while I am using an electronic caller? Many hunters believe the code section dealing with electronic callers and nongame animals also pertains to gray fox. I’ve tried to convince them it only applies to nongame animals, not furbearers. (Jim R.)

Answer: It is not legal to take gray fox that respond to electronic callers because gray fox are considered “furbearing mammals” (e.g., pine marten, fisher, mink, river otter, gray fox, red fox, kit fox, raccoon, beaver, badger and muskrat as per Fish and Game Code, section 4000), not nongame species.

FGC, section 3012 states, “It is unlawful to use any recorded or electrically amplified bird or mammal calls or sounds, or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird or mammal calls or sounds, to assist in taking any bird or mammal, except nongame birds and nongame mammals as permitted by regulations of the commission.”

Similar to the section above, CCR regulations restricting the use of electronically amplified equipment are stated as follows: “Recorded or electrically amplified bird or mammal calls or sounds or recorded or electrically amplified imitations of bird or mammal calls or sounds may not be used to take any nongame bird or nongame mammal except coyotes, bobcats, American crows and starlings” (CCR Title 14, section 475(b)).

This CCR regulation does not apply to your situation, though, because its prohibitions are specific to nongame birds and mammals. Since gray fox are considered furbearing animals, FGC Code, section 3012 applies and prohibits the take of gray fox with electronic callers.