Its game time.......Me vs. Fox

[General Lee]

The wife saw a fox mid afternoon the other day. Said it looked mangy and it was up close to the house. When it saw her it didn't even care. This evening I saw right it up against the house about 30 minutes before dark. We have an indoor/outdoor cat and I was actually petting her when the fox ran up. I scooped up the cat, ran in the garage and went and got some fire power. Unfortunately I couldn't find him again.

May have to go to Tractor Supply and get a caged trap. This is twice in 3 days this fox has been up close and personal. Its game time.

 

[k0ua]

Yeah, that dont sound too good, it always seems that rabies peaks in the hot months. and that doesnt sound like too normal fox behavior to me.

I say shoot, shovel into an open area and gas and burn. I would not want to handle a trap. Any saliva or fluids in an open cut.... not good. I have shoot and seen shot rabid animals, and my dad always said burn em.. and that is what we always did.

James K0UA

 

[Clint S]

Yeah, that dont sound too good, it always seems that rabies peaks in the hot months. and that doesnt sound like too normal fox behavior to me.

I say shoot, shovel into an open area and gas and burn. I would not want to handle a trap. Any saliva or fluids in an open cut.... not good. I have shoot and seen shot rabid animals, and my dad always said burn em.. and that is what we always did.

James K0UA

Shoot, I had one get all of our chicks a few months ago.

 

[General Lee]

I figured a trap would increase my chances in catching him. I can't sit and hunt him all day. I figured if I caught him in the trap I shoot him in the trap. I agree though about handling the trap with fluids on it. Wear gloves and soak it with bleach I suppose. I don't know, I'd like to get him as fast as possible. I also have two dogs and don't need them getting tangled up with it.

 

[k0ua]

good point.. I though maybe you were thinking about releasing it.. I would blast the thing anyway I could.

 

[Combustix]

Friend back east had fox issues. He would through out hot dogs in a certain part of his yard and watch. Once he saw the fox he would do this over a couple nights. fox was very punctual within five minutes each night. Once he had the time down it was lights out.

 

[Mace Canute]

I guess you won't be doing like this guy, eh.

‪Guy Lives With A Fox‬‏ - YouTube

 

[tungularafishcamp]

We have a fox den down the beach on either side of us. The mother of the one den my kids have hand fed for years (she got caught in a racked net when she was a pup and after I freed her she just sat there and lets us pet her) and we have never had a problem with them. They hunt real close to our house and greenhouses and help keep the voles (which are a huge problem) population down. I might feel differently if there had ever been rabies on the island but hasn't made it here. All of them around here right now are pretty mangy with their summer coat half on, but will grow out their nice winter coat this fall. They make pretty nice neighbors, lots better than the magpies!
Rick

 

[General Lee]

We have a fox den down the beach on either side of us. The mother of the one den my kids have hand fed for years (she got caught in a racked net when she was a pup and after I freed her she just sat there and lets us pet her) and we have never had a problem with them. They hunt real close to our house and greenhouses and help keep the voles (which are a huge problem) population down. I might feel differently if there had ever been rabies on the island but hasn't made it here. All of them around here right now are pretty mangy with their summer coat half on, but will grow out their nice winter coat this fall. They make pretty nice neighbors, lots better than the magpies!
Rick

I told my wife the mangy coat is probably because of shedding due to time of year. But it is unusual in my area for a fox to be up close and personal like this and that concerns me. (The whole rabies thing)

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Talk to your local emergency room or health department about the cost of post-exposure rabies shots before you handle: fox, raccoon, skunk, etc.

Some vets get pre-exposure rabies shots, an inoculation of some sort.

 

[randy41]

they keep the rabbit population in check which is good for the garden.

 

[DeeDubya]

The wife saw a fox mid afternoon the other day. Said it looked mangy and it was up close to the house. When it saw her it didn't even care. This evening I saw right it up against the house about 30 minutes before dark. We have an indoor/outdoor cat and I was actually petting her when the fox ran up. I scooped up the cat, ran in the garage and went and got some fire power. Unfortunately I couldn't find him again.

May have to go to Tractor Supply and get a caged trap. This is twice in 3 days this fox has been up close and personal. Its game time.

We have a friendly fox too, but not becaus she has rabies... she has kits. It's severely hot and dry here and she's having difficulty feeding the family. I'm helping out some with cheap weiners and chicken thighs. Every morning she's waiting at the back door. We enjoy having her around. Very intelligent little critters indeed.

 

[lockhaven]

The fox hunting and eating! rabies I do not think so. The ones I have seen with rabies do not hunt they just sort of wonder around aimlessly. some are totally blind. Bare spots this time of the year does not mean mange it is just the way some shed and rub.

 

[YesDeere]

I have seen them with rabies I'm the later stages. No balance and possibly blind like was said. Dispatch bury or burn!!

I had a raccoon that was unafraid a couple Sunday mornings ago. Was eating berries in my yard. First thought was rabies and my dogs. Hurried the dogs in an grabbed my compound bow that I was practicing with. Killed him then burned him in my old "burnin silo";-)

 

[Car Doc]

I have cats also and I dont like fox's either. I have seen them chasing my outdoor cats after dark so I shoot them when I get the chance.

I had a pet goose that got ate by a fox or fox's, if they are in the area they will take any opportunity they can get even if its on your porch.

 

[dmccarty]

We have a breeding fox pair on our land for years. For awhile I would see them as they headed west to raid a chicken coop. Then I would see them heading back east with the chicken. They also liked eggs.

Eventually whoever had the chickens figured out how to keep the chickens pinned in correctly or ran out of chickens. :laughing:

We have not seen the foxes that often since then. I hear them almost every night at the den and have seen them a bit from time to time. They are very stealthy.

If I saw one hanging out, in the daylight, around the house, I think it might be Three S time. I have seen them more at night than during the day.

Later,
Dan

 

[DeeDubya]

We have a breeding fox pair on our land for years. For awhile I would see them as they headed west to raid a chicken coop. Then I would see them heading back east with the chicken. They also liked eggs.

Eventually whoever had the chickens figured out how to keep the chickens pinned in correctly or ran out of chickens. :laughing:

We have not seen the foxes that often since then. I hear them almost every night at the den and have seen them a bit from time to time. They are very stealthy.

If I saw one hanging out, in the daylight, around the house, I think it might be Three S time. I have seen them more at night than during the day.

Later,
Dan

This fox has abandoned some of her cunningness and comes upon the deck at 3 or 4 in the afternoon to eat cat food. She's waiting for me at the back door every morning at 6am. I'll toss her a few chicken weiners and she gathers them up to take to the kits. I'm thinking every good fox needs to learn how to eat chicken. :licking:

 

[Tig]

We have foxes. The mangy one a couple years back was quite unconcerned about our presence. He would hunt or nap within 40 feet of us, basically ignoring us. I do like the way they control the other critters, so I let him be.
Biggest problem I've seen with foxes is the same as every other wild animal around here. Someone feeds it, then it becomes outright bold looking for handouts. This freaks someone else out and the fox gets shot. Go figure.

 

[DeeDubya]

Personally, I can't stand to see an animal starve. Feeding them might ultimately get them shot but that can't be any worse than starving.

 

[Western]

Any chance your DNR or county can trap it? That is if you just don't want to be quick about it. Even if you trap it they may take it so you don't have to fool with any possible germs. May be more trouble than a bullet though.

I have shot a couple of skunks and raccoons that I "assumed" where rabid, basically by their behavior, wondering around in the day time like an old drunk. I used rubber gloves and gave them a trip to the burn hole and then bleached the area around the kill site with a sprayer. (worried about my animals)

Ferrel dogs bother me far more than a fox. (discounting rabies)

Deedubya, that's cool, IMO