Is this a fox den?

[3gunr]

The predator problem has got out of control in lots of areas of the country because very few people trap anymore , the fur prices are not worth the effort, So things like raccoons possums, coyotes, foxes , and even beavers which we have had issue with lately , last fall i got pictures of 5 river otters next to my lake . i have never seen one in my life here, yea there cute and cuddly right but they cause lots of damage to property and livestock every yr,

 

[MossRoad]

There are more people trapping today than 1992 in the U.S. Estimated at between 210-260,000 people.

Is Trapping in America on the Brink of Extinction, or at the Beginning of a Comeback?

Trapping in America has seen booms and busts. We examine the current state of fur prices, anti-trapping laws, and participation numbers.

www.outdoorlife.com

In my entire life, 61 years, I only knew of one person that trapped on a regular basis. That was in the 80s.

 

[Jstpssng]

There are more people trapping today than 1992 in the U.S. Estimated at between 210-260,000 people.

Is Trapping in America on the Brink of Extinction, or at the Beginning of a Comeback?

Trapping in America has seen booms and busts. We examine the current state of fur prices, anti-trapping laws, and participation numbers.

www.outdoorlife.com

In my entire life, 61 years, I only knew of one person that trapped on a regular basis. That was in the 80s.

I know many who trapped seriously for years, but very few who are doing it now as fur prices are so low.
100 beaver used to be the goal back when fur prices were up and the season ran from Jan 1 to March 31. Back then it was a big deal to be on the ice ready to go at midnight... otherwise you might get there and find somebody else had the house set up.

 

[MossRoad]

I know many who trapped seriously for years, but very few who are doing it now as fur prices are so low.
100 beaver used to be the goal back when fur prices were up and the season ran from Jan 1 to March 31. Back then it was a big deal to be on the ice ready to go at midnight... otherwise you might get there and find somebody else had the house set up.

I know Maine is a lot more 'less developed' than Indiana. Here, at least in the northern 2/3 of the state, there is almost always a road exactly every mile. 1 mile squares. 640 acres per square. Most of it farm field, although there are still nice woods here and there. Usually a drainage ditch or creek every mile or two as well.

There were no (or very few) coyotes, beavers, deer, turkey, mink, otter or Canada Goose here in the northern part of the state when I was born in the early 60s. Lots of ducks, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, raccoons, possum, muskrat. I saw exactly 1 deer in the area I grew up in, which was pretty rural, before I turned 20.

Since around 1980, things started to change. We are overrun with deer and coyotes. There are beavers in about every waterway. So much so that the parks departments have to put fencing around the large trees along the rivers so they don't get chewed down. Coyotes have adapted to urban life, and they tend to push foxes out. The turkey reintroduction program has been a huge success. There are mink in the ditches now, and the otter reintroduction program is a success as well. Canada Goose populations have exploded to the point that they are nuisance animals. Flocks of ducks have been replaced by flocks of geese. It is rare to see a flock of ducks now. I've seen wild mink several times, and the otter reintroduction program has been a large success, too.

There are still large populations of squirrels, raccoons and possums. I don't see as many muskrats as I used to, but they are still there.

Rabbit populations tend to ebb and flow with the severity of the winters. Since we do not have harsh winters as often, we have more rabbits. Saw 3 large ones chasing each other around by my neighbor's mailbox this morning. Probably the ones that ate my tulips.

With all that, there are few, if any, trappers around here that I know of. I personally wouldn't do it just for the fur. There's something strange about killing an animal just to skin it and sell it's fur in this day and age. I'd do it for predation on livestock or poultry, and property damage. I don't hunt, but let people hunt on my property. So I'm not anti-hunting for food. But just for fur? Seems a waste. I do fish as often as I get the chance.

Anyhow, unless you can prove that an animal is the culprit in livestock or poultry predation, I'd tend to let it live and try and maintain a more natural balance of wildlife VS managing it if at all possible.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I know Maine is a lot more 'less developed' than Indiana. Here, at least in the northern 2/3 of the state, there is almost always a road exactly every mile. 1 mile squares. 640 acres per square. Most of it farm field, although there are still nice woods here and there. Usually a drainage ditch or creek every mile or two as well.

There were no (or very few) coyotes, beavers, deer, turkey, mink, otter or Canada Goose here in the northern part of the state when I was born in the early 60s. Lots of ducks, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, raccoons, possum, muskrat. I saw exactly 1 deer in the area I grew up in, which was pretty rural, before I turned 20.

Since around 1980, things started to change. We are overrun with deer and coyotes. There are beavers in about every waterway. So much so that the parks departments have to put fencing around the large trees along the rivers so they don't get chewed down. Coyotes have adapted to urban life, and they tend to push foxes out. The turkey reintroduction program has been a huge success. There are mink in the ditches now, and the otter reintroduction program is a success as well. Canada Goose populations have exploded to the point that they are nuisance animals. Flocks of ducks have been replaced by flocks of geese. It is rare to see a flock of ducks now. I've seen wild mink several times, and the otter reintroduction program has been a large success, too.

There are still large populations of squirrels, raccoons and possums. I don't see as many muskrats as I used to, but they are still there.

Rabbit populations tend to ebb and flow with the severity of the winters. Since we do not have harsh winters as often, we have more rabbits. Saw 3 large ones chasing each other around by my neighbor's mailbox this morning. Probably the ones that ate my tulips.

With all that, there are few, if any, trappers around here that I know of. I personally wouldn't do it just for the fur. There's something strange about killing an animal just to skin it and sell it's fur in this day and age. I'd do it for predation on livestock or poultry, and property damage. I don't hunt, but let people hunt on my property. So I'm not anti-hunting for food. But just for fur? Seems a waste. I do fish as often as I get the chance.

Anyhow, unless you can prove that an animal is the culprit in livestock or poultry predation, I'd tend to let it live and try and maintain a more natural balance of wildlife VS managing it if at all possible.

Well said.

 

[deezler]

To me, Foxes are one of those magical, sneaky creatures that you should feel lucky to catch a glimpse of. They are small predators and will hardly make a dent in your bird populations, IMO. Please don't trap and kill them inhumanely unless you know for a FACT that they are eating your livestock or causing other specific issues.

Over in southern Michigan, our wild animal populations are changing also. The explosion of deer is a real problem lately. On my 13 mile commute to work through semi-rural/suburban areas, I pass at least a dozen dead deer laying on the side of the road (why does no one pick them up anymore?) and it seems a new one gets hit almost every day by some unlucky driver.
Coyote pack seems stable in my area, they come down into my block about every other week and howl and sing as the amtrack train honks it's way through town.
Mink are thriving in all the waterways here too.

 

[MossRoad]

Isn't it interesting that we can witness the changes (good or bad) in our world the older we get?

 

[deezler]

Indeed. I've had my property for 10 years now, lived here for 7. Lots of changes already. The worst one being, many more TICKS. ugh.

 

[MossRoad]

Indeed. I've had my property for 10 years now, lived here for 7. Lots of changes already. The worst one being, many more TICKS. ugh.

We live on 1 acre near the city, in an older neighborhood that was started in the 20's. Nothing much has changed there, other than large trees die, and small trees get bigger.

Where I notice the change most is on our 20 acres about 9 miles from town. When we bought it around 1989, there was a 4 acre field, a 6 acre field, and 10 acres of woods between them. We had the 4 acres reforested with alternating rows of pines and mixed hardwoods, we let the 6 acre field go wild, and I manage the 10 acres by cutting out the black locust for firewood, which opens the sky to the maples and oaks.

The trees we planted are well over 50' now. The oaks are producing acorns. The deer and turkey use it for a dining room. The field we let go wild filled up with cherry trees spread by the birds. In time, the cherries killed everything under them but chest-high weeds, and the occasional honeysuckle. The edges of the existing woods and field used to be thick with multi-flora roses and blackberry bushes, again spread by the bird droppings at the edges of the woods. Now they are shaded out and thinning.

There used to be rabbits in the fields, but now that they are woods, no rabbits. Same thing with pheasants. Haven't seen one there in 20 years. They need fields. We have woods.

There's a creek that runs under an old railroad bridge on our property. The creek has moved about 20' further into it's 90 degree bend in the past 30+ years.

It really is interesting to watch over time.

 

[California]

Coyote pack seems stable in my area ... howl and sing as the amtrack train honks it's way through town.

Over 20 years, we've had two instances of semi-tame peacocks appearing.

I suspect each was brought out and abandoned in the country after it reached (noisy) maturity.

It's hilarious to hear the peacock sing along adding its soprano chorus when coyotes howl.