How to attract foxes?

[CalG]

I guess I no longer need to consider protecting the gardens from moles by encouraging foxes, A good sized BLACK BEAR just sauntered through the back yard as the wife and I were sitting out having lunch. It was less than 40 yards away, and in no hurry. So much for the tree fruits, blue berries and raspberries...;-)

Oh well!.

 

[ruffdog]

A black bear was spotted around here too....strange.

 

[deserteagle71]

Encourage bull snakes to hang around...they'll take care of your rodent problem and you won't have to worry about your chickens!

 

[CalG]

Encourage bull snakes to hang around...they'll take care of your rodent problem and you won't have to worry about your chickens!

View attachment 3712581

View attachment 3712582

bull snakes do not naturally occur in Vermont

 

[CalG]

Well

I guess some fox are attracted to TRACTORS!

 

[MMC]

We, neighbors and I, finally killed out most of the coyotes around this corner of the county. The foxes don't bother much and we still have a few fox hunters with dogs, but they don't kill the fox.
The only problem I have is the Black Vultures. They've ran all the native Turkey Vultures away from my area. Went up to what's left of the old pole barn today with the contractor.
I heard a Black vulture hissing at us, it's got a nest in the old manger. The contractor asked me, "what is that sound"? I told him and he'd never heard one hiss before. The last one that hissed at me got to see my .410 up close.
Indiana DNR imported them because they are voracious eaters; however they are also aggressive and will even peck out a newborn calf if the mother cow hasn't licked it dry yet.

Yeah, coyotes get a bit of a bum rap on cattle. They will, however, go after sick or dead calves. But mama is usually a match for anything the size of a coyote - they are not really pack animals. I am much more inclined to shoot dogs that venture onto the farm and offer problems. Many times, they have a pack mentality, more like wolves.

But black buzzards are a different problem - protected by the Migratory Bird international agreement. Unfortunately. But they are not at all like the "Turkey Buzzards" here in KY. Those are the good guys, just cleaning up. Black Buzzards are true predators and do exactly like RayIN says - they go after live meat. They encircle a cow and calf and try to get to the eyes and bring a newborn calf down.

Illegal or not, many farmers here just simply deal with the problem...and get rid of it.

 

[jaxs]

Attempts to tilt balance of nature are seldom successful and most often cause more harm than good. Recent papers have been published regarding "Keystone species" are quite eye opening. I believe you will have more success adopting one or two small terriers to control rodents. It doesn't take much encouragement to get them interested in hunting but all you can do is hope fox sign on. Afterall fox have the choice to hunt many acres so it's wishful to think they will concentrate on your yard.

 

[Hay Dude]

In my area, foxes are wildly overpopulated, almost as much as deer. You see fox carcasses along the roads from being run over by cars.
It’s very common to see a fox in your driveway, or a fox den in your back yard, under a branch pile, yard shed, etc.
Anywhere they can dig a den and have their kits.

 

[CalG]

Well, the fox is in the door yard!

We have a culvert under the drive not 50 feet from the house. The mint grows thick at the exit, as the culvert runs all spring melt.
The mint was being trampled lately, and I said to the wife, "might be foxes".

Sure enough, the young one was out and about yesterday afternoon. Didn't go far from the opening, but did play in the garden a bit.
I snapped a bunch of photos with the phone while peering out the window, but the flash bounced off the window glass and ruined every shot. (I really need to learn how to shut the flash off)
Any way, I threw out a bone in the area last night. It's gone today! ;-)
I don't want to spoil their appetite, and I haven't seen the usual mole tracks through the gardens. So maybe it's all good.