FOX Bait?????????? location of trap???

[chickengeorgeto]

... canned food as that is how i caught last years fox ... This one is ALOT bigger adn ALOT more sly apparently.

I wonder if the ALOT bigger and the ALOT more sly [aka shy] fox is in reality a coyote?
Anyway, this trapping strategy works well for both sly foxes as well as foxy coyotes.

 

[Inkheart]

I have actually seen this fox ---- we do have coyote here - but this bugger - i had the chickens out free ranging - only supervised now ...my little bantams screamed and al ltook to flying i ran around the corner stared him right in the face- he was not shy - sadly the gun was on the deck. i have live traps set ---and they are very picky - i understand you hacve to have no human scent on them - cover them with brush etc to make look like a tunnel - seems hard to catch them ....

 

[Thomps Hens]

Nearest town is about 12 minutes and we have a Black Lab that is an outside dog and a Mini Dachshund that only goes out to relieve itself.

 

[jc17]

being that you have dogs i would use live traps aka box traps. they have a pressure plate that keeps the door open and when stepped on it shuts. live traps are completley safe for the animal and you. i have carried live 40 pound coons with them. its safe but it sure is scary sometimes. when you set the trap make it look like a tunnel, like the trap is part of nature. if you could borrow one in stead of buying it would be best because when you buy them they smell. i let my traps sit out so they dont. also when you set it before you hide it be sure to stake the trap down because they can just flip the trap over and the bait. try to get a spring loaded one, those are best. they make people say they make attachments for using live bait. but i simply make a very small divider in the back of the trap. if you use a live chicken as bait be sure to use hardware cloth for the divider because coons can stick their hands through and get them. also make sure the back end of the trap is up against something. make entering the trap the only way possible that anything can get the bait, and remeber this when baiting. YOU ARE BAITING, NOT FEEDING. ive always been told that when trapping. Good luck!

 

[Thomps Hens]

From everything that we have read it seems that a Fox will not go into a box trap no matter what bait you use.

 

[jc17]

try catching some blue gill or something. you may have to use live bait even though thats a scary thought. you can also sit outside where you can see the trap and try to shoot him from long range.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... it seems that a Fox will not go into a box trap no matter what bait you use.

No. A fox is just less likely to go inside a box trap than other animals are. Sometimes even if you bait with the fox equivalent of caviar and champagne, foxes or coyotes will turn their noses up at your bait. Also you are not going to catch ANY foxes with a trap that is so small that a fox feels uncomfortable or already trapped by entering it.

 

[jc17]

the best trap to use for a fox would be a conibear or a leghold trap. but these traps are not as safe for the user or the animal. i personally have smashed my hand in one. also it can be very harmful to your outside dogs, witch is why i asked if you had any. also using these traps out of trapping season can probably score you a hefty fine. i would stick to a large box trap and just switch things up if somthing doesnt work. even being an experienced trapper a fox can be a challange. as i said before use a used box trap and a very big one. make it look like a tunnel. yes, a box trap isnt the ideal way to catch a crafty fox. but im not going to give you advice that is illegal. i would stick to a large box trap. also try contacting local dnr. they may make an acception being the fox is after your chickens. catching a fox in a live trap will be very challenging, but unfortunatley it is one of the most logical ways considering your position. :/