Attempting to Bag a Red Fox

[centrarchid]

First question that came to mind: Do fox get married?

On that, a decided yes where they more than match the average human pairing. Most people do not realize that.

 

[cmom]

I have had problems with fox in the past. I have used my old leg traps to trap one that dug under a gate to a pen and used the body of a kill as bait. It was coming around during the day. Another fox also coming around during the day and killed a bird I used a live trap that I kept baited and let the fox take the bait a few times then set the trap and caught it. When they start killing they will be back looking for more opportunities. Since eliminating these two I have seen other fox on my game cameras but as long as they don't bother my birds I don't bother them. This is recently.

 

[casportpony]

My fox was back last night too, though I don't think it got anything.

 

[centrarchid]

Until about 30 minutes ago, we had switched to using house mouse nesting material as an attractant. While doing so dogs found what the fox likely craves most, a nest full of baby bunnies. Kids save three for time being. Fourth was killed by dogs. The dead fourth plus nest material will now be used as bait despite dog scent all over it. I doubt the fox will be above scavenging a kill left by dogs. Keeping dogs away from trap will be a lot of fun, so they will be penned in house until a little after midnight. Trap will be baited and exposed shortly after dark. If no catch by 0100 or so, then trap will be covered and bait placed in freezer.

If we get fox, then pups will be brought out to give it a thorough sniffing.

 

[centrarchid]

The other baby bunnies a bigger headache with young kids. Bunnies being replaced in nest with hope mother resumes care. If she does will, be the exception. Kids try to save all the babies in the world.

 

[centrarchid]

Trap baited and exposed. Must keep neighbor's eater of dead things dog out. My dogs are all up. Fox will likely think it has run of the range tonight because dogs will not come out to run him off.

 

[centrarchid]

No fox. I had excellent camera coverage and the critter did not show. So much of the time you can almost set a clock by them and then they adjust their schedule on you.

 

[centrarchid]

This is area fox appears to be working hard. We see multiple rabbits in this little 1/4 acre patch that likely have nest hidden on the squares of tall grass. Soon we will plant a patchwork garden and enclose the whole area with electrified poultry netting. Most trees in the patchwork are apple.

 

[centrarchid]

We used a rabbit killed by dogs as bait. Fox coming in even though dogs, kids and I are leaving scent on pretty much everything. Fox did not trip trap. It gave locations I toughed a good sniff, but continued on. It expects scents dogs and I leave so not as alarmed.

 

[cmom]

There is a smaller trap in front of the fox. That is the trap the fox finally got caught in. It got used to getting the bait then I set the trap. I used some old chicken we had in the freezer. We processed a lot of birds and a couple of packages found their way to the bottom of the freezer. They made good bait. The larger trap is really a hog trap.