Best way to trap a fox?

[Cyprus]

I was thinking about this thread this morning when I went out and found an opossum in a trap... I checked my camera and after the possum was in the trap, a raccoon came by and cleaned up the rest of the bait (cantaloupe guts and rinds).

I've always been told that the best teacher for trapping is the animal you're trying to trap, and the best way to get that animal to teach you, these days it with a camera.

But the problem with cameras can be that you have to check them to get the card, and that means disturbing the area and leaving scent, etc. But around the house or the coop you're already doing that, so it's likely not as big a deal.

So there was someone on this thread that recommended setting up your trap and wiring it open, and then "chumming" it for a while with bait, so that the fox gets used to going into the trap for the bait, and then once it's doing that regularly, you unwire the trap and set it ready to catch...

That's not bad advice, but the problem you have with that approach is the other critters: coons, possums, cats, skunks, etc. Often you'll draw them in first, and so they get the bait as well, and then it can be hard to ensure that you get the fox and not the other "non target" critters. And if you do what happens is Mr. Fox sees Mr. Coon in the trap, and gets educated, and then gets trap shy.

So with all that in mind, I'd say get a game camera and try baiting to see what you get. If you all you see are the foxes, then set the trap live and go for it.

But you can begin to see why the fox can be difficult to trap... they educate themselves.

The link that describes using the chickens as a live decoy, is not a bad idea either, but be very careful about how you set that up too or you could have a troop of raccoons come in and you catch the first one, and the others go to work on the "tunnel" and take that cage apart and kill your chickens.

The main point I intended to make, is to set up a game camera and see what you've got going on, and that will inform you a great deal about what steps to take for success.

This makes a lot of sense to me. My dad and I have been wanting to invest in a game trail camera lately. This is a good reason to get one.

 

[centrarchid]

I am having Red Fox issues of my own and have been watching him for months. Fox uses same access points my dogs do and can just barely beat them when they try to catch it. It works pen area while generally avoiding pens with adult chickens but is goes after young chickens. I have lost less than 10 birds to it but still want to shut is down. Just started putting out a leg-hold trap baited with a live chicken in a live-trap.

Fox spent nearly 3 hours going working pens last night. It appears to have an associate in the form of a Great-horned Owl that works same area at same time. My male dog positioned himself rather close to action for at least part of the action but did not commit. He knows he cannot beat fox to property boundary without a good jump on fox.

Pullet used as bait within two live-traps to protect her from fox and owl.

Foot-trap is under milk crate that is removed immediately after photograph taken to keep dogs out. Only male dog can be kept reliably away from trap at night so female and pup confined to house for most of night. Feed bag fox moved around later for some reason.

First detection of fox for night.

Fox pulling on live-trap. It moved trap over foot-trap without setting it off.

Watching for dogs and I that never came.

Pullet safe and wandering where her foe was located.

Fox getting ready to leave. It did not waste it's time, mice are all over the place and easy to catch. Fox likely has an easier time than owl catching mice in tall vegetation.

Two additioanal leg traps will be set later today.

 

[Trish1974]

This makes a lot of sense to me. My dad and I have been wanting to invest in a game trail camera lately. This is a good reason to get one.

Ebay has great deals on game cams. Moultrie (in my opinion) is the best brand.

 

[cmom]

I have several game cameras set up around different places on my property. Most every night I see some predator. I go out and retrieve the memory cards in the mornings. I have electric around my pens and coops and if a digger tries to dig under it, the digger will get a good shock. I have touched the wire when I forgot to unplug it and it made my heart skip several beats. I have tried live traps but have had my best luck with leg traps. I'm rural so no problem eliminating it.

 

[centrarchid]

I have several game cameras set up around different places on my property. Most every night I see some predator. I go out and retrieve the memory cards in the mornings. I have electric around my pens and coops and if a digger tries to dig under it, the digger will get a good shock. I have touched the wire when I forgot to unplug it and it made my heart skip several beats. I have tried live traps but have had my best luck with leg traps. I'm rural so no problem eliminating it.

I am doing much the same. Fun to be sure trying figure critters out.

 

[centrarchid]

I got my fox. Will be adding foot-hold traps to my tool box of management tools.