Red Fox in Barn at 0415

[techbsmith]

You have some amazing work dogs! I'm sure they've been given several treats and lots of pats for alerting you. Good luck on the problem, it sounds like you're well on your way to solving it.

 

[DyingPhoenix]

Foxes are super smart, as you know! I have seen foxes at my place deliberately avoiding hot fences and working around them to try and get birds. They will jump the wires going around the bottom quarter of the fence and climb to the top to try and get in. Note to others: a single, heightened wire at the top of the fence is never a bad idea.

They have also been observed 'dogging' the fence, just out of range of the hot wires to try and spook the birds out. They run up and down the fence, lunging but never close enough to get zapped. I've looked out there midday and seen them doing it. Did not end well for the preoccupied fox.

Good luck and I hope they take a dirt nap soon before they start getting at your birds.

 

[centrarchid]

There will be no dirt naps. Killing foxes takes too much work. Tweaking perimeter and making so they have less opportunity to test it is approach to be followed. After tonight I will be putting up an additional perimeter specifically to entertain the fox. A mowed runway will be setup making it easier for dogs to flank fox rather than run straight at it. Fox will consider increased of threat from dogs and steer clear. About 15 minutes on riding mower and another 30 on fence will be start.

 

[debid]

I admire your efforts! Killing a predator is just opening a territory for another predator to fill and will cause a boom in the prey population that they normally consume (and you know foxes eat rodents, right?) The predators reproduce at much slower rate than the prey so the boom isn't short-term. So, I prefer to deter as well. After the last bobcat encounter, I've been removing underbrush by the coop to reduce their cover. I discovered that not only did the cat grab a hen very nearby, it RETURNED to eat the hen where it had grabbed her. I don't get that at all but maybe it was hoping for seconds?

 

[centrarchid]

First image shows what I found this morning. Notice the area dugout underneath end of live-trap. Material to hard and thrown a lot farther than something like a raccoon would do.

Chick carcass used as bait for tonight.

Same in trap as presented to fox.

Approximate view game camera has of trap.

Ladder used to suspend game camera. Kids are my assistants.

Camera setup to take photo every 30 seconds. Batteries fresh and memory wiped to ensure enough room.

 

[centrarchid]

Fox came into view at 01:44:30.
Worked bait until 02:00:00 when it then dragged cage about 4 feet.
left 02:17:30

Sexy beast came in with flashlight at 05:38:30

Account above will be subjected to editing. One of my wildlife major students will be tasked with sorting and uploading select images after he completes feeding trout.

 

[centrarchid]

Getting more detail into what has happen form additional perspectives.

 

[centrarchid]

Red Fox approaching. He came earlier this time.

 

[centrarchid]

Red Fox digging and monitoring action in direction of house as that is where dogs are located.

 

[centrarchid]

Red Fox moving trap using his mouth. Digging was not working.