Red Fox in Barn at 0415

[aart]

This is like juggling.

Indeed! It's an owl rodeo!

Been hearing what I think is juvie hawks begging here lately.
Have seen this in the past, babies chasing after parents begging to be fed, so recognize the sounds.

 

[centrarchid]

Something very fishy is going on! GHO and Red Fox were out their at same time for extended period of time, possibly within only a few feet of each other at least once! Owl bumped camera while fox was in view. Fox worked area for at least 3 hours. It is not coming up empty handed because mice, house mice this time I think, are extremely abundant.

Fox drug live-trap containing bait chicken over the leg-hold trap without setting the latter off. My smell and dog smell was all over the place so fox clearly has no issues with that. Owl was one stirring chickens because it got close to pens with chickens. Looking to see if fox actually did anything in the barn.

 

[centrarchid]

Opossum still here too. Came out right after dog and I did final walk through. And it is still growing. I also have a chicken running loose when none are supposed to be.

 

[centrarchid]

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]

Your pullet requested a Xanax for tonight.

 

[centrarchid]

She gets tonight off. Larger chickens are largely ignored by both predators. They must have snatch and grab option to beat dogs. if I tied a dead rooster down and made it give an alarm when pulled, I bet my dogs could catch baddy before it made it out.

 

[centrarchid]

We are getting sneakier in going after the Red Fox. Camera has been pulled back from first set with second set placed between first and camera's new position. Hopefully I will get a better handle on what GHO's role is in this. As I went about moving cock pens I could see and smell trackways fox made in pursuit of mice. Owl may be taking advantage of disturbance fox puts on mice to make its hunting easier. Most of the foliage is denser than I see owls hunting. Second set will have only a scent lure in place, fox urine with a little Lucy urine mixed in.

 

[centrarchid]

Just call me Wily Coyote, hopefully with better success. I have some concern about risk of catching owl as by-catch if triggers too touchy. Pup messing around does not appear to impact activities of Red Fox or Great-horned Owl, nor does Lucy and she scent marks all over the place. I can smell fox all over even with my sniffer. They do have a strong stink to them.

This first modification of approach. A crayfish trap is used to contain bait bird. Bird like safer in this setup. Was sleeping when I just walked by.

Second has smaller live-trap placed inside a rabbit pen fox is very familiar with. Fox has moved the pen for one reason or another.

Ladder has camera mounted to it looking down on both sets. Great-horned Owl uses the latter almost every night no matter where I put it. Back in the day a foot hold trap would be placed on something like the latter to target owl. That is no longer done with my management system. Owls are cool.

Red brooder box has been removed. I will be sleeping on deck again tonight. Wind is fairly strong and will be carrying my scent to barn, but I doubt it will impact my quarry. Sign of me is left all over the place every day and often even into the night. Dogs, including the Ben (male) are penned up. His presence up wind will make a difference, especially if he tries to slip in close like he did last night.

 

[centrarchid]

Dipstick owl is working pens of juveniles hard. Chickens impacted are crowding up in corner under cover to avoid owl. Moonlight makes so chickens can see owl well.

 

[centrarchid]

And owl can see me clearly.