Send Me Trapping Vibes!

[Wolf-Kim]

Anyone know how to hunt for a fox den?

Are they whelping/nesting/raising kits this time of year??

As upset as I am about the missing birds, I would hate to leave the kits starving. We have a fox preserve, far(!!) from me, but within decent driving distance, that rehabilitates and then releases them onto the preserve. They usually take "abandoned"(

) kits, feed, raise, and protect 'em well. At least until hunting season. The place is set aside for the old style fox hunts, with the dogs and horses, etc.

-Kim

 

[ivan3]

Did you by any chance take a look over on BYCYUKU and check the two stickies at the top of the PRED/PEST? (using/setting traps)? Foxtrapper Steph is very good. Might want to set trap (s) at the location where you found the feathers.

Ours whelped in late May this year (depends somewhat on weather - have found active dens in April - if they lose the first litter they can come in late with a second). You could try a spiralling search outward from the area where you found the feathers. Pay particular attention to areas just inside woodlines, this is usually where I find a cache (buried the prey - usually do this in winter), or where they've eaten their prey (you'll find a bunch of feathers if that is the case). I think ours like staying close to the woodlines as they can maintain a good field of view while they're eating.

I've found dens by: Standing at the location of their dining area and listening for yelps just after sundown, following fence lines in the general direction of where I've seen them (checking for scat as I go). Looking closely at all areas on the southern exposed downslopes of hills (like to build their dens there - we have nothing but woods and they dig in at the base of big rotten snags (mostly hickory for some reason). If there are any abandoned outbuildings in the area, check those as well (our neighbor found a den dug under old feed storage shed).

In order to allow our chooks and turks any free range time at all, we pretty much conduct armed supervision (foxes around here are very active around sundown), brush cut high weeds and saplings from virges of ranging areas as well (birds have some time to react before they're grabbed - better field of fire as well).

Good luck!

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I've read the stickey's you are talking about, I'll have to go back for a refresher. We found a hole in the chicken's run, where all the little ones could squeeze through, I am guessing they couldn't figure out how to get back into the coop once it began to get dark. And, well, you know the rest.

I found a couple of piles of feathers and chicken feed(crop contents I suppose) where the grass begins to get tall. I think the fox grabbed them from near the coop, because the young birds never wander far from the immediate barn area(10' max from the barn itself).

Know about how far the den would be from the feeding area?

Looks like I'll be going for an extended nature walk this week.

-Kim

 

[ivan3]

If they haven't been hunted in your area (or otherwise made `spooky') I'd think less than 1/8th of a mile. I think Cyn mentioned that she had a den pretty close to her coop (shiver).

Last year was terrible and between my neighbor and I we took 18. This year has been much slower, at least no fox has jumped out of our `outdoor' cat's plastic dog house on the front deck and stood there looking at me as I walk out the door this year, yet...

If you trap the parents, you'll be able to track down the den (if there are little ones) they'll be yipping.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

You know, you think I wouldn't have trouble with furred predators.. Because I remember walking through the woods to the community on the other side(.5-1 mile) and there was a taxidermy shop... Then again, our neighbor down the road lets her chooks free range on a daily basis, so maybe the local fox are getting back in the habbit.

-Kim

 

[Wolf-Kim]

I'll be back on later. I am going to reposition the trap to the area they dragged the babies off to in order to eat them. I also need to find some bait.

-Kim

 

[Cetawin]

Wolf-Kim the babies will be out out the den this time of year in NC. I have never known them to den this far into summer up in the Blue Ridge. They may still be with mother polishing hunting skills but not helpless in a den. They should survive without her. Good luck.

 

[chickenfanatic]

good luck hope u get that critter let us know what happens and sorry for ur loss