To catch a fox..

[shmccarthy]

Just as I'm explaining to someone how I have no trouble free ranging...
My brother got home no more than 15 minutes ago and all the chickens were out around the yard. I had the back door open, as I usually do to look/listen for trouble. My brother just yelled "****!! Uh Shannon, there's a fox in the yard!"
I ran outside to find my flock nowhere to be found, and one of my leghorns dying in the yard. He dropped her as he ran off. I picked her up and she died a few seconds later in my arms... There's blood and feathers everywhere and I'm still missing four more, and I'm praying they're just hiding somewhere.
I've known fox to be out primarily at night, only seeing a select few during the day and my dogs didn't sense the fox, when usually they're really good about it. I should've been watching them more careful... The chickens are on lockdown until I get this fox.
Anyways I'm getting a trap and am going to trap the fox. Now I need opinions from people who have successfully trapped fox. The materials I have are, a live trap, scent mask, gloves, hunting clothes, boots, and bait. Is there anything else I need? Where is the best place to put the trap? Should I use the dead chicken or raw meat as bait? I really need help.

 

[shmccarthy]

They are all still freaking out in the coop, I feel so bad for them, probably scared them half to death. :/

 

[sixinva]

Good luck with the fox. While typically nocturnal, I think when they have little ones, they do go out and hunt when they can.......I'll be watching this to see how others catch foxes......

 

[chippysmom327]

I'm sorry. That's so frightening. I scared 2 cats (2 separate occasions) away while they were trying to take down my chicken, and a hawk was swooping down but I scared it. Anyway, I know you have bait but I have a few suggestions:

Raw/rotten fish
Canned Cat Food
The dead chicken

 

[shmccarthy]

Well I ended up burying the chicken, it was just making me too sad.. But I have canned tuna and some meat from a chicken that I butchered a couple weeks ago but didn't eat because there was a lot of blood in the meat still. I am going to try that first. The live trap came with a smaller trap so I might put something alive in there too...

 

[shmccarthy]

The trap is officially set. I will check in the morning and alternate ideas/bait every other day or so if I come up empty and keep everyone posted.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I've been trying to trap a fox for the past month. My neighbor has been trying to get it with a gun. Another neighbor with a bow. Good luck. We've all come up empty. There's a reason they call it being "out-foxed".

We see it early morning, late evening, or during the day. If they have kits - and ours does - they have to hunt more and will be more active during the day. We saw this fox near our hen house but on the other side of the fence. Fingers crossed - she's not made it through or under the fence yet. She's also cornered our cat three times so the cat is now an inside cat which makes me very sad as she's a fantastic mouser and is missing her hunt time.

You might want to check youtube as there are a few video's of people trapping foxes. Good luck!

 

[PeacockMan]

Install a hot wire all the way around your pen six inches off the ground and you will never see the fox again. The same goes for coons skunks and possums. If you need advice about how to install the hot wire send a message to my facebook at Doug's Peacock Farm. It will be the best money you will ever spend.

 

[shmccarthy]

How much is it relatively?
My chickens free range during the day and this fox is very peculiar. I'm also worried about my lab getting into it...
I baited a double trap with a live chicken for a few nights with no luck. Even after following all the rules for scent killing and disguising the trap, he didn't go near it. He's come twice now, both visits were between 3:10-3:30.
I am sick at home with a double ear infection and strep, that stemmed from a sinus infection that settled. I figured I would have a lot of time on my hands today. I let the chickens out for the first time since the attack because their pen is flooded because of the rain. I ended up throwing their feed just 20 feet outside the sliding glass back door so they'd hang around that area and it worked. They all stayed in the back yard(the attack happened in the front yard) and I kept my gun loaded next to me and the door open. My brother got home from school again and I stood at the door watching the chickens through the screen. Not ten seconds later the fox came out of nowhere, jumped on one, and broke its neck. It happened in less than 5 seconds. I went out with the gun and my brother followed with his. The fox was long gone. I put them back in their pen and looked for any feathers, and nothing was there. Luckilly I think he only got one, but I'll need to do another head count. This fox only comes by if they're out. My trail cam hasn't picked him up and other time and I think I'll have to take a new approach.

 

[Chadsky]

if you have a general area where the fox comes and goes maybe set up a ground blind and wait for it... they are clever little beasts, also put that trap in the woods closer to where it comes and goes and let your birds out so maybe that will be the first bird he sees and hopefully goes for... best of luck and sorry for your losses