I'll go first. Here is a photo taken Sunday morning of a fox out in front of the house. I took this from our front window about 10:30 a.m. On Saturday we had some hunters who were in a contest get one fox from my upper pasture. They hunted the Grelle place as well. That's three we've taken in the past few weeks. We probably need to cull more. I'm looking forward to more fresh eggs from the Crocketts.
Ray McDonald
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A friend grew up trapping fox on his family farm in South Dakota. He said a great way to trap a fox was to take advantage of the fox's appetite. Apparently, fox (at least in South Dakota) are attracted to skunk odor because they just love to eat skunk. (Imagine that.) Anyway, my friend took possession of any available skunk carcass (I have shot 3 in the last year). He then dug a hole large enough to bury all the skunk EXCEPT the tail, which he left to flap in the wind. He said the best possible scenario was to bury the carcass on a rise or hill and then place one or more fox traps at the base.
If I had a fox trap I'd try it. If anyone wants more information, just let me know and I'll email Robert.
If this works, let me know. I may have to buy a trap or two. A gray or silver fox has made several appearances at our place but I don't think our big dog has been very welcoming to him (or her).
Al Culp
The gray fox is the most omnivorous of the canids. Its diet varies from prey like small mammals, such as cottontails, mice and rats, to birds, snakes, frogs, and even insects. And during the fall when berries ripen, or when cactus fruits are available, it can take advantage of that food source as well. A report on the stomach contents of 42 gray foxes in Texas revealed that in late summer and fall, persimmons and acorns dominated its diet with 30 percent, insects 26 percent, small mammals 15 percent, crayfish 14 percent, and chicken and quail only once each. The winter food of a similar number of gray foxes included small mammals 56 percent, insects (primarily grasshoppers) 23 percent, and wild birds 21 percent. And because it spends so much in trees, bird eggs would not be ignored.
In Texas, the breeding season begins in February and continues into March. Three to six pups are born in April or May, after a gestation period of about 63 days. Although the pups are born blind and helpless, they grow rapidly and leave the den within a few weeks. They then seek shelter in rocky and brushy areas. It is during this period when the adults are most likely to be seen in the open as they search their neighborhood for food for their growing families. Their weight can increase from a few ounces at birth to 7 to 12 pounds as an adult; there also is a record 19 pounder.
The gray fox must be ever aware of its surroundings, as it often becomes prey to coyotes and bobcats, both predators that occur in the area. In fact, biologists believe that gray fox populations are generally held in check by predation, principally from coyotes. Plus, wild dogs, especially those in packs, also take their share of gray foxes. And gray fox roadkills by vehicles are not unusual.
Although those of us that live outside the cities and towns only occasionally see a gray fox, it is very likely that a pair or a family of these little canids is a local resident. They are most active at dusk and dawn, but they are not limited to the non-daylight hours. Especially this time of year when they must feed hungry youngsters, they can be active during all 24 hours. If you have an opportunity to watch one of these little wild dogs you will appreciate them even more.
If readers are losing eggs or chickens to predation it is far more likely that it is a skunk or a racoon who is the culprit.
That someone is hunting fox on Grelle's property causes some pause for me. Please take care not to shoot my Chihuahua who is the same size and unfortunately has a strikingly similar coloration as a gray fox.
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