Fox hunting, taxidermy

lazarus · Sep 7, 2017

So, this year I ended up getting a fur bearer stamp. The last two years I've had two chances to take a fox in season and no stamp (so I didn't). Both times I was out with my ML deer hunting the late season. First time I might have taken it and it looked okay. 2nd time and year it was probably the biggest fox I have ever seen with a glorious long coat that wandered by within about 25yds of me and stopped and looked at me for about 5 seconds side on before skulking off through the underbrush.

I'll probably never see another one when hunting in my life, but in the off chance I do...

Anything in particular I should do if I want the hide? No chance my wife would let me get a full mount. I've heard fox meat is fine, but nothing special. Ideas on what to do? Gut it and take the whole thing to a taxidermist? Meat processor that works with a taxidermist? Attempt to skin it myself (never skinned a full animal before) and save the hide to be preserved and butcher it up myself?

I am sure I can ask the processor I take my deer to if they will do fox and if their in house taxidermist would preserve just the hide. Otherwise, anyone have leads on the western HoCo/central MD area for someone they know will do it.

TargetGrade · Sep 7, 2017

Not sure but Id liken eating fox to eating crow. They eat much of the same things. Id gut it and take it to the taxidermist and go from there. You go out in the woods enough, stalk quietly or climb a tree and you'll see plenty. If I were hungry enough Id eat it but since I'm not going on Naked and Afraid anytime soon I'll stick with ribs, steaks and burger.

outrider58 · Sep 7, 2017

If you plan to have it mounted, don't gut it. The taxidermist will skin it by making an incision straight down its back.

foxtrapper · Sep 10, 2017

That will likely blow a big hole in the fox. Don't gut a fox unless you really do want to try eating that nasty thing. I'm the only person around who would save the meat for you though lol. I wouldn't try anything other than making well seasoned jerky from the backstraps, and that would be 2 strips of jerky when done lol.

lazarus · Sep 11, 2017

foxtrapper said:
That will likely blow a big hole in the fox. Don't gut a fox unless you really do want to try eating that nasty thing. I'm the only person around who would save the meat for you though lol. I wouldn't try anything other than making well seasoned jerky from the backstraps, and that would be 2 strips of jerky when done lol.

So no to eating it unless starving. Good to know.

Best way to preserve it to get it to a taxidermist? I have a chest freezer, but I doubt my wife is going to let me put one in there. I am guessing get it to them ASAP and maybe hope it is cold outside. Or because I'd only be looking at keeping the hide, a day of decomp (in cool or cold weather) isn't going to be the end of the world?

Thoughts on preseving only part of it, like the tail?

303_enfield · Sep 11, 2017

Freeze it in a bag. Wife won't know.

lazarus · Sep 11, 2017

303_enfield said:
Freeze it in a bag. Wife won't know.

I am kind of thinking she'll notice a large 25 pound mystery bag in the freezer.

TargetGrade · Sep 11, 2017

lazarus said:
I am kind of thinking she'll notice a large 25 pound mystery bag in the freezer.

If you really have to have it.... boil the shit out of it and use it for dog food or Trick Or Treaters.

Bonus question.......... do you like your MIL?

foxtrapper · Sep 12, 2017

lazarus said:
I am kind of thinking she'll notice a large 25 pound mystery bag in the freezer.

15 pound bag.

lazarus · Sep 12, 2017

foxtrapper said:
15 pound bag.

I'd swear the one I saw last year was a good 25. Even taking in to account their tails are so damn big, it had an easy several inches at the shoulder on my Maine coon, which is 15lbs.

MIL is a vegetarian...

Biggfoot44 · Sep 12, 2017

That's not a taxidermy issue, that's a Wife issue .

outrider58 · Sep 12, 2017

lazarus said:
MIL is a vegetarian...

My wife was... :innocent0

Uncle Duke · Sep 12, 2017

lazarus said:
I'd swear the one I saw last year was a good 25. Even taking in to account their tails are so damn big, it had an easy several inches at the shoulder on my Maine coon, which is 15lbs.

MIL is a vegetarian...

Possible, but gonna bet you'd be surprised how light they are when you pick one up, compared to what you might think they should weigh. They're more about fluff and less about density than they look.

BigDaddy · Sep 12, 2017

Once you smell it, eating it will be out of the question.
My wife follows someone on Instagram who rescued a fox from a fur farm. It's an indoor pet now.

People can smell her fox when they get out of their car in the driveway.
https://www.instagram.com/juniperfoxx/?hl=en

outrider58 · Sep 12, 2017

BigDaddy said:
Once you smell it, eating it will be out of the question.
My wife follows someone on Instagram who rescued a fox from a fur farm. It's an indoor pet now.

People can smell her fox when they get out of their car in the driveway.
https://www.instagram.com/juniperfoxx/?hl=en

They do stink.

lazarus · Sep 12, 2017

outrider58 said:
My wife was...

Mine was too.

She still doesn't eat a lot of red meat and gives me nasty looks when I tell her I am going to go hunting (usually with several days advanced notice, or like early muzzleloader, I reminded her monthly as soon as the hunting calendar is posted).

That said, she has no problem with me taking our oldest deer hunting this fall and he is excited about it. I told him we will go in the early afternoon for an end of day sit and he can bring a book. Not sure when. Going to have to look at his school calendar to see when he might have a day off so we can go during the week.

Maybe next year I'll work with him to get his license.

outrider58 · Sep 12, 2017

lazarus said:
Mine was too.

She still doesn't eat a lot of red meat and gives me nasty looks when I tell her I am going to go hunting (usually with several days advanced notice, or like early muzzleloader, I reminded her monthly as soon as the hunting calendar is posted).

That said, she has no problem with me taking our oldest deer hunting this fall and he is excited about it. I told him we will go in the early afternoon for an end of day sit and he can bring a book. Not sure when. Going to have to look at his school calendar to see when he might have a day off so we can go during the week.

Maybe next year I'll work with him to get his license.

Don't forget, late ML season happens during Christmas vacation.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

lazarus · Sep 12, 2017

outrider58 said:
Don't forget, late ML season happens during Christmas vacation.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

True. I am worried about him and the cold though. That is my back-up plan. I am taking that week off this year. I figure I'll pick the warmest day and take him out if I can't get him out earlier.

ChrisD · Sep 15, 2017

Check out air skinning a fox on YouTube. Plenty of videos there. I believe it works on deer pretty well also, never tried it though.

foxtrapper · Sep 15, 2017

lazarus said:
True. I am worried about him and the cold though. That is my back-up plan. I am taking that week off this year. I figure I'll pick the warmest day and take him out if I can't get him out earlier.

If it's like last winter, most days will be warm lol. Kill more foxes and you can make a fur cape to keep him warm lol. How old is he?

Regarding last winter, it was a major PIA for my trapping to be out there in 70 degrees some days, 50-60 for so many others. Foxes don't move as much when warmer, and then transporting them home dead and having to skin right away also bugs me. They will spoil fast. It was even worst with the 2 big does I was given, having to work them up in one night due to being too warm to let hang and finish the rest the next day. I like to remove the roasts from the hanging hams, and don't have a fridge big enough to lay whole hams in. I also like to trim as much as I can off the deer as it hangs, from the ribcage and whatnot.

Fox hunting, taxidermy

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