A Rare Sight

[Patrick]

Just had a large fox cross through my back yard this morning. Nice reddish coat, fat and happy. I've seen scat here and there around the house over the past few months, but this is the first I've seen of a live fox in years. It was obviously on patrol and from the past trails I have seen, I think this is a normal route.

Years ago I saw more of them, but then they started to look real sick.

This one looked real healthy and real happy. Now I know why my field mouse problem is gone. I thought it was just the eagles and hawks (I had two eagles park in a tree my back yard for about a month, and hawks are pretty much like crows around here).

That fox is going to be even happier when it meets the chickens my wife is ordering up for the Spring. Ugh. I got young kids. I guess we'll be talking circle of life and all that...

Anyway, I will park a camera and keep an open eye while I work in the morning. Will post if I get any good snaps.

 

[Wahama90]

My wife told me she saw one in our yard a few weeks ago. About a day later I had to get up with the baby and I told my wife a big red fox was playing ball in the front yard. She just assumed that I was making fun of her until she looked out to see it picking the ball up in it's mouth and throwing it up in the air. It must have played with the balls for about 30 minutes. It acted just like a house cat playing with it's toys.

 

[TheWhiteBuffalo]

My wife told me she saw one in our yard a few weeks ago. About a day later I had to get up with the baby and I told my wife a big red fox was playing ball in the front yard. She just assumed that I was making fun of her until she looked out to see it picking the ball up in it's mouth and throwing it up in the air. It must have played with the balls for about 30 minutes. It acted just like a house cat playing with it's toys.

That is awesome. I was an Animal Control Officer for many years and I cannot begin to tell you how many people are frightened by foxes, or just downright loathe them.

They are beautiful animals. Seeing one playing around with a ball is just too cute. More people need to just sit back on the porch and enjoy all living creatures. Mother Nature and all things living are amazing.....well..... except a large portion of the human race.

 

[Patrick]

OK, a fox playing ball beats anything I have seen around here by a mile.

Seriously, next time remember, "Pics or it didn't happen!"

 

[shiloh228]

Foxes are frequent visitors on our property...I suspect there a lot more on the night shift that we don't see. Many have the mange, and just disappear after a while...I guess the mange is eventually terminal?

 

[Outerlimits]

Thats too cool!!! Have had them time to time cross our yard. We must not have many around, the neighbor has free ranging chickens. I would think they wouldnt last too long if their were many of them.

 

[WheelHead]

About a week ago we had one at my parents farm at dusk. It looked like it had just been groomed it was so pretty. Bright red coat and black face. Impressive.

 

[5.56blaster]

I have a fox that sits in the field with my horses everyday.

 

[Capt Frank]

I live on Kent Island and see them couple times a week around the house. Article in the local paper about two weeks ago, talked about the people in Centerville getting upset because of the number of foxes being seen around town during the day. They want them trapped and moved. Fox won't bother anything unless you have chickens.

 

[Patrick]

I live on Kent Island and see them couple times a week around the house. Article in the local paper about two weeks ago, talked about the people in Centerville getting upset because of the number of foxes being seen around town during the day. They want them trapped and moved. Fox won't bother anything unless you have chickens.

My wife wants chickens so the kids can learn to take care of something. We don't want dogs or indoor pets.

My brother has been down this road. He's helping with the coop.

 

[joppaj]

I had one trot across my driveway the other morning as I was getting ready to leave. (S)He was a beautiful deep red and looked heavy. She also had some small dead rodent hanging out of her mouth. I'm grateful to have her out there doing the good work.

 

[Cheesehead]

I live on Kent Island and see them couple times a week around the house. Article in the local paper about two weeks ago, talked about the people in Centerville getting upset because of the number of foxes being seen around town during the day. They want them trapped and moved. Fox won't bother anything unless you have chickens.

I live on Kent Island too. In 16 years here, I've never seen so many foxes. Strange thing is, we have a lot of rabbits, too. I thought those populations usually peaked at different times, more well fed foxes mean fewer rabbbits, but that doesn't seem to be the case around here.

 

[Patrick]

I live on Kent Island too. In 16 years here, I've never seen so many foxes. Strange thing is, we have a lot of rabbits, too. I thought those populations usually peaked at different times, more well fed foxes mean fewer rabbbits, but that doesn't seem to be the case around here.

Funny, I always saw it as "more rabbits makes more foxes". I have seen more bunnies in the last two years, and the fox trails soon followed.

Balance of life, I guess.

This winter is pretty mild so far. The rabbits are still eating quite well around here. I expect quite a few more little bunnies come Spring.

 

[Yoshi]

Cool stories! While picnicing one time, a saw a fox off in the distance. He decided to start towards us and I immediately thought, rabid. But as he got closer, he looked to be in good shape if not down-right "fat & happy". So, I relaxed a bit. He got to within 10'ish yards of us and sat. We watched each other for a good 10-15 mins and then he got up and trotted off. Great experience.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Lived in Calvert my entire life, and the only fox I've seen was roadkill

 

[Machodoc]

Interesting coincidence. Just yesterday my wife saw a fox on our driveway. I went to get the shotgun, but for some reason she decided to get a closer look at it. No surprise, but it ran away. We have chickens, and she said she saw the fox because they all came running toward the house, but she said the fox didn't have one of them. Later, when we headed out the driveway in the car, I saw a big pile of feathers. Not sure if there was more than one fox, or if he just got a mouthful of feathers, but he's sure to be back. BTW - we have some foxes here that are a light tan color. This was one of them. They are odd looking.

 

[Patrick]

Interesting coincidence. Just yesterday my wife saw a fox on our driveway. I went to get the shotgun, but for some reason she decided to get a closer look at it. No surprise, but it ran away. We have chickens, and she said she saw the fox because they all came running toward the house, but she said the fox didn't have one of them. Later, when we headed out the driveway in the car, I saw a big pile of feathers. Not sure if there was more than one fox, or if he just got a mouthful of feathers, but he's sure to be back. BTW - we have some foxes here that are a light tan color. This was one of them. They are odd looking.

My brother tells me of his experience protecting chickens from the fox. Best response is to lock them in at night and when not being watched. He has an outdoor pen with fencing below ground and over head to keep out the birds, racoons and fox. At night they go into their coop, which is secure and safe.

Chasing a fox with a shotgun only works if you can stand guard 24/7. Otherwise you get dead chickens and maybe a few dead fox. In the end, they all lose.

 

[Franklin]

we never had many problems out of the fox, but those dam coons are smart as hell. little basterds dug a tunnel over to the coupe, pulled off all their heads and partially ate one. next time will be a full house.

 

[kohburn]

yup - been there with fox and then coyote - can only let them out during the day when my dog is out with them. locked up the rest of the time.

 

[kohburn]

we never had many problems out of the fox, but those dam coons are smart as hell. little basterds dug a tunnel over to the coupe, pulled off all their heads and partially ate one. next time will be a full house.

for my adult hens you have to be able to fly to get to the entrance to the coop when its open. but then again coyote can jump as high as my hens can fly (about 5 feet. I had one try to dig into the coup through the roof)