How to get a fox out of its den?
Small Game
Yesterday we were coyote hunting and seen 2 foxes at top of there dens, as we were gonna shoot they dropped back in, was curious on any tricks of getting them out besides trapping them! We were gonna try barbed wire but none of us had any close! And no we don't own a backhoe ????
Very rare that foxes are living in Yote territory so you may consider letting em go. Must have been neat to see and there will likely be Kits soon. C
We seen 3 coyotes and 5 foxes while hunting!
These guys popped out of a den. 40 yards from our chicken coop..We never knew a den was there..I put a game cam outside the den entenrence....The mother promptly moved all 7 of the kits..That night...Sly like a fox!!
You could try calling them out. I doubt it would work if they seen you. Coming back after a couple hours and playing bird distress I would think would draw them out though.
I seen a couple reds while coyote hunting in December. It's nice to see some of them around again.
Here on the front range in Colorado we have a healthy fox and coyote population. I have watched coyotes hunt foxes but foxes are pretty good escape artists when threatened and are doing well here. Foxes are pairing up and mating now or shortly. A full den often has a couple "rooms" and a second exit. The tunnel can be pretty long. Government trappers have some methods for extracting them but I figure if they made it down the hole, they win that round.
I would return another day, get set-up quietly and call. If they are denned you might get one curious enough to pop out.
Wire haired daschund should do the trick.
Used to raise red fox and they usually don't den up until late February or early March, they're in courting/breeding mode right now, red fox rut so to speak... Heard one squalling for a mate just the other night... If you see a pair already hooked up near a hole at this time of year, likely a temporary shelter or den site they are investigating for the future would be my guess... Any fussing around a den site entrance, they'll likely be long gone after you leave and come back, they usually will not tolerate much human activity around their den sites... Pups aren't usually born until late March or early April.... Do a search here and see Bear's fox den trail-cam pix through the years, great stuff... I just brought the one thread to the top...
I chased after red and grey foxes for years. But while living in Wyoming I had a kit fox family den within 100 yards of our house and being able to watch them all the time kind of soured me from hunting them. Then while living outside of Loveland, Colorado we had a red fox family take up residence under an old barn on our property. I no longer hunt foxes. They are super mousers. No reason to kill them.
Why not just set up on the den a little before dark and wait ? Have a powerful beam red light with you and shine it in the den after dark. The foxes can't see the red and you know the second they pop out. Shoot as desired.
trky, i kind of understand what you are saying. But i think "i no longer feel the desire to kill them" is the correct way to say it, not "no reason to kill them". Same is said by someone somewhere bout the stuff u like to hunt. I do agree though, they are cool animals to watch if lucky enough to get to watch then on a regular basis. They are tough on my chickens though, need more mice around....;^)
I have yet to kill one which is why I want one!!
Fox are beyond prime now,pelts have low value lately anyway.Hips would be singed now.(guard hairs broken off)Fox are best in mid November till early Dec .That could be a ground hog den they are hunting can't imagine they would be staying in a den yet.Ground hog males dig out in Jan,feb to go find a mate and then spend the remainder in the females den.Foxes and coyotes here pick off a lot of them as they are traveling from a to b
Around fifty years ago my Dad and neighbor hand dug them out of a den. End up with a male and female pup. The female somewhat tamed but you could never trust the male. Ended up giving them to a local zoo.
Have not had a desire to kill one since the early 80's. Used to trap quite a bit then and a large red would bring 55 bucks or more. Then one day I caught a real young one in a pan set around a dead deer. Must of been a late litter as he was real tiny, maybe a couple pounds at most and this was late Nov. I threw my coat over him and bought him home. It took a couple weeks but he became very friendly, had to cut his front right leg off about 4"s up from the pad but he did fine. We had him for 4 years, very much like a cat as he would lay on the back of the couch and go in and out with the dogs, We let him out one day and he was gone. Never saw him again. Today I see no reason in killing them but if someone else wants to that is fine! As for getting a shot at them get downwind of them and set up and wait. I would agree not many foxes set up home where there are coyotes as they don't want to be eaten by them. Scooby
Cool.. I had no idea that their pelts peak so early...
I picked up a super-fresh roadkill mid December and skinned it out without stopping to put on any gloves. Big mistake! I got so anxious about rabies that I finally just went in for shots. Just had my last one this evening...
But maybe the pelt will turn out to be in good shape... that would be SOME consolation, seeing as you can buy 5 tanned ones for the cost of a single ER co-pay!
its against the law to take a furbearer out of their den unless trapping, especially with barbed wire.. get caught by CO and you will lose your hunting license, guns etc..
years ago we use to get lots of milk cans (yes the old fashion big ones, about 10 gallons). Start filling the hole with water they will come out,,,,, ugly has hell too... 45 years ago I did this and caught the pups,,, yep I wanted to keep one,,,,, my elders chewed me out!!! took 2-3 baths to let rid of all feas and lice!!! have fun!!
Why would you get rabies shots just because you skinned a fox without gloves?
Paul@thefort,
Thanks for sharing a great pic.
From: midwest - "Why would you get rabies shots just because you skinned a fox without gloves? "
Yeah GF, curious of that too???
Also curious on the rabies thing? Seems like our ancestors would have all had rabies?
I'd swear some of my ancestors were rabid :)
Dinner, flowers, and tickets to a show.
Fuzzy, that's how you get yourself into a fox's den :)
^^^^I'm more the cougar type!!
Fuzzy, you beat me. I was going to say "Park a Ferrari out in front and wave a handful of hundreds".
Where I am in MT the coyotes are so bad it's been a few years since I've seen a fox. Don't shoot them anymore.
Two in one! Got lucky to have both in the same range for good focus on both.
Two in one! Got lucky to have both in the same range for good focus on both.
Getting ready of parenthood!
Getting ready of parenthood!
And then it snowed so hard I could not get a focus. (Just after this shot)
And then it snowed so hard I could not get a focus. (Just after this shot)
Foxes are one of my very favorite animals on this earth. There is no way I could kill one. Heck nowadays, after taking photos like I do, I couldn't even kill a coyote.
With that said, you want to be careful where you are, as many states now don't let you just kill a fox without a license (usually a trappers permits). So make sure you are legal. and do it humanely if it must be done and please don't do it with barbwire!
If you really want to get a fox out of its den, do it like I do it. I just find a den, set up and wait. If you learn how to set up and are quite and don't the wind right, several hours are usually all you have to wait in order for them to come out and check.
I did enough ground blind and tree stand hunting in my time to have the patience to do that, but most guys won't, because most have never seen or had the rewards of a long wait. They don't know whats in store and what the paycheck will be. I learned its well worthwhile.
Just this past Sunday I went up and set up and waited two hours in the cold and snow, and never saw a thing. Then all of a sudden it happened at two foxes, (now nearing their mating time) put on quite a show for me.
Here are a few photos I got Sunday. To be hones I hate posting photos here because the color for some reason is way off and thus the photos don't look that good.
When I post a photo here it has a greenish tint to it rather than a more natural color.
If any of you are on Facebook, go to my page and take a look at them. I think you will be impressed on what sitting brought me. (Bill Allard on Facebook) or (William Allard Wildlife on Facebook). I also post a lot of elk, deer, bear, moose etc. photos.
Have a great bow hunt. BB
BB,
Thanks for sharing some beautiful pics / art.
