FOXES

Damage Prevention and Control Methods

Exclusions

• Net wire fence

Cultural Methods

Frightening

Flashing lights

Trapping

Identification
The red fox is the most common of the foxes native to North America, although the gray fox is also prevalent. This fox is dog-like in appearance, with an elongated pointed muzzle and large pointed ears that are usually erect and forward. It has moderately long legs and long, thick, soft body fur with a heavily furred, bushy tail. Typically, red foxes are colored with a light orange-red coat, black legs, lighter-colored underfur and a white-tipped tail. The red fox weighs about 7.7 to 15.4 pounds

The Gray foxes weigh 7 to 13 pounds and measure 32 to 45 inches from the nose to the tip of the tail. The color pattern is generally salt-and-pepper gray with buffy underfur. The sides of the neck, back of the ears, legs, and feet are rusty yellow. The tail is long and bushy with a black tip.

Habitat
The red fox is adaptable to most habitats within North America, but usually prefers open country with moderate cover. Some of the highest fox densities reported are in the north-central United States, where woodlands are interspersed with farmlands. Red foxes have also demonstrated their adaptability by establishing breeding populations in many urban areas of the United States

Gray foxes prefer more dense cover such as thickets, riparian areas, swampland, or rocky pinyon-cedar ridges. However, gray foxes can also be found in urban areas where suitable habitat exists.

Food Habits
Foxes are opportunists, feeding mostly on rabbits, mice, bird eggs, insects, and native fruits. Foxes usually kill animals smaller than a rabbit, although fawns, pigs, lambs, and poultry are sometimes taken. The fox's keen hearing, vision, and sense of smell aid in detecting prey. They can stalk even the smallest mice with skill and patience. The stalk usually ends with a sudden pounce onto the prey. Red foxes sometimes kill more than they can eat and bury food in caches for later use

General Biology, Reproduction, and Behavior
Foxes are crepuscular animals, being most active during the early hours of the darkness and very early morning hours. They do move about during the day, however, especially when it is dark and overcast.

Foxes are solitary animals except from the winter breeding season through midsummer, when mates and their young associated closely. Red foxes may dig their own den or use abandoned burrows of a woodchuck. The same dens may be used for several generations. Gray foxes commonly use wood piles, rocky out-crops, hollow trees, or brush piles as den sites.

Damage and Damage Identification
Foxes may cause serious problems for poultry producers. Turkeys raised in large range pens are subject to damage by foxes. Damage can be difficult to detect because the prey is usually carried from the kill site to a den site, or uneaten parts are buried. Pheasant, waterfowl, other game birds, and small game mammals are also preyed upon by foxes. At times, fox predation may be a significant mortality factor for upland and wetland birds, including endangered species.

Foxes can also carry rabies. Rabid foxes are a threat to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The above information was adapted from PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF WILDLIFE DAMAGE with permission of the editors, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Robert M. Timm, and Gary E. Larson (Cooperative Extension Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Animal Damage Control, Great Plains Agricultural Council Wildlife Committee). It is will great gratitude and appreciation that we are able to pass along this useful information.