Fox just outside the fence

Hi Guys,

We have a fox that has taken up a den just outside my backyard. We are blessed in that our yard backs on to a 150 acre parkland. We see a lot of deer, fox and coyotes from our back yard. Sometimes its hard to believe we are only 20 miles from the Washington Monument.

This fox is a special fox - he looks like a Ewok. He is a "cross" fox, a Red Fox known for his cross like markings across his shoulders and down his back. He is basically brown in color and bushy. My kids call him "Kevin" from the movie “up.” This Fox is driving us crazy! “Kevin” can bark although he sounds like puppy. He stands outside our fence and teases my dogs to no end. He has worn a trail along the outside of the fence. Then every dog in the neighborhood gets in the act and it just gets louder and louder.

I wouldn't mind so much but we were visited by the animal control in Jan after someone contacted them about our dog being allowed to bark uncontrolled and the suspicion that we were not allowing him in the house on a cold day. Although the officer couldn't do much about those complaints (totally unfounded) it makes me angry that a legal authority could knock on my door based on a single complaint and then keep that complainant anonymous because heaven forbid anyone else on the block knew they had filed a complaint; so much for being able to face your accusers. I discovered that the county has to have all dog complaints confirmed by two unrelated families and they weren't. In barking complaints beyond the two complainants, the animal control officer has to keep a 15 min log documenting the unrelenting barking. They didn't have that either. But I had not received my new dog license from the county so the officer wrote me up and summoned me to court, facing a $250 fine. Never mind that I had one from last year and had sent the check to the county before the deadline for the new one; it took them 2 months after they cashed the check to process the license. What a pain! That little escapade turned out ok because I got a copy of my canceled check off line and the license did arrive before the court date so the animal control officer canceled my court appearance.

However, now I am super cautious about the dogs barking – like I could do anything to stop “Kevin” short of pulling out my rifle and taking him down. That probably isn’t the best solution either because then I’d get charged with firing a gun within the county lines. This evening I was trying to get my dogs in so that they’d shut up and had walked out to the fence line when a large brown object thundered by me heading directly for “Kevin.” I don’t know what it was but I think it may have been someone elses dog, there was no barking though. I don’t think it was a deer because I think that they would have been going the other way with all the excitement. Anyway, “Kevin” shut up and I was able to get my dogs inside. I hope that whatever it was took care of the situation for me and “Kevin” has moved on to safer grounds.

Has anyone else encountered something like this and if so were you able to do anything about it short of getting out the gun? Lisa

Lisa, we have Grey AND Red Fox families on our property. I'm trying to catch them with a "Live" trap, got one, but there are still many. AND THEY ARE SMART! I suggest you set out a few "Live" traps, and if you get him, Take him Far, far, away.

What a great idea! The county animal shelter loans those out to people. I'll call them this morning and see if I can pick one up. Maybe I can get them to handle the whole thing, too, seeing that it's a wild animal being a nuisance. Thanks for the input. Lisa

lowfog01 wrote:Hi Guys,

We have a fox that has taken up a den just outside my backyard. He stands outside our fence and teases my dogs to no end.

Has anyone else encountered something like this and if so were you able to do anything about it short of getting out the gun? Lisa

Hi Lisa,

We live in a rural setting with 15 acres which is nestled into a land trust of 300+ acres. The fox, coyotes, fisher, raccoon etc... are a problem that we deal with day to day. After losing several cats to the predators, one of several firearms takes care of the problem.
We have had trouble with red fox tormenting our dogs. The fox would come in the yard and lay down about 50 yds. from the house. Our two labradors would go nuts looking out the glass door at the very unlucky fox. This went on for several days before the shot was safe to take.
Rabies has also been a problem in the neighborhood. Three rabid raccoons have been documented over the past eight years within 1/2 a mile. One rabid raccoon entered a house through a cat door. Another rabid raccoon died next to our neighbors dogs water dish at their back door.
My suggestion, since a firearm is out of the question, is a crossbow. They are quiet and very accurate.
The fox are not good to have around your dogs or your kids!

Eddie

I would have never thought of that. I do know a bow hunter who I'll talk to asap. Thanks, Lisa

You can purchase some relatively quiet rounds for a 22 rifle. These days I have upgraded mine with a scope as my eyes and the peep site no longer play well -- but that's my suggestion. Cross bows are more quiet -- but I don't have one so am unfamiliar and apprehensive .

Now also in your favor is the recent holiday -- the sound of one more firecracker in the distance shouldn't arouse suspicion. I also added a 20 ga shotgun to my cabinet to improve my varmint control aim -- but that is certainly too noisy for this.

We have a fox den right in our backyard on a hill. They don't bother anyone here though. Once I let my cat explore on is own & he came down the hill with one on his back! Must've taken a stroll down into the den!

My cat weighs 20 lbs, so it was a good fight -- I think his size save his life. I still had to chase the fox away -- it was determined to fight my cat!


It's sad the way people are these days. I never would have though that attitude has spread to Virginia. MA has been like that for years -- everyone feels it's their duty to be the biggest tattle-tale in the neighborhood. I'm glad to have moved a ways away from that city bullshit though! I've got a great neighborhood here. All my neighbors are old school -- guns,bikes & ATV's are part of the landscape here -- just the way we like it!

Thank you for your responses. After I read them I got to thinking that I could benefit from being the first one on the block to approach the animal control people about the dogs barking especially since we've been there before. So I called them this morning.

Here's what I found out - It is against county ordinance and state policy to live capture and relocate any wild animal except in the event that animal is creating a health hazard. To quote "humans have to learn to live with the animals."

When I mentioned that this animal was the cause of my dogs barking and putting them into violation of the county noise code I was told to listen for the barking and put the dogs in the house. If I fail to do so I can be ticketed after 15 mins. What a Catch 22! Dogs bark because of fox, I can't do anything about it, I get ticketed. A neighbor’s dog walks gets out of its yard and my dogs bark, I get ticketed. I swear it feels like my whole life is focused on dogs barking not bothering my neighbors. In essence that response means that I can never leave my dogs outside if I'm not home in the off chance that something will make them bark; some how that just doesn't seem fair to me or the dogs.

Actually, I'm getting tired of the whole thing - just when does their right to quiet start to interfere with my right to own dogs. I feel we are very considerate dog owners. We never let them out before 9 am and try to have them back inside before dusk. We listen for incessant barking and stop it. We hardly ever leave them out if no one is home. The whole thing is very disheartening.

We have a trip coming up in August and had arranged for a neighborhood teen to watch the dogs in our house for the week. The Plan is he is going to let them out at 9am and back in around 2. Then he was coming by again to let them out around 4 and in for the night at dusk. Now I don’t know if that will be considered “doing enough to keep the dogs quiet.”

I think I’m going to check with my friend about using his 22. We have a big box of fireworks that never got sent off. Of course I don’t know how the fox will react to them going off. He may just retreat into his den until it’s over. It’s worth asking some questions though. Thanks again for your responses. Lisa

Lisa, you need to ask a few more questions of the animal control agency. My state and county has similar regulations against capturing and relocating wildlife. However, you can claim there is a potential human hazard, like the wildlife bitting your pet and then bitting you. Then my local animal control will loan you a trap. When you catch the animal they will come and get it and dispose of it. Years ago I had a problem with ground hogs eating my cat's food. The cat's were outside cats and they slept in a shed with a swinging pet door. The ground hog would go through the door at night and rummage for food. I trapped it in my cage trap and took it to animal control. That's when I learned of the loaner traps. I was also told in order to use my own trap legally I needed to get a state trapping license. That was possible but in the future I simply borrowed the animal control's trap. I've also trapped feral cats which when taken to animal control were immediately put down. One cat was so nasty in the trap I had the animal control officer get it out of my truck. I didn't want to go near it. It was put down by putting it in a sealed container, cage and all and then sucking the air out with a compressor. A cheap and safe way to do the job.

Got a zoo nearby?
Get some Tiger/Lion waste and toss it on the fox walkway and den.

quote="Yanche"]Lisa, you need to ask a few more questions of the animal control agency. [/quote]

I did go back as you suggested and they were pretty adamant about not relocating wild animals. It appears that I would have to have proof of an actual bite on someone or the dogs in order for them to remove it. The fox is smart enough to stay just outside the fence. I wonder if it is getting food from a cat or dog dish in someone else's yard. I was all set to have my friend come take care of the issue while I set off my left over firecrackers but my husband felt the odds of getting a worse outcome - say an illegal discharge of a firearm within the county limits charge - were too high so that's out. I shouldn't have mentioned it. I should have just done it when he next is on travel. Anyway, thanks for all the ideas. Lisa

Yes, we do have zoo relatively close by but I think that will be my last resort if all else fails.

Antifreeze is a silent, but deadly ( and tasty! ) killer .

Just make sure nobody's animals are around -- these days that will get you front page of the paper & death threats!

Check out ...

http://www.nightpests.com/fox.htm

Pricey, but considering the peace of mind and the potential cost of the fines. Sell it when they move on by advertising it locally. They're going to move somewhere. When I kept bees, there was a phrase we beekeepers use to use about bear control. The S3(cubed) method = shoot, shovel and shut up

VigIIPeaBurner wrote:Check out ...

http://www.nightpests.com/fox.htm

Thanks for the information, I'll check it out. Lisa

Lisa,

Do you have any taxidermists nearby ????

Ask them for the names of a few archery hunters that they deal with regularly. Explain the problem to the archers and ask them if they would like to take care of it for you. Arrows fly through the air very quietly and a well placed shot will not cause any noise issues.

Several years ago we had an "issue" with a large herd of free ranging sheep. There were some real nice full curl rams among them. After my son got one and took it to the taxidermist, he told the kid that if he could get one for the taxidermist, that he would mount the kids for free. Next day 1 less ram.

Shortly after that the herd was thinned considerably. The neighbor then corralled the left overs and sold them.



-------------------------------------------------



Rick