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How do we outfox the fox?

 
 
Reply Sun 1 Sep, 2013 01:05 pm
We have fox in the neighborhood who wander around whenever they please. I assume there are more than one because we normally see baby fox in the Spring. The community refers to all of them as "the fox", because we seldom see more than one at a time. One large red fox will sit at the far end of the yard and just observe. Initially when it showed up during the daytime we were concerned about possible rabies. But it doesn't appear to be sick. The serious problem is that it will hunt cats at night, so sometimes fluffy doesn't make it home. However you can keep your cat indoors to keep it safe. The silly problem is that now the Fox moves the morning paper. We have just shy of an
acre, so sometimes we find the paper in the back yard or on the side. Today it ripped apart my neighbors paper but just moved ours to the back yard. Once mr. glitterbag found the paper after the fox marked it with you-know-what.

So, does anybody know how to outfox the fox so it won't move or rip our paper, short of sitting in the drive way at 3 AM?
 
saab
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Sep, 2013 01:34 pm
Be ware of what we call fox worms.
We are much more concerned about that then rabies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echinococcus_multilocularis

If you canĀ“t scare the fox away by screaming and waving a broome I think the only solution - like it or not - is to ask a hunter to help you.
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ossobuco
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Sep, 2013 01:37 pm
@glitterbag,
When I used to get the LA Times it arrived in plastic bags. I don't know if they do that anymore though.

A paper delivery type mailbox? But that would take the route person's time to be so precise.

Rise and shine before Foxy? I'm guessing they're out in night hours.

glitterbag
 
  1  
Reply Sun 1 Sep, 2013 03:50 pm
@ossobuco,
Most of the time the paper is in a plastic bag but it doesn't deter the fox, but those fox worms will keep me up at night. Yowsa
saab
 
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Reply Mon 2 Sep, 2013 01:49 am
@glitterbag,
1. Wash your hands well when you have touched anything in the area where the fox moves.
2.Wash very well fruit and vegetables if you have any in your garden.
3. In case you have a sandbox for xhildren. Cover it.
5 Remove all the "you know what" from your property. Use rubbergloves.

Hunters usually have boxes where they can catch fox or other animals and move them away from areas where people live.
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glitterbag
 
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Reply Mon 2 Sep, 2013 07:29 pm
As of this morning: Fox. 14 Glitterbags 0
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oralloy
 
  0  
Reply Mon 2 Sep, 2013 08:33 pm

I was going to advise a 22-250 rifle, but I notice the words "neighborhood" and "neighbors", so perhaps not.

I suggest a .22 magnum rimfire. Make sure it has a full 24 inch barrel in order to minimize the sound of the gunshot. Sometimes suburb-type people freak out when they hear loud gunshots.

Practice shooting with the gun at a firing range and get good at it *before* opening fire in your neighborhood.

Also take some hunter safety courses so you know when you should and shouldn't shoot. (For instance, if you have a perfect shot at the fox, but your neighbor's house is in the line of fire behind the fox, you have to wait until you can shoot the fox from a different angle.)

Try to get a hunter safety course that will teach you any local ordinances regarding discharging a .22 mag rimfire in your neighborhood. If you can't find one that covers your local ordinances, find out the local ordinances yourself.
glitterbag
 
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Reply Mon 2 Sep, 2013 08:50 pm
@oralloy,
Well thanks, but I'm not going to shoot it because somebody's house, dog, child or yard workers would also be a possible target. It's illegal to fire a gun in this zip code, plus the chances of one of the children seeing it happen is not something I want on my conscious. Frankly, I'm an uber wimp when it comes to handling dead things. When we first moved here, a poacher shot a deer in a neighbors backyard and the neighborhood was in a frenzy. Spring of last year, someone shot a fairly large buck and it collapsed & died in my back yard. I wasn't able to even look outside until Animal Control carted it away.

When the DNR opens tomorrow I'll see if I can get someone who knows how to trap and relocate the fox. This time of year it's just adult fox running around I think, or hope. Maybe they will have a solution.
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tsarstepan
 
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Reply Tue 3 Sep, 2013 12:00 pm
@ossobuco,
ossobuco wrote:

A paper delivery type mailbox?

This would be my answer as well. I don't think the fox cares enough about a useless newspaper if its off of the ground a couple of feet. On the ground, the newspaper is merely a tempting toy.

Or you can have the delivery guy place the paper between your storm/screen door and the front door (if your home has that setup). I don't imagine the fox cares enough about the newspaper to go right up to your main entrance and open screen door to get it.

As for hunting cats at night? Leave the poor fox be. Don't let your cat stay outdoors at night anyways. Wildlife already have a difficult time with all of suburbia everencroaching onto their land and giving them absolutely no living space. There's no reason that wildlife and humans can coexist. Unless you have more direct evidence of rabies infection in the fox just leave the poor bloke alone.
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gungasnake
 
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Reply Tue 3 Sep, 2013 12:07 pm
@glitterbag,
Ethnic cleansing: trap the fox and move him 30 miles away.
glitterbag
 
  2  
Reply Wed 4 Sep, 2013 12:44 pm
@gungasnake,
The State Department of Natural Resources called me back this morning and gave me some suggestions. The wildlife specialist recommended pouring vinegar in the area where the paper is delivered, to create an unpleasant order the fox would avoid. I will also call the carrier about a sleeve for the mailbox today. Also I learned that you can't relocate fox to different areas of Maryland, because of concerns the animal could introduce or spread mange, or illness to areas previously free of those conditions. So trapping it won't work because the animal would have to be euthanized. I can't see a plus side in destroying an animal because it likes to play with the paper.

I thought this was interesting, the wildlife guy said its possible that the newspaper vandal is probably still young and gets bored. As more and more of the wooded property gets cleared and developed, the animals are getting squeezed into smaller and smaller habitats. So, I'm calling it quits regarding
the fox. He/she will be less active as winter approaches and it's interests will narrow to keeping its self fed. I'll just keep an eye out for next springs arrivals.
Rockhead
 
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Reply Wed 4 Sep, 2013 12:48 pm
@glitterbag,
try leaving some dog toys where your paper gets delivered.

or a steak bone...

(don't leave a live chicken, very messy)
glitterbag
 
  0  
Reply Wed 4 Sep, 2013 01:36 pm
@Rockhead,
I know you're making a joke, but just in case anybody thinks this is a good idea, don't do it.
0 Replies
 
 

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