Just wow! Do you know what the fox can do?

a reply to: diggindirt

Hi diggindirt

What an interesting post

I've just moved to the edge of town and at night I can hear the foxes...doing their thing!

After reading your post I'm now goint to go through my box of PC bits and bobs, I know there's a few cameras in there somewhere, I just gotta see me some fox activity


Do you use infra-red lighting or is that built into your cams?

a reply to: StoutBroux
I understand people being annoyed when Mr Fox comes along and eats the live stock, but as you said in your post above, there's plenty of rabbits.
So, is the fox eating your stock because its so easy to catch? whereas if he wants a rabbit he's gotta chase it.

It seems to me you just gotta make it harder to get the chicken than it is to get the rabbit.

a reply to: VoidHawk
Extremely interesting thread you posted with lots of nice pictures and links. I found the whole thread fascinating and having played with a domesticated fox years ago I can say they are very very smart and faster than a bad case of diarrhea on steroids. :-)
The eyesight capabilities blew my mind, just think when they start with the DNA crap (if they have not yet) and create such a thing for humans.....I doubt it would be for the good of mankind? Most likely soldiers would be the focus of such science if its even possible.
I count myself lucky now if I can identify a bird in our back yard at 75 feet.

Thanks for posting this information that I think the majority of people had no clue about.
S&F
Regards, Iwinder

originally posted by: Iwinder
a reply to: VoidHawk

I count myself lucky now if I can identify a bird in our back yard at 75 feet.

LOL

I know what you mean, I have to switch between three different pairs of specs depending on what I'm trying to look at, in the dark I might as well be blind.

The fox is an awesome animal. Highly adaptive, very smart, highly skilled at the game of hunting. I'm envious in a way, they're masters of survival.

My former farmer parents have always said if you have a shoot to kill policy against wildlife that aren't currently trying to eat you, it just means you're admitting you're not as skilled as the animal is as surviving. That's worth thinking about if their tricks of the trade tick you off

originally posted by: Nyiah
My former farmer parents have always said if you have a shoot to kill policy against wildlife that aren't currently trying to eat you, it just means you're admitting you're not as skilled as the animal is as surviving. That's worth thinking about if their tricks of the trade tick you off

I like that, wise parents

Void Hawk,
Absolutely lovely thread. Fox has allways been a favorite of mine, to see one is rare to track them, well good luck.
But you gave me a whole new apreciation of these lovely beings. Uber beings.
I would recount my own encounters but this is your thread so....
Our world is so magnificent if we only take the time to engage.
Thank You
WIS

originally posted by: WalkInSilence
Void Hawk,
Absolutely lovely thread.

Thankyou

originally posted by: WalkInSilence
I would recount my own encounters but this is your thread so....

Please feel free, I'd love to hear them.

originally posted by: purplfoxHave you guys ever thought that maybe foxes steal because were greedy #ers as a species? theyre basically the robin hoods of the animal kingdom

I think you might be on to something here. ~$heopleNation

Sorry, but I have to call BS on the fox being able to see the magnetic field of Earth, let alone any magnetic field. If that were true it would be blinded, because everything is electromagnetic and has a magnetic field. The eyes would get washed out, and wont see anything at all.

That's intriguing. But do you know what the fax can say...

Ok, Void since you invited me

When I was a wee kid I would roam around the country side as a "tracker hermit" and spy on dens.
But......

Years ago, much grown up, running my route in the woods, training martial arts, on one of my tracks, which were allways "off track", to train my balance, in the woods, between towering beech and ash a Fox ran up beside me.
Fifteen meters away I could see every detail on him. At first I thought he was ill, but then he looked at me and kept on running, I moved closer, a couple meters and he didn't budge. We ran together for several minutes and then I had to cross a stream and he took another direction. But I had eye contact with this being several times.

I had other "odd" encounters with animals in this area, but that is an other tale.

A later encounter, where I live now.
There is a bit of conifer plantation across from my house. I had seen Fox lurking on the lawn that seperates the trees from my house.
One morning I spotted them playing, an adult and a juvinle, jumping up and down off a tree stump, chaseing each other and mock fighting. It is dark, pre-dawn.

I sneak out, stalk as best I can to the center of the lawn they are playing on and the adult senses me. She runs off a little and freezes, the "baby" how ever puts up its nose and winds its way down to me. Perhaps five meters away it streches out its head, its ears erect, and I hardly dare breath. he's bobbing his head up and down now, not knowing what to make of me. I moved slightly and they ran off.
These guys are playing in the street light, they know their turf. They know who and what is in their surroundings.
I miss them, I think some gun happy neighbors got them.
Now I only have my crows.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: Xtrozero

No, not a sandwich, it's just stacking it so it can carry all of it back to the den to feed the babies.

Silly you... it is a sandwich...

a reply to: MagmaCumsLoudly

It was only a matter of time before this was posted.

Foxes are interesting and have that cute look. I'm always happy to see one.

I read in National Geo that they have been bred to be domesticated, and very recently just read the project might be in peril.

Domesticated foxes in Siberia

a reply to: VoidHawk
Our cameras are pretty standard-issue security cameras from what I understand. The infra-red is built in but we supplement it with an outdoor light.
I'd encourage anyone who can do so (and doesn't have livestock concerns) to provide them with a few places to use as dens. It is as simple as building a fair-sized brush pile and letting the weeds grow up inside and around it. I realize that a lot of places prohibit this but if your area doesn't have those restrictions, go for it. I have a friend who plants sunflowers around her piles to "conceal" them from people whose eyes get offended by seeing wild stuff just growing wild.
Our foxes seem to prefer the piles that are surrounded by blackberry bushes. We enjoy the bounty of the blackberries so it's a good trade. Of course, they like the blackberries too. We've seen them snarfing down all they could reach then stretching out for a nap under the brambles.
In our area skunks and weasels are more dangerous to chickens than foxes. Our friends who have chickens have lost mostly to those varmints being able to squeeze into the coup while the chickens were on the roost. Hawks are another enemy of chickens when they are young.
Hope your cameras are a success.

I want one as a pet now. I wonder if they would be able to help people pick up on things in their surroundings. That could make it a very interesting pet.

originally posted by: MagmaCumsLoudly
That's intriguing. But do you know what the fax can say...

Don't use fax's. Odd choice of name for your handle.

a reply to: VoidHawk

heysham btw.

i'm guessing the wrong turn found you on lindale hill lol. apart from the lowline coastal route round grange over sands it's the easiest access to the kingdom.

if you ever decide to venture back in these parts give me a shout. plenty of locations for skywatching bivi style as well as eyeballing the wildlife.

f.

Its killing me i have to tell this . My brother in law , a farmer decided he needed some chickens ( from here on to be called chooks ) . Anyways he gets a dozen and locks them up in an old coop . He goes to let them out in the morning and finds 11 dead . He fixes the holes and purchases a dozen more . Goes to let them out and finds 11 dead chooks , the fox had dug under the wire . So you guessed it he buys another dozen , goes to let them out , 11 dead chooks , he forgot to shut the coop . So he rings the man to get some more and the first words out of his mouth were " don't you dare kill that fox , i will go bloody broke mate " .

True story .

a reply to: WalkInSilence

We ran together for several minutes and then I had to cross a stream and he took another direction.

Somewhere back in this thread I mentioned how when out walking with Mr Dog a fox would walk with us, although he was on the other side of the river, but he would stay with us until we turned to go back home.
I think foxes are intelligent enough to have great curiosity, and if they sense no danger they will study us like we study them.
I like your use of the word "Being"

Thanks for your interesting post