# Foxes



## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

I have been taking my dog to a local field since December to run and occasionally flush up a few pheasants. When I first started taking her to this field, we were flushing up a dozen or more pheasants in about five acres. I would take her out once a week and gradually the pheasant numbers would decline. By March we stopped seeing pheasants, but I continued to take my dog there because it is a good training opportunity and I didn't have fear of disturbing nesting hens. Well I noticed around that same time a lot of freshly dug holes in some of the burms in the field and I started seeing a fox almost everytime I went to this field. I also started finding multiple pheasant kills, pigeons, cats, a hawk, and even a Mag Pie. Well today I took my dog there and found eight fox cubs and two adults sitting outside one of the dens. One of the adults took off howling, but the other came over to check out me and my dog and got within 15 yards before slipping into the brush. The cubs were unaware we were there (they were about 50 yards away). Two of them did notice my dog and came over to check her out (she's a Golden Retriever and it is possible they confused her with a large fox).

I have been tempted on several occasions to take my bow or even a .22 LR out there and do a little extermination :twisted: . Every time I mention this my wife gets her panties in a knot saying foxes are cute and should be allowed to live. The sportsman in me wants to kill them to help protect a dwindling pheasant population in Utah county. The cubs were about the size of an average house cat. What do you all think I should do? Bow, gun, traps, poison, or let them live?


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Are they red fox? Or kit or grey fox? If they're red fox, post up their location and we'll be over with our bows. The grey and kit fox are protected. A live trap is an option, and you can always tell your wife that you "released" them out in the desert.


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

They were red foxes, and honestly, my wife doesn't need to know the outcome :twisted:


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

OK, so where are they? :wink: //dog// <<--O/

I do have one of them live catch traps. :wink: :wink:


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

I'm with loke, I have a .223 live trap I've been wanting to use. Where are they I can be there tomorrow!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Correct if I am wrong, maybe I misunderstood, but as of March 15 Through September 15 it is not legal to have your dog in the field for training, correct? 

Back to topic, where are they again? It would be tough to shoot the little ones, but know that it will help. They are devastating to the birds; although I think that the raccoons are much more damaging than any of the other critters. I do have a trap made by Savage called a model .17 or the .223 or the ones for the larger ones, keeps them nice and live for a humane relocation to their happy place, I mean a better place.


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## Flyfishn247 (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks for the info Huge29, I am not totally sure about any regulation regarding running dogs from March 15 to September 15 and if I thought doing so would impact any wildlife (aside from these foxes) in any negative way, I wouldn't do it. The location is in a semi-residential area on the west side of Payson so I don't think one could get away with discharging a firearm. The nearest home to this field is about 400 yards away. Now a bow I would assume would be perfectly acceptable. I have some Judo points that are screaming for blood. I don't think I would waste a perfectly good broadhead on a fox.


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

Maybe your hunting pressure //dog// along with the foxes pushed them out .Take care of the foxes _O\ and work another field hopefully the birds will move back in for hunting season. Sounds like you have a nice spot.


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

if you have a .22 you could get some of that subsonic ammo that is more quiet. At 400 yards, nobody would hear it anyway. You just don't want to get in trouble if you are within city limits for firearm discharge.


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