Dang foxes ... making my Lab go nutz.

KFC911 · 06-25-2022, 02:29 AM

I let my 65lb Lab out around 5:30ish am and the last few mornings, she's made a dash my back fence (now tall enough that she won't jump it, but she could), barking and aggressively protecting "her turf". Got a real good look at the small grey fox(es) right behind my fence and into the neighbor's back yard. Even me with my flashlight didn't cause the fox to retreat immediately deeper into the woods ... and I was within 25-50 feet. I think there was more than one also... ran one off in one direction, then a few minutes later Moka went off again... similar size fox but from a different direction. Fox(es) were "barking" back at Moka & I, but definitely didn't seem intimidated by either of us. This has been going on the past few mornings....

Don't want to harm the fox(es), but don't want Moka to encounter one either .... she's fearless, and would attack the 15lb'ish foxes, but they'd likely inflict damage to her ... I dunno.

How do I run these critters off... or at least make them not visit my fence line...

Moka "can" jump it fwiw.... I finally broke her from doing so and chasing deer ... and that wasn't easy.

Any suggestions?

oldE · 06-25-2022, 03:10 AM

That doesn't sound like normal behavior for a fox. Usually if they think they are being observed, they are gone.
Are they young and stupid? Used to people in their environment? Rabid?
They are finding food. Remove the food source and they will move on.

Best
Les

blucille · 06-25-2022, 04:17 AM

I’ve had foxes visit our property with their pups. They set up home here. Our lab(s) enjoyed their company. The foxes were playful but would hide quickly whenever anyone or anything was present

They came back this year. Stayed for 2 months and have now moved elsewhere. We lost our elder lab a year ago the day before her 12th birthday, the younger doesn’t get bothered by anyone. Very mellow.

Best suggestion is to wait it out. I suspect the foxes will move on. And in my case, they don’t come back for 5 or 6 years.

KFC911 · 06-25-2022, 05:13 AM

Thanks Les. Might be all of what you suggested, except the rabid part (imo). There are plenty of natural food sources in the woods behind my house, all critters are used to people here (now), and they might just be young & stupid and don't know how to act.... yet

. I have new neighbors two houses down.... city folks (I presume) and I know they (she) has put food scraps out.... idjuts. I mentioned it to the guy when my Lab went to their back fence and returned with a big ol' piece of pizza crust/bread about a month ago. She knows better, but her nose won

.

My Lab has freedom to roam in the woods and the pond behind me fwiw.... those are "her woods"

.

KFC911 · 06-25-2022, 05:16 AM

Took forever to finish my last post....

Thanks Blucille... that's where I'm at too

!

monoflo · 06-25-2022, 12:06 PM

The fox may know your Lab won't cross the barrier.

Fox behavior that you are seeing is sorta coyote -ish --just sayin.

My boys would smoke a lone fox ---but a coyote is a whole nother game.

Good luck with figuring it out,

stevej37 · 12:57 PM

We have almost no fox around here. The coyotes are everywhere.

KFC911 · 06-25-2022, 01:34 PM

My flashlight wasn't working right (Operator error

), so I didn't really light up the woods like I wanted, but sure got the eye reflections as I walked to my back and side fence. It was light enough that I'm almost certain I was looking at small grey fox(es). Not big enough to be a grown coyote .... and I've only seen one of those in these woods a few years back. Saw a bobcat about a year ago... mebbe it grew a long tail

? Had a beautiful red fox in my backyard about 4 years ago, middle of the day (pre Moka). I'm going to put out some game cams, and the Marlin .357 will be handy. Fox(es) are OK ... but I will absolutely deal with a 'yote with extreme prejudice if that's the case.

Those city folks might get a rude awakening

.

KFC911 · 06-29-2022, 02:40 AM

OK ... so I clearly identified the grey foxes a couple of nights ago.... prolly a mother (a bit larger) and her kits. I thought it might be the foxes this morning, so I go outside with my coffee to hush Moka up... and it's deer now

. I sat on my deck steps about 50' away, and she's at my side fence just yapping like a hound.... the doe is about 10' on the other side, just casually munching away... tail down... I finally made Moka sit & shaddup... so she's a few feet away from a deer just casually eating.... this lasted for at least 10 minutes ... finally the doe casually walked back deeper into the woods....

A couple of weeks ago, I counted at least 5 passing through at once ... and know I missed a few.

The deer and the foxes are chill.... and they don't give a crap about me and my dawg .... at all!

We must smell good too.... or at least we don't reek too bad

.

Unheard of just a few decades back...

rusnak · 06-29-2022, 05:27 AM

Gray foxes are not afraid of humans or dogs. They are completely different from red foxes. They'll eat your cat or small pet if left outside. Pellet guns can do quite nicely to run them off for a bit, but they come back.

KFC911 · 05:53 AM

I'm not really concerned about the foxes, but you are correct... they aren't skittish around a Lab or human... I have had to confront them to make them scoot. The deer .... well, they just don't give a rat's ... here ... and now

.

I thought about firing off a couple of rounds the other night to send the fox(es) a warning tho'... but didn't. Hopefully they'll move on.

The doe this morning... she doesn't know my Lab CAN jump over the 4' tall fence.... and Moka seems to be cured of that... for now anyways

.

Live & let live ... within reason.

I won't shoot anything with my .177 Diana either... I'll run them off with a loud warning shot or two... or three

rusnak · 06-29-2022, 08:51 AM

Grey foxes are much heavier built than red foxes, prefer meat, can run and run for miles without tiring, and are very territorial. They are built like little coyotes. If you don't want to shoot em, then I'd call some animal control agency to trap them and release into the wilderness.

KFC911 · 06-29-2022, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusnak

Grey foxes are much heavier built than red foxes, prefer meat, can run and run for miles without tiring, and are very territorial. They are built like little coyotes. If you don't want to shoot em, then I'd call some animal control agency to trap them and release into the wilderness.

I've done some reading since starting this thread, and the foxes don't really concern me. They aren't very big .... mebbe 15 lbs or so and though I don't want my Lab to encounter one, she's aggressive too... or can be. If I had chickens or rabbits .... then I'd worry .... about my Lab

. They are new behind my house for sure.... and they'll move on... or I will insist and then they will learn. Thanks!

They were "barking" to send a message when "we" approached... though they didn't scoot immediately. At any sign of them doing anything aggressive, or behaving "weirdly"... then I can and would kill one if necessary. I just don't think that's the case....

Thank you, I appreciate your perspective too.

rusnak · 06-29-2022, 09:17 AM

That barking behavior is them standing their ground telling you to leave.

KFC911 · 06-29-2022, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rusnak

That barking behavior is them standing their ground telling you to leave.

I didn't listen to them.... and I can bark louder

.

Haven't seen them since the other night, and that one retreated pretty quickly when I went to my fence line. I was also shining a light in it's eyes...

I AM the alpha dawg .... and even Moka knows that

.

Time will tell.... and I'll do whatever is necessary... thanks again!

KFC911 · 07-01-2022, 03:08 AM

I think the fox(es) have finally gotten the message... hopefully. No sign of them since my last encounter the other night... and that one retreated much faster than the first couple of times early in the morning. There's plenty of room & food back in the woods for them.... and my neighbor's back yard is now posted as "off limits" to critters .... except for deer

.

blucille · 07-01-2022, 06:34 AM

funny, I've been seeing the groundhogs are out and about again, which means the foxes have moved on to another home. Sad to see them go.

KFC911 · 07-05-2022, 01:43 AM

They've (it this time) learned

...

Still back in the woods a good 40-50'.... a few "barks" at Moka, and it didn't really retreat with me at my back fence shining a light in it's eyes. I "barked" back at it.... and it retreated further back. Live & let live.... so I think we've reached an understanding now. Don't eff wif my dawgy tho .... if she doesn't scare you away .... then I will. Moka could & would handle that fox no problemo .... but I don't want her to potentially suffer harm while doing so... so git

!

KFC911 · 07-14-2022, 02:21 PM

The fox is now staying back in the woods (40-50') and not entering my neighbor's back yard, and isn't really challenging Moka or me at my fence (with a flashlight shining in it's eyes)... but is still barking at us .... Moka doesn't even bark back now.... it's just a tiny deer

. And it's skittish now....

I've got a small handful of rocks ready .... gonna go all Ernest T. Bass on it next.

No chance of me actually hitting it, nor do I want too.... I'm a wild southpaw

stevej37 · 07-14-2022, 02:26 PM

^^^ knuckleball it...the fox won't know which way to go.