Date Posted:08:49:48 05/10/07 Thu Author:Beverly Subject: Cecil County Flora and Fauna ... and Fur
A mild beginning to the New Year, this morning brought a sight of a welcome but too-elusive-for-a-photo-of-my-own resident of the woods here at the Elk River Ranch (and Raccoon Refuge). Reynard -- a male fox (Vulpes vulpes) -- came up toward the back of the little white shed, climbing up the trunk of a fallen loblolly pine, for the best view of the area. He remained on the highest part of the trunk, where it had broken off, for several minutes, just observing. The jays and the crows were noisily announcing his visit, for they often sound such alarms when a predator is crossing the yard, whether on the ground or in the air. On New Year's Day, I'd put the carcass from the roast goose over near the base of this tree, and perhaps Reynard had come to see if there were any scraps left. Because I know the woods is home to at least one family of red fox, I often put the remains of a roasted bird (chicken, turkey, duck or goose) in the woods behind the white shed, at night -- especially the neck and gizzards, which I usually simmer first, to make broth for gravy.
Red fox are more often seen in the evening or very early dawn. Rabbits, voles, chipmunks, mice and rats, small birds, eggs, frogs, crickets, grasshoppers, native fruits (berries) and some grasses and acorns, carrion, and food it can scavenge from garden and kitchen compost, give the fox a varied diet. They don't often go for muskrat or squirrel, for the fox is much lighter than the coat might make you think -- few fox are anywhere near as heavy as the average housecat. Fox don't want to get into a tussle with the large rodents, for most squirrels and muskrat will put up a significant fight.
Foxes do establish mated pairs, but are unlike other canines, in that they do not hunt in packs. The only times I've ever seen more than one fox, together, have been occasions when I've seen a vixen with her cubs, just outside the den opening, or littermates together, playing close to the den while both momma and poppa are out hunting. Here at the Elk River Ranch, the vixen (female) is more likely to be seen during the early morning, out hunting for a quick meal, before returning to her kits (infant fox). Producing only one litter a year, mated pairs will stay together during the breeding (January and February), whelping (March and April) and raising (generally, until fall) period. While the kits are still den-bound (about a month), both the male and female will hunt and return to the den with food -- the male will often bring the female food, during her 'confinement', when her pups are too helpless to be left, at all.
Well known for their clever crafty ways, the fox of the Eastern Shore has mostly the great gods, Volvo, Mercedes, Chrysler and Ford, and their like, as major predators. Trapping for pelts is not common in these parts, but cars and disease kill many fox. While rabies is a threat, to fox, it's distemper and mange that kill most. It may be its more solitary ways that keep rabies from being as much a threat to fox as it is to raccoon, bats and opossum. While I often see adult raccoons traveling in fairly large 'tribes', I've never seen two adult fox together. In other areas of the country, the fox is preyed upon by other larger carnivores (coyote and wolves, bobcat and lynx), as well as often trapped by man, for their beautiful coats. Farmers kill a large number of fox with poisons, for fox are well known for getting into poultry yards, and picking off the population. Unlike raccoons, however, fox will usually just sneak in and take an individual bird, as quickly and quietly as possible. Raccoons are rather notorious in killing an entire henhouse's flock, for the raccoon is a very curious creature, and always seems to think that the bird in paw might not be as tasty as the bird still on the roost. The equestrian sport of foxhunting accounts for very few deaths -- indeed, foxhunters are most likely to be doing their best to keep a healthy population of fox 'running', for there's little sport in drag hunting. A good MFH and club often buy up land, to keep fox den areas safe from too much development.
The beautiful coat of a red fox can often be ravaged by mange -- another scourge of the fox. From a trapping point of view, the pelt is only desirable when in prime condition -- when the winter coat is new, and in the best condition. Frankly, the fur looks best on its natural occupant, as do most furs.
One of the easiest ways to tell if you have fox on your property is to look for prints in soft clay or sand, near streams. Dens will also often be near a source of water, but high enough so that rain cannot flood them. Another way is to just take an early evening walk in the woods, during the late winter. If there's a den, you'll often hear the fox 'bark' at you. Its bark is unlike any other sound. Not 'yappy' like some of the small terrier and toy breeds of dog, the fox's voice seems a sort of repeated squawk. Listen to the crows and jays, too, during the day, as they often herald the arrival of this delicate and beautiful canine.
