How Early

[foxbolter 447]

Lol don't cry Neil

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

Interesting TP, did they mention ages of the litters as the vixen can have cubs still hanging around into November/December. If they were born early say March that means they are with the vixen up to 10 months. Anyone else can shed any light on this???

[Daniel cain 46,226]

Anyone read running with the fox by Ian Mcdonald? Did as a kid very informative book.atb dc

[J Darcy 5,871]

Interesting TP, did they mention ages of the litters as the vixen can have cubs still hanging around into November/December. If they were born early say March that means they are with the vixen up to 10 months. Anyone else can shed any light on this???

Female cubs can stay within the 'home' territory right through to the next spring I have found. Male cubs less so one presumes. No matter what we think we 'know' about fox behaviour, there's still much we don't know. Fox dynamics change depending on many factors IMO, food being one of them. I believe that they stay 'together' more if they are urban foxes as opposed to country foxes. But thats JMHO.

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

Really interesting thank you JD

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

Not long moved house and I know There is a copy of "Running with the Fox" in one of the boxes, i will root it out at some stage and have a read. Thanks DC

[Crosshair 77]

I have also read anecdotally that a dominant vixen can suppress the subordinate Vixens from coming into heat so that only she breeds. The more feed available, the more other Vixens she 'allows' to cub. It would be interesting to know if those guys who have taken a baren vixen alongside the breeding Vixen and a dog fox from a breeding earth were in food-poor areas?

 

Presumably this applies at the time of oestrus so if universally true- it's a good argument for not killing foxes just before and during the mating season as the death of the dominant vixen could result in several subordinates then successfully mating.

Unless you want more foxes to breed of course

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

 

Interesting TP, did they mention ages of the litters as the vixen can have cubs still hanging around into November/December. If they were born early say March that means they are with the vixen up to 10 months. Anyone else can shed any light on this???

Female cubs can stay within the 'home' territory right through to the next spring I have found. Male cubs less so one presumes. No matter what we think we 'know' about fox behaviour, there's still much we don't know. Fox dynamics change depending on many factors IMO, food being one of them. I believe that they stay 'together' more if they are urban foxes as opposed to country foxes. But thats JMHO.

 

Which is why cub hunting or Autumn hunting was popular in hunt country to disperse litters it was thought .

Does anyone have any pics of a DOG fox at an earth with cubs ,either feeding or just being around .Many have come on here trying to prove the dog feeds the litter too but ive found the opposite .Accounts of it happening are great but a pic would be appreciated or video .

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Interesting TP, did they mention ages of the litters as the vixen can have cubs still hanging around into November/December. If they were born early say March that means they are with the vixen up to 10 months. Anyone else can shed any light on this???

Female cubs can stay within the 'home' territory right through to the next spring I have found. Male cubs less so one presumes. No matter what we think we 'know' about fox behaviour, there's still much we don't know. Fox dynamics change depending on many factors IMO, food being one of them. I believe that they stay 'together' more if they are urban foxes as opposed to country foxes. But thats JMHO.

Which is why cub hunting or Autumn hunting was popular in hunt country to disperse litters it was thought .

Does anyone have any pics of a DOG fox at an earth with cubs ,either feeding or just being around .Many have come on here trying to prove the dog feeds the litter too but ive found the opposite .Accounts of it happening are great but a pic would be appreciated or video .

[stop.end 4,082]

I also beleive the dog fox mates and in a rural enviroment stays only while the bitch is reseptive then moves on to find more vixens to serve... if you find a dog around a cub den then i would think hes there to neck a cub or 2 to bring a vixen on again... but its just what i think and my theory so defo not a study or googled.

[Crosshair 77]

I've got a pic of a dead dog fox and a dead cub I shot one after the other outside of an earth if that's of any interest??

Probably not worth the hassle of posting it mind you

 

The litter I trapped this week were caught with the last Cock Pheasant that the dog fox dropped off. I know it wasn't the Vixen because I shot her the night before. I then shot him and no further food arrived in the next three days that it took me to catch all four Cubs. Anecdotal of course but that's what happened

[stop.end 4,082]

There goes my theory then just out of interest you say you enjoy terrier work how many acres is this permo?

[Crosshair 77]

It's not permission per say, it's the estate I 'keeper. 2500 acres. Been here 5 years. Killed 51, 34 , 26, 27 and unbelievably 63 last year!! On 9 this year which is a few down on same time last year.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Does anybody subscribe to the thought that maybe not all vixens are lucky enough to have help and that maybe if a strong dog fox is able to defend a territory from conception to birth then maybe he will help as like i say ,in all the years of watching cubs ive never seen another adult around the den apart from the vic least of all helping to feed. The fact that the dog fox, come the rut is prone to wander and that more than one dog will probably serve the vic ,further alienates any parental duties from a dog .Not many wild animals will adopt ,rear the young of anothers preferring the exact opposite that of infanticide .The book running with the fox is largely based around foxes penned in which no matter how large the pen is unnatural at best and can only be taken for what it is .

Fascinating subject though .

[foxbolter 447]

Farmers naturally panic when seeing a fox or two around lambing time although they not having any trouble with fox they call someone to shoot they then shoot the dog so the vixen then has to rare cubs on her own and then the farmer starts having trouble because the vixen is weak and starts killing lambs in desperation. Where as the dog was traveling miles every night finding dead lambs supporting the vixen