Posted: 4/3/2017 9:43:16 PM EDT
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About 7 PM tonight I heard our daughter's dog barking in the yard. Dog is a Chihuahua mix, maybe 8 lbs. We have another dog, an fat older pug, about 20 lbs. I look out the window and see that the Chihuahua is barking at a fox. This fox is literally the biggest fox I've ever seen. It is several times the size of the chihuahua. I'd seen it before and the first time I saw it, it was facing towards me and I thought it was a coyote at first until it ran away. It has very light colored fur.
So, the dog charges after the fox. Fox retreats maybe 5 yards and then doesn't back down. I open the door and yell at the chihuahua to come home. Chihuahua is being a chihuahua and not listening to me. I expected the fox to take off as soon as I stepped outside yelling but it stands it's ground too. This is taking place 60-70 yards from my doorstep. So, after realizing yelling wasn't going to work, I run downstairs to the safe room and grab an AR and mag loaded with 55g V-max. When I get back up maybe 10-15 seconds later the fox had retreated another 20 yards or so to the dirt road that borders my yard and the chihuahua had retreated 25 yards or so toward the house. I put the red dot on the fox and contemplate whether to pull the trigger or not. I decide not to and it eventually moves on. I shoot plenty of skunks, woodchucks, cats, and other vermin the come into the yard, but I think foxes are really cool, neat animals and I don't really want to kill it unless I have too. So, should I have shot it? I don't even know the legalities of doing so, not that anyone would know anyhow. My closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away. If it would have come down to the dog or the fox, I'd shoot without hesitation, but it wasn't posing an immediate threat when I had my chance. Like I said, I'd seen this fox before and I'm sure I'll see it again. Is it going to come back and pose problems that make me regret not pulling the trigger? |
| I like foxes. They eat all the feral cats around here and climbing a tree doesn't save the cat as foxes climb right after then. First time I saw a fox climb a tree thought I was tripping. Was smoking at work and after that I just went in and had to look up shit on foxes. Now a Chihuahua cannot stand how they bark at their own shadow. Yet would just be a snack to a fox. |
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Don't shoot the Fox. It will keep the varmint population in check. Many times though I've wanted to shoot my roomates chihuahua.  |
| I made friends with a nice little grey at my business a while ago, he hung around for 3 or 4 days, I fed him sardines and cat food sometimes, he would get 3-4 feet from me and almost enter my building. I had seen him many time before, I thought he was just a litter runt and needed to put some weight on before winter. A week later I found out the dog catcher shot him a block away after he bite a kid, he tested positive for rabies. I have dealt with rabid raccoons before and I didn't see the signs at all. I love foxes, trapped them for years but you may have to shoot that one in your yard. |
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About 7 PM tonight I heard our daughter's dog barking in the yard. Dog is a Chihuahua mix, maybe 8 lbs. We have another dog, an fat older pug, about 20 lbs. I look out the window and see that the Chihuahua is barking at a fox. This fox is literally the biggest fox I've ever seen. It is several times the size of the chihuahua. I'd seen it before and the first time I saw it, it was facing towards me and I thought it was a coyote at first until it ran away. It has very light colored fur. So, the dog charges after the fox. Fox retreats maybe 5 yards and then doesn't back down. I open the door and yell at the chihuahua to come home. Chihuahua is being a chihuahua and not listening to me. I expected the fox to take off as soon as I stepped outside yelling but it stands it's ground too. This is taking place 60-70 yards from my doorstep. So, after realizing yelling wasn't going to work, I run downstairs to the safe room and grab an AR and mag loaded with 55g V-max. When I get back up maybe 10-15 seconds later the fox had retreated another 20 yards or so to the dirt road that borders my yard and the chihuahua had retreated 25 yards or so toward the house. I put the red dot on the fox and contemplate whether to pull the trigger or not. I decide not to and it eventually moves on. I shoot plenty of skunks, woodchucks, cats, and other vermin the come into the yard, but I think foxes are really cool, neat animals and I don't really want to kill it unless I have too. So, should I have shot it? I don't even know the legalities of doing so, not that anyone would know anyhow. My closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away. If it would have come down to the dog or the fox, I'd shoot without hesitation, but it wasn't posing an immediate threat when I had my chance. Like I said, I'd seen this fox before and I'm sure I'll see it again. Is it going to come back and pose problems that make me regret not pulling the trigger? You chose wisely. 
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I made friends with a nice little grey at my business a while ago, he hung around for 3 or 4 days, I fed him sardines and cat food sometimes, he would get 3-4 feet from me and almost enter my building. I had seen him many time before, I thought he was just a litter runt and needed to put some weight on before winter. A week later I found out the dog catcher shot him a block away after he bite a kid, he tested positive for rabies. I have dealt with rabid raccoons before and I didn't see the signs at all. I love foxes, trapped them for years but you may have to shoot that one in your yard. |
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I like having fox around. They take care of the vermin. The GF has a little dog, i think he's more threatened by the birds of prey than the fox around here. Theyre curious animals, not necessarily aggressive. Id keep an eye on your dogs for a little while. |
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We've had a couple of breeding pairs around on and off the last few years. Good looking healthy reds. I've seen the kits occasionally. Damn cute.
Early summer last year one of the mates got hit by a car in front of the house. Damn shame. You could hear the partner yipping and screaming occasionally for the mate. It goes in cycles. Rabbits and chipmunks abound. Fox and yote come thru and clean them out then move on. They come back a couple years later when the food repopulates. I haven't seen the resident bear from last fall yet. |
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About 7 PM tonight I heard our daughter's dog barking in the yard. Dog is a Chihuahua mix, maybe 8 lbs. We have another dog, an fat older pug, about 20 lbs. I look out the window and see that the Chihuahua is barking at a fox. This fox is literally the biggest fox I've ever seen. It is several times the size of the chihuahua. I'd seen it before and the first time I saw it, it was facing towards me and I thought it was a coyote at first until it ran away. It has very light colored fur. So, the dog charges after the fox. Fox retreats maybe 5 yards and then doesn't back down. I open the door and yell at the chihuahua to come home. Chihuahua is being a chihuahua and not listening to me. I expected the fox to take off as soon as I stepped outside yelling but it stands it's ground too. This is taking place 60-70 yards from my doorstep. So, after realizing yelling wasn't going to work, I run downstairs to the safe room and grab an AR and mag loaded with 55g V-max. When I get back up maybe 10-15 seconds later the fox had retreated another 20 yards or so to the dirt road that borders my yard and the chihuahua had retreated 25 yards or so toward the house. I put the red dot on the fox and contemplate whether to pull the trigger or not. I decide not to and it eventually moves on. I shoot plenty of skunks, woodchucks, cats, and other vermin the come into the yard, but I think foxes are really cool, neat animals and I don't really want to kill it unless I have too. So, should I have shot it? I don't even know the legalities of doing so, not that anyone would know anyhow. My closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away. If it would have come down to the dog or the fox, I'd shoot without hesitation, but it wasn't posing an immediate threat when I had my chance. Like I said, I'd seen this fox before and I'm sure I'll see it again. Is it going to come back and pose problems that make me regret not pulling the trigger? The urge to tell all here is very powerful. |
Honestly I'd start to feed the fox  I've seen them be extremely friendly and tame. Maybe not if there was a small child present. I freaking love foxes though, so there's that lol. When I was searching for an avatar I desperately want a cool fox related one, but found these opossums.
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Honestly I'd start to feed the fox I've seen them be extremely friendly and tame. Maybe not if there was a small child present. I freaking love foxes though, so there's that lol. When I was searching for an avatar I desperately want a cool fox related one, but found these opossums. There are 2 red foxes that come to my mom's house, she puts out raw chicken for them every day. She also owns a Pekingese. The foxes are gorgeous but it fucking drives me nuts. |
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If you feed it it'll make a habit of coming by, and if you don't feed it one day the Chihuahua will be its dinner. There are 2 red foxes that come to my mom's house, she puts out raw chicken for them every day. She also owns a Pekingese. The foxes are gorgeous but it fucking drives me nuts. gsd/collie mutt
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Kind of queer behavior for a fox. We've had them around for years and I've never seen a bold fox. Stepped out on the back porch one night and just happened to see on scoot from the barn. Threw a light on him and he stopped and turned to look, but then booked on. That was typical in my events when seeing fox.
I'd check your dogs rabies shots. |
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I made friends with a nice little grey at my business a while ago, he hung around for 3 or 4 days, I fed him sardines and cat food sometimes, he would get 3-4 feet from me and almost enter my building. I had seen him many time before, I thought he was just a litter runt and needed to put some weight on before winter. A week later I found out the dog catcher shot him a block away after he bite a kid, he tested positive for rabies. I have dealt with rabid raccoons before and I didn't see the signs at all. I love foxes, trapped them for years but you may have to shoot that one in your yard. 
Edit: The "Vixen's Scream" at about :35 is what I mean-- |
