Small, omnivorous, wily predator and scavengers can sometimes be nuisances for farmers and other people with small domesticated animals.Whether it's been sneaking into your hen house or harassing your pets, knowing how to catch a troublesome fox is a very useful skill to have.Knowing how to deal with a fox you've already caught allows you to make a decision that eliminates your fox problems while ensuring the humane treatment of the animal.
Step 1: A location you expect a fox to be is where you should set a live trap.
Standard "boxy" live traps of a suitable size work well for most foxes.These traps are similar to a rectangular box with trap doors.The fox steps on a pedal, which releases the trap door, and locks it in.Most hunting goods stores and specialty retailers sell live traps.For traps that are medium to large, prices can range from $40 to 80.
Step 2: The trap needs to be baited.
Carefully place your bait in the center of the space you set your trap in.For instance, you can use pork, "wet" cat food, fish, chicken, or other meat when choosing your bait.If you're a hunter, you might want to use game meat.The scent of the bait is very important.If you can, try to use bait with a strong, appealing odor because Foxes have strong noses that they use to sniff out food sources.If you're using cat food, make sure it has a strong scent.
Step 3: Allow the trap to sit out overnight.
The animals are usually nocturnal and can be seen almost any time of the day.You will want to wait at least one night for the results of the trap.You should check your trap in the morning to see if you caught the fox.If you find a small mammal in the trap, it can be attracted to the same baits that the foxes like.Don't let the trap sit out for a while without checking it.A trapped fox can suffer from hunger or exposure if this is done.
Step 4: Try digging a hole trap.
If you don't want to rent or buy a live box trap, you can use this free alternative.To make a hole trap, dig a deep, steep-sided hole near a tree, stump, or another natural obstruction so that the fox can only enter the hole from one side.Place your bait in the bottom of the hole and cover the trap with branches and leaves to obscure it.If the hole is too steep, the fox will fall in and be unable to climb out until you come back for it.Many sources recommend placing a leg snare trap at the bottom of the hole to make sure that the fox isn't stuck when it falls.If you're thinking about doing this, make sure to check your local jurisdiction.Leg snare traps can potentially hurt or kill an animal.It is possible that the trap is compatible with your personal ethics.
Step 5: Attempt step baiting.
The wily creatures will sometimes be able to tell when a trap is a bait and will avoid it, even when there's bait in it.Step-baiting is a strategy to counter this.The bait should be near the trap on the first night.If you notice the bait is gone the next morning, you can put it inside the trap, but not near the doors.If the bait reappears, try putting it in the middle of the trap.A gradual progression will trick a fox into thinking that a source of bait is safe until it's greedy enough to fall for the trap.The fox might be smelling your scent on the trap if you're still having trouble.To remove your scent, wash the trap with hot or boiling water.fox urine is available at many hunting goods stores and can cause another fox's scent to cause it to investigate the trap.
Step 6: Don't use inhumane traps.
If you want to kill the animal, it's important that you don't allow the fox to suffer.Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is immoral.You want to avoid traps that hurt the animal in the act of trapping it.Steel-jawed leg traps can break the fox's leg when they snap closed on it, and wire snares can cut off circulation to its limb, which can cause it to die.In general, traps that snap shut on part of the animal shouldn't be used.Depending on where you live, these traps can be illegal and carry stiff fines for their use.
Step 7: An injured animal should be euthanized.
If you hurt a fox while trying to catch it, you will probably want to kill the animal.Releasing an injured animal back into the wild can cause it to suffer for days before it dies of disease, or is killed by a predator.Euthanasia is usually a better alternative in this case.Humane killing methods usually cause unconsciousness and quick death without giving the animal a chance to suffer.In general, humane killing methods include shooting the animal in the head, stunning it with electricity and then cutting its throat, and using pain-free gases.
Step 8: Don't handle the foxes lightly.
Even if the fox is confined to its trap, you will want to be very careful about how you handle it.Carry the trap away from your body and hold it in a safe hand hold.Don't shake the cage or put your fingers into it.If you're caught in a live trap, you are likely to be scared for your life and they can bite or scratch you.There is no cure for rabies, a deadly viral disease that can only be treated with a vaccine after being bitten.You should contact a doctor if you are bitten or scratched by a fox.It's always better to be safe than sorry because it can lead to a long, painful, and ultimately fatal illness in foxes.
Step 9: It should be released into the wild.
One way to let a fox go free is to take it far away.The method will cause no immediate harm to the fox.Because foxes are territorial, they will sometimes return to their original location even if they have to travel a long way.There is a chance that a fox released into the wild away from its home will eventually die, because of competition from other predators and differing habitat conditions.If you decide to release your fox into the wild, be sure to do so safely.Carefully open the trap door to let the fox out.When the fox leaves the trap, don't chase it, it will be agitated and can react with hostility, which is rare.
Step 10: You can call an animal control service.
It is much better to have a professional deal with a captured fox than it is to do it on your own.Most local animal control agencies are willing to take a wild fox off of your hands.If you don't know how to get in touch with local animal control services in the U.S., you can contact the Humane Society or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.The fox will be euthanized by animal control services after you give it to them.This is due to the fact that foxes are known carriers of diseases.
Step 11: If the fox is legal in your area, consider killing it.
If the fox you just caught is causing you trouble, you may want to kill it.If you're going to kill the fox, be sure to consult your local laws.Killing a fox to protect your property or eliminate a nuisance won't be considered illegal in most cases.If you need to kill many foxes, for commercial reasons, or for an "off-season" time, some states may have rules that limit your ability to do so.In the state of North Carolina, the laws governing foxes vary from county to county.Gates County's fox trapping season lasts only during the month of January, with a maximum limit of 30 animals.There is no bag limit or fox trapping season in the county.If you choose to kill a captured fox, always use one of the humane killing methods described above.
Step 12: Know the warning signs of a fox.
Regardless of what you do with your captured fox, it's important to know the signs of danger so that you can respond to them quickly.Many of the signs that an angry fox will give off are similar to those used by dogs.If the hair on its back is standing up, its tail is straight, or it is growling or baring its teeth, the fox is angry and may react with hostility.Leave matters to a professional.It's a good idea to know the signs of a disease.If the fox is stumbling as if it's drunk, is hurting itself, or is acting extremely aggressive, it could be a case of swine flu.If this is the case, you need to contact a professional to make sure you don't get the disease again.
Step 13: Take the fox's fur.
Foxes can be trapped or hunted.It's not unusual for a real fox fur coat or boot to retail for several thousand dollars or more.If you're an experienced skinner, you may want to skin the animal and sell it to a fur vendor.The act of killing an animal for its fur is more regulated than killing it to rid yourself of a pest, so it's always a good idea to consult your local laws.Don't try to take a fox's fur if you have no idea what you're doing.It can be difficult to know how to skin an animal.If you attempt to skin a dead fox when you've never done it before, the fur will be ruined, making the fox's death a waste.
Step 14: You should wash yourself after handling a fox.
Even if you don't come into direct contact with the captured fox, you'll want to wash your body and clothing thoroughly after handling its trap.foxes can be dirty even if they don't appear so.They may have small amounts of blood or fecal matter on them from a recent kill.They can carry parasites like fleas or ticks.It's best to be safe because you don't have a way of knowing where a fox is.You'll want to wash your trap to make sure it doesn't get contaminated in the future.Use a hose to rinse it after it's been scrubbed with hot water and soap.It's time to dry it with a towel or rag.