Red fox in back yard.

[d arrow]

Went out to my back yard yesterday to do my last 45 min of day light shooting of the day. As I was walking toward my tri pod, I notice a red fox walking right by the tree line away from me. I then froze and did some fox calling, fox turned and head back towads me. He then stop @ about 15 yards or so and did something that amazes me. it sat on it's hind legs stayed there and stared at me as I kept doing a fox call. I slowly turned around and walked toward the house to get my wife ( I kept doing the fox call at this point) and let her see the beauty of this animal. We both stood right by the dog house and watch this creature on the binoculars. What amazed me was, The fox stayed at the same spot as me and the wife enjoyed the sight. ( My bow was haning on the tree by my tri pod) that sux!!!

[hoytboy]

that sux

[Marion]

That sounds like an excellent time. Often it's just as nice to watch nature as it is to fling an arrow, and you got to share it with your wife. Memories were made right there.

[SaltwaterSlick]

That is cool indeed, but if you were anywhere around Texas, it was not a red fox. All we have here is the "gray fox". It is pretty red, marked kinda like a fox squirrel, but it was not a red fox. The most distinguishing part on a red fox is the big fluffy tail with a bright white tip. The gray fox does not have that white tipped tail... a great wildlife moment none the less however!! Congrats.

[Bily Lovec]

sounds like a grand experience.
Fox are awesome.

You know its not necessary to KILL everything you can?
now you can enjoy him again later...

[Bily Lovec]

saltwater,
there are lots of red fox around here. I killed them regularly up around conroe.

and I know how to tell the difference

[rocky]

That is cool indeed, but if you were anywhere around Texas, it was not a red fox. All we have here is the "gray fox". It is pretty red, marked kinda like a fox squirrel, but it was not a red fox. The most distinguishing part on a red fox is the big fluffy tail with a bright white tip. The gray fox does not have that white tipped tail... a great wildlife moment none the less however!! Congrats.

No Red Fox in Texas?

[d arrow]

Saltwaterslick, You are correct my bad there, It was a "gray fox" Indeed. have few of them at the lease also.

[Big Brass]

They are not common at all but there are red fox in Texas. I spotted them occasionally growing up in Navarro County. There is no question what I saw were reds and not reddish colored greys.

[d arrow]

Bily Lovec, I will see him again & no arrow flingin. Matter of fact, my wife asked me to call the fox back out again tonight, she wants to film this time. I told her I will have my cell with me while on my try pod and tell her to come out. ( We filmed deer on our property before, now we are filmin this fox !!! ) May be T-rex will show up next....

[d arrow]

There is Red fox in Texas, but this one for sure was Gray. My bad!!!

[dwright8]

nice

[SaltwaterSlick]

Hey guys, I stand corrected... Here's some info on Red Foxes. they are not native to Texas, but were introduced long ago and have thrived here aparently... No tellin' what you can learn readin' the Green Screen!!

Here is some basic information about the red fox in Texas, the larger cousin of the grey fox. It is a non-native species. They are more likely to be found in areas with lower coyote populations. Coyotes will kill foxes readily, and unlike their cousin the grey, reds can't climb trees to get away....

Red Fox
Order Carnivora : Family Canidae : Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus)

gray fox but conspicuously different in color and in cranial characters. Considerably larger and more reddish than the swift fox. Tail a thick "bush," circular in cross section, and white-tipped; face rusty fulvous, grizzled with white; upperparts bright golden yellow, darkest along middle of back; chin, throat and mid-line of belly white; forefeet and legs to elbow black; black of hind feet extends as a narrow band along outer side of leg to thigh; backs of ears black. Several color phases — cross, black, silver, Sampson, and the normal red. Young duller in color than adults. External measurements average: total length, 972 mm; tail, 371 mm; hind foot, 163 mm; females average slightly smaller than males. Weight, 3-5 kg.

Distribution in Texas. Introduced in eastern and central parts of state. Now ranges across central Texas from eastern part of the state to central Trans-Pecos region.

Habits. Red foxes are not native to Texas, having been introduced for purposes of sport around 1895. Today, red foxes occur throughout central and eastern Texas, but they do not seem to be common anywhere. Their favored habitat is mixed woodland uplands interspersed with farms and pastures. Although usually active at night, the red fox moves about considerably in daylight hours and occasionally may be observed then, especially if the observer is alert and still. The den is usually an underground burrow, a crevice in a rocky outcrop, or a cavity under boulders. Occasionally, the burrow of some other animal, such as the badger, is taken over and remodeled to suit the new occupants.

Red foxes are opportunistic feeders and will take any acceptable food in proportion to its availability. The major food items are small rodents, rabbits, wild fruits and berries, and insects. Small mammals evidently constitute staple foods during the greater part of the year. Other kinds of prey fluctuate according to season, weather conditions, abundance, and vulnerability of prey populations, and with the experience of the fox. Young animals learning to hunt have to take what they can get.

Female red foxes have a single estrous each year and reputedly remain mated for life. Males and females pair off and mate from late December to January or February. Females have a very short period of heat that lasts only 2-4 days. The young, which may number anywhere from one to 10 (average, four to six), are born in March or April following a gestation period of about 53 days.

The female establishes the den site for the young in late winter, but both parents live together while raising the young. Foxes either dig their own dens or utilize those of other burrowing animals. Sometimes two litters may occupy one den.

The young at birth are dark brown or black in color, but the tip of the tail is white. They are blind and helpless; the eyes open at the age of 8 or 9 days. They seldom venture out of the den until they are a month old, and the den may also be their refuge for the next 2 months or longer. The parents are solicitous of the pups, bringing them food and guarding the den. The family remains together until autumn, by which time the young have attained almost adult proportions.

Few foxes live beyond the age of 3 or 4 years, particularly in areas where they are hunted and trapped heavily. Man and domestic dogs are their major predators, although pups may be lost to great horned owls and other predators. Red foxes are susceptible to a variety of diseases, including rabies, distemper, and infectious canine hepatitis.

[Dr. D]

That is cool indeed, but if you were anywhere around Texas, it was not a red fox. All we have here is the "gray fox". It is pretty red, marked kinda like a fox squirrel, but it was not a red fox. The most distinguishing part on a red fox is the big fluffy tail with a bright white tip. The gray fox does not have that white tipped tail... a great wildlife moment none the less however!! Congrats.

We have red fox here....not as many but we have them.

[Dr. D]

Nice catch Charlie.