Fox tooth

NigelM

Well-Known Member
I wonder if anyone can help with this one. In Scotland at the end of last season. Red switch holding 30 or so hinds. Shot him and when skinning the head found a freshly broken tooth embedded above his right eye socket. The tooth still had a hint of blood inside it and was very clean so it was a recent break, looked remarkably like a canine tooth from a fox. Anyone seen anything like this before and anyone got any theories about what a fox was doing breaking a tooth off on a mature Stags head?
 
Nigel

Think I would agree with Basil. Roe Does will see off a fox. I cannot see one having a go at a mature or even a young stag.

A dog on the other hand just might...

Never heard of teeth being recovered though. Picked out pellets and bullets a few times...
 
send the tooth fragment to the Natual History Museum, they should be able to ID it

That, or tell everbody you have "proof" of a big cat.......................

Only kidding on the last one, honest
 
The theories that night were pretty wild and wooly, especially after a drink or two. Not seen anything like it before myself and neither has anyone else I know. Kept the tooth with the head. Might even mount it with the tooth in place...
 
I took a small fox tooth out of a terriers foot just after christmas . Id say a big lurcher will have left the one in the stag , i wouldnt mind betting it was bitten round the back end as well
 
No sign of damage to the back end Trouble, but I'm warming to the Lurcher theory. Will have to have a good look in a Lurchers mouth and see if I can match it up.

Nice theory about the big cat, I wonder if Sporting Rifle will pay out the grand on the basis of it?
 
No sign of damage to the back end Trouble, but I'm warming to the Lurcher theory. Will have to have a good look in a Lurchers mouth and see if I can match it up.

Nice theory about the big cat, I wonder if Sporting Rifle will pay out the grand on the basis of it?

Our local paper been full of big cat sightings recently. South Oxfordshire...Ive yet to see hard evidence myself..How would you stand if you did shoot one I wonder? Ive any legal quarry on my FAC would that count I wonder?
 
Mine says after the bit about the deer "...the shooting of vermin or, in connection with the management of any estate, other wildlife". That's got to qualify!
 
There`s some big lurchers out there that have no fear of attacking a deer, especially the ones bred with bull blood in them.
Obviously depending on the breeding, some lurchers are up around 26 inches to the shoulders.
basil.
 
Our local paper been full of big cat sightings recently. South Oxfordshire...Ive yet to see hard evidence myself..How would you stand if you did shoot one I wonder? Ive any legal quarry on my FAC would that count I wonder?
I would imagine that shooting one would go down like a lead balloon, especially as they are not classed as legal quarry (are they????????)
It may well put your FAC on the line.
basil.
 
There`s some big lurchers out there that have no fear of attacking a deer, especially the ones bred with bull blood in them.
Obviously depending on the breeding, some lurchers are up around 26 inches to the shoulders.
basil.

My mates dog runs at about 90lbs in fit condition
 
Our local paper been full of big cat sightings recently. South Oxfordshire...Ive yet to see hard evidence myself..How would you stand if you did shoot one I wonder? Ive any legal quarry on my FAC would that count I wonder?

I have on my ticket something like, the shooting of animals for the protection of humans and other animals. Think that ought to cover it.

+1 on the lurcher, hell I had to go to a Roe Buck at the end of the last year that was killed by a black lab bitch, and a small bitch at that. Plus she was a good working dog. I think a bigger dog would happily take on a Stag. My sisters staffie used to give it a go!

Get the tooth off for analysis, maybe a vet could tell? Maybe...
 
Last edited:
My knowledge of Red deer is pretty limited but don't some of them exhibit a small 'canine' type tooth ?
 
Back
Top