1st two fox cubs of the year

[foxerklw]

I've seen a couple of instances where two litters have joined up, not necessarily of the same age. I can imagine that if one of the vixens was shot then the other would continue bringing up the two litters.
The family set up of foxes is far more complex than most people realise and certainly, there are overlaps especially where cubs are involved.

After a few hours of searching and reading I've just come across a brilliant article which might explain what I witnessed. It's called pooling, where a vixen will mix her cubs with that of another and help raise them. My claim wasn't that of assumption, I watched a vixen and seven cubs clearly a good number of weeks apart four/three split play and hunt for three days solid on a public/petting farm. Maybe at the time I should have looked in to it, but with the lack of any other adult fox in the surrounding area over so many days just thought both must have been hers.!

 

[Nick703]

foxes are still calling on one of my permissions ,shot one sat night to matting call

 

[Dazb1967]

if you look on youtube there,s a couple of good videos about the life of a fox
even though we shoot them its still really interesting knowing about them and there habits

I love getting out and watching them and learning there habits, I'm at the stage now when one gets the better of me I laugh it off and get over it, at one time i used to get frustrated about it, but they are an amazing animal, That video that I believe was on here a few weeks ago proves it, where it quickly learned to grab a rope or a cable to get out of some pit

 

[Cyres]

Had a relaible report of a brace mating mid Feb so cubs end of March. Incidentally I shot a lovely pair of foxs on same ground at end of Jan so as previously mention could be a sub ordinate vixen coming into heat. Last two weeks not seen a fox out feeding all travelling very quickly and ignoring any calls. Very cold wind then rain and full moon has precluded foxing forays for a while.

D

 

[Wilbur]

If you have foxes mating mid February there won’t be Cubs born until april

 

[Cyres]

Whoops sorry maths went awol, 51-3 days gestation.

D

 

[old keeper]

Whoops sorry maths went awol, 51-3 days gestation.

D

Plus generally a week for implantation

 

[Wilbur]

Sixty days

 

[User00036]

Cheltenham Gold cup week was traditionally regarded as the time around cubs being born.

 

[Andyquadra]

Saw a cub knocked over on the road this morning

 

[IrishStalker]

i'm fully convinced some have dropped their cubs a few weeks ago earth i'm watching at the minute is highly active could hear the vixen calling outside the earth a few minutes will go over with my bino's in the morning see can get a good spot and watch for activity what else would ya be doing paddy's day.

 

[Gamekeeperwill]

 

[20-250]

That's Will out with terriers in the morning, then.

 

[jb1]

I've shot 6 in the last week, 2 vixens carrying fully formed.

 

[Long drag]

View attachment 198246

Sorry cant justify shooting Vixens at this time of the year, where is your sportsmanship. leaving cubs to die. dont tell me you got the cubs with terriers, tell this to someone else. See posts over here fellows doing the same, not for me. not a personal attack, just cant justify it. Rant over.

 

[Triggermortis]

With all due respect, if your living were potentially affected by a litter of Cubs later in the year, you might not be so “sportsman like”
For some it’s not a hobby, past time or even a sport?

 

[hunter243]

With all due respect, if your living were potentially affected by a litter of Cubs later in the year, you might not be so “sportsman like”
For some it’s not a hobby, past time or even a sport?

I understand it doesn't sit well with some but every vixen accounted for now potentially saves having half a dozen or so hungry Foxes running amok through the summer months.

 

[Rewulf]

Sorry cant justify shooting Vixens at this time of the year, where is your sportsmanship. leaving cubs to die. dont tell me you got the cubs with terriers, tell this to someone else. See posts over here fellows doing the same, not for me. not a personal attack, just cant justify it. Rant over.

I can never understand this train of thought.
If you ONLY shoot the dogs, then any vixens left over will eventually have to venture out to feed, and with lambing imminent , or already under way, what do you think is going to be the result ?
Hungry desperate vixens needing to feed cubs = dead lambs.

Or DONT shoot either, and the dogs can go out and feed off the lambs ?

Sportsmanship doesnt apply to foxes, as they are vermin, and the permissions that allow you to shoot, need that vermin controlling.
Tell the farmer you didnt shoot the milky vixen that ate his lambs.... that you didnt do it because you couldnt 'justify it'
Do you accord the same sportsman like morals to rats , crows ?

Beggars belief TBH.

 

[Gamekeeperwill]

Sorry cant justify shooting Vixens at this time of the year, where is your sportsmanship. leaving cubs to die. dont tell me you got the cubs with terriers, tell this to someone else. See posts over here fellows doing the same, not for me. not a personal attack, just cant justify it. Rant over.

Not a case of no sportsmanship. Its my livelihood

 

[Long drag]

Never had a problem shooting Foxes, but there is a line I dont like crossing, letting any young to die of thirst or hunger. we have from late summer until Feb, to cull vermin, do we need to shoot any vermin when they are breeding, this is a question we should ask ourselves. In my case its something to avoid.unless its causing a problem. Deer have a season because if not we would be killing them all year long and calling them vermin.
I'm not anti shooting or hunting, I just have a old fashioned belief in live and let live, vermin inc.