Foxes getting bigger

griffshrek

Well-Known Member
Hello all

I don't know if its just my area but I believe foxes are getting BIGGER every year . I found an old note book of mine that covered my shooting from 1988--1994 I weighed most of the foxes shot over this period (then my scales broke)

It showed the weight & condition of the foxes i bagged during these yrs i didn't bag as many as now but still quite a few the weights of them were
Vixens 10-14 lbs range
Dog fox 11-17 lbs range

I wrote comments next to the foxes the diary showed a 16-17 lbs dog fox I would comment on it being " very big fox" and the same for a 14 lbs Vixens.

I have also noticed the overall condition of foxes is improving I cant remember the last time I bagged a thin mangy fox they all now seem to be in very good condition. the diary showed that about 1/5 of the foxes bagged would be
" poor" condition

now most foxes bagged are in A1 condition I am finding the biggest we are getting are on the Urban/ Rural divide where I believe they are feeding off
bin day, people feeding them ,bird tables ,take away food dropped by the lucky drunks (Thurs-sun) more people are now keeping chickens/ducks etc then if needed having a mouch about off a sheep carcase or pick up some rabbits.

Over the last two yrs I have shot some really big specimens but not having any scale I could only estimate the weight ,here is a picture of one we bagged last night my new £3-40 scales came into play
.View attachment 23104

The picture is of my father holding up the fox he is 6 feet tall & 14.5st . The dog fox weighed in at 21 lbs 03 oz and in A1 condition but compared to others I have shot recently they were even bigger and estimate them to be 22-26 lbs range i did deduct the 32gr .204 bullets weight from the fox.

Regards...Neil


 
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I think your probably right. I think that maybe since the "re birth"/increased popularity of fox shooting, if thats the correct terminology, has come to the fore that a lot of the poorer specimens have been thinned out and maybe the better conditioned/ wiser foxes are the ones reproducing? Just a thought.

Ben
 
Definately getting better stock recent years, My last one , I couldn't keep him in the "Battery lift" pose from the strongest man tv show!:D
 
I had a 21lb. dog last year in tip top condition. I have never weighed a fox before but curiosity got the better of us.A beautiful specimon.
 
Definitely getter bigger, three the other night,dog fox was nearly double the size of the two vixens needed two hands to lift, it was solid.

No scales with me, otherwise would have weighed it.
 
I also put it down to all the additives and hormones put into modern food that must be making foxes bigger , as it certainly made me bigger I cant fit into my 32" waist jeans I used to wear back then.

.243 AI yes nice but I do love my .204
 
glad to see im not the only one walking about with a set of scales in ma back pocket, in november past I shot a few bigger than normal dog foxes and were all over 10kilos , they're not urban either but live in around sand dunes where the rabbits are plentyfull.
 
Think you are right and where I'm shooting there are more dogs as 8 out of the 10 shot where dogs
 
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