Fox territories

[Longstrider]

Can anyone tell me just how territorial foxes really are and how quickly 'vacant' territory is likely to be taken over by a neighbour ?

Reason for asking is that 2 weeks ago, on the sheep farm I shoot over I shot 2 full-grown, big strong dog foxes within 12 minutes of each other without moving my feet. Both came from the same direction and both fell within a few yards of each other.
Whilst at the same spot a few days later my mate spotted a fox on the skyline working towards the farm along the bottom of a hedge. Obviously, at about 400yds and it being skylined it was a 'No Shot' situation, so I sat out at about the same time of evening and waited for it to reappear a few nights ago. It was a bit late, but then suddenly became very late ... as in "The Late Mr Fox".
Note : Mr Fox. Another ruddy great dog fox in the same field that the previous 2 had come from.

Both of the previous 2 foxes from this permission were dogs ( so 5 in a row now), and not had a vixen for weeks and weeks.

I would normally have expected a big dog fox to mind it's territory and be keen to keep others away from it.

 

[Smelly Yeti]

Vixens here still underground but no shortage of dogs As the old saying goes…. Shoot one & two more will take its place! Had the same up here….. thought we were dealing with a breeding pair on one farm but final tally was 1 vixen & 3 dogs.

 

[User00036]

The GCT did some work on this years ago, they said on average a foxes territory is about 1 sq kilometre. That is exactly the size of my farm here, & in all my life I have never had more than 1 active earth on the place. I always get earths just over the boundary though. Have had a Vixen & 2 of her daughters from the previous year share the same earth, & 11 cubs to feed, & never saw the dog near the earth. As a youngster, I was enamoured to have such a Skulk at the bottom of the house field. Then I learnt the most important lesson of my life, 56 chickens, 4 pet geese, 5 pet guinea fowl, 2 of my sisters cats, ornamental ducks do not coexist with a Skulk of foxes.. Staring at the earth, & the limbs, not to mention the remains of Grey Partridges & Leverets was a life changing moment.
Doing the Maths, 2 resident foxes on the farm, plus another 8 in the surrounding sq kilometres plus a few odd transient ones, say 16 foxes killed between Jan & March, should give the centre of farm a reasonable fox free zone, plus a buffer zone. Its important to let vixens/ foxes establish territories & start digging earths before killing them, others in the ares are doing the same, & are less likely to move in. At least that's my view & that of the GCT, probably not so simplistic if you have a town nearby. I have had a Vixen move her cubs in from over a mile away, when the farmer decided to clear up a straw stack & noticed an earth there. Two days later they were on the farm, in a disused earth.
Old Keeper might chime in, he knows more about foxes than I ever will.

 

[norma 308]

During the first lockdown in March April may June I shot 32 from my dining room table overlooking a bait station on the shoot 25 dogs sometimes one a night two or three nights on the trot it was incredible I’d ring my mate and he’d say “not another “
I’d just have a hunting video on and scan with the thermal dog after dog

 

[foxdropper]

Foxing on a sheep farm with a lad off here last night and saw 8 foxes,3 of which I bagged .All we’re in twos ,dog and vixen .All we’re headed to the lambing sheds .None responded to the mouth call .3 dogs shot .Two couples were together first off with no signs of aggression .
Not your usual ,this time of year scenario .
Id say food sources possibly trump rivalry .

 

[foxhunter]

[QUOTE="Smelly Yeti, post: 2355024, member: As the old saying goes…. Shoot one & two more will take its place!
[/QUOTE]
Never been the case round my parts but I suppose it's down to population density. You guys that have loads of foxes always amazes me as it's never been like that round me , in fact numbers here are at an all time low.

 

[foxhunter]

Anyone in the North East with any foxes to sort , not wanting to shoot just happy to be out foxing

 

[Wilbur]

In January whe vixens are in heat a dog fox will travel a long way most likely the same for food,I don’t think that they are territorial if they get peace and quiet they will hang around until disturbed,w

 

[SussexSteve]

I would normally have expected a big dog fox to mind it's territory and be keen to keep others away from it.

It probably would be if you hadn't shot it

 

[landkeeper]

If you keep shooting them , they will just keep coming in my experience, in my 20s we dug snared lamped and pushed out covers on the various estates myself and keeper buddies worked on, obsessive fox killers we were and good at it too lol
Manys a weekend we would have 20-30 we never seemed to run out of foxes though
If theres not a dominant pair claiming 'your patch' then there could be multiples crossing the place

 

[SussexSteve]

Although they live in a territory I'm not so sure they are really are that territorial. I think they are more sociable animals than we give them credit for. Like any pack animal they have boundaries and as long as these are observed there's no trouble. As been said above a plentiful food supply could certainly help to keep the peace. They walk the rounds everyday scenting so probably after a couple of days that would be gone and more would move in

 

[jall55]

I dont think they are overly territorial
I have shot circa 40 in a 20 acre field just this year

Now i am using all thermal i simply am astounded by the amount of life on the land after dark

We shoot 20 days a year and never saw a fox all season and only a few signs

Thermal opens your eyes

 

[old keeper]

Foxes are undoubtedly territorial but to a degree that often goes out of the window, especially at mating time. Anyone who watches foxes rather than just shooting them will have noticed that dog foxes in particular when on "foreign" territory during mating time often exhibit signs of nervousness especially when the local alpha male is around.
Foxes have fairly well-structured family groups that tend to hang around on the same territory but due to road kills and us shooting them these groups frequently get disrupted. Food is clearly the biggest draw where any animal is concerned and a good, reliable source will always have foxes coming into it, very often from a considerable distance and under these conditions there seems to be an armed neutrality. In my parish, I've shot foxes that because of distinguishing features I know have travelled in from other areas I cover, sometimes as much as three to four miles away and yet apart from the odd squabble they seem to rub along when visiting the local chicken farm.
Obviously, situations vary but since the first lockdown that coincided with the fox breeding season, I have been amazed at just how many foxes there are in and around my area, I am out most nights and it's rare not to see foxes, not in large numbers but a steady supply. Much depends on where you're located but considering the numbers of people who seem to shoot large numbers, it is remarkable just how many foxes there are in the countryside. Things are changing and its clear foxes are integrating more and more with humans for a variety of reasons, one of the main being the buying up of land where shooting is not allowed. For us who live in the countryside and for the foxes we control much has changed and will continue to do so. As the human relationship with foxes changes so does the fox's perception of territory. You only have to see pictures of urban foxes wandering the streets and in the main ignoring each other to see that in those circumstances "territorial boundaries" have become blurred.

 

[User00036]

In my parish, I've shot foxes that because of distinguishing features I know have travelled in from other areas I cover, sometimes as much as three to four miles away

Thats remarkable! Have heard stories of tagged dog foxes coming in from 12 miles away during the clicketing season. We had a Collie once who travelled 6 miles to visit a bitch in season. He used to knock on peoples doors & when they opened it, he'd be in faster than a bullet.

 

[Overlay]

During the breeding season I’ve seen dog foxes having a walk by stand off, just staring at each other communicating the stay away stare and as previously said some come into a territory very jumpy not sure what’s around the corner, but they do leave scent markings - their behaviour isn’t really clean cut, it’s a tad more complicated, sitting out with a thermal does give a different insight on what is occurring and very beneficial

 

[Bo Diddley]

During the first lockdown in March April may June I shot 32 from my dining room table overlooking a bait station on the shoot 25 dogs sometimes one a night two or three nights on the trot it was incredible I’d ring my mate and he’d say “not another “
I’d just have a hunting video on and scan with the thermal dog after dog

That's a fantastic result, I thought I had done well shooting 16 from the attic window over a baited area from Xmas to the beginning of February, 32 from the dining room is awesome, luxury foxing at its best

 

[norma 308]

That's a fantastic result, I thought I had done well shooting 16 from the attic window over a baited area from Xmas to the beginning of February, 32 from the dining room is awesome, luxury foxing at its best

I’ve moved cottages up the hill a few hundred yards it ain’t so good I have a neighbour with a baby now !

 

[Paddy_SP]

A couple of nights ago we were asked to check a farm where young lambs are about to go out. After putting the caller in place, my shooting partner shot two big dog foxes there within seconds of each other, without moving a step. On the other side of the valley where I was, there was a fox moving quickly along the top of the hill. I quickly put the caller out and played a fox call. Almost immediately, it came steaming in like a freight train - it didn't even stop after I'd muted the caller, so I made the roe deer alarm bark. It completely ignored that, so I shouted the bark instead - by this time it was getting too close for comfort (about 75 yards) and still travelling fast. As it was heading straight towards me, I had a steady point of aim, so I shot it on the run (something I don't like doing). Expecting a dominant male, I was surprised to find that it was a milky vixen. I've put the word out in case there's any sign of the earth or cubs, but as it came off ground I don't have permission to be on, my options for finding them myself are limited.

 

[Smellydog]

I don't see fox's as territorial.
They are infact very social animals but their social structure is complex.
They may not live close to each other but keep in touch.
Generations keep in touch by following similar lines. Aunts and uncles will help with cubs and the father provides for the cubs as well as the vixen. But will the dog and vixen cuddle up of a day together? No way!
They are immensely interesting animals. I love trying out wit them.

 

[Overlay]

I don't see fox's as territorial.
They are infact very social animals but their social structure is complex.
They may not live close to each other but keep in touch.
Generations keep in touch by following similar lines. Aunts and uncles will help with cubs and the father provides for the cubs as well as the vixen. But will the dog and vixen cuddle up of a day together? No way!
They are immensely interesting animals. I love trying out wit them.

agree 100% foxes are very complex in the way they get through life, they never stop trying to improve on their life style, probably one of the reasons they’re still abundant in most areas