Three leged Fox

[shaun22/250]

Out foxing the other night and as we pulled into a stubble field that had'nt yet been bailed, I got an eye shine from around 80 yards in. The usual tape on the roof to signal the driver to stop and kill the engine, rifle up at the ready and lamped the area again, charlie was running stumbling away to our right a quick shout and it stopped for a look. Big mistake as a 55grain V-max was on its way to say hello. When we went to examine it (a vixen) she had only 3 legs. My first thought was it had been caught in some farm machinery or something, but on closer inspection its right front leg was deformed and it had best i can describe as a sort of paw at its elbow similar to thalidomide in humans. I was surprised as I would have thought its mother would have killed it shortly after birth. Any one else seen anything similar in foxes before.

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[perdix]

Not in foxes(although I have shot/snared an odd one that showed human intervention) but I have seen very similar with a badger

 

[Wheesht!]

Interesting pics - thanks for posting.

 

[shootingduckdog]

very interesting!!!
Poor thing struggles through cubhood, forges a living against all the odds and you **** it witha rifle

 

[Paddy_SP]

Interesting pics - thanks for posting.

Agreed.

 

[Steyer 6.5]

How old you reckon she was?

 

[redlab]

How old you reckon she was?

She didnt look as tho she Could have been much more than a year, there didn't seem much nail growth on the short paw.
regards

 

[shaun22/250]

Id say she was last years litter, seemed in good condition.

 

[the prowler]

shot a fox not long ago and it had front leg missing and was very large dog fox. was behind a housing estate, maybe getting fed free meals. shot another fox years ago and its left hind foot was facing the rear. maybe a old car injury?

 

[gamekeeper26]

I've shot one that looked as though it had been amputated then stitched up and released. Its front left leg was missing. I've never seen one that looks like a natural deformity though.

 

[kevinc]

very interesting picture ;/