Red Fox Journal and Photos
 by David J. White
Introduction     1: 2007     2: The Den     3: Night Visits     4: Lady     5: Prince    6: Princess   
7: Kits at Play    8: Rivalry    9: Tracking    10: 2009    11: Fox Life 101    12: References and Links
10: 2009
Although some of the tracks that I followed in January 2009 were of a male fox, most were vixen tracks and she was almost always travelling alone.

Both male and female foxes mark their territory by peeing on various shrubs, grass clumps, and rocks. As in dogs, male and female foxes pee at different angles. Since foxes usually mark often, one doesn't have to follow a trail very far before a distinctive mark is found and the sex of the fox determined.

By early February, the tracks showed that there was still only the vixen coming. And she never visited the old den. Since foxes generally pair up and travel together in January and February, it seemed as though the vixen was single.

But in late March, about the time in 2007 and 2008 when the kits must have been born in the nearby den, the vixen's visits to get the egg stopped abruptly. And at the time of writing (late-May 2009), she has not returned except perhaps occasionally. Although she may have been killed, it seems most likely that the new vixen has given birth to a litter in a den some considerable distance from here.

Even though the egg was a predictable and desirable treat during the winter, it is probably farther from here to where her kits are now than she wishes to regularly travel. And besides, with the snow gone, and the rodent population once again on the rise, the meadow vole hunting is probably quite good at the moment.

Well, perhaps in 2010 another litter will be raised at the old den. Until then  . . . .


Continued in 11: Fox Life 101.

© David J. White 2009
 Fox tracks criss-crossing a field

Fox tracks in the snow are usually quite distinctive. Since the fox belongs to the dog family, its prints have the same characteristics as dogs or coyotes.

The fox is a very narrow animal with rather long legs and this configuration is reflected in its tracks. As you can see in the above photo, the trail is quite narrow with the prints very much in a single narrow line.

Although a fox does not have large feet, it is a very light animal. So even in soft snow, the fox does not sink down as much as you might expect. On the slightest crust, the fox is often able to stay up easily.

So how do you tell a fox track from that of a dog or coyote?

The coyote is a broader and heavier animal than a fox. So the coyote track will not be as narrow and will sink into the snow more than the fox's. Henry (1993) uses a "two-finger rule". If he can just fit two of his fingers (bent at the main knuckle) into a clear print, then that is a fox track. If it takes three of his fingers to cover the print, then it is likely to be that of a coyote.

Even if a small dog has similar-sized feet to those of a fox, the dog's prints will not be in a narrow line (because of the relatively wider structure of the dog), the tracks will go deeper into the snow (because the dog will never be as light as a fox), and the dog's shorter legs will show a much more compact gait compared to the longer stride of the fox.