We were sitting down to dinner last night when Kelly noticed movement along the property line. With her keener vision, she quickly ruled out the usual suspects, rabbits. Instead, there was a dog-like head sticking up over the weeds.
It was a red fox. A big one, too. As I stood up to look at it, I caught glimpse of a white tail bounding away from the fox and into the woods. Apparently, one rabbit will live to see another day.
The fox seems quite at home in our backyard. Kelly went out to the deck and tried to spook it, but the fox just nonchalantly looked over at her before resuming grooming its long bushy tail.
I’m glad the foxes are here because the rabbit population has gotten way too big around here. I told Kelly I wanted to put out some water for the fox. Anything to make it want to stay! She laughed and reminded me of the existing creek on the edge of the yard: no need for any more water.
Nice to have new friends in the area.
If you get a cat or small dog, make sure that it is indoors before dusk (or your resident fox could get an easy meal).
They tend to show no fear when rabid… I’m not joking. I think foxes are normally very shy animals. If it doesn’t run away next time, or appears drunk, shoot it and call animal control.
Point taken. This one seemed pretty mild. Kelly was on the other side of the yard the whole time, so it was never threatened. Foxes typically prefer being on the edge of the woods, so it had good reason for seeming comfortable there.
Ideally, we’ll fence our backyard and the foxes will control the rabbits … from the outside of our yard!