Grey Fox poses for the camera

[LarryFlew]

[quote="river_boater]
Did you eat it?

This is what I believe: hunt and kill whatever you want--but only if you're going to eat it (and it's legal).

Killing for sport is obscene.[/quote]

Killing varmints is not sport hunting since it is designed to save the game you are going to eat etc.

If you are trapping you don't shot them as that ruins a pelt.................much more obscene.

[smurfman]

I guess I'm no fox expert but I have seen quite a few. Not sure if they were red or grey or what is more rare. I used to work at the Lexus Dealership of HWY 61 in Maplewood and we would see one all the time harassing the honkers. I think he would raid their nests or something. Smoked one with my bow and have seen a couple around my parents in North St Paul. Saw another one by Cedar Lake in Minneapolis when we were taking our canoe out late after musky fishing.

Tons of reds around but Grey's are on watch list for endangered. Rare to see a couple greys in a lifetime of being in the woods compared to seeing a lot of reds.

I have seen reds many times around that dealership, I have not seen a grey at all around there. That is not surprising as I think greys as being a little less adaptable to humans than reds. There is a long history of reds living in close proximity of humans but not so much for greys.

Going back over the years I have seen more silver phase reds being mistaken for greys in urban/suburban areas than greys but that may change in the future as coyotes become more entrenched in cities.

I suspect that the lack of greys in the Young America region must be more of a local phenomena rather than statewide. Greys seem to be expanding their range and numbers alongside strengthening coyote populations based on the number and areas in which the greys are being trapped.
Where coyotes are common, reds either disappear or they begin spending more and more time in close proximity of humans. That nearness is the saving grace as Man tends to have things such as structures which are solid enough to protect a red from a coyote if they can reach it. I also suspect that there is more food in cities which may reduce the drive of the coyotes to rid themselves of competition which may give reds a break in these areas.

Having the ability to climb gives greys an advantage as they do not need as sturdy of a hiding spot as reds do to avoid becoming coyote poop. This is believed a significant reason they have been able to expand their range and numbers while the reds have declines. In any case, there are plenty of both species around and there is little danger of either of them becoming threatened (other than by a man with a gun or a coyote) let alone endangered. If the wolves expand further the reds may even make a comeback as wolves tend to limit coyotes to at least as great of an extent as coyotes limit red fox.

[xd ED]

I regularly see reds in S Mpls; crossing Portland Av around Diamond Lake, and on Hiawatha golf course.

[smurfman]

Reds are all around Richfield, there are PSAs asking people not to leave food out for them. Wood Lake, Richfield Lake, Legion Lake, and Mother's Lake areas are excellent habitat for them. They can also be seen in the park behind Southdale Square (as well as the not so occasional turkey). Occasionally they can be seen hiding out in the Jewish Cemetery off Penn.

[FJ540]

I've seen a grey here in Coon Rapids directly off 610 and E River Rd. I was scoping deer at the Kingdom hall trying to practice calling bucks. Snuck up on the little fellow and then he ran away.

I've seen some on trail cam up north too, but we've got a bigger red population going now and the greys aren't seen much after leaf out in the spring. I didn't put cameras out this year, so I have no idea what they're up to lately.

Trapping is far more effective than hunting when dealing with population control. If you kid yourself into thinking you're being a better steward because you don't trap, but yet you hunt predator species to try to control their breeding (rather than just sport killing), you've got a lot to learn about animal management. Being "cruel" to a trapped animal is so much more heinous than all the other animals that one kills to eat, thrive, and survive? Mmm K... Trapped animals aren't in terror like some folks like to think. They're stuck, they thrash around a bit trying to get free, and then they tend to come to terms with being stuck. If you're ethical, you won't leave your traps for more than a day or so (legal limit is 3), so that they're not suffering any more than necessary. You also won't leave them alive longer than needed when tending the trap, because that encounter is hard on them.

Learning to be a better trapper has enhanced my appreciation for all the animals involved. 35 raccoons, 1 opossum, and 2 skunks would prefer I hadn't taken it up though.

[acerpower]

Got a grey fox den somewhere on or around my property.
They usually have a litter of kits every year.
I have lots of trail can pics of them too but I can't seem to figure out how to share them from my phone.
One of them would hang around my tree stand just about every day last bow season, then follow me out of the woods.
Seems they like apples and I'd spray apple scent as an attractant.

I feed the deer on my property during the summer and they apparently enjoy the same food as deer.