BSK
Well-Known Member
This is a new one. Haven't seen fox go after turkey before:
Turkey predators
- Thread starter BSK
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JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
He's got some learning to do HA
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- Aug 27, 2019
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I've had fox come to my turkey calls before couple different times
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
One reason we don't see this more often is simply because coyotes have largely displaced our native foxes in TN. The fox is relatively rare in my neck of the woods.
In my youth, there were a lot more foxes, and no coyotes.
Almost zero turkeys in most of West & Middle TN as well.
As fur trapping declined, bobcat populations grew, and the coyotes moved in (although the coyote migration had little to do with the trapping decline). Coyotes displaced the foxes.
One big "evolutionary" change I've witnessed since my youth is that while coyotes & bobcats once were much more nocturnal (in most of West & Middle TN), they now seem to hunt about as much during the day as at night.
I attribute this daytime hunting more to our once not having turkeys to now having turkeys, which coyotes & bobcats can mainly only hunt during the day. I don't think coyotes & bobcats roam around as much during day as at night, but they certainly do spend much of their days hunting turkeys (as well as squirrels).
I believe coyotes & bobcats do kill a lot of young turkeys, but maybe not as many adult birds as many want to think. More of their diets seem to be small birds, rodents (like mice and field rats), rabbits, and of course squirrels. Add carrion and the occasional house cat, and we have some well-fed predators.
Suspect the foxes are behaving similarly.
I just rarely even get a trail cam pic of a fox anymore.
In my youth, there were a lot more foxes, and no coyotes.
Almost zero turkeys in most of West & Middle TN as well.
As fur trapping declined, bobcat populations grew, and the coyotes moved in (although the coyote migration had little to do with the trapping decline). Coyotes displaced the foxes.
One big "evolutionary" change I've witnessed since my youth is that while coyotes & bobcats once were much more nocturnal (in most of West & Middle TN), they now seem to hunt about as much during the day as at night.
I attribute this daytime hunting more to our once not having turkeys to now having turkeys, which coyotes & bobcats can mainly only hunt during the day. I don't think coyotes & bobcats roam around as much during day as at night, but they certainly do spend much of their days hunting turkeys (as well as squirrels).
I believe coyotes & bobcats do kill a lot of young turkeys, but maybe not as many adult birds as many want to think. More of their diets seem to be small birds, rodents (like mice and field rats), rabbits, and of course squirrels. Add carrion and the occasional house cat, and we have some well-fed predators.
Suspect the foxes are behaving similarly.
I just rarely even get a trail cam pic of a fox anymore.
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BSK
Well-Known Member
For some strange reason, even though I'm loaded with coyotes, I've been getting this fox (actually, I think it's a pair) quite frequently, at night in the food plots. This is my first daylight video of the fox.
And you're right about bobcats and coyotes. I'm amazed at how many daylight videos I get of bobcats of late. In fact, it's the vast majority.
fairchaser
Well-Known Member
In my part of the state, I have never seen a grey fox from the stand. Although I've seen many bobcats. Usually at least one every season from the deer stand. I conclude they are very rare at least here. From the actions of this one, he ain't real smart chasing flying turkeys across an open field. Cool to see though!
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
That particular fox has likely already killed a few younger turkeys this year via similar methods.
Can't say I've ever seen a fox even stalking a turkey, but do know the coyotes & bobcats can be particularly lucky with younger poults. As those poults get older, same methods may not work at all.
Bobcats & coyotes can both jump (and seemingly jump higher) than a turkey can take off from the same moment. Mr. Fox is likely better off just sticking to mice and other small things.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Can't blame a guy for trying! Dream big!
BSK
Well-Known Member
...I will not eat them in a house
I will not eat them with a mouse
I will not eat them with a fox
I will not eat them in a box...
I will not eat them with a mouse
I will not eat them with a fox
I will not eat them in a box...
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Agree...growing up we never saw coyotes.
But also interesting is that as a kid I saw mostly grey fox....hardly ever saw a red.
Now...reds are more common and we rarely ever see a grey....hadnt seen a grey in years.
Smells Like Sulfur
Well-Known Member
We've lost three chickens to a bobcat in the past month. A few days ago, in broad daylight, I watched one run out of the woods, snatch a chicken, and run back into the woods. I chased it, it got to a fence and had to drop the chicken, but the chicken was already dead, and the cat was gone.
He will probably be back.
Smells Like Sulfur
Well-Known Member
Not anymore, the bobcat lost out not long ago to a much larger predator.
As my hunting mentor says, EVERY predator in the woods wants to eat a rabbit and a turkey. They don't get a break.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
I hear all the time people questioning if armadillos eat turkey eggs. My question back to that is - what animal on earth does NOT like to eat eggs???
Dean Parisian
Well-Known Member
From states I trap and have trapped, Montana, the Dakota's, NE, my reservation in MN, TN, south to Georgia, the coyote populations are stable and have displaced red fox. There are a few states, predomintantly in the North East where Reds are still very common and some good fox trappers put up some big numbers (hundreds) every year. I have spoke to many excellent trappers about this dynamic and every one to a man has the same questions without solid answers. Yes, coyotes always get the blame. All the good trappers and snaremen I know personally will tell you a coyote is about 3 times as hard to trap as a fox. They are more shy, taller, larger home range, disperse faster, more "intelligent", keener nose, larger foot pad, and on and on and on. Bottom line, coyotes are "better" killers, tougher, faster on killing their nemesis fox. Greys are great climbers and yet the grey population, at least where I am here on the Cumberland Plateau are way down. Reds are more apt to den near human habitation, barns, outbuildings, etc.......that is a universal trait.
Dean Parisian
Well-Known Member
My good hunting partner of 32 years had this pic on his property. Thought I would share it. Bobcat and deer together. The largest cat trapped there on his farm was a 35 pound male.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
I actually fairly often see bobcats & deer in the same fields, and in very close proximity to each other.
Yet when a deer hits the trail of a bobcat (without seeing it), sure does usually spook the deer.
Yet when a deer hits the trail of a bobcat (without seeing it), sure does usually spook the deer.
