How To Trap Foxes?
Are you weary of the damages and losses caused by a fox? Perhaps you’ve tried other ways of keeping them off your property but failed. Well, trapping can help. Below are the steps to trap that stubborn fox.
- Get the right fox trap.
Trapping is the most common way of dealing with fox problems once and for all. However, you aren’t allowed to use all types of traps that you can find in your local
store. The most recommend trap is the live cage trap. Below are the factors to consider when buying a trap.- Size: Get an extra-large trap as it offers enough space even for an adult fox. A trap with a minimum of 42 inches long by 15 inches wide can work best.
- Durability: To ensure longevity, go for a trap made of 12-gage wire galvanized steel.
- Safety: The live cage fox trap should have a safe interior to prevent a trapped fox from physical injuries. Therefore, ensure the cage you’ve chosen has wires bent to form smooth edges.
- Identify the best spots to place the traps
To achieve the best results, place your trap outside a fox den entrance. The den is usually located in a thick vegetation cover, near a stream or water source. When getting
near it, you might smell a pungent odor, and if you find the remains of an animal carcass, place the trap next to that spot. - Conceal the trap
A fox is an intelligent animal. Therefore, it’ll be suspicious of any strange structure out in the open. Besides that, it also has a powerful sense of smell. As such, it can quickly
notice a human smell on the trap. With that in mind, ensure you do the following:- Use gloves to avoid tainting the cage with a human smell.
- And if you suspect someone touched it with bare hands, sterilize the cage with hot boiled water.
- Camouflage your trap with a lot of vegetation to make it look natural.
- Add bait into your trap
For the fox to get into the trap without suspecting, you’ll need to lure the fox into the cage trap bit by bit.- On the first day after placing the trap next to the den, place bait near the cage entrance.
- On the following day, place the bait inside the cage but before the trigger place.
- And on the third day, place the bait inside the cage past the trigger plate. After winning the trust of the fox, it’s now time to get it trapped. Therefore, set your trap and ensure it’s up to the task.
- Get the right fox trap.
Note: To achieve the best result, set your trap just before nightfall to avoid other critters from getting trapped.
- Check your trap frequently.
After setting your trap, keep checking your trap regularly. If you find any other non-targeted animals trapped, release them as soon as possible and reset the trap. If the fox is caught, follow the steps below for safe removal:- Approach the trap gently while taking caution
- Place cloth over the trap to provide bedding for the troubled fox
- Talk kindly to keep the fox calm
- Ensure you’re wearing gloves before transferring the cage
- Hold the cage away from your body and avoid getting your fingers into the cage.
- Check your trap frequently.
Note: If your local laws allow you to relocate the animal, you can take it 10-20 miles away but in the same environmental habitat. And if the law requires special permission to transfer, contact your local professional wildlife removers for help.