Are foxes nocturnal.
Submitted: Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 17:36
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Member - Lionel A (WA)
Hi all,
Always assumed so, however, just lately seeing a lot of foxes in paddocks and crossing country roads in the middle of the day.
Wondering if my assumptions have been wrong all this time.
Cheers.......Lionel.
Reply By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 17:48
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 17:48
Hi Lionel
They are most active under cover of darkness, but they still sneak around hunting at all hours of the day or night.
Motherhen
AnswerID:
393493
Reply By: The Rambler( W.A.) - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 17:59
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 17:59
As motherhen said they will hunt mostly at night but will also be seen during the day particularly in hot weather around a
waterhole.
AnswerID:
393497
Follow Up By: Member - Josh (TAS) - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 21:26
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 21:26
Not happy looking at your photo Rambler. We spent 3 days at 80 mile beach and fished the whole time, never got a thing. On day 3 I counted over 100 people fishing on
the beach and not 1 bite. Nice fish you got there.
Josh
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Follow Up By: Richard W (NSW) - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 07:08
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 07:08
I had a similar experience at 80 mile beach.
Thats a nice fish.
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Follow Up By: The Rambler( W.A.) - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 14:58
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 14:58
Time of year seems important in catching fish at 80 mile beach.For the record that fish was caught on 11 June using a small bit of mulie(pilchard) on a 5/0 hook at 50 mins. after high tide.
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Follow Up By: Gramps - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 16:51
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 16:51
You sure that's not newspaper hanging off the tail ;)
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Reply By: nomadoz - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 18:16
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 18:16
Many years ago I was in the scrub Alf way between Leinster &
Leonora, just before lunch and it was pretty windy, I see this fox coming straight towards me from about 500 yards away, I could even smell it, as it was walking with the wind it wasn’t able to smell me, I was standing very still until it got to about ten yards away, that when I thought I should let it know I was there, i lifted my arms it lifted its head up and it bolted
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 18:16
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 18:16
Hi Lionel
As Mother hen said.
They are very opportunistic, always on the look out for a quick feed day and night.
I have Hunted them for years here on the western slopes of NSW.
And have seen many during the daylight before they have seen me.
Most of the time it's the last thing they see!
They are also very inquisitive and will come to a fox whistle have sconed many this way during the day.
A lot more pups around this time of year and they aren't to
bright.
And if the fox
population is high in some
places you will see more out and about.
Rob.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Josh (TAS) - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 21:37
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 21:37
Oppotunistic is right. While out hunting roos 1 night we were creeping through tussics toward 2 roos. My mate saw a fox standing about 10 feet from us. I indicated to go for the roos. As he stepped forward he stepped on a rabbit that was hiding in a tussic and it squealed. As he lifted his foot the fox ran in and grabbed the rabbit from under his foot.
When we had the acre near Warragul we had chooks and would often get foxes coming up about 2 hours before dusk. Occasional would get them during the day. The mongrels know where my .22 would reach to and walked a line outside that. The 22/250 soon changed that problem.
Friends had a fox climb the next doors fence walk along the top to a tree in their yard then climb along a branch into the chook pen. After getting a chook it climbed up the branch and back along the fence.
Josh
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Follow Up By: Member No 1- Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 07:13
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 07:13
we whistled and yelled at 11 one night and all came to within within 6-10 metres of the car before going to
heaven
noise just didnt seem to bother them this night at that location (just outside
Morgan) but on other occasions at other spots they seem very wary of any noise
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Follow Up By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 17:52
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 17:52
MN 1
Had many similar experiences my self. If they are pups and or not very old, and have not been shot at, the fox whistle is just like ringing the dinner bell.
But are quick learners i they get away.
Have been sitting in a good spot many a time and whistled them right up to me some times two at a time years ago.
ended up shooting right over them with a scoped rifle, just didn't aim low enough Doh!
The shotty is good for that stuff 1 3/4oz field load of BB,s
Josh you can't beat a good 22/ 250 on foxes at distance have paced out some of the shots we have done over the years and 300+ yards is not uncommon with a good rest.
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Reply By: Happy Frank - Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 19:57
Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 19:57
See plenty in the day time around the grape blocks, but only when you aren't hunting them.
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Reply By: Member - Bucky - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 05:40
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 05:40
Lionel
Those destructive mongrel things should all be shot on sight.
I shoot a lot more at night, than during the day.
Cheers Bucky
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Who was that again? (Vic) - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 06:51
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 06:51
Make your fourby lights tax deductible Bucky. They are destructive
pests, foxes. No need to tell you that though.
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Reply By: Member - Carl and Pamela - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 09:00
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 09:00
Hi Lionel,
Years ago ( so many replies start this way) I was a tank commander in the army. My tank was fitted with a infra red searchlight and a image intensify sight. In the early hours of the morning, north of
Broken Hill, I spotted a fox wondering around about 200 meters away. This was throught the II which is totally silent and passive (does not put out a light beam).
I watched it for several minutes (did not have a lot to do at 3 am) and then switched it to Infra red mode. This switching is also totally silent as
well. The second the infra red light hit the fox it froze, turned and looked directly into the gun sight before bolting away.
This led me to beleive that foxes can see a great range of the light sprectum than we know. Certainly a great asset for a animal hunting at night.
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Reply By: Member - Lionel A (WA) - Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 22:16
Thursday, Dec 03, 2009 at 22:16
Thanks everyone,
judging by most of the replies foxes are not that popular, however, to me, they are amazingly clever little critters.
Doubt I'd have the stomach to kill any creature, even if it was a pest.
Cheers.......Lionel.
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