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We've always had a problem with deer, and had success using Deer-Out, Liquid Fence, and Bobbex (we switch between the three about every six weeks, otherwise the deer start showing up again.)
Now this winter we've gotten a fox. And unlike years before when foxes roamed through for mating season, this one seems to be taking up residence. He's bitten a neighbor's cat, and I've heard foxes do a lot of damage to gardens... so I need suggestions how to keep him away from my yard.
Searching online, I found out various animals are repelled by urine--wolf urine repels rodents, coyote urine repels deer, etc.
But when it comes to foxes, the only repellant I could find is HUMAN urine. Does that mean I have to pee in my garden????
If I have to, I guess I could, well, create my own supply and put it in a spray bottle---but-- EWWWW! Surely there must be other ways to get rid of a fox.
Coyote lure may do it. You may have a problem with this next suggestion but you might want to ask around to see if any of your neighbors trap, or know someone who does. Animal Control probably won't come out unless the fox is acting strangely, rabies is a problem in that animal.
I would shoot, shovel and shut up if it were me.
I've had a grey fox hanging around on my property for about four years now and he/she has never been a problem. Sometimes around dusk he'll sit at the edge of the woods and munch on fallen pecans. My neighbor's cats are a much bigger problem to me than that fox, at least the fox doesn't crap everywhere in my landscaping beds.
Sometimes, I wonder if western "civilization" has bred out simple creativity in areas of our experience. Everyone is so used to having a magic pot that makes things disappear that nothing else seems possible.
Pee in a bucket. Pour the pee into a garden sprayer. Call that pesky neighbor kid over and send a shot in his direction.
Be warned that pee is high in nitrogen and can burn plants. Be warned that foxes can carry rabies. You might want to check with the local extension agent about getting some of the bait used to inoculate raccoons against rabies.
We have foxes living around us, they have never harmed my gardens or animals. But if for some reason you just don't want him around, you could try a motion-sensored water spray that should work:
It attacked a cat (three bites--cat survived but was pretty badly hurt). So, there's reason to think it could attack other pets or kids. We have a lot of toddlers around here, and even though the parents watch them having an animal that attacked someone's cat is making us all nervous.
Plus, the online sites I've visited say foxes will dig up a lot of plants, especially vegetables. We're not too worried about rabies because the vet says the cat did not get rabies. But it could get rabies in the future. Also, foxes are carriers for ticks.
He's a beautiful animal, I don't want to shoot him. I just want to encourage him to go back to the wooded area down the street where there aren't any homes.
Guess I'm stuck with peeing in a bottle and using it as a spray. I wish I had the gall to have a beer party and then let my party guests handle the situation (or even just invite one person over to take care of it). But I can't imagine any way of bringing the subject up that would not make me look like some sort of pervert.
We have foxes living around us, they have never harmed my gardens or animals. But if for some reason you just don't want him around, you could try a motion-sensored water spray that should work:
That would work so well for deer or other animals that visit in the summer. Right now it's winter, and where I live we're having a very cold year. The water's turned off. Otherwise it'd be a great solution.
Can you set a trap and then drive him to a sanctuary or a treed area farther away. I know a neighbor did this with raccoons.
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Everyone is so used to having a magic pot that makes things disappear that nothing else seems possible.
