Need Help with Wild Animal Identification

[TonyG]

I have had a wild animal visiting my property during the last two months. I have suspected it is a fox due to the tracks and type of activity.

Saturday, I finally saw my visitor from a distance of about 200 feet. I surprised it and it stood still watching me for about one minute. This was about 2pm. Its size, coloring, face and ears all indicated that it is a fox. Except, its tail was more like that of an opposum than a fox.

Can foxes roll their tails tightly widthwise? Was it an immature fox? Perhaps because I was at its side, the tail just looked different than the fluffy ones I see in pictures?

I believe it to be a grey fox, but does any one have a different idea because of the tail description?

 

[plasticman33]

Was he wet or dirty? That can make his tail look skinny.

 

[Guest]

 

[juicylips]

Hey T....

I think I need to stop over, then we can go out into the woods and check this critter out.

Orrrrrrrrrr.....

we could just go out into the woods

JL

 

[plasticman33]

He might have chewed the fur off if his tail iched, fleas, skin rash whatever.

 

[TonyG]

Was he wet or dirty? That can make his tail look skinny.

That's a very good point. It had rained earlier. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

 

[TonyG]

These are all good ideas, thanks for your help.

Just some info, I had wondered why the soil in one of my flower beds had looked scraped into a heap at one spot. Upon smoothing out the soil, I found a half eaten turkey carcass had been buried. I removed it and about two days later, the animal had returned for its stash. It must have been pretty mad because it dug up most of the bed trying to find it again.



JL..... I think you have a good plan there. Meet you tonight at dusk.

 

[Ishmael]

You have a lot of possibilities to choose from it you are in PA.

Gray fox is one. The species is arboreal and a turkey would make perfect sense in this case. A Red would only obtain a turkey by scavenging or happening upon a very sick bird.

PA. now has a large and growing coyote population. An immature coyote would be barely distinguishable from a gray fox at a distance to the casual observer.

Feral dogs are a large problem in PA, and they have inter-bred with the coyote population.

If you can positively identify it as a fox, leave it alone. Otherwise shoot it, or contact the game authorities to have it trapped and removed. Neither coyote's nor feral dogs are protected or part of the natural ecosystem for your area.

Ishmael

 

[*bratcat*]

 

[Ishmael]

I was just going to suggest a coyote but Ish beat me to it!

Sorry Brat. Need to warn me about these things.

Ishmael

 

[sunstruck]

You have a lot of possibilities to choose from it you are in PA.

Gray fox is one. The species is arboreal and a turkey would make perfect sense in this case. A Red would only obtain a turkey by scavenging or happening upon a very sick bird.

PA. now has a large and growing coyote population. An immature coyote would be barely distinguishable from a gray fox at a distance to the casual observer.

Feral dogs are a large problem in PA, and they have inter-bred with the coyote population.

If you can positively identify it as a fox, leave it alone. Otherwise shoot it, or contact the game authorities to have it trapped and removed. Neither coyote's nor feral dogs are protected or part of the natural ecosystem for your area.

Ishmael

Shoot it??? Why the hell would he do that?

 

[Ishmael]

Shoot it??? Why the hell would he do that?

Because they are NOT part of the ecosystem. I can sit here and type four pages of why. But rather than do that, why don't you call your local state wildlife biologist and ask him/her how 'foriegn' species are handled?

Would you allow a lion to roam wild in your neighborhood? Of course not. Coyotes and feral dogs are ferocious predators in those ecosystems that have not evolved in their presence. The coyote and feral dogs are to the white tail deer population or ground nesting birds, what that lion is to you.

Ishmael

 

[Mellon Collie]

Foxes in Philly? Who would have thunk it, unless you are in the greater northeast in which case you're just crazy. I think there would be a better chance of it being a super giant ten foot pigeon than a fox in my neck of the woods.

 

[Ishmael]

Foxes in Philly? Who would have thunk it, unless you are in the greater northeast in which case you're just crazy. I think there would be a better chance of it being a super giant ten foot pigeon than a fox in my neck of the woods.

Yah, you're probably right. Any fox south of Broad was eaten by the residents years ago.

Ishmael

 

[Mellon Collie]

 

[Calamity Jane]

PA. now has a large and growing coyote population. An immature coyote would be barely distinguishable from a gray fox at a distance to the casual observer.

Feral dogs are a large problem in PA, and they have inter-bred with the coyote population.

If you can positively identify it as a fox, leave it alone. Otherwise shoot it, or contact the game authorities to have it trapped and removed. Neither coyote's nor feral dogs are protected or part of the natural ecosystem for your area.

Ishmael

Y'all must have REALLY small coyotes! Out here, even the young ones are damn near as big as my German Shepard!

I'm guessing it was a gray fox though.

If you have an Animal Control Officer or DNR rep that services your area, call them. They'll either come out and shoot the animal, or live trap it. Unless you're a good enough shot to take it out with one shot, don't go running for your gun. The last thing you need running around is an injured wild animal.

 

[Ishmael]

Y'all must have REALLY small coyotes! Out here, even the young ones are damn near as big as my German Shepard!

You from Texas? Damn, bragging about the size of your coyote's now. What ya going to whip out next?

You are right about the size though but unless someone were familiar with both species, it would be easy enough to mistake a young coyote for a fox.

Hell, I was driving down the road about 5 months ago when two coyotes ran across the road in front of the car in front of me. This guy stops his car, gets out and kneels done and starts calling, "Here boy, that's a good dog." I had stopped behind him as was getting out with my pistol. He's looking at me as if I'm an idiot. There were no doubts in the coyote's or my mind as to his status. The coyote's took off before I could get a clean shot in.

Ishmael

 

[sunstruck]

Because they are NOT part of the ecosystem. I can sit here and type four pages of why. But rather than do that, why don't you call your local state wildlife biologist and ask him/her how 'foriegn' species are handled?

Would you allow a lion to roam wild in your neighborhood? Of course not. Coyotes and feral dogs are ferocious predators in those ecosystems that have not evolved in their presence. The coyote and feral dogs are to the white tail deer population or ground nesting birds, what that lion is to you.

Ishmael

Coyotes are native to the PA area as they are to most of the country and they are not a danger to you. Coyotes are the NATURAL preditors of deer and ground nesting birds. There is no need to kill them. They aren't a threat to you.

 

[Calamity Jane]

You from Texas? Damn, bragging about the size of your coyote's now. What ya going to whip out next?

Nope, Missouri, but the coyotes are huge.

I can't imagine mistaking a coyote for anything but a coyote though. I suppose if you'd never seen one, you might think it was just a really ugly dog.

We have two cougars that have taken up residence nearby. The neighbor lady called DNR after she spotted one in her yard. They told her there are no cougars in Missouri, and that she'd really seen a large domestic cat or a dog. I invited them out to listen to the 'domestic cat' scream in the middle of the night.

Coyotes are native to the PA area as they are to most of the country and they are not a danger to you. Coyotes are the NATURAL preditors of deer and ground nesting birds. There is no need to kill them. They aren't a threat to you.

They ARE a danger to both children and livestock, especially if they've accepted feral dogs into their pack. The dogs don't fear people, and the coyotes tend to also lose their fear. The rabies rate in this part of the country is up so high already this year, that they're even recommending that horses are vaccinated for it, which almost never happens.

I don't like shooting the wildlife, but if I feel there's any threat at all to me, my children, or my animals, I have no problem grabbing the shotgun.

 

[Ishmael]

Coyotes are native to the PA area as they are to most of the country and they are not a danger to you. Coyotes are the NATURAL preditors of deer and ground nesting birds. There is no need to kill them. They aren't a threat to you.

Who sold you that line of crap? Coyote's are NOT a native Pa. species. They were imported back in the 60's. Coyote's ARE NOT a natural predator for any specie native to those areas east of the Mississippi River. That was the natural barrier to their eastward expansion. Just like the armadillo and many other western species.

Rather than argue with me, pick up your phone and call the DNR wildlife biologist.

Special permits are issued here in Fl. to allow people to hunt coyote at night, with lights, electronic calling methods, and bait. All methods that are illegal for the hunting of any other "native" animal. (An amazing factlet, it seems that coyotes have a sweet tooth for watermelons. They can decimate a field over night. Weird.)

Ishmael

 

[sunstruck]

They ARE a danger to both children and livestock, especially if they've accepted feral dogs into their pack. The dogs don't fear people, and the coyotes tend to also lose their fear. The rabies rate in this part of the country is up so high already this year, that they're even recommending that horses are vaccinated for it, which almost never happens.

I don't like shooting the wildlife, but if I feel there's any threat at all to me, my children, or my animals, I have no problem grabbing the shotgun.

The coyotes around here are MUCH smaller, about the size of a grey fox, some slightly larger, they are only a danger to VERY small children who shouldn't be left unattended anyway and rarely come too close to humans.

 

[Ishmael]

The coyotes around here are MUCH smaller, about the size of a grey fox, some slightly larger, they are only a danger to VERY small children who shouldn't be left unattended anyway and rarely come too close to humans.

Very well then:

"How can I identify an eastern coyote?

The eastern coyote is larger than its western cousin - typically attributed to wolf-coyote hybridization - and usually has one of four pelt colorations: tri-color (German shepherd-like), red, blond and dark brown (appears black at a distance). Adult males weigh 45 to 55 pounds; females, 35 to 40 pounds. When seeing one for the first time, many people mistake eastern coyotes for dogs. Look for black lines running up and down the front of the front legs, yellow eyes and a cylindrical-shaped, low-hanging tail. Adult coyotes are much larger than foxes, and they tend to travel trails, dirt roads and habitat edges."

This information is from this site:

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/PGC/wildlife/coyoteknow.htm

Which, by the way, is the Official Pennsylvania Game Commission site.

The site also gives good information on the other habits of the specie, threats to humans (rare but VERY real), and effects on the deer population (apparently less of an impact than here in Fl. Your beautiful forests and mountains undoubtedly help in that respect. As well as the fact that a Pa. white tail is probably at least twice the size of it's Fl. relative.)

Cheers,
Ishmael

PS, you can now out 'brag' PGC about the 'size' of your coyote, so all is not lost.

 

[sunstruck]

Very well then:

"How can I identify an eastern coyote?

The eastern coyote is larger than its western cousin - typically attributed to wolf-coyote hybridization - and usually has one of four pelt colorations: tri-color (German shepherd-like), red, blond and dark brown (appears black at a distance). Adult males weigh 45 to 55 pounds; females, 35 to 40 pounds. When seeing one for the first time, many people mistake eastern coyotes for dogs. Look for black lines running up and down the front of the front legs, yellow eyes and a cylindrical-shaped, low-hanging tail. Adult coyotes are much larger than foxes, and they tend to travel trails, dirt roads and habitat edges."

This information is from this site:

http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/PGC/wildlife/coyoteknow.htm

Which, by the way, is the Official Pennsylvania Game Commission site.

The site also gives good information on the other habits of the specie, threats to humans (rare but VERY real), and effects on the deer population (apparently less of an impact than here in Fl. Your beautiful forests and mountains undoubtedly help in that respect. As well as the fact that a Pa. white tail is probably at least twice the size of it's Fl. relative.)

Cheers,
Ishmael

PS, you can now out 'brag' PGC about the 'size' of your coyote, so all is not lost.

I see coyotes here all the time, and I've seen them in NE and they are smaller here. That's what I was basing my size ratios on, my eyes.

You are right about the nativity of coyotes to the east coast though, however, I still don't approve of shooting them without reason. They've been on the Cape for years now and no matter what bullshit line the press tries to feed the public, the only members of human families they have snatched from yards are cats, which is why I keep mine inside.

 

[Ishmael]

I see coyotes here all the time, and I've seen them in NE and they are smaller here. That's what I was basing my size ratios on, my eyes.

You are right about the nativity of coyotes to the east coast though, however, I still don't approve of shooting them without reason. They've been on the Cape for years now and no matter what bullshit line the press tries to feed the public, the only members of human families they have snatched from yards are cats, which is why I keep mine inside.

Actullay the only really GOOD time to shoot them is between Nov. and Mar. The pelts are 'prime' then and bring anywhere from $40 to $70 ea. on the open market. If you're in a really good area with a good rifle and calling machine you can make $400 a night or more.

So, learn how to 'tube' skin and open up a banking account. You'll have that European vacation in nothing flat.

Ishmael