down, there is little likelihood that foxes will de- 

 velop the habit of taking them. Foxes do not seem 

 pione to attack flocks which are located on range 

 which cannot be approached unobserved. Poultry- 

 men who dispose of dead chickens by dumping 

 them in the fields surrounding the poultry houses 

 may bait neighboring foxes to their areas. Some 

 observers report that a good watchdog discourages 

 the attentions of foxes in the vicinity of poultry 

 yards. 



Because red fox predation is strongly influ- 

 enced by environment, it seems reasonable to be- 

 lieve that such predation may be modified through 

 habitat management. Where fleshy fruits of kinds 

 acceptable to foxes (kinds such as wild black- 

 berry, serviceberry, wild black cherry, wild plum, 

 and mulbeny) are readily available, these foods 



comprise about one-fourth of the annual diet. En- 

 vironmental alterations which provide such fruits 

 may partially divert predation from such prey an- 

 imals as upland game birds and other small an- 

 imals. Perhaps it is significant that such foods, 

 together with insects, are particularly available 

 during the season of reproduction among prey 

 species. Increased numbers of small game seem 

 certain if predation pressures are buffered ex- 

 tensively not only by the provision of fruit for fox 

 food but especially of adequate protective cover 

 for these birds and other animals close to their 

 nesting places and sources of food. The use of 

 wild blackberry in cover plantings serves the dual 

 purpose of providing excellent escape cover for 

 prey and fruit for foxes. Habitat management, such 

 as is described above, is obviously so generally 



Knowledge of the structural characteristics of the feet of the red fox (left) aids in identification of 

 tracks in the field. The small toe pads and furry nature of the feet are distinctive. The fore feet (above) 

 are larger than the hind feet (below), and the heel pads of the fore feet are about twice as wide as those 

 of the hind feet. The heel pads do not project forward between the toes as do those of the dog. The feet 

 of the gray fox (right) are of size similar to those of the red fox, but the toe pads are much larger. The 

 heel pads of the hind feet (below) are much smaller than those of the front feet. Photos from Iowa State 

 College Experiment Station. 



