Fox Den Watching: 1st Visit.
16th April 2012 : I set up my fox den watching position in an elder tree today, and spent two hours watching this evening. The elder tree was 20 metres from the den and I didn’t see a single fox or cub. In fact, the only thing I saw was a blackbird. I heard a pheasant call, a muntjac bark, and that was it. I even made a few wounded rabbit calls, but to no avail.
The rabbit and pigeon heads, or the dead mouse, were no longer on the ground outside the den.
With a net around the tree and two nets over me, I had to breathe on a mirror to check that I was there, and then I wasn’t sure. If I had a better sense of smell it might have helped. The breeze was blowing right down the back of my neck: it was a cold evening.
Still, never mind, it was the first watching stint and the breeze was carrying my scent towards the den. The lie-up position is properly set up now, so getting myself installed next time will be quick and easy.
View of vixen's den from my elder tree lie-up.
Closer view of the den.
The Wilden Marsh Blog 
Dedication:)
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Indeed!
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Mike. Those horizontal lines of green in the upper picture – are those natural, man made terrace or water created? Do your critters (ie English) choose ground that could flood? Our coyotes normally den up in slightly higher banks with a better chance of drainage, with still enough slope above them to hide in a single sight direction.
Anyhow. Nice write up.
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Thanks, Ten.
Everything in the photos is natural, Ten. The ground level of the den is a couple of feet above a brook. The photograph was taken from approximately 14 feet above the level of the den. The den was previously a rabbit hole that has been seconded by vixen. The bank I am photographing from is 8 feet high. I was standing above an old badger sett that I originally suspected the vixen of denning in. I have no idea why the vixen prefers her den to be in flat ground rather than in the much drier bank that I was standing on.
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Huh. Strange. Old vix or young. First litter or . . . ? Still, nice post, am enjoying the series and hope for more. Looks like you’re doing a great job, considering the ground care. Good hire.
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Good Luck and fingers crossed that you get to see some action soon! 🙂 I trust you have some good waterproofs what with the rain forecast for the rest of this week!
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