What would kill a fox?

The back story:
We have a HF property in northern Kimble County that has not had a coyote on it in about 5 years. We have seen in person and get routine pictures of several gray fox and have enjoyed their behaviors so they have been off limits for all hunters. The deer allow them to eat corn and protein at their feet and pay the foxes no mind. We get a few pictures of a bobcat here and there but probably less than 5 pics per month.

In the last two weeks I have seen buzzards circling twice and feared that we lost a fawn or maybe one of the bucks only to find that both times they were on a fox carcass (2 different ones). So what say the green screen theorists, what could have killed these two foxes? Knowing that they are omnivorous, could they have eaten some vegetation that exploded with this super bloom this spring? I do not have any poison out anywhere, just DP coon traps baited wit cat food and fish oil.

In for thoughts, thanks in advance.

Tim

22 Hornet?



Sorry, I only read the title

No idea. My hypothesis would be like yours - something digestion related. I would think they know which plants are poison so maybe foundered by eating too much of some plant that swelled up on them?

Most likely Distemper or a type on meningitis that affects Fox.

Snake bite?

Idk, just a guess

What condition were the carcass in? If the whole body/skeletal remains was still intact (other than small scattering from buzzards) then probably not a predator, if distinctly torn apart and parts a good distance from the main frame then probably a predator.
Hopefully whatever it is, it does not effect your deer!

Coyotes will kill and eat foxes. If you are finding the whole carcass then that is not the problem. Conditions are excellent in Kimble County and weather is not too hot, yet. For these reasons, I doubt it is rabies, distemper or some other disease. With all the rain, there is quite a bit of strange vegetatlon growing out there; perhaps something that is noxious to foxes or other critters.
Adios,
Gary

" So what say the green screen theorists " Wrong site. I would say snake or .22.

Only if it were killing poultry.

For me to kill anything there must be a good reason for it other than novelty alone. It must either be a destructive pest, food resource, and/or because there are far too many of them.

Show me any good sportsman and I'll show you someone who believes strongly in conservation.

When is breeding season for foxes? Could there be a dominant male that is taking out his competition?

I'm betting on distemper or possibly rabies?. You get outbreaks of both in coons and skunks which are also at your feeders. The fact that you have all of these animals coming into your feeders together creates a much higher likelihood to spread through all three populations.

The carcasses were in tack minus all of the flesh. They were not dismembered.

And White Falcon, I'm sorry that I forgot to delete that line from the message. I posted the same text on TBH too and wanted to get opinions from the good folks here that do not cross over for various reasons.

I appreciate all the constructive feedback.
Tim

Contact your local vet and possibly he could send off for testing. I know when I worked for a vet in college we regularly sent off heads of skunks, racoons, ect… for rabies testing from the state.

Old age ?

How long do foxes live ?

MO

Could be a neighbor that is having a coyote problem and the foxes are collateral damage. Sometimes it is better not to worry to much about things that happen.

My guess would be rabies.

Could be a disease, or someone else shot and wounded them.

My guess....