How to Catch a Fox

Foxes can be a nuisance in homes, farms and camping sites. They can tear through garbage and attack livestock. There are many laws protecting wildlife from inhumane and barbaric practices such as snares or steel traps. But, you can catch a fox humanely if you work at it.

Things You'll Need

  • Fox cage
  • Blood or bee's wax
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate where the fox runs through your property. Watch it late at night when it makes its appearance and note what it's looking for. If you live in a rural area, the fox may just be passing through your property to reach a nearby wooded area.

    • 2

      Look on the market for fox cages. Fox cages will humanely trap your fox, and as a bonus it will leave unharmed any other animals you accidentally trap like a pet. Buy a fox cage that is large enough to trap the fox that's running through your fields (see Resources below).

    • 3

      Place the fox trap on your property at least 20 feet away from a building. Conceal the trap with leaves, ashes and muck. Foxes are timid creatures that won’t easily walk into a trap.

    • 4

      Smear the trap with blood or bee’s wax. Both attract foxes. They think an animal might be nearby. Plus, they love the sweet taste of honey. Your goal is to get the fox to enter the trap. You can acquire animal blood from a government animal control agency or from an animal blood retailer (see Resources below). It does not matter which kind of animal this blood comes from. You need to watch both the wax and the blood--when it dries after a couple days, you will need to replace it for the most effective bait. A cup of either should do the trick.

    • 5

      Get the fox to leave its den, if you have located the den. Fill the den with shovels of manure, blast loud music into it and remove food sources around the den. This will give it more reason to forage towards your cage. Be careful though, foxes bite.

    • 6

      Call animal control to come and get the fox once you have trapped it. They will come, take it and remove it humanely. You may also take the fox to a large wooded area and release it humanely.