I have heard or read in many places over the years that coyote will tend to kill off the fox when they move into an area. Any opinions or experience on this?

Also if you shot an adult woodchuck in the backyard,which happens to be 26 acres of woods with ag fields on 3 sides, then finished eating dinner before you went out to check your kill would you guess Coyote or Fox as the beneficiary of your shot when you found nothing but a pool of blood where it landed. Head shot with a centerfire rifle, definitely saw it land on its back and lay there the shot.

Kevin

Where coyotes thrive, foxes decline, in my experience.

Thanx OT
We have seen fox around my folks place and never much sign of coyote although there are some around. I didn't think a fox would carry off an adult woodchuck though.

yes yote's will keep the fox population down in area's.

hard to say about the woodchuck, eagle maybe? i have never shot woodchucks, but have seen rockchucks drag ones i've shot back down the hole.

It was a long way to the hole and in the woods so I don't think aerial predator.

I'm going with coyote that happened to be right place/right time.

Chuckbuster,

The others are right about the coyote vs. fox gig. It's a hierachy of canines and competition for food resources. Not unlike wolves overhauling coyotes found in their territory.

If it is legal in your area and you kill a red, save and freeze the lower portion of it's legs with the fur on. Then when you set up traps for 'yotes, leave one of those legs as a visual...guaranteed 'lollypops for coyotes'.

I've never shot a chuck before but killed a truckload of prairie dogs. But I have seen eagles and large hawks medvac the wounded p-dogs out to there very own dinner date. From the way you discribed the field near the woods, that edge would be perfect for a red fox (or hawk) to lurk. The thinks that make you go 'hummmmmm'?

LNF150

LNF, it is not legal for me to use exposed bait in my state. but i do something similar. when i skin a fox or yote, i keep the nuts or vulva, leaving plenty of hair on, then shove them down the hole of a dirt hole set, a fresh squirt of pee on top.

its deadly!

Thanx guys
This location would not have been a hawk, foilage too thick for them to fly in/out, and 7-8 pound woodchuck a little much for even a big Red Tail I think. Thought it might be a little much for a fox. I guess that was my real question, would a fox carry off something that big?

There are definitely fox around. Mom and Dad have watched them in the winter hunting the brush piles and such that can be seen from the house when the leaves are down. There also have been coyote killed in the area.

I have seen the Hawks doing the "M.A.S.H. Medivac" many times. It seemed to me like they recognized what the rifle shots meant at the dog town.

Thanx again
Kevin