Getaway Artist of the Woods-The Gray Fox

On a recent trek through the woods, my three dogs were in hot pursuit of a small, gray, bushy-tailed animal. And just when they seemed to have cornered it, the animal hightailed it up a large oak tree, and sat there looking down at the excited, barking dogs, from his safe perch. I was glad he got away, but not pleased that he was active in the daytime. That might mean trouble for my chickens, because this bushytailed animal was none other that a gray fox, a usually nocturnal animal!

The gray fox, like its cousin the red fox, is the smallest member of the dog family. It is the most common fox in the Ozarks, because the gray fox prefers to live in the woods, which the Ozarks have plenty of. (The red fox, although also present in the Ozarks, is more common in areas that have large, grassy fields.)

The "southern boy" of foxes, the gray fox is unique in his tree climbing ability. None of the other members of the canine family, which consists of foxes, coyotes, and wolves, can climb trees. So in this regard, the gray fox is more cat-like. His hunting style of sneaking up on his quarry, leaping through the air, then seizing it with its paws or sharp teeth, is also more characteristic of a cat than a dog.

The gray fox's mottled gray and red fur is the best camouflage for this usually nighttime hunter of forests and forests edges, because he blends in perfectly. Although the gray fox's coat can have as much red or orange as the red fox, his "salt and peppered" back, and black-tipped tail distinguishes him from the red fox. (The red fox's tail is white-tipped.)

The gray fox is fond of trees. Trees help him escape predators; he can hide behind trees as he watches for prey, he seems to enjoy napping in trees, and of course, he eats the fruits that grow on the trees. I saw a gray fox, up in the persimmon tree, last fall at dusk, and even heard his bark, which sounds like a hoarse cough! Occasionally, a gray fox will even raise her young several feet above ground, if a hollow tree is available. But their den is usually in rock piles, or enlarged woodchuck or badger holes.

The gray fox, like the red fox, is omnivorous. So his diet is quite varied, consisting of rabbits, mice, and other small mammals, as well as birds, insects, eggs, fruit, nuts, grains, and even garbage. Rabbits are their preferred prey animals. And when visiting towns, they will gladly eat the pet food that Rover or Fluffy didn't finish!

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