Proposed Virginia Grey fox regulations

vahunter

vahunter

Active member
The biologists here in Virginia say there is a decline in the grey fox population so they are proposing changes in the hunting season. Now we can hunt them from around the first week of November until Feb. 28. Proposed new season is from Jan. 1 until last day in Febuary. New bag limit of one per hunting party from noon one day until noon the next day. No current bag limit now. Now fox can be killed at anytime with landowners permission and proposed change is can only be killed if a threat to crops, livestock or humans. Although these are proposed changes you can pretty much count on them becoming law. Here's the link to the changes. https://dwr.virginia.gov/regulations/202...=public_comment
 
I wish they would do the same in Indiana. We used to be loaded with fox, now its very rare to call one, red or grey. In fact I didn't call a grey all season!
 
I’m ok with it. All I’ve saw the last several years are reds. Actually, the last grey I saw was one I called and killed one night. If I had known it was a grey, I probably would’ve let it go.

I wish they would extend the raccoon season. I’m seriously considering going all in for a few seasons to try and call and kill coons. There are so many around here. Hardly anyone runs hounds for them anymore. My neighbor has lost more chickens to coons than fox or coyotes combined. Seems like they’ll kill everyone one in the coop as opposed to just snatching one.
 
If this change does become law it will pretty much mean that I can't shoot at any foxes except during the Jan thru Feb Grey fox season. I use thermal and I can tell the difference between a fox and a coyote but I cannot 100% tell the difference between a Red and a Grey.
 
I have a tough time id-ing them with thermal also but seems like the grays tails are "thicker/wider" and the reds are "longer" in comparison in a side view. I would not want to shoot at either as they are scarce in my area. That being said I did call in more this winter than the last 10-11 years combined (3 grays and 2 reds in 10 years and I think a total of I think 6 grays and 4 reds this winter).
 
Greys seem to have "stumpier" legs to me..
We don't shoot greys...and only shoot reds when the landowner insists or has poultry or fowl.

Season proposal is interesting..from 4 months down to 2 months...So it seems like the season would be at the tail end of rifle(6 days)....possibly to reduce some "indirect hunting" numbers by deer hunters also?....knocking 2 months off the beginning of the season, yet keeping the mating tail end and only one kill in first 24 hours(Jan 1 ) of season(will just have people waiting a day would be my guess to lay the smack down)
 
This is the first I have heard of new regs on Gray fox. I'm in sw Virginia. Coyotes have been hard on fox both red and gray. Seldom see Red anymore. I don't shoot any fox and release them if one gets in my traps. I would welcome the change.

Agree with poster that stated coons are a nucense. There are just way to many coons and possums.
 
Originally Posted By: Chance DoaneI’ve passed on alot of Fox this past season in SouthWest VA. I target the coyotes the most.
Me too. I have been noticing a decline in gray fox for a while now. Reds seem to be more populated here now, whereas it was the opposite when I was growing up. I used to trap fox back in the day when we didn’t have coyotes, and probably 80% of the ones I caught were gray. Now reds seem to dominate. I too live in SW Virginia.

If I read the game commission article correctly, there was talk of electronic calls being able to call grays easier, so I figure something may happen with regards to that.

 
New Regs just came out. Grey fox season Jan 1 through Feb 29. One per party per day. Kill must be reported within 24 hours. I might just pass on all Grey foxes unless landowner specifically wants them killed. We have plenty here but I guess they are scarce in other areas.
 
I have saw them less frequently around here. I’m not really opposed to the regulations change, but I wonder if there was any thought and consideration given to people hunting at night using lights/NV/thermal that may not always be able to wholly distinguish a grey apart from a red or coyote? May have to take more time on getting an absolute positive ID, maybe just pass on fox all together like 1trkyhntr mentioned unless landowner requests targeting them. Also curious if they’re still season exempt on your own land or acting as an agent of the landowner.
 

I have been watching a couple of grays on the farm for a while now. They are regular visitors at my coyote bait site. Grays are neat little fox, very pretty. I videoed one a few years ago attacking my decoy as Gray Fox Distress about drove him mad.
 
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