With spring’s arrival, gray fox pups will soon be venturing out of their dens, having been born sometime in March or April. Perhaps not quite as common around here as the red fox, they are widespread throughout New England. Dens are generally on east- and south-facing warm dry slopes and may be abandoned dens of other mammals, rock crevices, hollows in trees or logs, or even under buildings as Dave F. discovered a few years ago at his place!

Gray foxes are omnivores, taking advantage of a range of food supplies especially in spring and summer when pups are being fed and taught to hunt. During snow-covered winter months, their diet consists primarily of small mammals and perhaps carrion, but the rest of the year that diet is supplemented with insects, birds and eggs, reptiles and amphibians, acorns and other nuts, and a wide variety of fruit.

Pups start eating solid food supplied by the adults at around 3-4 weeks, and begin exploring around the den while practicing hunting skills. The family group stays together through the summer months as the youngsters learn the skills they will need to survive their first winter on their own.

The upland mature deciduous and mixed forests around the Chocorua basin provide good habitat, along with a mix of old fields, and edges of dense thickets and wetlands. Look for them primarily at dusk and dawn, but know they may be out and about at all times as adults work to keep their family fed! And don’t forget to look in the trees—with semi-retractable claws, they are accomplished tree climbers!

Thanks to Dave for the photo of pups under one of his barns a few years ago!

Banner: Gray fox pups. Photo: Dave Farley