Foul could it be premange developing?

[uncle buck]

This year one of the red fox I got had a foul odor to it..I got one a few years back with the same smell..  The "smell is not of death!" nor skunk, nor fecal or urine smell... More kind of like something that is rotting!

I remember the other red fox.. This smell was stronger then on the current fox...When the first fox would hang on the hanger you could see the sun light shine from the window on the head of the fox... this would be looking from the skin side out toward the window..The sun kind of showed through the hair and skin easy.. The fur was still present on the fox  but I found this as unusual..that the sun light was kind of beaming throught that area of the head even with the skin and fur on the other side..
I ended cutting my hand skinning that first fox and I started to exhibit symptoms of rabies so I went to emergency room at Harrisburg Hospital and took all rabies shots and of course tetanus too..The fur dealer did take that fox and gave me money for it.. Can't remember if it was at a reduced price or not..

I did skin this fox and now I am fighting a bad case of bronchitis... My family doctor said he didn't think a diseased fox could cause something to get into your lungs and give you bronchitis...I have been taking different antibiotics (For 10 days now) I am feeling better now but would hate to think some dieseased red fox gave me bronchitis.   I know that smell got bad and I did place it outside in an enclosed area so it wouldn't smell the trading post, I mean the house up.. You want the smell to be that of kind of like tallow in your fur area not rotting.  LOL 

So you experienced trappers and callers?  What do you think?  Do you think the smell I mention is that of premange before the hair starts to fall out?

[foxtrot]

I don't recall a mangy fox having a bad odor but I never give one a sniff test.I would say its related to something else but can't say for sure.

[Buckwheat]

Unclebuck
I would think you would have to see raw areas on the fox from mange to smell.Some type of visible infection from scratching would have to take place and be visible to have any odor I think. Who knows what stinky thing the fox might have gotten into to get and get an odor. You might of plan and simply just got sick. Your doctor seams to think that.

[Claybird]

i got sik onse smell lik fish make it dish never faal for that

[uncle buck]

Now here is a sure sign of a mangy red fox!!!No foul odor what so ever!!!



Here is the fox that I first encounter with the foul odor years back.. No sign of mange on this either..


Here is the current one that had that same smell.. Couldn't see any sign of mange on it.

[shortmagger]

Uncle Buck,
Good to see you back posting pics and stuff, every fox i've ever shot has a very foul smell LOL.  I have hunted with a friend and by myself,  and after he shot a fox in wide open fields, ran out, picked it up, and said, "this fox smells like a**"  I have to agree with you, some of them have been rolling in some sh** or compost or something to make them smell like my friend said, a**, I had to laugh but he was right.  It was the worst smelling fox I have ever sniffed.  Cheers Foxtrot, no sniff test here either.  Had to throw it on the rack for him........

[uncle buck]

.

[muttbuster]

UB, are you sure you just didn't "step" in something?

[uncle buck]

UB, are you sure you just didn't "step" in something?

If I would have stepped in something I would have played the Pa Lottery!

[dreamcatcher]

Rolling in it. It's what the dogs do.

[uncle buck]

Oh Man!!! I remember I had a beagle that use to do that... I would take her hunting rabbits with my friend and I... Problem is my friend was driving his vehicle.  Ah Ole Tick..That what I called her.. She always had that smile on her face as she rolled back and forth. Most time it was human fecal matter yet.  Sheeeeeeeeet!  If you wanted to hear a young 13 year old boy curse... My momma surely would have washed my mouth out with Lifeboy soap if she saw my reaction to Ole Tick rolling in the matter...   

[uncle buck]

Rolling in it. It's what the dogs do.

I remember one winter season I had my Cableas white and gray cover all on with my Cabelas white Sorel boots... I decided to hunt behind the farmers barn.. I made the mistake of going around the wrong side of the barn.. The farmer use to wash off all the cow matter at that end of the barn..As I walked over the snow I suddenly sunk 3 feet in cow flops.. Now you can picture what a guy with white boots and white coverall would look like standing in 3 feet of cow flop.. I pulled out and went to the nearest snow pile and started to do snow angels in the snow... I bet the farmer household thought that was funny seeing a grown man doing snow angles not more then 40 yards from the farm house...Lesson lean scout in the daytime paths around the barns and don't try to blaze a trail at night with snow covered sheeeeeeeeeeeeeet!



NIGHT TIME PREDATOR HUNTING IT'S NOT JUST A HUNT IT'S AN ADVENTURE!!!!!

[uncle buck]

It's apparent that my bronchitis was not from the fox but from catching a virus and then the bronchitis setting in.. Such was the bronchitis that I did not even get to go hunting for deer this year... My Ear Nose and Throat Specialist had to give me  (STEROIDS) to curtail the bronchitis... 12 days of antibiotics did just a little to correct it..  However I know now what it is to get bronchitis.. When I hear of any of you having bronchitis or breathing conditions I forever will have you in my prayers....Bad things in life can make you  humbling...

[foxtrot]

UB,Do you think your bronchitis had anything to do with blowing on mouth calls at night and maybe a slight lack of sleep from being out all night?

[uncle buck]

no I think I caught a virus when I got my teeth cleaned two days before or actually sitting in the doctor waiting room waiting for my wife when she had a visit.. this time of the year if a family member has to go to the doc's. best to sit out in the car, practice your calling ,  lesson to Christmas music or play the harmonica.... You go inside you are probably going to catch something just sitting in the chairs of the people who are there because they are sick and waiting to see the doc..  I was sick two days before the bronchitis set in.. See that hits you after your sick...Today..feeling great.. I know I will be hunting real soon now...Remember if you get bronchitis tell the doc you don't want over the counter drugs to bring up the Flem.  Also suggest to him that you might need STERIODS right off the bat... If I would have taken them weeks back I would have been alright already..