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Predator Hunting => Predator Biology => Topic started by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 09:28:12 PM

Title: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 09:28:12 PM
I just got home from the taxidermist and he just finished mounting a silver fox. This is the first time I have ever seen one. He told me it was shot in the area of Bentlyville Pa. It was beautiful. I took a few pics with my cell phone and as soon as I get Earl to show me how to post them I will. Has anyone else ever seen one in Pa?
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: foxpro51 on July 24, 2009, 10:12:47 PM
WOW i sent photo to leglifter and Buckwheat hope one of them can post a picture. Never seen a fox like that.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 10:14:34 PM
That is an awesome looking fox. I want one. Now we have one more thing to look for.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 10:26:41 PM
My wife just told me it looks a freak. I think one would look great in the living room.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Leglifter on July 24, 2009, 10:27:26 PM
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/Leglifter/GetAttachment.jpg)
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: foxpro51 on July 24, 2009, 10:28:49 PM
Leglifter your the man. Thanks for posting the picture.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: foxpro51 on July 24, 2009, 10:30:31 PM
Wonder if this was one of those farm raised foxes?
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 10:30:56 PM
Thank you Bob, pretty neat fox huh?
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Leglifter on July 24, 2009, 10:35:24 PM
They are much more impressive when they're alive.
I still have not found a taxidermist that I would trust with a canine mount
Its all in the eye set
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 10:37:22 PM
I just picked up my big red and a pretty gray. Had body mounts done on both. My taxidermist does great work. you should see them. Very nice.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Leglifter on July 24, 2009, 10:38:31 PM
Get the pics goin!!
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 24, 2009, 10:39:45 PM
I will post them tomorrow after Earl takes some pics.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: PaCoyotenut on July 24, 2009, 11:33:05 PM
Quote
Has anyone else ever seen one in Pa?

 Mutt, never seen one in the wild. But...... a friend of mine and my uncles, shot one almost identical to the one in the picture back in 1987 or 1988 up at my place in Tioga county only a few miles away from the camp. It was called in using a boom box with a Johnny Stewart cotton tail in distress cassette tap.

 I was not along on that trip, but my uncle and another buddy was there with him when he shot it. A 3 man set up.

 The last I seen the mount was about 4-5 years ago at his house and it was in piss poor shape. Falling apart. He had it done by a taxidermist up there in Tioga. I guess he didn't do to good of a job obviously. It was a real shame to see it falling apart like that.

 *PaCoyotenut*
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Critterslayer51 on July 27, 2009, 10:59:54 AM
That is truely a rare find there, def some genetics are crossed within the fox family..hmmmm I hope to see one of these in my fall trips to Tioga Co.....
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 27, 2009, 11:06:43 AM
CS51, I hope you find one. It makes me want to get out and hunt as much as possible. I sure would like to get one of those. A definite conversation piece to go along with my trophy room.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Critterslayer51 on July 27, 2009, 11:21:02 AM
It looks like this fox could have been a "red fox" that had some genetic issues and came out with gray and black colorings...the legs are still black as in where the red fox is black, but its back and facial portions that are usually red are gray...the only place that send me for a loop is the tail is all black, which should be gray if this hypothesis was completely linear and fool proof...
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 27, 2009, 11:29:29 AM
You are correct CS51, it is a color phase of the red fox. But it is very rare.
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: Critterslayer51 on July 28, 2009, 12:49:28 AM
yeah I was just talking to a fellow biologist I had gone to college with about this today at work, and he too was leaning towards a color phase, just as gray squirrels can be found to be "black squirrels" but are nothing but a gray squirrel in a color phase, same as a cinnamon or blonde black bear
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: waterfowler1183 on July 28, 2009, 09:30:14 PM
This appears to be a true wild silver.  A buddy of mine has one mounted that he shot in Elizabethtown quite a few years ago but that one was def a pen raised fox that either was released or escaped.  Just the size gave it away the pen raised foxes are usually much larger than your average wild fox.  We had a lease on Eastern shore Md for deer and while down there 5 or 6 yrs ago some of the guys seen a silver fox and I actually had a shot at a cross fox but thought the 50 cal muzzleloader woulda scattered him.  A cross fox has a mixture of blacks greys and reds and is a beautiful critter.  Each of which is just a melanistic phase of the same critter ...The red fox
Title: Re: Silver fox
Post by: muttbuster on July 28, 2009, 09:35:40 PM
A true wild silver fox must be close to one in a million. The taxidermist told me if the owner doesn't pic it up he will sell it to me for his taxidermy cost. I might buy it if it works out that way. It would be great to put on display at some of the events.