Experimental Fox Snaring/Trapping Program at Tewaukon
National Wildlife Refuge
FRED G. GIESE, JOHN LALOR, AND HARRIS HOISTAD
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge,
Cayuga, ND 58013
Experimental spring trapping was conducted for 2 weeks on the 3,753-ha Tewaukon
National Wildlife Refuge (TNWR) to determine the number of male and female red
fox (Vulpes vulpes) that could be removed by intense trapping using 210
snares and 100 leghold traps and if duck nesting success was significantly increased
as a result of snaring. A total of 87 red fox were caught from 27 April to 11
May 1990 (26 adult males, 37 adult females, and 26 pups). The experimental program
was closely monitored to observe if accidental deer catches would be a problem;
no deer were caught and there were no unusual occurrences. Drought conditions
resulted in few nesting attempts and reduced waterfowl nesting populations so
we could not determine if the removal of fox significantly increased the nesting
success.
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