Red fox

Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Russet-red coat with white underside and black leg stockings; distinctive black ear backs and white-tipped tail. Males slightly larger and stockier than females; slender muzzle and pointed ears diagnostic.

Size and weight

Males 5.9–7.3 kg, females 5.2–6.3 kg. Body length 45–50 cm; tail 30–40 cm adds significant visual profile.

Habitat

Red foxes inhabit mixed farmland, woodland edges, grasslands, and scrub across lowland and moderate elevation terrain. They adapt readily to semi-urban areas and are highly flexible, occupying anything from sea-level to alpine meadows up to 2,000 m.

Distribution

Widespread across Northern Hemisphere from Arctic to North Africa; abundant throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Prefers open grassland and woodland mosaic but increasingly colonizes urban and suburban zones.

Diet

Primary diet of small mammals (voles, rabbits, hares) supplemented by birds, insects, and seasonal fruits; opportunistic scavenger taking carrion and refuse.

Behaviour

Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk but often moves during daylight in quiet areas. Solitary or paired; territorial and highly mobile with home ranges of 10–50 km² depending on prey density.

Hunting tips

Look for pad prints (4–5 cm wide) in soft ground showing claw marks, and dark cylindrical droppings often deposited on prominent features. Approach upwind through rough cover, using terrain folds; dawn/dusk moves along field margins and hedgerows are prime. Stalk slowly with frequent stops to glass; foxes rely on hearing and scent, so wind direction and noise discipline are critical.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 54 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.