The relationship between hunting methods and sex, age and body weight in a non-trophy animal, the red fox
Piotr Tryjanowski A D , Tim H. Sparks B , Robert Kamieniarz C and Marek Panek CA Department of Behavioural Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
B CEH Monks Wood, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 2 LS, UK.
C Polish Hunting Association, Research Station, 64-020 Czempiń, Poland.
D Corresponding author. Email: ptasiek@amu.edu.pl
Wildlife Research 36(2) 106-109 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR08036
Submitted: 6 March 2008 Accepted: 10 October 2008 Published: 20 February 2009
Abstract
Recently, hunting has represented a major source of mortality in game animals, including red fox, Vulpes vulpes, populations. Data from hunting studies have been used to explain evolutionary changes (body size, dental structure) in fox populations; however, knowledge of potential sources of bias in these kinds of data is lacking. Moreover, nature and game managers as well as conservationists have recently been seeking methods to limit European fox populations, which are increasing. In the present study in Polish farmland, we show that three different hunting methods (individual – lying in wait, with dogs at dens, with beating undergrowth to flush out foxes) resulted in differences in the age, sex ratio and body size of shot foxes. Taking account of seasonal differences in hunting methods used, shooting assisted by beating gave a higher proportion of male foxes, whereas individual hunting resulted in smaller foxes in shot samples. Hunting with dogs resulted in heavier female foxes, with the results being skewed towards females. Thus, this method may help limit the breeding capacity of a population and is recommended to assist in the control of red fox populations, at least in farmland areas.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to local hunters for help in collecting field data, and to K. Kujawa, E. Carroll and three anonymous referees for valuable comments on an earlier draft of the paper.
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