Even though sightings of red foxes have declined slightly, land cleared for development in Howard County matches the foxes? ideal habitat.
“Development is literally everywhere in Howard County. There are very few areas that have not felt development pressure, with the possible exception of the far west,” said Cindy Hamilton, land development division chief for the county.
Cleared land bordered by trees contains high concentrations of the foxes? favorite foods, like rabbits and moles, said Steve Bittner, game mammal section leader at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Department of Natural Resources? bowhunter survey, which tallies the sightings of red foxes, has shown a small decrease from 2002 to 2003. The 2004 data is not available. More red foxes were seen in central Maryland than in any other part of the state, according to the survey. Only gray squirrels and white-tailed deer outnumbered red foxes in the area.
Red foxes are concentrated in rural western Howard County, and in the areas of Columbia bordering the Middle Patuxent Wildlife Area, said Lynne Nemeth, executive director of Howard County Conservancy, a nonprofit that works to preserve land in the county. The population of foxes isn?t large enough to be a nuisance at this time, said Nemeth. They cause only 5 percent of rabies cases.
2002 Hunting Season
» There were 8.2 red fox sightings per 100 hours logged in the Piedmont Region (Howard, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford and Montgomery counties).
» Other regions in the state averaged 3.18 per 100 hours logged.
» The state average is 5.28 per 100 hours logged.
» Hunters recorded a total of 913 sightings over a period of 11,161 hours in Piedmont.
2003 Hunting Season
» 7.56 red foxes per 100 hours logged in Piedmont.
» Other regions in the state averaged 2.4 per 100 hours.
» The state average was 4.84 per 100 hours logged.
» Hunters recorded a total of 638 sightings over a period of 8,434 hours.
Source: Maryland DNR
