Foxes in Pennsylvania: 2 Types and Where They Live

Pennsylvania is home to 480 species of wild animals. Mammals make up 66 of those species, and foxes are on the list! Even though foxes are elusive and solitary, spotting one in the wild is easier than you might think.

What type of foxes live in Pennsylvania, and where do they like to hang out? Read on to find out.

What Types of Foxes Live in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania is home to the gray and red fox. Even though they look similar, gray and red foxes aren’t closely related. Instead, they’re more like distant cousins. Both fox species belong to the Canidae family, the same animal family as the wolf, coyote, and dog. You can see the fox-canine relation more in certain dog breeds, like the Schipperke or Shiba Inu.

Based on hunting reports, it appears there are more red foxes in Pennsylvania than gray foxes. When trying to tell these two species apart, look at the tail. If the tail has a black tip, it’s a gray fox. You’re looking at a red fox if the tail tip is white.

In Pennsylvania, it’s normal for red foxes to have home ranges that are 5 miles in diameter. Gray foxes usually have home ranges that are half that size or smaller. Out of the two species, gray foxes are more territorial. They’ll aggressively defend their home range from red foxes.

Are Foxes Common?

Foxes are a common appearance throughout Pennsylvania. You can find gray and red foxes in any part of the state. These smart hunters have sharp senses and great survival skills. Once they find an area with the right resources, they can quickly set up their home range. Red foxes will use a series of scent markings to let other foxes notice and stay away.

In Pennsylvania, fox breeding season takes place in February. At night time, you can hear the foxes making their presence known. Male foxes are “dogs,” and female foxes are “vixens.” During the late winter, the foxes bark loudly through the night to attract members of the opposite sex.

The young are born after a 63-day gestation period for gray foxes and a 51-day gestation period for red foxes. The litter can have up to 10 young, but six is the average.

Red foxes like using abandoned woodchuck burrows or hollow logs as dens. Gray foxes prefer to use rocky ledges, but they sometimes den beneath the ground. If the den is underground, it likely has more than one entrance.

Where Are You Most Likely to See Foxes?

If you’re in Pennsylvania during the end of summer, keep your eyes open for fox families. Fox pups begin to leave the den around the middle of July or the beginning of August. During this time, they forage with their parents for food. However, family life is short-lived.

Foxes are solitary animals. After about a month of foraging with their parents, the young will embark on their own. Often, the foxes caught during the open hunting season are the young foxes who are new to the land.

You’re most likely to spot a gray fox in bushy, swampy, and mountainous terrain. Red foxes prefer rolling farmlands, streams, and marshes. However, both species are highly adaptable. You can find them throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania and even in areas that aren’t an ideal habitat.

When Are Foxes Most Active?

Foxes are most active during the night. Since they’re nocturnal animals, gray and red foxes do most of their hunting after the sun goes down. However, there are exceptions.

If a red fox feels comfortable enough in its home range, it will go out hunting during the day. Foxes can also be spotted in the early morning or late evening, even though the sun is still out.

During the winter time, red foxes prefer to sleep in the open. They’ll find a nice open field, curl up in a ball, and use their big bushy tail to keep warm. At the same time, gray foxes are more elusive. During severe weather, gray foxes like to hole up for several days.

What Is the Fox’s Legal Status?

The gray and red fox are protected species in Pennsylvania. Both foxes are game species and have set hunting seasons.

Pennsylvania hunting law states that both species can be hunted on Sundays, and there isn’t any bag limit. A gun-mounted or handheld light is legal if hunting on foot. But if someone is using a laser light beam, it cannot be able to be projected.

Are Foxes a Nuisance in Pennsylvania?

Fox serves an important ecological role in Pennsylvania. One of the ways they do this is by controlling rodent populations. However, sometimes their appetite for small mammals is exactly what gets them into trouble.

It’s not uncommon for foxes to target domestic cats, livestock, and other small animals. They also raid chicken coops and dig up gardens! These behaviors cause some Pennsylvania residents to see foxes as a nuisance rather than a help.

Another issue is that foxes carry fleas, parasites, ticks, and diseases. Foxes can also carry distemper, sarcoptic mange, and rabies. What’s worse as they can pass these conditions on to domestic pets and even humans.

Pennsylvania law allows residents to remove foxes by trapping them. The law states that the foxes have to be euthanized after removal. Euthanization is to prevent rabies in domestic animals and humans.

Bonus: Do Foxes Prey on Pets?

While the gray fox remains elusive, red foxes are seen more frequently these days as their range extends into urban areas. That raises the question of whether these dog-like animals have added our pets to their menus. The short answer is – foxes have been know to attack little dogs and cats – but not very often. Chickens, on the other hand – are a favorite of the cunning canines and require special fencing around the coop.

Unlike coyotes, which hunt in packs and are definitely a threat to pets – foxes focus on small animals like mice and are more of a threat to your neat yard when they invade your garbage. Gray foxes have jumped down from trees to attack small dogs when people are camping or invading their territory – but they seldom inhabit areas populated by people like red foxes do.

You can ensure the safety of your pets by walking outside with your dog when it goes out – foxes won’t launch an attack if you are near – and by avoiding the practice of de-clawing your cats. Cats are pretty good at defending themselves against foxes – so don’t disarm them of their natural weapons.