Fox - would you?

[Ovenpaa]

Following on from the Squirrel - would you eat it thread (I will one day!) I was wondering about Fox and if anyone does eat it, a quick Google shows a few recipes.

So have you eaten Fox, or would you given a chance? My view is nope this is one I would probably skip however before someone rushes in, yes in other countries people do eat dogs.

[Robin128]

I guess there is no cut off point between what is ok to eat and what is not.

Fox can get all manor of deseases but so can wild venison.

Lamb, beef and pork and fowl get a better health care than some of us.

Taste is another factor...if they tasted good we would have bred them like sheeps.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone that has ate fox.

Rob

[nicklm]

Looking foward to some more replies on this, when I asked on GT I got slated,
I know of people who have eaten Badger or more specifiaclly badger hams.

[Ovenpaa]

Looking foward to some more replies on this, when I asked on GT I got slated,
I know of people who have eaten Badger or more specifiaclly badger hams.

Welcome to the forum nicklm, I don’t remember your thread on GT so not sure what your views on this are, would you eat it? I have two dogs snoring at my feet right now and a fox is just too close to a dog for me, a weak excuse maybe...

[dazeroo]

I wouldn't have a clue what would happen if the carcass was prepared with a bit more care, but based on my one attempt at disecting a fox, I could never, ever, eat one. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, I'd better explain.

I'd just had my FAC expanded to include a .223 for fox control, and had spent all weekend setting up the rings, bases and scope, and then zeroing and practising to get a feel for the holdover at longer ranges than my chosen 150 yd zero. At dusk on the Sunday I was debating whether a few sniper shots at some long range crows would be a serious breach of my cert conditions, when I spotted a huge fox skulking down the hedgerow about 250 yds away. Everything I've ever learrnt about breathing etc was going out of the window. I was fumbling the rounds, the lens covers, bipod, everything. When I was finally loaded and rested and trying to calm down, the fox was about 200 yds out, and partly hidden by the base of the hedge. After a virtual eternity, he emerged from the hedge and was fast trotting towards a huge culvert. I knew that if he followed that he wouldn't be seen again. While taking up the first trigger pressure I attempted a squeak, not usually my forte! Whatever noise emerged, it worked, and he froze, sideways on. Even as I felt the trigger break, I was convinced I'd missed. That little Remmy Model 7 was a bast**d for muzzle flip, and I had to recover my sight picture but what a treat.

The fox had folded on the spot, although on inspection, no wonder. I was using Hornady SXSP 50 gr. Awfully fragile little pills. Anyway I decided that I was going to treat myself to a mask mount from a professional taxidermist. I rang the best known guy in our area, to be told that he insisted on having the carcase within 12 hours, or it being frozen immediatley. Two problems, I was 4 hours from leaving on holiday, so I couldn't deliver the carcase, and Mum's freezer was full to the brim. She also wasn't too chuffed with the thought of a whole fox being laid out in the freezer. The taxidermist offered me the option of freezing just the head. His instructions were to sever the head and neck at the very top of the thorax, AFTER skinning from the front legs forward. I imagine that the spare skin goes between the mask and the wooden mount. Anyway the butchery aspect didn't bother me, but no-one told me about the musk glands in the neck. I must of run the knive straight through at least one of the glands.

Words cannot describe the smell. I'm smelling it again now! Fox is now off my menu for ever.

[Robin128]

Was it worse than slitting a chicken's gizzard?

:P

Rob

[dazeroo]

YES!

But not just worse, unexpected. When I gut something I expect a stench. Never encountered a smell while skinning before. What made it worse was doing it indoors. It was teeming with rain, and as I was only removing the head and some skin I did it on the work top in the utility room, on a wad of old newspapers. It stank the whole house out! I wasn't best popular.

[Blackstuff]

I'm a believer in the old saying "You are what you eat", so i wouldn't go near the dirty buggers unless it was a choice between eating that or dying :?

[Scotsgun]

I caught a young fox cub whilst on an army survival course. I'd like to tell you it tasted just like chicken but it tasted just like i imagine s*** to taste like.

I ate it but didn't like it. Even the man himself, Kristoffer Clausen couldn't stomach it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5pncDAfEDw

[Ovenpaa]

Ah I had forgotten about Kristoffer Clausen - the wild man him self. I think I met him once at Gardermoen airport at Oslo however all Vikings look the same to me. I have watched his videos with interest and he sums it up nicely:

I am excited to see what fox tastes like .................................... that did not taste good