Decided to go to Edzell for a walk along the river today and about halfway along one path there was an area that Tai (my dog) got really excited about between two big piles of branches. She was sniffing away like mad in this area and even I could smell that something had been there! I'm thinking it was a fox (especially as Tai kept looking out over the field) but why would that area be so smelly? Is it a sign the fox have been there recently? The smell was really strong, I wouldn't have called it unpleasent though, and I didn't see any poo around and I don't think Tai did either otherwise she would have rolled in it lol There are foxes around here but I've never been anywhere that smelt this much!
Could there be anything else that could be the smelly culprit?
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Its to tell other foxs to keep away "this is mine" the smell is a warning to others.
a fox is quite smelly.
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I know they do that to mark territory but I've never noticed it so much! I'm always walking around the farm and passing fox "marker points" but they've never smelled this strongly (though the dog has smelled worse after a good roll in the markers!). There was probably a 10 foot stretch alongside the path that stunk like mad. It was as if the fox was there and left all his dirty washing too lol I'm just wondering if there could be any particular reason for the extra smelliness?
Could it be due to the time of year as they are mating now? Can't think of anything else really!! Or could it be a polecat? They're supposed to be very smelly (although I've not smelt it for myself...)
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Hello KatTai,
I suspect this smell is most likely down to a Fox. Foxes use scent marking throughout their territories and this can be done with either urine or faeces. Both male and dominant females scent mark. This pungent scent is most noticeable around the breeding season and for foxes this occurs around December to February. Young are born around March to May.
We have foxes who visit daily, I’ve noticed an increase in the strength of the scent recently. I wonder if they leave more scent at this time of the year or is it that their scent stronger? Anyone know?
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I think the others are correct, around breeding the smell is very strong
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