Species authority page

Red fox

Vulpes vulpes · Furbearers

Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) can be identified as follows: Usually red-orange with black legs, pointed ears and a white-tipped tail; silver and cross colour forms also occur. This biological profile does not establish whether hunting or trapping is legal.

Certified rules currently represented in Hunt: coverage in development. This is coverage, not a legal answer.

Red fox
Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash
Scientific name
Vulpes vulpes
Family
Canidae
Range context
Native northern populations and introduced lineages in parts of North America
Biology

How to identify it

Usually red-orange with black legs, pointed ears and a white-tipped tail; silver and cross colour forms also occur. [1]

Species it is confused with

Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.

Field notes

  • Identification Do not identify Red fox from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Field knowledge

Where it lives

Open woodland, farmland, tundra and urban-edge habitat across most of North America. [1]

Field knowledge

How it behaves

Mostly nocturnal or crepuscular and solitary, but territorial; families use a main earthen den. [2][3]

Hunts rodents and rabbits with a high pounce; also eats birds, eggs, insects and plants. [2][3]

Caches surplus food and revisits caches. [2][3]

Vocal: howls, barks and whines. [2][3]

Regulatory handoff

Where it is listed for legal take

These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.

Conservation and protection

Where legal take is listed

Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.

Geospatial intelligence

Where it is found

Native northern populations and introduced lineages in parts of North America

Biology

Sources

Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.

  1. BIOLOGICALRenard roux

    Gouvernement du Québec · reviewed 2026-09-20

    Gouvernement du Québec

  2. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30

    Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

  3. Alaska Department of Fish and Game · reviewed 2026-09-30

    Alaska Department of Fish and Game