Builder, trapper outfox varmint

The builder didn't want to kill the fox, so he called in an expert to relocate it.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- A resident in one of the township's newer developments has been forced out of his home and into an environment more suited to his wild side.
Construction workers building the upscale homes in Presidential Estates were surprised recently to find a squatter. He's described as being about 3 feet with red and white hair and a bushy behind, casually making his way around the developing site not far from South Avenue and U.S. Route 224.
His den was in the front yard of a home newly built by Charles Creatura, owner of Majestic Homes.
Builder's concern: Creatura said he already was nervous about fox sightings earlier in the week because foxes are generally nocturnal and certainly elusive.
Uncharacteristic behavior might indicate rabies, he said.
Although foxes usually avoid humans, they can be extremely aggressive when confronted, so even a healthy fox can be dangerous.
Worried about liability on his building site, Creatura wanted the red fox to be moved.
"You feel bad because you really don't want to kill or destroy them," he said.
Getting expert help: Creatura decided to call an expert -- Ken Zebrasky, a Salem trapper who deals with nuisance wildlife. Zebrasky, a Boardman native, said finding a fox in a developing area is a first for him.
"It is extremely unusual to see him where he was living in such a highly populated area, but this was his home and from the looks of it, nobody was going to push him out until I came along," he said.
Zebrasky snared the animal, which will be released in the much-less populated countryside -- making it safer for both humans and the fox.
Foxes, Zebrasky said, are not commonly found close to humans. They prefer open spaces, increasingly being eaten up by development.
Looking ahead: Zebrasky said people can expect to see many more run-ins with all types of wildlife. He has been busy trapping raccoons, which are getting into the unwelcome habit of breaking into people's homes.
The raccoon population, he said, has jumped about 800 percent in recent years because they aren't being trapped as much for their once-popular furs.
Zebrasky is not new to trapping and hunting.
He started trapping muskrat when he was a small boy and eventually moved to larger animals.