Twice this season, once in mid-December and then again today, I've picked up foxes with very little guard hair and soft pelts. I assume it's late enough that all the juveniles from last spring should have winter coats by now.

Badly rubbed.

My buddy has been having the same issue with the fox, thin in some spots and tails that are trashed. A coyote I got week before last had zero gaurd hair on the back or flanks, Talking to F/G guys they say there is a bout of mange, lice, and fleas going through the Mat Su Valley and that might be the cause.

When an k9 gets over a sc mite infection the hair come back in different hair follicles and comes out thin like that

in my experience its either mites or females getting bred, though a touch early for the later.

These are called Samson foxes. A genetic anomaly. I caught them in western Alaska also.

Samson would be my guess too.

Caught five back in the winter of 79-80. Buyer wouldn't take them at any price. Nice colors and soft full fur but no guard hairs.

As I recall Zarnke was doing some research on Samsons at that time

I got $10 for mine in ‘80-‘81 from Goldberg.

That's what furbuyers pay for good fox in 2023. In 2023 dollars.

I got $100 from a soft body taxidermist for the first one that had no rubs or other issues. Not sure I'll get anything for this second one

On the bright side, Sampson fox make terrific socks or mitt liners!

Pete

If you could get 4 or 5 that matched, they would make a dandy looking plains indian bowcase/quiver set.