Foxing

[jall55]

So funny again up our place tonight - foxes showing on cameras but nothing seen at all - but "something" has killed my neighbours chickens so we have set a trap up and a camera
5 badgers in the field below me tonight - watched them for hours eating moths and presume beetles - last off one went right to the fox bait - dog biscuits and 3 squirrels and just moved off - followed shortly by another
I must have vegan badgers or something ?
The other odd thing here is the fox / badger never eats any corvids i shoot - but up the road they dont last the night no matter how big the pile is

 

[Mike1979]

I dont shoot fox's this time of the year, my opinion is if you are asked to control Fox's for whatever reason the time to do the job is before breeding season. Do a good enough job and the numbers will be low enough to have minimal impact on shoots or lambing time. If a Fox becomes a problem this time of the year then i agree sort out the problem Fox, and then of course there is the problem of dependant cubs that have been left.

Generally agree and I approach things in the same way but it doesnt always work and its very difficult to find cubs especially if the earth is not on your ground, or there are earths with badger activity etc. We all try our best to avoid causing any degree of suffering

 

[jb1]

I'm not saying that you or I shouldn't shoot fox's during cubbing time, in fact I was out the other night and shot one after being asked to sort out a chicken thief. But personally I feel if you do a decent enough job before you will see very few. I was asked to shoot on an estate where the person before shot very few, 1st year I shot around 120, the 2nd 60 odd and subsequent years averaged 40. Most of these came from the neighbouring estate.
Each area, permission would need different approaches depending on why predation control is being carried out.

 

[Mike1979]

I'm not saying that you or I shouldn't shoot fox's during cubbing time, in fact I was out the other night and shot one after being asked to sort out a chicken thief. But personally I feel if you do a decent enough job before you will see very few. I was asked to shoot on an estate where the person before shot very few, 1st year I shot around 120, the 2nd 60 odd and subsequent years averaged 40. Most of these came from the neighbouring estate.
Each area, permission would need different approaches depending on why predation control is being carried out.

Agreed and you make a number of very good points

 

[finnbear270]

Not spotted a single cub this year ….. Yet.

 

[Tim.243]

nor deer................

 

[finnbear270]

Not likely to either.
Too busy with the steel ones.

 

[Mr Tree]

So funny again up our place tonight - foxes showing on cameras but nothing seen at all - but "something" has killed my neighbours chickens so we have set a trap up and a camera
5 badgers in the field below me tonight - watched them for hours eating moths and presume beetles - last off one went right to the fox bait - dog biscuits and 3 squirrels and just moved off - followed shortly by another
I must have vegan badgers or something ?
The other odd thing here is the fox / badger never eats any corvids i shoot - but up the road they dont last the night no matter how big the pile is

Never known a fox to eat a dead crow. not saying they dont, but just my take.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Never known a fox to eat a dead crow. not saying they dont, but just my take.

Same here, very low and their favourites list I think, but just above moles, I've seen a few moles outside an earth in the spring along with everything else, they never seem to be touched.

 

[Smellydog]

I've left crows out for them and they go. I did have pictures of them taking them too.

 

[Mr Tree]

I've left crows out for them and they go. I did have pictures of them taking them too.

Norfok foxes du difrent! Norfok n good.

 

[old keeper]

Same here, very low and their favourites list I think, but just above moles, I've seen a few moles outside an earth in the spring along with everything else, they never seem to be touched.

I've found that any of the corvids left at bait points are generally left untouched.

I've left crows out for them and they go. I did have pictures of them taking them too.

Probably SD because you've shot all other food sources

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Same here, very low and their favourites list I think, but just above moles, I've seen a few moles outside an earth in the spring along with everything else, they never seem to be touched.

An old keeper that I knew when I was starting off,35 plus years ago, told me that the moles left outside earth's are rolled on by Charlie and never eaten.
Over the years I truly think he was correct, although at the time I thought he was pulling my leg as the newbie on the estate.
Seen them left there but not eaten. Seems you've experienced the same.

 

[VSS]

An old keeper that I knew when I was starting off,35 plus years ago, told me that the moles left outside earth's are rolled on by Charlie and never eaten.
Over the years I truly think he was correct, although at the time I thought he was pulling my leg as the newbie on the estate.
Seen them left there but not eaten. Seems you've experienced the same.

That is my understanding also, and I've read the same in old books on 'keepering.

 

[HonestJohn]

You’d never see a cat eat a mouse they didn’t catch.

 

[Bo Diddley]

An old keeper that I knew when I was starting off,35 plus years ago, told me that the moles left outside earth's are rolled on by Charlie and never eaten.
Over the years I truly think he was correct, although at the time I thought he was pulling my leg as the newbie on the estate.
Seen them left there but not eaten. Seems you've experienced the same.

I think what happens is the vixens go into overdrive when they have cubs, I've watched them hunting like a field trial champion spaniel in wet rape at this time of year, leaping up to try and catch the wet pheasants as they take off.. they will literally bring anything back to the earth to feed cubs, that's when the moles get picked up I think.
You know what it's like when you find a litter of well grown cubs that have been in the same spot for a few weeks, it's carnage, carcasses, fur & feather everywhere.

 

[Nickb]

I've found that any of the corvids left at bait points are generally left untouched.

My findings too , corvids are always left untouched

 

[Bo Diddley]

I've just walked the dogs around a footpath in the village that runs through a farm in places.
I know someone has a drive around a few times a year looking for a fox, they drove along the stream at the bottom of my garden on Friday night at 2.30, I'd just got in and watched them in the big black pick-up... the funny thing is they don't do anything about the crows & magpies on that farm, so it's almost pointless shooting the foxes thinking you are doing any good for the other wildlife... They must be doing it for $hits & giggles.

 

[jb1]

I've just walked the dogs around a footpath in the village that runs through a farm in places.
I know someone has a drive around a few times a year looking for a fox, they drove along the stream at the bottom of my garden on Friday night at 2.30, I'd just got in and watched them in the big black pick-up... the funny thing is they don't do anything about the crows & magpies on that farm, so it's almost pointless shooting the foxes thinking you are doing any good for the other wildlife... They must be doing it for $hits & giggles.

I was out Thursday evening after Crows and Magpies, mainly looking after the many Lapwing nests on the farm, I use a 17 Rem, it gets me out and gives the Lapwing's a little protection. Unfortunately missed every one, head scratch moment, some reason scope mounts loose ??? How on Earth i've no idea, sorted out on Sat.
The increase in ground nesting birds is extremely noticeable following vermin control including both Fox and Badger, seeing Skylarks return after decades, Grey Partridge also increasing in numbers.

 

[Bo Diddley]

I was out Thursday evening after Crows and Magpies, mainly looking after the many Lapwing nests on the farm, I use a 17 Rem, it gets me out and gives the Lapwing's a little protection. Unfortunately missed every one, head scratch moment, some reason scope mounts loose ??? How on Earth i've no idea, sorted out on Sat.
The increase in ground nesting birds is extremely noticeable following vermin control including both Fox and Badger, seeing Skylarks return after decades, Grey Partridge also increasing in numbers.

Yes, you have to do all the vermin to have any effect.
I shoot plenty of foxes, not all the time, I must admit, I do give them some respite, it's usually Christmas day. But we also run half a dozen Larsens in the spring and early summer to eradicate the winged vermin as well.