Foxing

[Cyres]

I **** a dig fox last week and when I picked it up guess what it was eating. A crow!
D

 

[Bo Diddley]

I **** a dig fox last week and when I picked it up guess what it was eating. A crow!
D

Photos please, or we don't believe you

 

[Cyres]

Sorry no photo but it was a black corvid not much left of it.
Never realised the significance of a fox eating a crow.
D

 

[jall55]

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.

Dont forget the rats - one of the worst for eggs and chicks

 

[jb1]

Dont forget the rats - one of the worst for eggs and chicks

There's only so much a man can do

 

[Bo Diddley]

There's only so much a man can do

Exactly what I keep saying... so if you can't do it all yourself.. let someone else help out, even if only running a few Larsens & Fenns in the spring, I bet there is someone who would jump at the chance of being involved.
On our patch, my elder brother is for want of a better description "HeadKeeper" I'm "The Nocturnal Verminator" and my nephew is "The Trainee Gopher/Stalker" we all get some fun.

 

[Nickb]

Exactly what I keep saying... so if you can't do it all yourself.. let someone else help out, even if only running a few Larsens & Fenns in the spring, I bet there is someone who would jump at the chance of being involved.
On our patch, my elder brother is for want of a better description "HeadKeeper" I'm "The Nocturnal Verminator" and my nephew is "The Trainee Gopher/Stalker" we all get some fun.

You're lucky keeping it in the family.

 

[BenBhoy]

Exactly what I keep saying... so if you can't do it all yourself.. let someone else help out, even if only running a few Larsens & Fenns in the spring, I bet there is someone who would jump at the chance of being involved.
On our patch, my elder brother is for want of a better description "HeadKeeper" I'm "The Nocturnal Verminator" and my nephew is "The Trainee Gopher/Stalker" we all get some fun.

That's my biggest fault, though not all my fault. I can't get everything done to make my patch perfect, but my gaffer will only let me on or someone with me there (which would defeat the point!)

 

[Bo Diddley]

You're lucky keeping it in the family.

I take a mate out foxing when he feels up for it, he got me onto the poultry sites as part of what is now a four man team.
My brother occasionally takes others out stalking, like the landowner's daughter and a couple of close friends who have been loyal to him in the past. And a couple of the beaters who help on shoot days.
My nephew now has sections of the land to stalk over, the outlying edges really, but he don't mind as there are Muntjac & Roe on them, he is now taking his eldest son, who loves it.
Unfortunately, you have to keep things fairly tight, otherwise, you could end up shooting yourself in the foot. Plenty of people are willing to stab you in the back.

@BenBhoy , your boss is typical of farmers/landowners, they are rightly cautious of who they let on the land, thieves are everywhere. But it restricts those newcomers who would like a chance to be involved unfortunately.

 

[HonestJohn]

Stop feeding pheasants and the rats will likely go away. One place i stalk has more rats running around the feeders in the hedgerows than pheasants.
So by feeding the pheasants, the population of rodents has sky rocketed and is killing nesting bird eggs, etc. crazy

 

[Bo Diddley]

Stop feeding pheasants and the rats will likely go away. One place i stalk has more rats running around the feeders in the hedgerows than pheasants.
So by feeding the pheasants, the population of rodents has sky rocketed and is killing nesting bird eggs, etc. crazy

Sack the keeper. As soon as season is over most are onto the vermin, I made wooden rodent boxes up armed with a Fenn trap and sprinkle of wheat inside, one of these next to every hopper and it's dead easy to check every day when you do your rounds.

 

[BenBhoy]

Stop feeding pheasants and the rats will likely go away. One place i stalk has more rats running around the feeders in the hedgerows than pheasants.
So by feeding the pheasants, the population of rodents has sky rocketed and is killing nesting bird eggs, etc. crazy

@jall55 over to you....

 

[BenBhoy]

Stop feeding pheasants and the rats will likely go away. One place i stalk has more rats running around the feeders in the hedgerows than pheasants.
So by feeding the pheasants, the population of rodents has sky rocketed and is killing nesting bird eggs, etc. crazy

With a decent keeper (especially on a wild shoot, not so much mass release )the benefits of keeping the land & feeding far out weigh imo

 

[HonestJohn]

With a decent keeper (especially on a wild shoot) the benefits of keeping the land & feeding far out weigh imo

I’m not so sure anymore, I think we try to convince ourselves of this to justify our own end goals sometimes. Although I’m not claiming to be right. I’ve also seen a lot of deer crossing roads (RTA risk) to get to feeders

 

[jb1]

While i've been out on either rabbits or Fox's with a thermal spotter i was gob smacked with the amount of rats i was watching in a hedge, this hedge was probable 300yds long and there were literally hundreds and then not so many in the field margin.

Regarding larson traps or any traps in general, we cant have any on the permission, High seats are on there for observation purposes only.

 

[BenBhoy]

I’m not so sure anymore, I think we try to convince ourselves of this to justify our own end goals sometimes. Although I’m not claiming to be right. I’ve also seen a lot of deer crossing roads (RTA risk) to get to feeders

I certainly wouldn't call myself a part time keeper, not even a pretend ¼ of a keeper. But I do some keepery things when I can (fox control, corvids, small mammal traps, feeding, creating & managing habitat sensitively etc) and have been doing so for best part of 8 years now. The difference on our patch in that that time is incredible. Yet still not as good as could/should be.

 

[Bo Diddley]

I certainly wouldn't call myself a part time keeper, not even a pretend ¼ of a keeper. But I do some keepery things when I can (fox control, corvids, small mammal traps, feeding, creating & managing habitat sensitively etc) and have been doing so for best part of 8 years now. The difference on our patch in that that time is incredible. Yet still not as good as could/should be.

It doesn't matter how much you manage to do, at least you're trying, every bit helps.

 

[Smellydog]

Neighbour reported today seeing a dozen wild pheasant chick's on ground I've been relentless on fox and crow wise.
Yes I'm pleased

 

[Smellydog]

On another farm that had peewits on for the first time in ages are all gone they've cut the grass so short nothing could survive.


Bollocks...

 

[BenBhoy]

On another farm that had peewits on for the first time in ages are all gone they've cut the grass so short nothing could survive.


Bollocks...

I've been allowed to just make hay this year, no silage. So won't be mowing anything until end August at earliest. Hoping it pays off (in terms of balancing wildlife & farm being profitable)