Out last night.

[Mike1979]

Just trying to assess people's thoughts Mike.
Obviously at my age I know well it's not an ideal world but most livestock losses are fowl free ranging or lambs in the first few days of life usually late March early April, by when any serious fox control should have been done. Again most earths will be local to any depradations unless it's just a very small piece of ground. We all should stay clear of Brock holes but then one should be well able to tell whether it's fox or badger and a vixen definitely will not cub where Brock can get an easy meal. I recently had a vixen move cubs onto me, easy to find and deal with. Got her coming in that evening and the dog an hour later. Hadn't seen any fox sign or padding since the rainy weather so never bothered as they weren't giving me any grief, but then she arrived.

I personally hate knowing Ive orphaned cubs but I shoot a lot of small patches which might be anywhere from 30 acres to 150 acres then some bigger farms (for this area) of up to 550 acres. One farm lambs late and lambs out and despite hammering them as hard as I can every few years we get a lamb killer. There are no earths on the farm and the place the foxes always come from ... well there is zero chance of anyone taking a dog or firearm in there.

 

[jall55]

There are an awful lot of folk on here and elsewhere that shoot foxes for conservational reasons, control of farm predators and as a sport. It always makes me wonder how serious they are regarding humane results at this time of year. For example a fox is shot on the lamp or with night or thermal vision at 200yds, can you tell it's sex at that distance. If it's a milky vixen do you know where the earth is and can you deal with cubs when there are no signs around the earth that they are there. Fortunately I have always known where most useable earths were on land I've managed. I always tried them with terriers through the winter with varying results. It's relatively easy in the Spring just to have a look round to see if any are being "scratched" out for use. On the hill it's easy to know which are in use and a good terrier is a must around the end of April to get both adults and cubs. The vixen will be with them and it's a sit for the dog. Low ground is different as she might lay away from them as they suckle less. At this time of year I have restricted my shooting them to when I have known the whereabouts of any earth with cubs. Usually however if I know of such a place I will have dealt with the occupants anyway.

We have had all the cubs - first as it turns out as they were very independent - shot over several parts of the farm - aided by trail cam info

I always worried about welfare - and always try and do the job before they are even created but sometimes a litter can be missed

I do however take comfort in the knowledge that family members care for them - until we get them of course - but hopefully by that time the cubs will have been dealt with

Its hard too as where do you start and stop with it all ? Litters of rats - nests of crows and magpies - or pigeon

I balance it with thinking if i did not remove them how many mothers of hares or ground nesting birds would they take ?

Its good to care and keep challenging ourselves and reasons for what we do - and i do and i am very comfortable with them currently

 

[jall55]

Totally agree but not with cubs. In 70+ years from badger digging with local worthies to terrier work and keepering on hill snd low ground I have never seen fox cubs in a occupied badger sett.

I have - honestly - well 2 litters actually

 

[Ratel]

I have - honestly - well 2 litters actually

I don't doubt what you say. I have seen plenty of foxes using badger setts, mostly to evade hounds or in a very large sett with more than 15 entrances. However I have also seen where a badger has dug out fox cubs from an enlarged rabbit hole and eaten them. Having asked a few of my contempories over a few days none of them have seen evidence of fox cubs in an active badger sett, mainly because badgers have their own cubs before foxes do and would not stand the intrusion.
I started this post just to see how people felt about cubs, particularly thos who shoot foxes for sport, which seem to be quite a few.

 

[jall55]

I don't doubt what you say. I have seen plenty of foxes using badger setts, mostly to evade hounds or in a very large sett with more than 15 entrances. However I have also seen where a badger has dug out fox cubs from an enlarged rabbit hole and eaten them. Having asked a few of my contempories over a few days none of them have seen evidence of fox cubs in an active badger sett, mainly because badgers have their own cubs before foxes do and would not stand the intrusion.
I started this post just to see how people felt about cubs, particularly thos who shoot foxes for sport, which seem to be quite a few.

I have only even seen it once TBH and i actually managed to shoot all the cubs and the parents 13 if memory serves

This is a very large set

I may even sit on the silly chair here and say i am starting to honestly think we have the only population of VEGAN badgers in the whole country

As a couple of examples if i may

When i first got thermal 5/6 years ago i watched a badger course a hare like a dog would - i was horrified as i honestly expected having to witness this night after night
Anyway as i kept going out - im out 5/6 nights a week i noticed badgers walking past hares and not even looking at them - digging for grubs yes - but hares no
As i kept watching i noticed the badgers simply sitting under the feeders eating the corn and then going to sleep for an hour or two - night after night

Last year as we released the poults 4/5 got out and would not be walked back in - the disturbance in trying to do so was more than it was worth as i was fearing flushing others out - so i sat and watched from a high seat, - Honestly a badger came and i thought oh no - but it never bothered - it was 5 yards away from them

I have had a duck this year nest next to my baiting spot - its a junction really and always sees fox badger activity - several nights whilst waiting for a fox i have seen a badger walk right past

Then last night i put a pheasant carcass out that had fallen to the local Gos - and again no interest from the badger

Obviously i know they do raid nests - kill lambs - fawns - dig bees - But here its just so so weird - A bit like foxes and badgers dont eat crows i catch in traps but 5 miles up the road they will take any = and i mean any number we shoot in a day .

Maybe our little shoot is like the Animals of Farthing wood and they are all friends ! hahah

Nature - weird - odd - always different changing and surprising and why we love it

Long old post ! - Ha breathe

 

[Mike1979]

I have only even seen it once TBH and i actually managed to shoot all the cubs and the parents 13 if memory serves

This is a very large set

I may even sit on the silly chair here and say i am starting to honestly think we have the only population of VEGAN badgers in the whole country

As a couple of examples if i may

When i first got thermal 5/6 years ago i watched a badger course a hare like a dog would - i was horrified as i honestly expected having to witness this night after night
Anyway as i kept going out - im out 5/6 nights a week i noticed badgers walking past hares and not even looking at them - digging for grubs yes - but hares no
As i kept watching i noticed the badgers simply sitting under the feeders eating the corn and then going to sleep for an hour or two - night after night

Last year as we released the poults 4/5 got out and would not be walked back in - the disturbance in trying to do so was more than it was worth as i was fearing flushing others out - so i sat and watched from a high seat, - Honestly a badger came and i thought oh no - but it never bothered - it was 5 yards away from them

I have had a duck this year nest next to my baiting spot - its a junction really and always sees fox badger activity - several nights whilst waiting for a fox i have seen a badger walk right past

Then last night i put a pheasant carcass out that had fallen to the local Gos - and again no interest from the badger

Obviously i know they do raid nests - kill lambs - fawns - dig bees - But here its just so so weird - A bit like foxes and badgers dont eat crows i catch in traps but 5 miles up the road they will take any = and i mean any number we shoot in a day .

Maybe our little shoot is like the Animals of Farthing wood and they are all friends ! hahah

Nature - weird - odd - always different changing and surprising and why we love it

Long old post ! - Ha breathe

Its always interesting to hear these stories and thermal make observation possible when in the past it was a little more assumption based.

I've seen foxes 15ft up trees after pheasants, seen badgers tearing chunks out of one another, killing chickens, taking lambs etc.

I've also never seen a foxes clear dead crows as quick before either. I shot over 1000 on one farm about 10 years ago and the foxes cleared them as quick as I could shoot them lol

Every days a school day is suppose

 

[Ratel]

I have now 16 setts on the estate, one which runs 80 yds along a hedgerow. How I wish!!!
I have seen them taking little leverets on several occasions but thank God we have oodles of hares and it would seem our Greys know how to avoid nest destruction. Fingers and legs crossed.

 

[hammo]

After a lot of years doing the rounds in the fields, And four years on the legal cull, I can attest to badgers and fox at times, sharing accommodation.

Same here, only seen it once but no doubt about it.

 

[Zéquinha]

Hi, everyone.
Tomorrow night, is wildboar hunting.

 

[Mike1979]

Hi, everyone.
Tomorrow night, is wildboar hunting.

Good luck

 

[jall55]

 

[jall55]

Not sure why its a bit blurred - its not like that on my phone / scope