Do foxes take lambs?

[Malxwal]

I scared a very large buzzard off a very small lamb the other day. It was in what I think was maybe a triplets or weaklings pen, a wee pen close to farm sheds, not on previously mentioned farmers. Right place right time I think. They're all lambed outdoors on that farm.

 

[User00036]

Foxes eat a lot of sugar beet.

 

[Scandially]

I cannot believe anyone would ask this question....

 

[Woodenbeam]

Let’s not forget that studies have shown that predation by foxes on fawns is a major cause of population control for some deer species

Careful with statements like that, there may be a greenie woke snowflake about...............foxes used for deer control so need to be protected, no need for guns to be involved in deer management anymore

 

[Mr. Gain]

I think foxes wilst being opportunist can actually specialise in hunting certain quarry and if a fox locks onto a species be it lambs, pheasants chickens ect that is when they can cause serious problems. As for lambs yes they can and do predate on them if seen foxes try to split lambs away from ewes and ive also shot one slinked out like a cat low to the ground only feet away from a lamb curlt up with its mother that it was stalking. They will also take afterbirths and dead lambs aswell and Ive also seen them totally ignore lambs

My experience is exactly this. Once a predator identifies a fruitful hunting ground and a successful strategy it will exploit it. It has no reason not to. In sone circumstances it will also recruit accomplices. I have seen a team of 4 foxes working like sheepdogs to split not just lambs but also weak ewes from a flock. It was quite something to watch, but they clearly had to go. Involved in their hunt as they were, it was possible to shoot three of them before the fourth spooked. The hard bit was getting a clear shot as they and the sheep made move and counter-move.
That said, I don't think most foxes are lamb/ewe killers from the outset. Nevertheless, I suspect that if they're allowed to spend much time around sheep at a time of year when the sheep are most vulnerable, when there's little else to eat and when they've got litters to feed enough will try their luck and enough of them will succeed for this to become a problem.
One of the great changes thermal has brought is the ability to observe behaviour patterns in a way that was scarcely possible before. On my grounds there are foxes that literally run straight up the field towards the sheep, and others that spend their time nosing around after worms, frogs, insects and mice.
Thermal gives you a much better idea of how many foxes are on your ground, too, although lambs understandably seem to act as a magnet, drawing in roving animals as well as resident ones.

 

[Mr. Gain]

I only shoot problem foxes these days and am appalled by the wanten slaughter of some so called sportsmen posting pics of a mountain of fox taken out in a single night. Some are downright disrespectful of this intelligent creature. Yes I'm getting softer with age.

Where sheep are concerned I'd agree there's a distinction to be made between problem foxes and others, but I'd also suggest that fewer foxes will give you more partridges, curlews and skylarks. The fox isn't responsible for their precarity but it's predatory drive is naturally indifferent to it. As much if not more pressure is put on by badgers and buzzards, so it seems particularly tough on renard that they're bulletproofed by law and he's not.
A lack of respect for one's quarry is always reprehensible, but for repugnance the irresponsible self-righteousness of cull-averse antis runs the callousness of some hunters a close race.

 

[pop1]

The odd badger will take many lambs, if not dissuaded.

This must be one of those rogue badgers again??

 

[old keeper]

Lambing fields offer a lot of food opportunities for foxes, afterbirth, tails and testes when lambs have been ringed and one real delicacy is colostrum rich lamb droppings. Mortality and sickness among newborn lambs can be quite high depending on weather conditions and foxes will certainly clean them up. I have shot foxes in the process of taking very young lambs on several occasions but from watching them over very many years I don't believe they take as many as some think.

 

[Freeforester]

This must be one of those rogue badgers again??

That may be an ecumenical matter! What is clear, is that in nature, where opportunity arises, the adaptable adapt to take advantage of such opportunities. The deniers need to walk a mile in the shepherd' wellies before declaring they know the full picture, and the way forward, experiences all round the world have demonstrated that for all their so-called education they know little, but are always willing to sacrifice 'the prize' on the alter of their beliefs, in order to justify their flawed thinking and ideologies, rather than consider the rational approach.

 

[Paddy_SP]

At this time of year we have found that if there aren't any lambs in the area, you can pretty well forget finding any foxes about.

 

[Mossypaw]

Badgers eat from the back end foxes from the front end first

Not round here, badgers start with the lips.

 

[Scandially]

A fox will eat YOU if you lie still long enough, overnight is long enough. There is no point to prove by asking this question here.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

I have shot foxes carrying lambs, witnessed them actively stalking lambs but put an end to it before the pounce!
On a vermin shoot yesterday, talking shop at lunchtime with another keeper. Using his thermal spotter this last season,he saw the following. A fox approached a pen, sniffing the air until it reached a particular spot outside the wire. It then jumped over the electric fence, landing on the wire 3/4 feet high, then jumped away back over the electric fence. This caused the poults jugging inside to fly up in panic,some going over the wire, landing outside the pen. Fox then nailed one on the ground, carrying it a short way off to eat it. Needless to say,his rifle put an end to it.
Just goes to show, what a superb predator old Charlie is, that is capable of problem solving.
I've never seen or heard of this behaviour, neither had anyone else present.

 

[David.evans]

yes
with out a doubt , and I don’t know why it’s always the head that goes first , well in my case anyway , ive only posted this photo to show just how big lambs can be and still attacked / killed by fox
Yes

 

[TURNBOLT]

Lovely animals for sheeple and snowflakes to admire but never forget they are the paedophiles of the uk animal world.Scrounging opportunists who will kill anything they can .

 

[Sonicdmb73]

The Red fox is a very adaptable predator, one I have great respect for. However it doesn’t change the fact it can and does cause tremendous damage.
The fact that other predators do too, but remain protected is a mute point. We can only control the ones that are legal to.
The fact that someone asks the question on whether they take lambs. Points to the problem we are dealing with. Years ago when more people had a connection with their food (hens in the yard, rabbits in cages) they understood. The fact is that you have to do something to try keep a balance. The benefits are usually more than twofold, protecting both livestock and wildlife.
It always amazes me how when you get someone against shooting foxes, they would be happy to poison rats.

 

[flatliner]

The Red fox is a very adaptable predator, one I have great respect for. However it doesn’t change the fact it can and does cause tremendous damage.
The fact that other predators do too, but remain protected is a mute point. We can only control the ones that are legal to.
The fact that someone asks the question on whether they take lambs. Points to the problem we are dealing with. Years ago when more people had a connection with their food (hens in the yard, rabbits in cages) they understood. The fact is that you have to do something to try keep a balance. The benefits are usually more than twofold, protecting both livestock and wildlife.
It always amazes me how when you get someone against shooting foxes, they would be happy to poison rats.

That disconnection of people and the realities of the countryside,is the root cause of a lot if the problems faced by both agriculture and hunting.

Shooting- bad
Poisoning, and a slow lingering death - ok

 

[Selous]

I have shot foxes that were carrying lambs ... so I agree with those above!!

 

[Malxwal]

That disconnection of people and the realities of the countryside,is the root cause of a lot if the problems faced by both agriculture and hunting.

Shooting- bad
Poisoning, and a slow lingering death - ok

Yes, it's truly remarkable what these types deem acceptable, especially in terms of their foid production.

 

[Sonicdmb73]

That disconnection of people and the realities of the countryside,is the root cause of a lot if the problems faced by both agriculture and hunting.

Shooting- bad
Poisoning, and a slow lingering death - ok

Because few people find rats cute and cuddly.
Not sure I would want to cuddle a fox either. One or two have tried to bite me.
Rats are another very clever animal that is a worthy adversary. I have spent a lot of time trying to outwit them. They tend to learn quickly and alter their behaviour accordingly.