FOXES and their control.

“People who say you just need to make your poultry more secure have clearly never kept poultry.”

Maybe they never have kept poultry, but you can't argue with their logic.
 
Some blokes want every fox off their land others only want the problem ones gone when they start. Lets face it if you remove a fox that isn't a problem and then a released animal or one in not such good condition takes its place without the natural survival skills/abilities of the one we've killed than it is more likely to fancy the easy meal.

It is what the farmer/landowner wants that is the prime concern to me. Keep the farmer happy (Within the law) and the permission is fairly safe.

If a bloke is raising pheasant for a shoot for example I fully expect to be asked to clear the whole place.
 
I have an interesting bit, where two farms are straddled by a strip of trees. On one side, they run a livery, and so like to have fox around to keep rabbits (and thus rabbit holes). Next door, there is a sheep farmer, who would obviously rather foxes controlled. In the strip of forestry, there is a massive badger sett, which is home to both badgers and foxes. The forestry is owned by the sheep farmer. Truth be told, although I've shot foxes in amongst the sheep, actively trying to separate off lambs, the farmer has more bother with badgers.
 
I have an interesting bit, where two farms are straddled by a strip of trees. On one side, they run a livery, and so like to have fox around to keep rabbits (and thus rabbit holes). Next door, there is a sheep farmer, who would obviously rather foxes controlled. In the strip of forestry, there is a massive badger sett, which is home to both badgers and foxes. The forestry is owned by the sheep farmer. Truth be told, although I've shot foxes in amongst the sheep, actively trying to separate off lambs, the farmer has more bother with badgers.

Black and White Foxes they are known as around here ....
 
I have an interesting bit, where two farms are straddled by a strip of trees. On one side, they run a livery, and so like to have fox around to keep rabbits (and thus rabbit holes). Next door, there is a sheep farmer, who would obviously rather foxes controlled. In the strip of forestry, there is a massive badger sett, which is home to both badgers and foxes. The forestry is owned by the sheep farmer. Truth be told, although I've shot foxes in amongst the sheep, actively trying to separate off lambs, the farmer has more bother with badgers.

Farmer called said fox is digging a chicken pen...

put trail cam along fence for 5 days, badger every night digging at wire with no fox at all showing.

Shot loads of foxes in the sheep with them just waiting to get a chance.

Tim.243
 
regarding the often said, and with considerable evidence is when shooting out an area it quickly becomes filled by new arrivals, when I was a lot younger I remember seeing Coypu in and around every river and stream along with the breeding rate as noted here,, When the coypu was Public Enemy No. 1 in Norfolk | Norfolk and Suffolk Lifestyle News - Eastern Daily Press their numbers rapidly multiplied.

now there are none, totally eradicated. the wily fox survives, hunting,shooting, traps,snares, and even gassing at one time before it was made illegal.
its ability to adapt to modern life, and possibly its cuddly appeal and portrayal in childrens books helping it along, and of course its army of supporters all campaigning for its liberty. [something the Coypu lacked, for many anyway]

and yet despite shrinking habitat, constant levels of persecution and traffic mortality,ect, there are still plenty of foxes throughout the UK.
 
interesting reading,i have shot foxes on sight for many years but as of the july this year the farmer has informed me that he does not want them shot.the shoot has closed down and no more poults will be released .so foxes can now predate any thing they want!,the farmer thinks the fox will keep rabbit numbers down and not eat the english partridge broods or the stone curlews that nest on the ground or any other ground nesting birds but as many say i will comply with the farmers wishes but i know the roe fawn population will be hit by the foxes so will loose some of my income over time .
 
and yet despite shrinking habitat, constant levels of persecution and traffic mortality,ect, there are still plenty of foxes throughout the UK.

Working shifts and spending most the time driving i see more foxes in urban environments that anywhere rural. There is way more food and shelter for them in towns than the countryside plus a lot less people trying to kill them.
 
“People who say you just need to make your poultry more secure have clearly never kept poultry.”

Maybe they never have kept poultry, but you can't argue with their logic.
Ah but you can! Those selfsame sheeples demand free range eggs and chickens, now work out the cost of fox-proofing an acre of ground. On a five year life for the fencing, etc the cost of the "organic" eggs and chickens would have to more than double, are they prepared to pay? They must put up or shut-up. And whenever has an egg or chicken been non-organic? In Chemical teams organic is carbon-based, in Zoology and Botany organic means carbon based and capable of self reproduction, now whenever on this planet has a chicken or an egg NOT conformed to these definitions? By demanding "organic" produce they are showing a lack of education and understanding, pity the poor deluded souls!
We regularly experience peaks in predation after a certain un-marked white van is in the area, it's an added stimulus to get out the night vision gear and check your zero! Unfortunately these white vans are not AOLQ, but the four-legged occupants are!
 
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Ah but you can! Those selfsame sheeples demand free range eggs and chickens, now work out the cost of fox-proofing an acre of ground. On a five year life for the fencing, etc the cost of the "organic" eggs and chickens would have to more than double, are they prepared to pay? They must put up or shut-up. And whenever has an egg or chicken been non-organic? In Chemical teams organic is carbon-based, in Zoology and Botany organic means carbon based and capable of self reproduction, now whenever on this planet has a chicken or an egg NOT conformed to these definitions? By demanding "organic" produce they are showing a lack of education and understanding, pity the poor deluded souls!
We regularly experience peaks in predation after a certain un-marked white van is in the area, it's an added stimulus to get out the night vision gear and check your zero! Unfortunately these white vans are not AOLQ, but the four-legged occupants are![/QUOTE

regarding the "vans" I have seen with my own eyes the empty cages being loaded into the said van,[in this instance blue] although was not able to prevent the prior release, the same happened with the release of otters in the last decade. its almost as if there is some "secret breed and release " program afoot.
 
interesting reading,i have shot foxes on sight for many years but as of the july this year the farmer has informed me that he does not want them shot.the shoot has closed down and no more poults will be released .so foxes can now predate any thing they want!,the farmer thinks the fox will keep rabbit numbers down and not eat the english partridge broods or the stone curlews that nest on the ground or any other ground nesting birds but as many say i will comply with the farmers wishes but i know the roe fawn population will be hit by the foxes so will loose some of my income over time .

Is money available from English Nature for protection of ground nesting birds - especially Stone Curlew? That might change the farmers mind!
 
Is money available from English Nature for protection of ground nesting birds - especially Stone Curlew? That might change the farmers mind!

EN put trail cams out to record the SC, that said a fox followed the human sent as it tracked the trail and ate the eggs....On camera.

Tim.243
 
Saw a fox take a little owl the other night, poor little blighter and swooped down to grab his dinner to only become dinner for Mr Fox!

I swooped down with the HMR half hr later and made it so he'll take no more little owls!!
 
I seem to remember being told by a protester one time foxes mainly ate nuts and berries and only stole chickens and game birds because the nasty farmers had ripped out all the hedges.:rolleyes:
 
Im sorry guys but moaning that a fox will eat a fawn that you want to shoot and sell, i assume to keep the numbers to a healthy level? Or that ita taken advantage of the poults you have released wont wash with most people, game shoots want pheasants and partridge at crazy numbers then are shocked foxes exploit it, if you cant live with nature yoy need to rethink your hobby
Shakey
 
I have shot them when necessary for 60 years.
To protect Grouse stocks.
At lambing time, both on the Hill and Low ground.
When a problem with Gamebirds generally.
I have worked where Foxes and Pheasants were equally important (it can be done).
As I am now on a wild bird place I kill what I see and lamp occasionally.
There is one thing certain: Many, many more people are out at night with NV & Thermal gear killing goodness knows how many thousand foxes, but there seem to be just as many foxes as ever.
There's truth in the old saying "Kill a fox and three come to the funeral". You kill them others take territory. :fox::fox::fox:
 
Have shot 34 since 1st June, 11 since last Tuesday. 34 th was last night inside a free range chicken enclosure. It was eating a freshly killed hen (10:45pm) 5 ft Weldmesh fence dug in with electric fence wire on top of posts. If they want to get in they will so damage limitation exercise. Would be catastrophic if one got inside the house ? 5 k hens. On going issue with badgers digging in does not help. Saw another fox a couple of fields away so that is another to get.

Saying that we have now got a health hare population prior to our serious fox control all but extinct. Quite a few wild pheasants and a covey of partridges as well. Rabbits arround us are an endangered species.

D
 
Hunting with Hounds can be a selective way of controlling foxes. Hounds can catch the surplus youngsters, and the old and infirm quite easily. But the middle aged foxes., who may "control" an area, are usually more than a match for Hounds. If the idea that a "territorial" fox can control the breeding rate in his area, has any merit, this could explain the vast numbers being shot non selectively. Just a thought.
 
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