Legally limit how many fox you can shoot??

[old keeper]

I think there is more to buzzards than we think! I mentioned in an earlier post how I had massive problems with buzzards in a release pen. The pen was located in wood with, in places, quite heavy undergrowth. Most of the trees were old ash and oak, some of them very big.
I have watched buzzards on many occasions circling over the wood then folding their wings and dropping like a stone through the tree canopy and on to a poult. When the buzzard chicks had fledged it wasn't long before they too were dropping into the wood. Over the course of a couple of months I reckon between them they must have killed getting on for a couple of hundred, they were, without a doubt a far greater problem than the foxes.

 

[finnbear270]

Funny you should say that, because out of all the things I've shot, getting a fox in my sights is the only thing that gives me a feeling of "buck fever". It was discussed on here a while back, and come to the conclusion that it's because the fox is a predator, just like me. There's an element of fellow-feeling, and also an element of competition between us.
A rush in blood pressure on spotting a tidy buck is for me, something I relish in controlling, An Ego rush, ? not something I remember having.

 

[Smellydog]

Must be different breed where you live mate .

The ones by me I have seen dive bomb half grown rabbits at speed and I saw one take a cock pheasant.
I have seen parent buzzards bring their brood to pheasant pens to train their young on the poults too.
I was photographing a kite above me in spring and its head was turned as he was watching two buzzards following him a couple of thousand feet above it! I could hardly see them but it was for a good reason that kite was keeping an eye on them!

 

[foxdropper]

Like I said we are talking about two different birds mate .Many buzzards starve out in winter because of frozen ground and no access to worms and insects .As for them taking a cock pheasant ,I’m sceptical but have no doubt at all they wouldn’t tackle a kite .

 

[Smellydog]

Like I said we are talking about two different birds mate .Many buzzards starve out in winter because of frozen ground and no access to worms and insects .As for them taking a cock pheasant ,I’m sceptical but have no doubt at all they wouldn’t tackle a kite .

Re the pheasant, saw it happen.
So how many buzzards are residing in Britain then? I only know of one.

 

[old keeper]

Having seen several adult pheasants taken by buzzards, so I know they can. However, I think my situation was probably a little different in that the buzzards were taking the six-week-old poults to start with, from then on they kept taking the pheasants as they grew until eventually, the birds were full-grown.
I too think under normal circumstances a buzzard would be unlikely to tackle a full-grown cock bird that it just happened across.
As a matter of interest, very many years ago I had an injured buzzard grab my boot, its talons went straight through the rubber, I certainly wouldn't like to shake hands with one!

 

[Pedro]

Buzzards certainly can take pretty big prey, such as cock pheasants. But normally it's all a bit too much like hard work. They do like to conserve their energy and you won't find many buzzards worrying any live pheasant if there's some nicely "hung" carrion around.

 

[foxdropper]

Re the pheasant, saw it happen.
So how many buzzards are residing in Britain then? I only know of one.

As they say everyday is a school day mate .im basing most of my thoughts on two lazy common buzzards I’ve had myself .
Get them to peak only for them to sit on a post when there’s quarry afoot .
Just out of interest ,I saw a spoonbill yesterday feeding with 4 little white egrets on a flooded pasture .

 

[Smellydog]

Well I walked for miles last night at three location and I never saw a fox or heard any.
I think the badger boys have picked a few off but around here there are few just now. It has been like this for the last year. Mind you a known fox dropper for his agenda seems to of stopped!
This in it self is a limit on fox shooting activity, no point going out for nowt. I will look in two weeks time.

 

[foxdropper]

Well I walked for miles last night at three location and I never saw a fox or heard any.
I think the badger boys have picked a few off but around here there are few just now. It has been like this for the last year. Mind you a known fox dropper for his agenda seems to of stopped!
This in it self is a limit on fox shooting activity, no point going out for nowt. I will look in two weeks time.

Quite unusual for anyone to know what a foxdropper was mate unless your old schoool like myself .
Its hunt parlance for a fox provider ,back in the day .Giving the huntsman a heads up to one in a drain etc .

 

[potshotpat]

Quite unusual for anyone to know what a foxdropper was mate unless your old schoool like myself .
Its hunt parlance for a fox provider ,back in the day .Giving the huntsman a heads up to one in a drain etc .

Fox Dropper, didn't now the meaning of that. But now it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for that. I hope you're not wrong because there's an expert on here likely to jump on you from ( I was going to say a great height) maybe a hop

 

[foxdropper]

Lol I should know mate ,I was that man .
Would love a discussion on hunting with anyone .