Out last night.
- Thread starter finnbear270
- Start date
I was on stag for a chicken chomper on a small paddock next village down, had a brief sight of a vixen sky lined, just before it came on the paddock from the thick stuff, all the lights on the buildings come on..........
Back tonight for another watching brief, putting a bit of netting up later as I'm backed into a Hawthorne stand.
Back tonight for another watching brief, putting a bit of netting up later as I'm backed into a Hawthorne stand.#37 after finding the remains of hen that had been pulled off her nest in one of my pens las week.
I was on a mission to get this one.
Waited Monday night with no joy. But tonight just as the light had virtually gone managed this boy under the pen
Hopefully the guilty one
I was on a mission to get this one.Waited Monday night with no joy. But tonight just as the light had virtually gone managed this boy under the pen
Hopefully the guilty one
I had a txt from small holder yesterday. Fox paying unhealthy attention to hens and lambs just before dusk. Duely arrived 8.20 pm. Sat out until 10.pm nothing except a patrolling roe buck.
D3cided to call by another small holding on wayhomw. Walked out for ages nothing not helped by very inquisitive herd of young cattle.
On my way back had a quick look over neighbours glamping site and bless me saw a very wary fox. Waited a while and it reappeared about 200 yds away on the track and it sat down upright and watched me. Not a good choice as a 40 V max crashed through its chest.
Big smelly dog fox.
D
D3cided to call by another small holding on wayhomw. Walked out for ages nothing not helped by very inquisitive herd of young cattle.
On my way back had a quick look over neighbours glamping site and bless me saw a very wary fox. Waited a while and it reappeared about 200 yds away on the track and it sat down upright and watched me. Not a good choice as a 40 V max crashed through its chest.
Big smelly dog fox.
D
Attachments
Had a bit of luck this week. Got a fox coming up just after dusk on Tuesday night to a bait pipe. I also spotted two, what I thought were cubs, playing around but couldn’t get a shot. Did a little bit of baiting on Wednesday where they were. Thursday evening about 1045 I saw them heading down a track and they headed towards the baited area, dog nuts scattered about.
I shot the leader and the other took off like a rocket into some bushes. I hung around for another hour in the hope it would follow the scent of the other and present a shot. No luck as I saw it heading back up the track.
However when I went to pick up the dead fox I was surprised to find an adult vixen.
. Also the bait was already cleared up. . Something had beaten them to it. So I pitched up while there was still light. Not to be disappointed about 1000 a fox appeared from a different direction but didn’t head for the bait and went off on its way. At 1130 I’d had enough for the day. Climbing over a gate I took a last look and b###er me there was a fox about 120 yards away making its way towards me. I hurriedly set up on the sticks, banged the gate for good measure 
and took the shot. A dog fox, possibly the vixens partner.
I shot the leader and the other took off like a rocket into some bushes. I hung around for another hour in the hope it would follow the scent of the other and present a shot. No luck as I saw it heading back up the track.
However when I went to pick up the dead fox I was surprised to find an adult vixen.
. Also the bait was already cleared up. . Something had beaten them to it. So I pitched up while there was still light. Not to be disappointed about 1000 a fox appeared from a different direction but didn’t head for the bait and went off on its way. At 1130 I’d had enough for the day. Climbing over a gate I took a last look and b###er me there was a fox about 120 yards away making its way towards me. I hurriedly set up on the sticks, banged the gate for good measure and took the shot. A dog fox, possibly the vixens partner.
Blankety Blank, jacked in at 01:30.
Third stag lucky!, 
9:25 last night,
home & straight in the sack to catch up on sleep.
9:25 last night,
home & straight in the sack to catch up on sleep.
Milky Vixen with her milk tailing off, so maybe an unfinished business if the young don't disperse, this was a distress call from the next village along from me after 12 of his best layers paid the price for sunning themselves.
She stiffened at the shot then slumped down the big post she was next to.
She stiffened at the shot then slumped down the big post she was next to.
Vixen forgot the bit of cover she was behind was enough, well it wasn't
![20260509_203604[1].webp](https://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/data/attachments/427/427140-ec399a111811413b94d4ef6dcee5a5b6.jpg?hash=Bm5Rvsi7u6 "20260509_203604[1].webp")
Been given the run around this last week by a fox with a very very bad limp
Always seemed one step ahead of me - even when we had 4/5 rifles out its given us the slip
Anyway after sitting out most of the night thursday - friday and getting sodden yesterday she slipped up today and casually came to bait
Always seemed one step ahead of me - even when we had 4/5 rifles out its given us the slip
Anyway after sitting out most of the night thursday - friday and getting sodden yesterday she slipped up today and casually came to bait
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.
At two hundred yards when a Vixen squats to pee it is pretty much a known quantity, as to the humane side of things it is a tough world, If cubs can be located or already known, then it is a quick clean-up, but some will inevitably expire due to loss of the Vixen.
Who sheds tears for those cubs whose Vixen is run over.
Again, sorry but it is a tough world.
Who sheds tears for those cubs whose Vixen is run over.
Again, sorry but it is a tough world.
Fine in an ideal world but we dont live in an ideal world. I generally only shoot foxes this time of year if they are causing trouble.
I try and catch up with as many foxes from July-March but if I get a call because a farmer is losing livestock then the foxes get shot regardless. Waiting to assess if its a dog or vixen, milky or not is impractical..if its a fox and offers a shot I ll take it. Also a lot of ground I shoot may not hold the den and often there are badger earths in the area as well so cant risk putting terriers down a hole to check.
The last Vixen I shot intentionally, @ #8,767 was responsible for big losses of layers in a small holding, & Vixen's earth is in a disused silica sand quarry, the quarry is secured and monitored, so no options on sitting out on the earth.
Highlights the point perfectly
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.
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.
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.
Similar threads
