Why shoot the foxes?

[mudman]

Why shoot fox's?

Because farmers find them a worrying pest and on a new old farm I've just started visiting again fallow have arrived and I've been given the go ahead to monitor and remove some.

So it was worth it then!

Most farmers I know couldn’t give a fig about foxes

 

[Smellydog]

Most farmers I know couldn’t give a fig about foxes

Them with sheep or birds do.

 

[VSS]

Most farmers I know couldn’t give a fig about foxes

Yes. The people who make the most noise about the problems foxes cause farmers are people who want to shoot foxes, not farmers.

 

[Smellydog]

Yes. The people who make the most noise about the problems foxes cause farmers are people who want to shoot foxes, not farmers.

Copy of a message this morning from a farmer!
"Fox I my range last night".

 

[VSS]

Copy of a message this morning from a farmer!
"Fox I my range last night".

So you messaged him back:
"There's a typo in your text".

Joking apart, and with all due respect, I probably speak to a lot more farmers than you do. In fact, it's pretty rare for me to speak to someone who isn't a farmer. And foxes are rarely a topic of concern.

 

[Smellydog]

So you messaged him back:
"There's a typo in your text".

I get typos all the time off him, the previous took ten minutes to discipher ....

 

[VSS]

I get typos all the time off him, the previous took ten minutes to discipher ....

So for all you know, he could have had a f*** in his rangerover last night.

 

[big ears]

There a law of unintended consequences that you allude to. Changing the balance by removing any species, often illustrates how little we know about how the balance works.

Absolutely this.

 

[BenBhoy]

I shoot fox from a point of view of nesting bird conservation, mainly skylark & grey partridge. If I purely had my sheep head on, foxes are nowhere on my radar. If I was losing enough lambs to fox that it was even worth mentioning, then I'd be having a long hard look at my ewes.

 

[VSS]

. If I purely had my sheep head on, foxes are nowhere on my radar. If I was losing enough lambs to fox that it was even worth mentioning, then I'd be having a long hard look at my ewes.

Exactly this ^^^
Any sheep farmer who experiences a significant number of lambs predated by foxes has got far bigger problems than foxes to worry about.

 

[finnbear270]

Exactly this ^^^
Any sheep farmer who experiences a significant number of lambs predated by foxes has got far bigger problems than foxes to worry about.

And when the realisation sets in that their foxes are often the striped variety.
Lots of Nightjar, Snipe, Curlew, Lapwing, Skylark on my plot this year.

 

[VSS]

And when the realisation sets in that their foxes are often the striped variety.
Lots of Nightjar, Snipe, Curlew, Lapwing, Skylark on my plot this year.

Sure. Protecting ground nesting birds is a very valid reason for keeping fox numbers in check. But this little deviation to the thread was specifically about farmers, livestock and foxes.

 

[bumpy22]

I am bagging and tagging the foxes at the moment as they are going for testing for covid tb etc.
There is a worry that Strains of covid are more common in the wildlife. Which is then spread to us

 

[finnbear270]

Sure. Protecting ground nesting birds is a very valid reason for keeping fox numbers in check. But this little deviation to the thread was specifically about farmers, livestock and foxes.

My farmer is passionate about the ground nesting stuff, to the extent that he saw off the idiots that were rocket netting them to do this & that, plus he has extolled the fact that his lamb loss numbers are positively miniscule now.

 

[bumpy22]

I shoot fox from a point of view of nesting bird conservation, mainly skylark & grey partridge. If I purely had my sheep head on, foxes are nowhere on my radar. If I was losing enough lambs to fox that it was even worth mentioning, then I'd be having a long hard look at my ewes.

Did you get a new 204 in the end ben? Can't remember what you said you were doing

 

[BenBhoy]

Did you get a new 204 in the end ben? Can't remember what you said you were doing

I will be mate yeah. Renewal October so I've sent 141 in with it.

 

[BenBhoy]

I am bagging and tagging the foxes at the moment as they are going for testing for covid tb etc.
There is a worry that Strains of covid are more common in the wildlife. Which is then spread to us

I'll WhatsApp you

 

[Nickb]

I shoot fox from a point of view of nesting bird conservation, mainly skylark & grey partridge.

I shoot foxes to protect ground nesters too , we have Curlew, Lapwing, Grey Partridge, Skylarks etc
Also shoot them to protect a farmers hens , she treats them like her babies and gets hit every Spring.
Another reason though that many wont admit to is I enjoy hunting and outwitting a cunning adversary.
Just gained a 3000 acre moorland farm as conservation bodies are trying to increase Curlew numbers

 

[Smellydog]

I shoot fox from a point of view of nesting bird conservation, mainly skylark & grey partridge. If I purely had my sheep head on, foxes are nowhere on my radar. If I was losing enough lambs to fox that it was even worth mentioning, then I'd be having a long hard look at my ewes.

Gotta differ with you there Ben.
My shepherd use to lose ewes and lambs because the place was crawling with fox.
Now his losses are rare.

 

[Smellydog]

So for all you know, he could have had a f*** in his rangerover last night.

Na, hasn't got a range rover and he's married now...