Dealing with a snared Fox?

[aggravated farmer]

Just a couple of points @aggravated farmer . . . .

Firstly, building better fences and keeping them at bay, is not really a solution when you are talking about say. . . . lambs being taken on a hill farm by charlie, or game birds being taken on a shoot. There are many other examples. In these kind of circumstances vermin need managing / controlling. Their levels are often inflated by the presence of these introduced 'prey species'. In other places, they can be left to get on with it (often however, at the expense of bio diversity).

Also with regard to snares being lazy and irresponsible. . . a correctly run snare line is lethal. Setting one properly is an art, and it is a very efficient means of targeting predators. If used correctly and fitted with stops, they shouldn't do any damage to non-target species. I would argue that in many cases the rifle is a far lazier option, and in many cases it would be irresponsible to use one.

Besides, lamping in mountains, forests etc. . . . isn't easy. And most folk who shoot foxes, hate having to get out of the 4x4.

If fences can keep bears at bay here, surely they can keep foxes at bay. It's called electricity. We are using it to communicate. Electrify that sh!t.

Neck hold snares (As to what I was referring to earlier) are irresponsible. What if the intended animal gets a leg through and its head and just dangles? It will most likely not kill the animal and leave it suffering, dangling in wire. I have found coyote still alive in snares adjacent to our property. A foot hold is a safe and humane way to trap an animal.

I would argue that a rifle (if the caliber and grain of bullet are suitable) are far more humane than a trap. I assume now that ya'll don't kill em for fur (or do you?). Lamping, you mean spotlighting? If so, isn't that illegal over yonder? sure is here, except for coon and possum.

Foxes are cunning animals and learning how to deter them will make you a more knowledgeable person. Maybe even allow you to respect the animal and learn with them about and keep them at bay.

also, if you haven't heard of fainting goats, might wanna look into them too. They are bred for the purpose of being the bait for the predator so the livestock you need gets away.

 

[General-Lee]

If fences can keep bears at bay here, surely they can keep foxes at bay. It's called electricity. We are using it to communicate. Electrify that sh!t.

Neck hold snares (As to what I was referring to earlier) are irresponsible. What if the intended animal gets a leg through and its head and just dangles? It will most likely not kill the animal and leave it suffering, dangling in wire. I have found coyote still alive in snares adjacent to our property. A foot hold is a safe and humane way to trap an animal.

I would argue that a rifle (if the caliber and grain of bullet are suitable) are far more humane than a trap. I assume now that ya'll don't kill em for fur (or do you?). Lamping, you mean spotlighting? If so, isn't that illegal over yonder? sure is here, except for coon and possum.

Foxes are cunning animals and learning how to deter them will make you a more knowledgeable person. Maybe even allow you to respect the animal and learn with them about and keep them at bay.

also, if you haven't heard of fainting goats, might wanna look into them too. They are bred for the purpose of being the bait for the predator so the livestock you need gets away.

Ha is that what they're for, seen a video of them few years back and were funny as.

 

[aggravated farmer]

Ha is that what they're for, seen a video of them few years back and were funny as.

yep. look into em if you got sheeps. would be fun for the kids too

 

[aggravated farmer]

Actually come to think of it a friend of ours that retired from dairy, and bought a few sheeps (now about 50 or 60, so he aint retired that much, just not juicing coos) has a few since we got coyotes all about. Fainting goats are useful for one thing (maybe two, ya know, for the kids).

 

[edessex]

Lamping foxes and rabbits is legal in the UK.

Electric fences are more agro than their worth in my case, as it's a lot of arsing about with batteries that I don't have anywhere to charge...

Cage almost came today, but they took it away as no one was in. Why do they never say its going to be a signed for delivery!? Got to wait until Mon now...

 

[aggravated farmer]

Lamping foxes and rabbits is legal in the UK.

Electric fences are more agro than their worth in my case, as it's a lot of arsing about with batteries that I don't have anywhere to charge...

Cage almost came today, but they took it away as no one was in. Why do they never say its going to be a signed for delivery!? Got to wait until Mon now...

jetpacks for the birds then

 

[edessex]

Might singe their tail feathers...

 

[aggravated farmer]

Might singe their tail feathers...

Ever heard of fried chicken? there aint no kfc over yonder?

 

[edessex]

Never tried kf goose though...

 

[aggravated farmer]

I hear fox love it

 

[kernowcluck]

I make no apology for saying that I am ashamed of some of my fellow farmers comments on this thread. There is absolutely no reason not to dispatch an animal humanely when necessary. Some of the suggestions on here are downright cruel. Perhaps if you tried to understand the mind of the fox you might be able to outwit it.

And no I'm not a soppy sentimental female, I farm hundreds of free range chickens and ducks, have ewes lambing etc on my own but manage to protect my stock in a highly populated fox area without resorting to thuggery. Respect and you will be rewarded. Shame on you.

 

[edessex]

I hear fox love it

Harsh! Lol.

Not been able to catch any pheasants this year, due to the stock fence.

...and found out today due to the snow that its coming in the bloody gate...

 

[edessex]

Outwitting a fox? They're far too cunning.

In the past five years, this is the only time I've had to resort to buying a fox trap... Killing it is the last resort, but has to be done.

 

[kernowcluck]

Yes I agree with you but it must be done humanely. I have a shotgun certificate and a firearms licence and if really necessary I can shoot an animal cleanly. I would NEVER use wires they are incredibly cruel. I do have a fox cage and in the last year I have caught a couple of badgers and a fox cub all of which I released. I was after a persistent old dog fox but since then I have had no trouble from him or cub. Get yourself a gun and do the decent thing.

 

[CopperBeech]

@aggravated farmer

I'm not looking for an argument. . . but thought it worth pointing out a few flaws in your plan!

With regard to fences, we are talking about vast areas of rough ground, such as moorland and mountain grazing, and forest and woodland (in the case of shoots). It would be nigh on impossible, not to mention economically unviable to totally surround these areas with electric netting and remove all foxes inside. We are not talking about a chicken run.

Firstly foot hold traps are illegal in the U.K (and Europe in general I think). All spring traps (such as the Fenn trap) must be set in a tunnel, and only used for small vermin such rabbits, rats, stoats etc.

Yes snares can mis catch, that's an unfortunate reality. But for the most part if set correctly, they work, and they stops you put on them, stop an animal being caught by just the leg. Probably more humane than a foot hold . . . when they were legal, it was not uncommon for a fox to chew its foot off to escape. The biggest issue with snares would be catching non-target species.

Lamping (spotlighting) is legal for most vermin species, and yes it is effective. But some foxes always get maimied rather than killed, just like any method, and it doesn't work with lamp shy foxes, or in areas that are unsuitable for a rifle, or inaccessible to lamp.

For the record I do respect foxes, I don't much like them at times, but they have their place. They are also exceedingly good fun to hunt, because they are so smart. If I had a choice of any method to catch a fox, it would be daytime, with one dog, hunting, rising, catching and dispatching it. Not some folks cup of tea and now sadly illegal, but you can't get much fairer than that can you?

 

[edessex]

Get yourself a gun and do the decent thing.

As I've already said, I can't get a licence due to where I live.

 

[mushnt grummmble]

As I've already said, I can't get a licence due to where I live.

you will get a shotgun certificate no bother

 

[edessex]

Nope.

 

[mushnt grummmble]

Nope.

you dont need land for a shotty
all you need is a valid reason

 

[Kidds]

Mate of mine lives in an estate in Grays, he's got one.
Where you live doesn't come into it normally. You don't live in a trailer do you?