- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Farmer Roy's Random Thoughts - I never said it was easy.
- Thread starter Farmer Roy
- Start date
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- Fife
It's recommended that vermin gibbets are no longer used the in UK, as they may offend other countryside users.
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/vertebrate-pests/pest-animals-in-nsw/foxes/fox-control
Vertebrate Pest Animals
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Fox control
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Fox pest control order
To improve the control of foxes, the NSW Government has introduced a pest control order for the European Red Fox which is applicable throughout NSW.
The pest control order will assist the coordination of successful community-wide fox control programs because it allows Local Lands Services to issue eradication orders to individual private landholders, thereby achieving improvements in community-wide fox control programs.
People currently keeping foxes in captivity can apply to their Local Land Services for a permit to keep the animal in captivity.
Control
Reducing the impact of the red fox relies on a mixture of control techniques comprising poison baiting, shooting, trapping, fencing and guard animals. All these techniques have a short term effect on local fox numbers. No single control method will be successful on its own and when foxes are removed from an area, reinvasion or immigration from existing untreated areas generally occurs within 2 to 6 weeks.
The most efficient way to reduce the impact of foxes is to conduct a strategic coordinated program over a number of land holdings.
Baiting
The poison,1080 is used for fox baiting programs and is regulated by the 1080 PCO.
Note: Domestic, working and pet dogs are the most likely non-target animals to be affected by fox baiting and they must be restrained for the duration of the program. If showing any symptoms of poisoning they must receive urgent and immediate veterinary attention.
The fox baiting program
Most fox control programs are coordinated in association with Local Land Services and may involve local landholder groups, Landcare or other organisations.
The aim should be to have a large group of land managers reduce the impact of the red fox over as much of the landscape as possible in autumn and spring, the period of time most critical for the survival of offspring of sheep, goat or threatened species.
The groups need to decide when to bait, how long and how often. Once that is decided, the coordinator organises the number of baits, type of bait, the distribution and the signing of forms.
Baits should be placed near fences and tracks in the target area and throughout the paddocks. Foxes have an exceptional sense of smell and will locate baits over a wide area.
Buried baits are less likely to be removed by birds, attacked by ants, taken by other species such as feral cats or quolls, keeps fresher for longer periods, especially during summer in central and western NSW and more likely to rapidly degrade if left on site.
Bury baits at 200 to 500 m intervals. Placing too close together only encourages foxes to eat more and waste baits, use about 50 baits per 400 ha. Dig a small hole using a spade or mattock, insert spade into the soil and lever back about 50 mm, drop in the bait and lever the hole shut. Baits may also be tied to a fence. To reduce non-target impact, such as quolls, bury bait about 10 cm deep. Dragging carcasses along a trail only encourages foxes to follow the trail and eat multiple baits. One bait is sufficient to kill a fox.
Foxes are not frightened by human scent.
Bait at least a week before the period of highest impact, be that lambing, kidding or the presence of young of a threatened species. Continue poisoning at weekly intervals until bait uptake is minimal. Repeat baiting again if foxes migrate into the area.
Bait sites should be marked. Bait take may give an idea of fox activity, however, results can be misleading if one fox is eating multiple baits. All baits not taken should be collected and buried according to the current 1080 PCO.
Bait stations without poison may be set up in sensitive areas to monitor the activity of nontarget animals.
Spotlight counts using the method described in Monitoring Techniques section of this Manual before and shortly after baiting may determine if there was a reduction in fox numbers. The impact of fox predation may still be high if one fox is causing most of the damage.
Rabbits are the main prey of most foxes. A coordinated rabbit control program should assist to suppress the red fox population.
Canid Pest Ejectors
Canid Pest Ejectors are a spring-loaded toxin delivery device buried in the ground with an attractant attached. An animal pulls up on the attractant triggering a spring-loaded plunger that punctures a capsule of toxin and propels it into the animals mouth. These devices have been trialled extensively in NSW and Qld. The advantages of this method include: the target specificity associated with the pull strength required to trigger the ejector; and the placement of toxin in a stable capsule environment rather than in a bait substrate where degradation in toxin potency may occur over time. The technique should be used in combination with other control methods and not seen as a single option.
Fencing
The red fox may be dissuaded from accessing some fields by use of electric fencing. Existing conventional fences may be upgraded by two offset live wires. One about 200 mm from the ground and about 200 mm offset from the fence and another near the top of and offset a similar distance. These wires should prevent foxes going under or over the fence. Any conventional 6 or 7 wire electric fence is effective provided the wire spacing prevents foxes from running through or crawling underneath. Foxes may go over a fence at ramps, stays, posts and under or over gates. Effective fox proof exclusion fencing for threatened species colonies is very expensive. A typical example from Western Australia consists of rabbit netting 2500 mm tall with 600 mm curved overhang supported by wires and 600 mm of foot netting on the predator approach side and offset electric fencing to keep both foxes and other animals such as wombats and kangaroos from damaging the fence. Unfortunately, some burrowing threatened species want to dig out of the enclosed area.
Shooting
About 13% of respondents to a survey in NSW used shooting as the main technique for fox control. The next highest rated technique was baiting at 77%. Group shooting programs and fox drives or battues can be effective. Shooting provides a viable alternative in areas where foxes will not eat baits, baiting is not feasible or not a preferred option. Artificial distress calls may be used to call up foxes to within shooting range. To reduce welfare issues with injured animals a high velocity rifle fitted with a telescopic sight is recommended during both day and night. At night a spotlight of at least 100w is necessary.
Trapping
The use of both cage traps and leg-hold traps for capture of the red fox is successful if time consuming. Both leg-hold traps and cage traps are suitable for use around dwellings and built up areas where poison baits cannot be used.
The use of leg-hold traps requires skill and training. Legislation governs what traps can be used and how and where they can be set
Cage traps are most successful in towns and around houses where foxes are stealing pet food or poultry and where landholders object to poisons and shooting. Cage traps should be relatively large, 1200 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm to reduce the impression of entering a confined space. The trap must be pegged down to prevent the fox rolling it over and releasing the door and the wire floor should be covered with soil. It may be necessary to try different bait types in an area to determine the most attractive. One of the more successful baits for cage traps is chicken fast food or rabbit. One advantage of cage traps is that domestic pets and non target animals captured in the trap can be released unharmed. All traps should be well concealed and well away from public gaze.
Guard animals
Although more research is required, there is some evidence that using 'guard' animals such as llamas, alpacas, donkeys and dogs can reduce fox predation on calves, lambs, goat kids, poultry and fairy penguins.
Habitat manipulation
Non-lethal strategies suggested to deter fox presence include the destruction of dens and harbour such as weed infestations, fallen timber and rubbish sites. The destruction of other food sources, particularly carcasses and management of food for domestic working dogs and pets should further reduce fox activity.
Distribution map
Click map for larger view (PDF, 97.8 KB)
Other Publications
Vertebrate Pest Animals
- NSW Government response: NRC review of pest animal management
- Vertebrate pest animals definitions and FAQs
- Pest animals in NSW
- Legislation, strategy and policy
- Keeping of non-native animals
- Publications
- Useful links
- Contacts
Share to FacebookFacebookShare to PrintPrintShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddthis
Fox control
More topics in this section
AddThis Sharing Buttons
Share to FacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterShare to MoreAddthis
Fox pest control order
To improve the control of foxes, the NSW Government has introduced a pest control order for the European Red Fox which is applicable throughout NSW.
The pest control order will assist the coordination of successful community-wide fox control programs because it allows Local Lands Services to issue eradication orders to individual private landholders, thereby achieving improvements in community-wide fox control programs.
- Local Land Services (European Red Fox) Pest Control Order 2014 (PDF, 14 KB)
- Fox Pest Control Order - FAQs (PDF, 105 KB)
People currently keeping foxes in captivity can apply to their Local Land Services for a permit to keep the animal in captivity.
Control
Reducing the impact of the red fox relies on a mixture of control techniques comprising poison baiting, shooting, trapping, fencing and guard animals. All these techniques have a short term effect on local fox numbers. No single control method will be successful on its own and when foxes are removed from an area, reinvasion or immigration from existing untreated areas generally occurs within 2 to 6 weeks.
The most efficient way to reduce the impact of foxes is to conduct a strategic coordinated program over a number of land holdings.
Baiting
The poison,1080 is used for fox baiting programs and is regulated by the 1080 PCO.
Note: Domestic, working and pet dogs are the most likely non-target animals to be affected by fox baiting and they must be restrained for the duration of the program. If showing any symptoms of poisoning they must receive urgent and immediate veterinary attention.
The fox baiting program
Most fox control programs are coordinated in association with Local Land Services and may involve local landholder groups, Landcare or other organisations.
The aim should be to have a large group of land managers reduce the impact of the red fox over as much of the landscape as possible in autumn and spring, the period of time most critical for the survival of offspring of sheep, goat or threatened species.
The groups need to decide when to bait, how long and how often. Once that is decided, the coordinator organises the number of baits, type of bait, the distribution and the signing of forms.
Baits should be placed near fences and tracks in the target area and throughout the paddocks. Foxes have an exceptional sense of smell and will locate baits over a wide area.
Buried baits are less likely to be removed by birds, attacked by ants, taken by other species such as feral cats or quolls, keeps fresher for longer periods, especially during summer in central and western NSW and more likely to rapidly degrade if left on site.
Bury baits at 200 to 500 m intervals. Placing too close together only encourages foxes to eat more and waste baits, use about 50 baits per 400 ha. Dig a small hole using a spade or mattock, insert spade into the soil and lever back about 50 mm, drop in the bait and lever the hole shut. Baits may also be tied to a fence. To reduce non-target impact, such as quolls, bury bait about 10 cm deep. Dragging carcasses along a trail only encourages foxes to follow the trail and eat multiple baits. One bait is sufficient to kill a fox.
Foxes are not frightened by human scent.
Bait at least a week before the period of highest impact, be that lambing, kidding or the presence of young of a threatened species. Continue poisoning at weekly intervals until bait uptake is minimal. Repeat baiting again if foxes migrate into the area.
Bait sites should be marked. Bait take may give an idea of fox activity, however, results can be misleading if one fox is eating multiple baits. All baits not taken should be collected and buried according to the current 1080 PCO.
Bait stations without poison may be set up in sensitive areas to monitor the activity of nontarget animals.
Spotlight counts using the method described in Monitoring Techniques section of this Manual before and shortly after baiting may determine if there was a reduction in fox numbers. The impact of fox predation may still be high if one fox is causing most of the damage.
Rabbits are the main prey of most foxes. A coordinated rabbit control program should assist to suppress the red fox population.
Canid Pest Ejectors
Canid Pest Ejectors are a spring-loaded toxin delivery device buried in the ground with an attractant attached. An animal pulls up on the attractant triggering a spring-loaded plunger that punctures a capsule of toxin and propels it into the animals mouth. These devices have been trialled extensively in NSW and Qld. The advantages of this method include: the target specificity associated with the pull strength required to trigger the ejector; and the placement of toxin in a stable capsule environment rather than in a bait substrate where degradation in toxin potency may occur over time. The technique should be used in combination with other control methods and not seen as a single option.
Fencing
The red fox may be dissuaded from accessing some fields by use of electric fencing. Existing conventional fences may be upgraded by two offset live wires. One about 200 mm from the ground and about 200 mm offset from the fence and another near the top of and offset a similar distance. These wires should prevent foxes going under or over the fence. Any conventional 6 or 7 wire electric fence is effective provided the wire spacing prevents foxes from running through or crawling underneath. Foxes may go over a fence at ramps, stays, posts and under or over gates. Effective fox proof exclusion fencing for threatened species colonies is very expensive. A typical example from Western Australia consists of rabbit netting 2500 mm tall with 600 mm curved overhang supported by wires and 600 mm of foot netting on the predator approach side and offset electric fencing to keep both foxes and other animals such as wombats and kangaroos from damaging the fence. Unfortunately, some burrowing threatened species want to dig out of the enclosed area.
Shooting
About 13% of respondents to a survey in NSW used shooting as the main technique for fox control. The next highest rated technique was baiting at 77%. Group shooting programs and fox drives or battues can be effective. Shooting provides a viable alternative in areas where foxes will not eat baits, baiting is not feasible or not a preferred option. Artificial distress calls may be used to call up foxes to within shooting range. To reduce welfare issues with injured animals a high velocity rifle fitted with a telescopic sight is recommended during both day and night. At night a spotlight of at least 100w is necessary.
Trapping
The use of both cage traps and leg-hold traps for capture of the red fox is successful if time consuming. Both leg-hold traps and cage traps are suitable for use around dwellings and built up areas where poison baits cannot be used.
The use of leg-hold traps requires skill and training. Legislation governs what traps can be used and how and where they can be set
Cage traps are most successful in towns and around houses where foxes are stealing pet food or poultry and where landholders object to poisons and shooting. Cage traps should be relatively large, 1200 mm x 500 mm x 500 mm to reduce the impression of entering a confined space. The trap must be pegged down to prevent the fox rolling it over and releasing the door and the wire floor should be covered with soil. It may be necessary to try different bait types in an area to determine the most attractive. One of the more successful baits for cage traps is chicken fast food or rabbit. One advantage of cage traps is that domestic pets and non target animals captured in the trap can be released unharmed. All traps should be well concealed and well away from public gaze.
Guard animals
Although more research is required, there is some evidence that using 'guard' animals such as llamas, alpacas, donkeys and dogs can reduce fox predation on calves, lambs, goat kids, poultry and fairy penguins.
Habitat manipulation
Non-lethal strategies suggested to deter fox presence include the destruction of dens and harbour such as weed infestations, fallen timber and rubbish sites. The destruction of other food sources, particularly carcasses and management of food for domestic working dogs and pets should further reduce fox activity.
Distribution map
Click map for larger view (PDF, 97.8 KB)Other Publications
Last edited:
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
Why is the red fox a problem in Australia?
Since they were introduced for recreational hunting in the mid-1800s, foxes have spread across most of Australia. They have played a major role in the decline of a number of species of native animals
Since they were introduced for recreational hunting in the mid-1800s, foxes have spread across most of Australia. They have played a major role in the decline of a number of species of native animals
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
The European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was introduced to mainland Australia as early as the 1850's. Since that time the fox has inflicted enormous impacts on the native wildlife of Australia, being implicated in the extinction of many native animals. Indeed, Australia's appalling record of mammal extinctions in the last 200 years - the worst in the world - is in no small part due to the fox.
Increased evidence of the presence of foxes in Tasmania grew since the late 1990s. A range of physical items collected since 1998 indicated fox activity in the State. The increasing accumulation of this evidence, along with a volume of credible fox sighting reports from members of the public, led the Tasmanian Government to initiate a 10-year fox eradication program from 2006 to 2014.
Encouragingly, no physical evidence of fox activity has been collected in Tasmania since July 2011 and it is hoped that fox eradication has been successful.
However, detecting foxes when they are in low numbers is very difficult and it is important that all members of the Tasmanian community remain vigilant for foxes and signs of their activity. With millions of foxes on our doorstep on mainland Australia, there can be no doubt that foxes continue to be a real and serious threat to Tasmania's environment, agriculture and economy.
The public is urged to take seriously the threat which the fox poses to our State, and report any fox sightings and any other evidence (unusual scats, den sites, stock kills) to the INVASIVE SPECIES HOTLINE 1300 369 688.
Foe further information see the Invasive Species web pages.
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
I'm offended by political correctness and cry-babies - but nobody gives a fock about real people's wishes.
Only wimp's opinions matter it seems.
I got a warning at work for pinging a broken rubber band into the rubbish in case I "missed and it hit someone"
We wear bumphats, mesh gloves, safety specs, radio earmuffs, mail aprons, and have a pouch full of knives - yet me flicking a rubber band 2 metres into a bucket is "A danger to other employees"
They had to call in the union delegate to get me to go back to work, I said I was scared the roof was going to cave in on us
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
love this
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
- Location
- Cornwall
I think I may have touched a nerve there!
- Location
- NSW, Newstralya
a neighbour of mine was having a lot of trouble with foxes getting her lambs, she bought a couple of alpacas & they make great guard animals, apparently they'll kick the sh!t out of any foxes that get close enough
she also bought a Maremma dog prior to that, but it became a pet & decided to guard her rather than the sheep
she also bought a Maremma dog prior to that, but it became a pet & decided to guard her rather than the sheep
- Location
- Cornwall
That’s possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever read in my life! Did you upset someone?