[Me]

Chances are if they are not used to catching foxes the fox would easily outrun them as they would likely make a big show of "trying" to catch him "woof woof woof grrrr" etc. If they did catch him then you would not end up with a big vets bill you would have a dead fox. Last I checked, in terrier vs. fox showdowns terrier wins (and that was without a floppy eared mate for back up). Not sure on the legal what not for this scenario, if he will be in the dogs garden eating the dogs mates though he has it coming IMO.

Gun probably a better bet for you. Chase it up with the FA department?

[kelly58]

Thanks Me, from the terrier and her floppy eared mate  She would most probably  chase her tail, when theres any excitement  thats her response 
Got to go out later to deliver a big pan of stew to a neighbouring farmer who is up to his eyes in triplets at the min.
Will leave the 'hounds' out. Just in case. As was mentioned  earlier will leave them out after tea for a while till before bed.
I have electric rope around the top of the run , but due to a bad storm the box got blown down and broke, so no power till OH gets round to fixing it. Will just have to be vigilant  !
OH said hes heard if you pee round your chuck run that deters foxes, anyone know if thats true ?

[waterbuffalofarmer]

What are you trying to say WBF???!

Well either I don't smell as bad as you think I do or they don't smell as good as you think they do because:

This morning circa 5.30 I discovered that 4 x 3" mag at 25 yrds = -1 fox + a whole lot of lead 

:roflanim:I never said you smell bad, but foxes can pick up any scent same as dogs. I watched a program about dogs and how they smell stuff. It was really interesting because they have a nose within a nose within a nose, so they can pick up a scent from ages away. Glad you caught it. By the way what type of gun is it, as am thinking of getting one to deal with foxes and rabbits?!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

What are you trying to say WBF???!

Well either I don't smell as bad as you think I do or they don't smell as good as you think they do because:

This morning circa 5.30 I discovered that 4 x 3" mag at 25 yrds = -1 fox + a whole lot of lead 
[/quote
 :roflanim:I never said you smell bad, but foxes can pick up any scent, same as dogs. I watched a program about dogs and how they smell stuff. It was really interesting because they have a nose within a nose within a nose, so they can pick up a scent from ages away. Glad you caught it. By the way what type of gun is it, as am thinking of getting one to deal with foxes and rabbits?!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

What are you trying to say WBF???!

Well either I don't smell as bad as you think I do or they don't smell as good as you think they do because:

This morning circa 5.30 I discovered that 4 x 3" mag at 25 yrds = -1 fox + a whole lot of lead 

I never said you smell bad  , but foxes can pick up any scent same as dogs. I watched a program about dogs and how they smell stuff. It was really interesting because they have a nose within a nose within a nose, so they can pick up a scent from ages away. Glad you caught it. By the way what type of gun is it, as am thinking of getting one to deal with foxes and rabbits?!

[Me]

I don't shoot badgers so can't comment there. I am using a 12g with 3" 50g BBs through it. I am on my own and do not have an FAC so restricted to hunting during daylight hours which is working out errr well enough for me.

The difficulty is getting close enough, fortunately I am cunninger and more persistent than a fox when provoked into a vulpicidal rage. Muzzle energy is huge, it is a cannon, but clearly that energy dissipates quickly and beyond 30 yards a clean kill becomes less likely.

I have put a circle of "in range" markers in a spot I like to sit as in the pre-dawn/dusk twilight they seem very near when they are not. I think half the reason my hedge lurking technique is working for me is no one else much does it as its not that effective so possibly I am catching the wilier ones unaware - the other reason is there are shed loads of them down there.   

[Me]

Kelly58 if I saw a man peeing near an electric fence it would bloody well deter me!! 

[kelly58]

 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I don't shoot badgers so can't comment there. I am using a 12g with 3" 50g BBs through it. I am on my own and do not have an FAC so restricted to hunting during daylight hours which is working out errr well enough for me.

The difficulty is getting close enough, fortunately I am cunninger and more persistent than a fox when provoked into a vulpicidal rage. Muzzle energy is huge, it is a cannon, but clearly that energy dissipates quickly and beyond 30 yards a clean kill becomes less likely.

I have put a circle of "in range" markers in a spot I like to sit as in the pre-dawn/dusk twilight they seem very near when they are not. I think half the reason my hedge lurking technique is working for me is no one else much does it as its not that effective so possibly I am catching the wilier ones unaware - the other reason is there are shed loads of them down there.   

soz I really was trying to say rabbits, but i keep thinking about the badger cull and TB and it is really getting on my nerves. I don't have any badgers on my holding at all, I hate it when you accidentally write stuff which youi don't mean.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

do you know in France some people actually hunt and eat foxes? they say fox stew is very nice. Personally I would rather eat a pheasant which has hung for 6 months than a fox, they apparently have an ''acquired'' taste. 

[Me]

I did not know that! I think a 12g would be a flexible tool for you that you could also possibly shoot a few clays etc with for fun as well.

[winkhound]

The modern way of trying to eradicate foxes by not overly skilled or knowledgeable firearms/shotguns users is really not the way to go. Fox shooting has become a sport in its self, and there are thousands of willing volunteers that could easily compound your problems.

Fox management is a very different thing, careful selection of foxes doing the damage and having enough understanding to leave healthy local foxes is the key. A good balanced local population will do you far less damage then a situation where all foxes are shot (or tried to as this really is an impossibility)  whereby you create a vacuum  for non local foxes to move in and in turn go for the easiest and quickest food source.  Keep your healthy local foxes that have knowledge of their territory and skills to find food without causing you undue bother and selectively cull anything that is doing damage.

I have practiced both methods for various clients and indeed myself. In conclusion i feel that this relatively new idea/sport that all foxes should be shot at all times of the year is actually creating far more problems than it is solving and may well be accredited to the increase in fox attacks.

[kelly58]

Interesting  Winkhound 

[Me]

Winkhound if you would like to pop over one night and shoot the ones that look like they eat lambs you would be made most welcome (tbh you could shoot the ones that looked vegetarian too and I wouldn't mind much!)

This year I went to the field where I lost lambs last year as soon as I had time, only to find one lamb missing and Mr Fox in pursuit of another. I shot him. I returned the evening after and shot another. The evening after I shot and saw nothing so put out more lambs - and lost lambs. So I returned with the gun and shot another.

How would you suggest I do it differently for better results?

[Thyme]

How would you suggest I do it differently for better results?

I suspect you are doing it right, because you are shooting the ones that are in your field going for lambs, and you are not going into the woodland with dogs to find and shoot the ones that aren't going for lambs?