James Pond Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 On my shoot I have a problem. Can any one offer a sure way to get the fox that has now had 14 chickens from the farm? There are a couple of hundred in the barn (free range during day) but he doesnt touch them, lectric fence probably. He has had all the birds in the farm yard in three weeks since farmer went to put them away late one eveening....a real mess... dead uns, half dead...nursed back to life...anyway bit of pressure to do him. He hasnt been seen not once since I have been shooting there in July 2009, but my mate saw him at far end of 20 acre field. Spent 4 evenings a hour before dusk, in the yard, and even behind a hide ontop of a container, even them went out with the lamp... but cant find him. There is a ratrher large hole under an oak tree, next to some rabbit holes/poo, cant tell if thats his drum or not. Any one got a sure way of luring him to his maker? Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Bait an area close to the farm but far enough away to do what you need to do, bait for 2 to 3 days after the bait goes regularly, then using a travel alarm clock tape some fishing line to the alarm clock battery and tie this to the bait securely, set the time correctly, tape the clock up to a fence post, put it in a plastic bag first if it's going to get wet, when the bait is taken the clock will stop giving you the time of day or night that Charlie visits, wait out preferably at distance down wind away from tracks or runs with the tool of your choice (rifle or shotgun with BB's or no1/2/3 shot) give yourself 30 may be 45 mins before the time so things settle, if theres a no show by 30 mins after your 'time' then it's a no go, try again on another day, may be at a different place to hide out, keep your eyes and ears open Edited March 30, 2010 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Pond Posted March 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Sounds excellent....when i first started reading I thought he was gonna take the alarm clock and I could hear him getting up!!.. No seriously, I did think of baiting, but didnt know how to find out when he might come. I will try a rabbit opened up. I already have the correct cartridges.##SORRY FOR POSTING HERE TO THE MEMBER WHO TOLD ME TO POST ELSEWHERE, I AM NEW AND GOT A BIT CARRIED AWAY WITH ASKING FOR ADVICE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 (edited) Try half a rabbit or may be a pigeon, keep em keen and not to well fed I've found tying the fishing line to the battery don't work, it jams, so a length of tape leaving a bit loose which the fishing line is tied to works a treat, put the tape around the battery and stick it glue to glue or it will unravel put the tape to one end usually the + end away from the spring, if you know what i mean? fettle the battery fitment to allow the battery to pop out easy ish hope this helps! Edited March 30, 2010 by Paul223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Pond Posted March 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 Try half a rabbit or may be a pigeon, keep em keen and not to well fed I've found tying the fishing line to the battery don't work, it jams, so a length of tape leaving a bit loose which the fishing line is tied to works a treat, put the tape around the battery and stick it glue to glue or it will unravel fettle the battery fitment to allow the battery to pop out easy ish hope this helps! tHANKS...AM OUT THURSDAY FOR PIGEON AND CROWS WEATHER ALLOWING...AND ALL DAY IF I CAN...HE'S GOTTA COME BEFORE DUSK... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted March 30, 2010 Report Share Posted March 30, 2010 set some wires, and a dark wet night was nearly always fruitfull for me.on an other ocasion a fox was wiping out farm yard fowl on the game farm an a few longtails on shoot ,could we get him no .the fox was only ever seen on the roads an lanes round the farm at night the crafty........,this went on for weeks then a keeper friend snared one with the same markings 14 miles away ,since then no trouble ,funny eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 love the clock idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Pond Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 hi , thanks for the snares advice. Will try this if the other idea doesnt work, gotta be worth a go over the weekend. 14 miles away.... did he have keys to a motor on him! Nice one getting him, they are bloody crafty, see one in yer garden no problem. In fact was walking back from train station eating an apple when i saw a fox the other week. At my frustration with charlie on the farm i threw my apple core at him. He ran, went behind a fence panel, then immediately came out and ate the apple core! set some wires, and a dark wet night was nearly always fruitfull for me.on an other ocasion a fox was wiping out farm yard fowl on the game farm an a few longtails on shoot ,could we get him no .the fox was only ever seen on the roads an lanes round the farm at night the crafty........,this went on for weeks then a keeper friend snared one with the same markings 14 miles away ,since then no trouble ,funny eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danddo Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 love the clock idea Also very impressed with the clock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abiteachuck Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 ive been useing the clock for years it works you will find they are quite good time keepers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Pond Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 ive been useing the clock for years it works you will find they are quite good time keepers thanks.....we will see..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 are these hens being taken at night time? are you sure it a fox thats the problem?? are any of them missing heads and body still intact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 are these hens being taken at night time? are you sure it a fox thats the problem?? are any of them missing heads and body still intact? My thoughts exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin lad Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 are these hens being taken at night time? are you sure it a fox thats the problem?? are any of them missing heads and body still intact? markboy can i ask why you asked about the head as i lost my chickens a while back found 2 with the head missing body in tack colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 because you could be having a problem with an owl or another bird of prey,what you need to think about doing is putting cds on string or anything that reflects the sun light. or tie some string in a web effect above the pen that the hens can run about in and see if you lose any. but to be honest if these are fully grown hens then it might not be an owl or other bird of prey. but give it a go,keep your options open as to what it could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 3, 2010 Report Share Posted April 3, 2010 How do you know its a dog fox ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 easiest way on a clued up or none time keeper is to use a trap. the trap is always working, never sleeps and never misses. once charlie pulls on the bait trigger it is all over. I had one on a farm a few years ago that kept taking the chickens so out came the cage trap. land owner being a nice fella didn't want it harmed but moved on. so after a week of waiting i got a phone call from land owner to say there was a fox in the trap. we went over to the farm and sure enough there's one trying to hide in the corner. in the motor with the cage and off to fresh pastures for him, before letting him go some 20 miles away a mate put a blue spot of marker paint on its back. back home we reset the trap and left it. a week later we get another call from same land owner to say there's another in the trap. we go and look and low and behold there's a blue paint mark on its back, same fox 15 miles away had come back home. right in the motor again and this time we took it about 30 miles away and let it go again. 2 weeks later it was in the same trap in the same place on the same land. it was released some 30 miles away. since that day i do not release foxes that have been trapped, they get the bullet. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 thats interesting reading mate goes to show how far they travel and how hard they try to get a meal,chances are at this time of year it will be a dog doing all the work with the vixens down a hole looking after cubs or ready to give birth. the dog will have to bring a meal home on a regular basis,if you take that dog out of the game and the vixen has to come out of the hole she will kill everything in sight. me and my mate had our chance of a bigf dog last night but it windied us and ******** off,called in superbly with frenchieboys caller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Pond Posted April 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 My thoughts exactly? funny you say that. The farmer assumes a fox. But ive nevwr seen him, only seen once s far end of field. No obvious den. Farmer says it must be dox as twas the night he put the chickens awzy late. Sone were missing, some left dead, and some mullered. The old cobk seemed to have put up a fight and was beinfg nursed. There are jackdaws on the farm house...dont suspect them. On thursday saw a bird of prey several times, possibly a sparrow hawk, v near to darm bulidings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markyboy Posted April 11, 2010 Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 never under estimate the damage a badger can do also. but there is nothing you can do about that problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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