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Up Close With Fox Cubs.


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Following the requests for further footage of the fox cubs I went out yesterday evening and spent a couple of hours lying in a load of insect infested marshgrass so that I could film this video footage. All told I shot about half an hour of video which took me over 2 hours as I had to wait for the vixen to ensure that the coast was clear before she would let the cubs out to play. I was lying within about 12 yards of the earth to shoot this footage which meant that I could not move a muscle for fear of being detected, but I think that it was worth it in the long run. Please watch the video and let me know what you think!

Footnote: In the first clip what you see one of the cubs pick up in it's mouth is part of the leg of a lamb. There were 2 pieces of leg there as well as various other parts of the carcass, so that dispells what some say about foxes being no danger to sheep and lambs (This does not say that the foxes actually killed the lamb though)!

 

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Bill Oddie will be giving you a job next, so when is the day of reckoning going to be?

 

Giving me a job?:angry:??? I taught him all he knows. He, he, he.

As for the day of reckoning I will give it till I am sure that they are near enougn weaned. (Just to be on the safe side)

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They look well weaned, I shot a vixen on Monday that had dried up entirely and the hair grown back round the teats. I know a few cubs have been gassed round me so that may be the explanation but some are getting pretty big by now. If you compare it to puppies which is about as close as you can get then you wean pretty early on and certainly by 5-6 weeks bearing in mind most of these would have been born by march you will be fine. However if you take your lamping gear and sit and nail the vixen first you should get the whole lot in one sitting.

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That is the way that I would like to deal with the situation - on the lamp! I feel that I have a better chance of dealing with the "entire situation" that way! I have to agree that they do look extremely well developed! At least with me being able to get that close to them (When the wind and all other circumstances are in my favour) I have a very good chance of chosing "the right time for the job".

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what you'll find is pop the vixen late evening and then the cubs will come out looking for her, the lamp is backup in case you need to wait a little longer. The litter I did with garyb went like clockwork you've just got to get the vixen first

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great video frenchieboy whats next roe , badgers ,ladies :good::oops: you should get a job doing this buddy natural talent and all that wee could have frenchieboy tv on the watch theres one for the mods :yp: ;) all joking aside its realy nice to see them and great footage but i think the day of reckoning has arrived they look pritty well on for cubs :angry::good::good:

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what you'll find is pop the vixen late evening and then the cubs will come out looking for her, the lamp is backup in case you need to wait a little longer. The litter I did with garyb went like clockwork you've just got to get the vixen first

 

hi frenchy

good vid again but do u think 1 has disapeared as there only seems to be three out

at any 1 time

dolphin

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hi frenchy

good vid again but do u think 1 has disapeared as there only seems to be three out

at any 1 time

dolphin

 

I have been wondering about that as there were definitely 4 cubs on the previous visit. I did note that the vixen was extremely careful and checked a couple of times before she let the young ones out to play so maybe something has happened to the 4th cub! I will be "visiting" the earth again one evening in the very near future so we will see! Unfortunately the next visit is likely to be with the rifle and not the camera (unless I use the scope mounted camcorder)!

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Great video again. You will have to move soon mate; with the size they are and the good weather it won't be long until they move to cover. For the last 2 mins of that video 1 cub kept staring at you even though another cub was biting his leg, they really are a clever animal.

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More great footage Frenchie, very nice indeed :good: but I couldn't help noticing they were looking directly at you most of the time. Perhaps they could hear that "elevator" music on your MP3 :angry: Try some heavy rock or similar to get them a bit more animated :good::good:

Seriously, you're doing it the best way, so make it quick,,,, I know you will :oops:

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Great video again. You will have to move soon mate; with the size they are and the good weather it won't be long until they move to cover. For the last 2 mins of that video 1 cub kept staring at you even though another cub was biting his leg, they really are a clever animal.

 

 

i was thinking that the fox was saying..."here mate,get me be side and i don`t mean with a gun!"... :o

 

cracking video frenchie and those cubs look in superb condition.the vixen has done a good job to raise them lot.

 

al

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hi frenchy

good vid again but do u think 1 has disapeared as there only seems to be three out

at any 1 time

dolphin

 

As an end to this little "saga" I have visited the earth again this evening for the last time. There were only 3 of the cubs about which all came out after a while to the vixen once my .222 had "had words with her". It took a bit of time but they will not be doing any more thieving in the future! Every shot was a very clean head shot kill at relatively close range (Under 50 yards)! There was no sign of the forth cub that I filmed last week so heaven knows what happened to that but my mate is going to run his 2 terriers down through the earth tomorrow morning to be sure that the job has been done properly.

It's a bit of a shame really as they were a bit of a challenge but a real pleasure to video, however I (And the farmer) do have justification for culling them with the remains of several lambs as well as the feathers from countless "domestic fowl" around the earth recorded on video so if there are any "Antis" that read this do not waste your time telling me that my actions were not justified as you will be wasting your time!

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Well done Frenchie, all done and dusted in a professional manor :good:

It is a shame, but the space will soon be filled :good:

That's quite true my friend. There will no doubt be another litter there next year that will need "dealing with"!

It is a shame but the evidence is on video for anyone that wants to say that the request by the farmer to cull them was unjustified where I can show the remains of several lambs and loads bits of "Domestic Fowl" etc.

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