Blackbart Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Sunday night(discovered monday)35 dead pheasants minus heads(heads lying about the place)no birds eaten as far as can be seen. Monday night 7 headless pheasants. wednesday 11 headless birds again. The birds are in a wood in a pen surrounded by electric fence and there appears to be nothing going under or through mesh. I am thinking owl but has anyone got any more ideas ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Headless = Fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted August 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Fox was first thought when i seen the slain,but after going round the fence no sign of him anywhere,footprints or fur or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 I'll have £20 on it with you. Picked up many a dead headless bird over the years, which has always been due to ginger. Get a high seat up over the pen and you will see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted August 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 I pretty much keep on top of the foxes and did nail 3 in adjoining fields this week but that was sunday and tuesday so doesnt account for wednesdays kills.If it is charlie he must be parachuting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyb Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 You'd be suprised... Plenty of this years about who will easily pass through a pop hole grate thats not the right size etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted August 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 You'd be suprised... Plenty of this years about who will easily pass through a pop hole grate thats not the right size etc... I got one on tuesday night that was very small,but i am still not sure about it being charlie. I have had them in pens before but they usualy leave some tell tale sign that it was them.Checked all the pop holes for fur and nothing to be seen. Will have another good look around in the morning and i do have a high seat sitting at the farm doing nowt so may just stick it up and see if anything appears sat night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve0146 Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Charlie? no way. Its classic Tawny owl. Takes heads and nothing else. Just sit and watch one night. Even if you netted the top, they land on top off netting and take heads off the frightened birds in the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bing-Bong Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Charlie? no way. Its classic Tawny owl. Takes heads and nothing else. Just sit and watch one night. Even if you netted the top, they land on top off netting and take heads off the frightened birds in the corner. Bang on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted August 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Couldnt net the top as there is a lot of trees in the pen,but i did stick some cd's up hanging here and there in the hope it may deter a nosey owl.Not a lot else can be done, apart from the obvious.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleekitfox Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Charlie? no way. Its classic Tawny owl. Takes heads and nothing else. Just sit and watch one night. Even if you netted the top, they land on top off netting and take heads off the frightened birds in the corner. Correcto Mundo my good man its the owl 110% , hope his netting covering the pen doesnt fall down on one side, and is left dangling horizontal could catch and entangle the owl by mistake OOPS !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 I remember a thread last year with similar statements of it can't be a fox must be an owl etc, turned out a cub had got in the pen and was living in there took many days and searches before anyone realised classic cub symptoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crouch valley Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Tawny owl for sure i had the same thing happen about two years ago could not work it out so sat out there waiting for old ginger and saw it first hand. Try hanging up some old cds up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowey Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 (edited) Sunday night(discovered monday)35 dead pheasants minus heads(heads lying about the place)no birds eaten as far as can be seen. Monday night 7 headless pheasants. wednesday 11 headless birds again. The birds are in a wood in a pen surrounded by electric fence and there appears to be nothing going under or through mesh. I am thinking owl but has anyone got any more ideas ? Could be a tawny but don't discount young buzzards. Had 50 killed around one pen and saw them do it with my own eyes. Only young buzzards do it when training to hunt. The adults don't tend to bother. Edited August 28, 2010 by rowey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 As well as cd's you could also tie string from one fence to another or to a tree and hang something from the string to act as a deterant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Bulk spool of fishing line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted August 28, 2010 Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 myself i would go for for fox living in the pen,but who knows.let us all know the outcome out of interest thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 If you examine the birds it is possible to see the difference between a fox and owl kill particularly when you have several to look at. May be worth plucking one or two and also look at the way the head has been pulled off. I have to say though that it is a classic Tawney kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 like charlie t says examine the carcases ,if fox there will be bite marks on body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogan Josh Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Sunday night(discovered monday)35 dead pheasants minus heads(heads lying about the place)no birds eaten as far as can be seen. Monday night 7 headless pheasants. wednesday 11 headless birds again. The birds are in a wood in a pen surrounded by electric fence and there appears to be nothing going under or through mesh. I am thinking owl but has anyone got any more ideas ? Tawny or Long Eared Owl definitely. Naff all you can do really. Stringing wire across pens is just as likely to clip poults as it is owls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxnet22 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Tawny or Long Eared Owl definitely. Naff all you can do really. Stringing wire across pens is just as likely to clip poults as it is owls. can you not put some nettting across that they use on scaffolding or pea netting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miapia221 Posted August 29, 2010 Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Where are you finding the dead birds, are they near the wire or a yard or so in the pen? if so can the birds put their heads through the wire and the fox goes round the pen pulling their heads off and they bounce in a bit, if the heads and the dead birds are the middle and all over you could have a tawny owl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolts Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 It could be Owl or Buzzard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Essex Hunter Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 There was a case around my way, where the people of no fixed abode were taking bets in a pub, then two of them got in a pen and pulled off as many heads they could, put them in their pockets and had a count up to see who won the bet! Not good but it is true TEH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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