Kes Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 (edited) I'm looking for some advice which will save me a lot of effort. Our syndicate has about 1000 acres and we think the foxes are under control. Then a member sees 2 at 8.30 in the morning within 100yds of each other. I'm out the following morning an hour and a bit earlier (they are creatures of habit) sitting in the same place waiting for 3 hours with a clear view of every approach the foxes could take and all I see are rabbits (lots), crows (feeding young), pheasants displaying etc. The only predator which I see is a Buzzard flying over and later back again. Not a sniff of a fox. Last year we had a trap there for the whole season - nothing. We are going to try baiting seems the only way. Anything I'm doing wrong/could do better/should try? I was sitting in my car the whole time very still, rabbits no more than 6 feet from the car and pheasants 10 yds away. I'm losing it I think, chasing these ghostly foxes around the place is more like a game of chess - and I'm not winning ! Just getting a pain in the posterior ! Will post events as they transpire. Thanks kes Edited June 11, 2011 by Kes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Baiting a certain area for a few days,usually works. You can use mostly anything to bait them. I have had good results by using CHUB dog food. Also, I make my own 'brew' by boiling horses hooves. Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 snares snares and some more snares just incase if you have seen them one place a couple of time get a line of them down over say 3 fields around the area maybe get a midden going too? they will pick him up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted June 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Thanks so far lads, will chat with my fox shooting mate, adopt an approach and report back in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 snares snares and some more snares just incase if you have seen them one place a couple of time get a line of them down over say 3 fields around the area maybe get a midden going too? they will pick him up Agree with that werever practical to use them cheap and very effective. Fox free today don't mean Fox free tommorow and personally i should do the snares and patrol with the lamp, carry the rifle at all times dawn and dusk and push the cover with Dogs or hounds now and again, start a stink pit and last but not least check all known earths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 snares snares and some more snares just incase if you have seen them one place a couple of time get a line of them down over say 3 fields around the area maybe get a midden going too? they will pick him up Good advice just make sure there checked daily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Good advice just make sure there checked daily yep just dont look them twice daily imo it leaves too much sent on the ground i look all my snares about lunch time so by dawn dusk the scent has worn away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostrea Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Good luck. I had been after one old crafty fox on our shoot for five weeks! as soon as a lamp went on him he would be off faster than a grey hound, went out one evening around 18.00 thought i was a bit early so went down one of the fields for a walk rifle slung round my back reeds to my right two steps to my left a slate fence and the bloody thing crossed 2 meters in front of me in a blink of an eye he was gone through the fence in to the wood if only i had taken the shotgun!. I spent several evenings there between 1800 and darkness, i saw him on several occasions in the middle of sheep or an area where i could not get a safe shot off even put a foxpro caller out but he would not play ball. Week last Wednesday i was with a friend on his permission next to our shoot with a lamp we had a fox in side the wood behind a fence 200yds away we could not get him to come out just moved back and fourth and disappeared back deep in the the wood, I was convinced this was the old dog fox i had been watching went down following morning and found the run between the two properties back there Thursday evening leaving pieces of fish on our side of the fence back on the Friday evening same thing and sat in my usual spot at 21.30 i could see him through binos walking slowly picking up the pieces of fish, he stopped in front of a pile of stones 170 meters away when i pulled the trigger and down he went. I must admit the feeling of satisfaction was unbelievable probably spent 40 hours on him. The big problem we have is badgers all over the area so snares out of the question probably easier to have put a live trap out but would i have had that same feeling of satisfaction and poults will not be going down for another month so time was on my side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Good luck. I had been after one old crafty fox on our shoot for five weeks! as soon as a lamp went on him he would be off faster than a grey hound, went out one evening around 18.00 thought i was a bit early so went down one of the fields for a walk rifle slung round my back reeds to my right two steps to my left a slate fence and the bloody thing crossed 2 meters in front of me in a blink of an eye he was gone through the fence in to the wood if only i had taken the shotgun!. I spent several evenings there between 1800 and darkness, i saw him on several occasions in the middle of sheep or an area where i could not get a safe shot off even put a foxpro caller out but he would not play ball. Week last Wednesday i was with a friend on his permission next to our shoot with a lamp we had a fox in side the wood behind a fence 200yds away we could not get him to come out just moved back and fourth and disappeared back deep in the the wood, I was convinced this was the old dog fox i had been watching went down following morning and found the run between the two properties back there Thursday evening leaving pieces of fish on our side of the fence back on the Friday evening same thing and sat in my usual spot at 21.30 i could see him through binos walking slowly picking up the pieces of fish, he stopped in front of a pile of stones 170 meters away when i pulled the trigger and down he went. I must admit the feeling of satisfaction was unbelievable probably spent 40 hours on him. The big problem we have is badgers all over the area so snares out of the question probably easier to have put a live trap out but would i have had that same feeling of satisfaction and poults will not be going down for another month so time was on my side. its nice to get the hard ones eh, however if snares are set right they wont catch any thing but foxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good shot? Posted June 11, 2011 Report Share Posted June 11, 2011 Baiting a certain area for a few days,usually works. You can use mostly anything to bait them. I have had good results by using CHUB dog food. Also, I make my own 'brew' by boiling horses hooves. Steve. Do you mean "hors d'oeuvres" A couple of pigeon left in the same spot for a two or three nights always worked for me, and checked early A.M. & evening each day. The bait was always found within 24hrs and the fox will return again on his next circuit of his area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Whats a stink pit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy130 Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Get your syndicate out as standing guns and get the hounds to run through. Thats what we are doing on our 4000acre+ Commercial shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Thats a great idea, probably be fun too, call it a vermin day!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Whats a stink pit? Its a hole into which various dead things are placed to rot and stink. The scent attracts the fox. The pit can be surrounded by a fence / hedge etc. with gaps in it, usually at a natural run. Snares are set at the gaps, and hopefully, BINGO. Correctly set fox snares should not trap badgers etc. Or you can just use a simple stink pit as an attractant, sit out with the rifle and wait. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Thanks webber! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 Its a hole into which various dead things are placed to rot and stink. The scent attracts the fox. The pit can be surrounded by a fence / hedge etc. with gaps in it, usually at a natural run. Snares are set at the gaps, and hopefully, BINGO. Correctly set fox snares should not trap badgers etc. Or you can just use a simple stink pit as an attractant, sit out with the rifle and wait. webber like he said we use brash from big pine trees to make the midden walls, or cut down 4 big *** pine trees and sned the inside of the trunks after laying them in a square, make a slight gap at every corner so fox can only go in thru the gaps you make dont set snares on it untill you see bait going then set them saves time looking a empty pit. we have 5 big middens and when you geta good bout of hexamiter/coxie/rota in 25,000 birds it makes sence to re-cycle them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted June 12, 2011 Report Share Posted June 12, 2011 on nice days i use to go round the snare line reseting snares late evening that some have knocked off by pheasnts but especilly wandering humans ,an many atime have had afox in wires before dark up the backs of hedges in long grass ,in self made fox runs ,jus drive a tractor up an down to make 2 tracks ,deadly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted June 13, 2011 Report Share Posted June 13, 2011 snares snares and some more snares just incase if you have seen them one place a couple of time get a line of them down over say 3 fields around the area maybe get a midden going too? they will pick him up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted June 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Many thanks all. I cant get out for a few days but will first try the bait (min effort)and then its got to be the snares. When I get some results I'll post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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