kent Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 I respect your opinion and as I'm sure you are aware a fox can travel a big area at night in search of food. Therefore, a fox may be seen in an area where it is not causing problems (i.e. your carrot crop) but it could also be travelling to an area that it is causing major problems. Also, because there may be no sheep farms/game shoots in an area doesn't mean a fox is not causing problems to ground nesting birds and chicken farmers etc. Like I said previously, I have no problems with people not shooting foxes, but they do need to be controlled. Actually you make a good point regarding traveling. Foxes hold territory, voids create a vacuum and nature hates those, often its better to leave resident foxes IF they are not creating problems. Balance is the key and as a conservationist you cannot consider if someone has a pheasant shoot or similar within any distance. The simple fact is sometimes the fox is helpful sometimes its a pest but we must manage not just destroy. Even crows and rats can have useful purpose. I remain a fox killer on some ground and a fox watcher on other ground, I Kill all foxes here as do my neighbours because its important for conservation of ground nesting Wading birds, game and farming interests. As a result you rarely see a fox but we cannot remove the more commonly seen and more destructive Badgers, we do as we can only that which is legal. IF the shooting community had more control over balance on a local, regional and national level we might be trusted to do something about the over population of Badgers and other protected yet often harmful pest in some areas. This is something of a pipe dream for me having seen the mis- management of our deer and knowing a little of the Scandinavian way of locally agreed culling. Frankly it a case of "working with nature" not trying to master it as it tends to bite you in the back side when you do the latter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEE243 Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Sounds like there is some antis on here, shoot the ginger ******* on sight alb Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Actually you make a good point regarding traveling. Foxes hold territory, voids create a vacuum and nature hates those, often its better to leave resident foxes IF they are not creating problems. Balance is the key and as a conservationist you cannot consider if someone has a pheasant shoot or similar within any distance. The simple fact is sometimes the fox is helpful sometimes its a pest but we must manage not just destroy. Even crows and rats can have useful purpose. I remain a fox killer on some ground and a fox watcher on other ground, I Kill all foxes here as do my neighbours because its important for conservation of ground nesting Wading birds, game and farming interests. As a result you rarely see a fox but we cannot remove the more commonly seen and more destructive Badgers, we do as we can only that which is legal. IF the shooting community had more control over balance on a local, regional and national level we might be trusted to do something about the over population of Badgers and other protected yet often harmful pest in some areas. This is something of a pipe dream for me having seen the mis- management of our deer and knowing a little of the Scandinavian way of locally agreed culling. Frankly it a case of "working with nature" not trying to master it as it tends to bite you in the back side when you do the latter Good post mate, you obviously know your stuff; however, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this occasion. I will always remain a fox shooter and not a fox watcher, I have saw times in the Spring when we have gone looking for a fox that is killing lambs and it is very difficult to track down. We have had farmers in the last few years having up to 30 lambs killed by the same fox. I know that when a fox is killed another one will come into the territory, however, this may not happen straight away. Like someone else has said, if I don't control the foxes, the farmer would just get someone else to do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I would have no intention of eradicating the fox, as they are a wonderful animal, but they do need controlling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exmarksman9870 Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 if you like ...i will shoot them dirty foxs. and when im on my high horse or seat lol. if numpty city folk never treated them like pets a childs finger wouldnt need stuck back on....it will be a baby next and it wont just be the finger...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 Good post mate, you obviously know your stuff; however, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this occasion. I will always remain a fox shooter and not a fox watcher, I have saw times in the Spring when we have gone looking for a fox that is killing lambs and it is very difficult to track down. We have had farmers in the last few years having up to 30 lambs killed by the same fox. I know that when a fox is killed another one will come into the territory, however, this may not happen straight away. Like someone else has said, if I don't control the foxes, the farmer would just get someone else to do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I would have no intention of eradicating the fox, as they are a wonderful animal, but they do need controlling. BTW I live on a sheep farm. rouge foxes are great killers of new born lambs and sort of back up the thoughts on culling hard in an area were foxes will always exist in large numbers on the fringes not always being smart (better the devil you know). People in the city are fast learning they will take the easiest thing available. Don't get me wrong in most areas I shoot them whenever and wherever- its just not correct everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 BTW I live on a sheep farm. rouge foxes are great killers of new born lambs and sort of back up the thoughts on culling hard in an area were foxes will always exist in large numbers on the fringes not always being smart (better the devil you know). People in the city are fast learning they will take the easiest thing available. Don't get me wrong in most areas I shoot them whenever and wherever- its just not correct everywhere. OK fair enough. Like I said I respect your opinion and you obviously know what you are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted February 11, 2013 Report Share Posted February 11, 2013 In an ideal world most ground would be keepered/shot and everyone would be shooting them on sight, so atleast ur bringing numbers down over a wide area, but u will never wipe them out, far too clever an animal. In reality and esp so if your is the only shot ground surrounded by unshot/unkeepered ground and depending on size, the more u shoot the more will move in, u unfortunately will never make a dent in the population, in that situation u are really better off (goes aggainst the grain) leaving them assuming not cuasing any damage and deal promptly with any rogues that do cause any damage. Like someone said earlier probably more damage caused to native wildlife now by badgers and corvids and BOP's, i know of 1 farmer who has lost some fairly big lambs (cross bred texels) to badgers over the past 3 seasons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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