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Farmer declares war on foxes!


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Why?

 

I'm not talking about whether or not what happened was morally right. The OP states that he felt it was morally wrong and yet felt obliged to do it anyway.

 

Generally I get concerned when people decide something is wrong and yet do it anyway (for whatever reason - money, enjoyment, etc), your mileage may vary.

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if he won't then someone else has to its not all watership down out there. The hard facts are foxes feeding litters of cubs are massively destructive on native wildlife and sheep. When the farmers livelihood is at stake they want it sorted if you haven't got the stomache for it then let someone else do it. Sheep farmers have had a hell of a year this year to let them get hammered by foxes isn't why they give you permission to shoot on their land

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Nice one Frenchie, 1 shot 3 foxes EXCELENT work my old china , Keep up the good work, you took the shot , nobody else did and the decision paid off handsomely,

 

Good call mate,

 

ATB Flynny

 

if he won't then someone else has to its not all watership down out there. The hard facts are foxes feeding litters of cubs are massively destructive on native wildlife and sheep. When the farmers livelihood is at stake they want it sorted if you haven't got the stomache for it then let someone else do it. Sheep farmers have had a hell of a year this year to let them get hammered by foxes isn't why they give you permission to shoot on their land

BANG ON MATE , BANG ON,

 

ATB

 

Flynny

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All I will say on the matter is that it's hard graft being a sheep farmer. The wretched creatures look for any excuse to die without foxes helping them on their way. It's heartbreaking to keep a ewe all year, with all that entails, only for her to produce her crop of lambs which a fox then takes meaning it's cost money to keep her all year with no way of recouping the costs.

 

I'm afraid it's a harsh world out there, if shooting a lactating vixen saves one lamb and a few cub's have to starve to death then so be it. Farming is my income and puts food on my table. If that means the odd cub starves to death rather than me and my employees, I'm happy to live with it.

 

Also remember that cub's grow into adults, shooting them now will save problems in the future. It's always preferable to shoot the vixen first then deal with the cub's at the earliest opportunity. You would be surprised how many cub's survive, either by being fed by other adults or on their own account. Much easier to account for them now than when they are independent adults.

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Most of the farmers I know have lost more lambs than usual this year,and are still hand-feeding due to the lack of grass,so there's plenty of 'meat' available for foxes and other predators without them having to kill for their food,but it's still pest control as far as I'm concerned.

We have been in pursuit of a vixen for a while now,but haven't yet seen any cubs,but it's only a matter of time.

Last year we shot seven cubs and the vixen in less than an hour;they were totally naive and it was slaughter.I didn't feel particularly proud of myself at the time,and even the landowner said it was 'hellish',but it was a job to be done and someone had to do it.

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Enough Dekers and I listen to the advice of others who I know have greater experience than me and wisdom to pass on.

 

Is this leading to elaborating on your post?

 

Like I said......more than once now!

 

"At this time of year I will always TRY and shoot the cubs first!"

 

"Sometimes (often) on this site subtlety is completely lost!"

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The only problem with that is the vixen has no gauge of how much to kill so will kill indiscriminately.

 

Your foxes obviously have too much time on their hands and read too many comics. Commonly the Dog provides more food then the Vixen when young are about anyway!

 

The fox round here doesn't do anything indiscriminately. They are clever and shrewd, they don't go round killing for the fun of it, even the youngsters "Play Fun" is training for serious work.

 

If we take the stereotypical situation everyone shouts about, and the fox kills all your chickens and only takes a few he was generally disturbed or exhausted, you can virtually guarantee he will be back for the rest!

 

But he often doesn't get to, simply because the debris is cleared away before he gets a chance.

 

Then everyone incorrectly shouts about the fox killing indiscriminately! :hmm:

Edited by Dekers
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Like I said......more than once now!

 

"At this time of year I will always TRY and shoot the cubs first!"

 

"Sometimes (often) on this site subtlety is completely lost!"

 

You realise you'r (insert emoticon -beating head against brick wall) don't you !!

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Your foxes obviously have too much time on their hands and read too many comics. Commonly the Dog provides more food then the Vixen when young are about anyway!

 

The fox round here doesn't do anything indiscriminately. They are clever and shrewd, they don't go round killing for the fun of it, even the youngsters "Play Fun" is training for serious work.

 

If we take the stereotypical situation everyone shouts about, and the fox kills all your chickens and only takes a few he was generally disturbed or exhausted, you can virtually guarantee he will be back for the rest!

 

But he often doesn't get to, simply because the debris is cleared away before he gets a chance.

 

Then everyone incorrectly shouts about the fox killing indiscriminately! :hmm:

How do you know they read comics?

 

Greg.

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