robbiep Posted May 16, 2014 Report Share Posted May 16, 2014 Ok. That may be an exageration. But not by much ... The background : Myself and my wife have a small hill farm smallholding. A fair bit of open moorland (which is habitat managed with a wildlife trust) and about 20 acres around the house and yard, in 4 fields and a couple of smaller paddocks. I let someone else look after the moorland for foxes and rabbits, and I tend to look after the fields. Foxes, rabbits, I've brought the hedgerows back into good shape, so magpies and jackdaws a bit too, and grey squirrels (in readiness for when the reds make it over this far, I hope) Anyway, the lad that shoots the moorland has had 18 foxes on it so far this year (only 60 acres too), and I've had 3 with shotguns in the fields, and one in my cage trap. We don't use snares, as the sheep are shetlands, and a small breed that has a tendency to try to squeeze through small gaps. You'd think the foxes would be getting a little wary round here now. But no. This evening I decided I needed a fresh rabbit for my cage trap (which is 50 yrds or so from the chicken run). After a quiet hour or so, managed to bag a decent size rabbit with the 20 bore. I carry the rabbit all of 30 yards to the cage trap, drop it in and reset the trap, turn around ... and there's a fox, not 100 yards from me, walking up the fenceline ! As I watch (cursing under my breath) another one enters that field from another corner. and crosses it on the furthest line from me (so a good 150 yards at minimum). And this was about 8:30, so nice and light, and within 4 or 5 minutes of a 20 bore roaring out the good news. Looks like I'll be spending some time out there again tomorrow evening, though here's hoping my rabbit can do part of the job for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 (edited) Bit of a mixed blessing there - you must have a large local rabbit population to support that number of foxes or some careless and possibly unaware neighbours who's livestock numbers are diminishing. Edited May 17, 2014 by Kes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Unfortunately, a few of them that we've had this year (and some from last year too) have got shaved patches on their flanks/shoulder areas. Basically, someone ... (Really Stupid People Carping Annoyingly, perhaps, but see disclaimer in a line or 2) ... releases urban foxes up in a Forestry Commission area a mile or 2 from where we are. Allegedly. Of course. And they'll say that as there is no proof, they don't. So there. And if there was proof, it would be people acting against their policies. But those policies are secret, sorry, so no, they won't tell you what their people should be doing with those foxes. Because if they did tell all those little grannies that their official policy was to have all those (cute) foxes killed by lethal injection, then the grannies might just change their wills. But I digress. Of course, all those foxes, which have been used to bin raiding and getting all their food from within a few hundred yards of KFC - or being fed by the above mentioned grannies, (who thought that they were cute, until they got too bold, and then they called the animal charities to get rid of them), have no real idea on how to hunt. Then they're dumped up here, and we're a long way from the nearest takeaway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Anyway. Out at 7:30 this evening. Nice spot well concealed, wait. Unfortunately, it was in the sun. Came very close to nodding off a couple of times. And then, when the sun was gone, and the dew was starting to form, it got quite cold ! But, at about 9:30, here comes charlie, mooching across the field. Bertie (Bettinsoli) was loaded with a pair ofSAGA 44g of No.3 shot. At about 25 yrds, he dropped cleanly from the first shell. Walked down to him, and confirmed that he was gone. I'm starting to measure and weigh foxes. Dog, 41 inches from nose to tip of tail, 14 lbs weight. No shaved patch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted May 17, 2014 Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 They do say that when a fox is shot 7 come to its funeral but with the RSPCA on their side if could be more like 14. Well done. The odd pic would be lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted May 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2014 Here's this evening's fox. Crappy phone pic And here's the link to the one from the other day http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/283252-another-fox/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted May 18, 2014 Report Share Posted May 18, 2014 We were out Friday night and last night for a total of four foxes, and this week we have been asked to go to a couple of hill farms in the Lune Valley (BIG area) which have lost 9 lambs in the past fortnight. There does indeed, seem to be foxes everywhere. We're going to be tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosa Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 I seen 11 in total last night on 2 areas that I shoot heavily and have taken a fair few from this year already, managed to pick up 3 of them before the rain stopped play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Here's this evening's fox. Crappy phone pic And here's the link to the one from the other day http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/topic/283252-another-fox/ Oh what a feeling, when we're foxing on the ceiling... I'll get my coat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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