Disposal of the dead... or do I walk away?

[fieldwanderer]

I got a new permission mid-December, it's close to home and about 300 acre. They wanted foxes clearing as they have chickens and the place is crawling with them (and everything else) plenty of roe about but I'm not allowed them, sadly.

 

So, I had a drive round with the manager who shew me where everything was and, when asked where to put the dead the answer was "in the ditch or under hedges"

 

I got cracking and had shot 7 foxes up to the first week of January when my rifle went off for a rebarrel. About the last outing, I bumped into a guy who lives on the permission and part of the conversation was that it'd be better if I stay away from his place as there's also a holiday home of some sort there - I admitted I'd shot a couple in the field opposite about 10mins previous and said I'd avoid it in future.

 

A couple of weeks later, it turns out this guy has found the dead foxes (plus a fresher fox that was not mine) in the hedge and kicked up a big old stink about it. At which point, I didn't have my rifle anymore so it's got a month or so to cool down a bit and, as soon as I can, I'll speak to the land owner for guidance on where to put/bury/burn the dead.

 

It's been playing on my mind a bit and today they've asked me for a favour (I won't go into detail but I'm ok with doing it even though I'm not 100% comfortable with the task).

 

It's set me wondering though, it's starting to come to a point where the hassle is outweighing the leisure that I get out of it - maybe I'd be as well off walking away from this one?

[steve_b_wales]

Be careful about the 'favour' they've asked you, and, as long as you dispose of the carcasses away from any public right of way, then I wouldn't worry about it.

[Harnser]

Keep a shovel in your truck .

 

Harnser

[fieldwanderer]

A couple of things bother me though;

 

Where did the third fox come from?

 

And, it was the manager who "told me off" about where I'd left them - despite it being on his instruction!?

 

And the guy doing the complaining was nice as pie and stopped for a quick chat, just before it kicked off, while he himself was doing a spot of shooting.

 

Something just doesn't quite add up if you ask me. My first thought was that he wanted the shooting for himself but why wasn't he already doing it if that's the case 🤔

[subsonicnat]

Most farms a Heap for buring,ask where it is..

Sounds as though the guy wants all the shooting for himself,just make the farmer aware of conversation,job done.

[E.w.]

Be careful about the 'favour' they've asked you, and, as long as you dispose of the carcasses away from any public right of way, then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Be extremely careful with this new permission, your ticket is worth more that being led up the garden path then loosening it, take care and best of luck.

[Guest stevo]

If it was me and if there was a chance I could get into hot water ( even Luke warm ) I would walk away. You could very well be setting yourself up for a fall.

 

Good luck for whatever you decide to do. Just keep your wits about you.

[fieldwanderer]

Good luck for whatever you decide to do. Just keep your wits about you.

That's more or less what I'm doing, as far as I know there's nothing illegal going on it's just the whole situation really - getting moaned at for following instructions by the person who gave them. A fox appearing and turning an odd couple into a pile. A fellow shooter who's fine to talk to but then complanes behind my back.... it's all just a bit odd and it's getting to be a fine line between going out and enjoy the sport (and doing some good) and it just becoming a bit of a p.i.t.a. frankly

[manthing]

Lay it all out for the manager, tell him your concerns and see what happens.

If it's not all good I'd walk away personally.

[bumpy22]

sounds to me you are not happy mate. if this is the case whats the point in doing them a favour and making yourself stressed. there are plenty of foxes that need shooting elsewhere. plenty of people that will stand on your toes to get it as well. sounds like the guy wants you off the ground and keep the shooting for himself. i would not risk the trouble, but its all depending on how much land you have got

Edited February 13, 2017 by bumpy22

[Cranfield]

It doesn't have to be a major drama.

I would suggest you dispose of the dead foxes by burying or removing them from the property and disposing of them very discreetly, my friends burn them.

Don't get involved in any favours that could be illegal and remain polite, but distant from the neighbours.

It sounds like some good shooting land and it would be a shame to walk away from it.

[norfolk dumpling]

Be prepared to walk away if it doesn't feel right. I had a lovely little farm to shoot over - only wanted pigeons and rabbits with my cocker - but discovered heaps of shells on several occasions even though I thought I was the only person shooting. I always rang first but never once did the farmer answer the phone. Was walking a huge hedge,thinking I'm the only gun about and a couple of shots rang out close to me but. Nobody responded to my calls. Then the on-site butcher told me a pigeon shooter (not me) had brought a munty in for cutting up - it had a lot of small shot in it. The final straw was when I was told by a buddy who worked there thefarmerhad lost his .22 and could I keep an eye out for it as I walked the fields.

[scotslad]

So to sum up u've shoot a few foxes and left them discretely under hedges as asked, then a nieghbour (who shoots?) comes up asking u not to leave foxes or shoot near his house (which he has no legal right to do and if no footpaths near his house he shouldn't be in those fields anyway),, then the farm manager complains too u about leaving foxes under hedges the way he told u to do? And in the time u have had no rifle a fresher dead fox has turned up.

Is that about right?

 

If so, i imagine the farm manager probably doesn't really care wot u do with the dead foxes but has just had his ear bent by the neighbour so is only wanting a quiet life, hence asking u to do something different with them. Don't think i'd volamteer to bury them, i'd just mention the neighbour shouldn't be walking throu ur fields anyway and leave them below hedges further away from the house. Perhaps set up a midden/bait point elsewhere to attract foxes away from that area.

 

Folk living in the country complaining about country life is the norm nowadays (dunno if he is a country erson or incomer?) but most folk like the 'idea' of country life but not the smells or noise. So moning to the farm manager behind ur back might be normal.

 

As for the extra fox, was it definately shot? If so ask FM does anyone else shoot there for safety reasons, if so get there number and speak to them and decide if u want to share it with them.

If no other shooters it may have been wounded elsewhere and wandered in to die, hit by a car or even just died of old age/illness/natural causes.or poached from a nearby roadside either rifled or dogged?

 

At moment they seem to be just teething problems that should settle down onc u t to know the craic and avoid that house area, if its handy or ur only permissioni would not give it up that easily just yet, doesn't seem to be any major problems that couldn't be overcome

[fieldwanderer]

I think you're about right scotslad, I don't intend to give it up easily as we all know how hard permissions can be to come by - I guess the main thing is the sheer hassle in such a short time.

 

Ok, the favour asked is fast becoming yet another problem. I'll explain now because I'm staying out of it given the below;

 

They have a sow (kept as more of a pet) that's injured itself, I was called on Sunday and asked if I would shoot it for them. To my mind, I now know there's an animal suffering and am duty bound to end the suffering but I don't know where it is, I knew they have pigs but they must be somewhere I've yet to explore.

 

I spent most of yesterday trying to make sure it would be legal (for me) and it seems so, because it's injured. It cannot enter the food chain (from what I read) but I think the plan was to bury it anyway.

 

But, attempts to arrange doing something Sunday night and yesterday went nowhere. As far as I know, nothing's been done about it which I'm very much against

[Bazooka Joe]

Tell the Manager to phone the other shooter to do it, see how keen he is then......give him something else to whinge about..

Edited February 14, 2017 by Bazooka Joe

[fieldwanderer]

Haha, I like your thinking but, as far as I know, the guy who lives there (and did the complaining) only has an air rifle.

 

Maybe they're all just a bit odd....

[scotslad]

Newcomers to the country side often are!

 

Dunno if ur really wanting to do the pig or not and don't know wot conditions are on ur FAC, often easier to do them with a shotgun (bth practically and legally) also less to go wrong in terms of richochets and creates a bigger wound channel from point blank range.

 

Once u and farm manager know and trust each other a lt of this stuff will disappear and just give that house a wide berth

[harkom]

if you are gonna top the pig, i suggest you look up HSA info sheet on where to place the lead?

[CharlieT]

And make sure your firearm is specifically conditioned for the humane killing of animals. It is a specific condition and won't be on your certificate unless you requested it.

[ShootingEgg]

if you are gonna top the pig, i suggest you look up HSA info sheet on where to place the lead?

you haven't got a big target area thats for sure

And make sure your firearm is specifically conditioned for the humane killing of animals. It is a specific condition and won't be on your certificate unless you requested it.

^^ this too.. Dont put yourself into any unnecessary position.. Sounds like a money saving option for the owner of said pig if asking you to do it.