Ozzy Fudd Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Bit of a daft question this, but roughly when in the year are fox cubs born? i found a den last night and i think there might be cubs in it. Was at one of my permissions last night after rabbits and noticed there wasnt as many about as usual, especially in one corner which is normally brimming with rabbits (so much so that we hit it 3 times in one day a while back) but was empty. anyway long story short a few weeks ago i saw a massive dark red dog fox near that corner. last night we were about 70 yards away from it, across the field/up hill and beside another corner in a hedge, watching to see if any rabbits appeared. i turned round to say something to my mate steve when i saw a fox legging it away up the hedge from us, literally 10 yards away at first. we only had the 10/22 with us, but thought we'd chase after it a bit to see where it headed, so we set off after it, thinking we'd have no chance, but it stopped about 50 yards and turned to look back at us! have to admit i was very tempted to try a shot, but better judgement kicked in. after a few seconds it turned and kept running on up the hedge and we soon lost sight of it. i couldnt work out why the fox stopped and looked back at me, normally they keep running when we see them, then it clicked that it was a vixen, a good bit smaller than the dog fox i saw a few weeks back and far lighter orange. we started searching the hedge and found the entrance to a den near where we had been originally standing, hidden amonst the hedge and weeds. and the way the vixen stopped and looked back at me no seems like she was trying to draw us away from it, so im thinking there might have been cubs there. would that sound right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 (edited) they breed around december,give birth around march,cubs are out n about by now,seen loads about size of a russel running about,but does vary a bit from place to place depending on weather and if pairs have benn split due to deaths. p.s. if there were cubs there,should be loads or remains outside hole. Edited July 9, 2009 by codling99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 they breed around december,give birth around march,cubs are out n about by now,seen loads about size of a russel running about,but does vary a bit from place to place depending on weather and if pairs have benn split due to deaths. p.s. if there were cubs there,should be loads or remains outside hole. no mate, didnt see any remains around it, so would it be safe to assume theres no cubs? i dont normally shoot foxes myself thats why i had to ask, but my mate will be itching to have a go with his .223 at them, i dont want to let him loose if theres still young cubs about dependant on the vixen. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDFrain Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Personally i would not worry about letting your mate loose. Cubs need controlling as well as foxes, at the end of the day you will never wipe them out. And they will sharp grow and become a pest... Also if the vixen has got cubs and you have been looking around or close to the Set there is a good chance that she will move them. Most cubs are up and fending for themselves now but they are still hanging about with each other so they may still be using Sets together. if you are also planning on shooting a few pheasant on you land this year then get shot of the foxes next thing you will know you will be over run with them. JDF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 i dont want to let him loose if theres still young cubs about dependant on the vixen. Are you in stock farming country, babby? If so, that sentimental attitude won't earn you any friends! You and I both know that foxes, no matter how immature, are the avowed enemy of any stock farmer. I personally have no such moral qualm about killing foxes. The only good fox is a dead one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Are you in stock farming country, babby? If so, that sentimental attitude won't earn you any friends! You and I both know that foxes, no matter how immature, are the avowed enemy of any stock farmer. I personally have no such moral qualm about killing foxes. The only good fox is a dead one. no baldrick, the farmer who owns the land uses it for silage and for cattle, so the foxes dont cause him any problems there, in fact they help keep down the rabbits and clear up any we lose in hedges. things he also has chicken houses (a few miles away), so us shooting them wouldnt bother him either, if that makes sense? (what he told me in the past anyway). i suppose i am being slightly sentimental in the fact that i wouldnt like leaving young cubs to starve in a den, but im also being a bit cynical if im honest - why shoot a vixen now and leave cubs to starve, if by leaving it a couple of months therell be a few more foxes to shoot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codling99 Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 thats what i do to be honest,i rarley go lamping now till september,good few about then to shoot ,dont bother through soummer months,as farms i shoot on are not bothered,not that it would bother me to kill cubs if asked to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shot shot Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 ...also has chicken houses (a few miles away), so us shooting them wouldnt bother him either, if that makes sense? (what he told me in the past anyway). If the chicken houses you're referring to are the big 100x25 metre jobbies, then theres no need to worry about foxes. they're concrete to about 2 feet high, and concrete floored, so mr fox can't tunnel in. If however there are any local people with free range hens for eggs, kill em, kill em all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 You and I both know that foxes, no matter how immature, are the avowed enemy of any stock farmer. I have one farmer whos got a mixed farm with sheep,says he's not worried about foxes,he says take them if you want but not fussed. Another one purely arable,wants them pretty much shot on sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 I have one farmer whos got a mixed farm with sheep,says he's not worried about foxes,he says take them if you want but not fussed.Another one purely arable,wants them pretty much shot on sight. Interesting. As a mixed farmer myself, I'd question the intelligence of someone with a sheep enterprised who claims to be unfussed by foxes. That seems a little blasé to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Interesting. As a mixed farmer myself, I'd question the intelligence of someone with a sheep enterprised who claims to be unfussed by foxes. That seems a little blasé to me! His farm backs right onto the city,he reckons the foxes bypass him for an easier meal in town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 His farm backs right onto the city,he reckons the foxes bypass him for an easier meal in town. That's very likely. Foxes are lazy opportunists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 If the chicken houses you're referring to are the big 100x25 metre jobbies, then theres no need to worry about foxes. they're concrete to about 2 feet high, and concrete floored, so mr fox can't tunnel in. If however there are any local people with free range hens for eggs, kill em, kill em all. what, kill the free range hens?! suppose it would be a few free sunday dinners.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Kill the vixen and leave it for a few days. Once killed watch it for two or three hours. The cubs won't be far away and will come to mother. Then you can do them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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