mudman

no it is nor needed a 3" steel proofed gun is all you need

many a person will jump the boundary to walk birds back that are obvioulsy there own released birds. I know I would.

Seen one and only one out of many thousands fly into a branch and kill itself when flushed. I have seen many more fly into man made objects, fences, power lines etc.

If you want wild greys it helps if you do not shoot them in January, especially if paired up! they are on territory when paired and shooting one or both removes a potential covey from that same place for next season. Harvest them in autumn and early winter if you have enough to go at. Fantastic birds and much declined.

well we have done the best job we can, bulls horns shape with bed as the head. Dug into a north facing bank of a small gulley with the entrances facing directly away from the prevailing wind. Only one natural earth on 500 acres of fox rich country, and that earth is only generally used at cubbing time. Going to try a P shaped one next when we get enough material

dont want to put any pics up as to be honest i do not know what location data might be embedded☺ but its made with good 9" clay pipe, one bed and two bricked bends which are big enough to be beds, two entrances and each pipe about 6 metres to bed.

Any tips/ shortcuts on encouraging foxes to use a new artifical?

But the young keepers are showing the old keepers how to produce a lot more grouse than the old keepers fact! Lol.....two words.......medicated grit

Every young keeper I know has to have an 8 shot Benelli. Every old keeper I know laughs at the the young keepers with their 8 shot Benellis. Likewise every young keeper has to have a dedicated foxing rifle with preferably a nigh sight if not thermal. Every old keeper I know is happy to have the odd fox around, and if they need removing know how to set wires and where to look with a terrier. Its a fashion thing Editted to add, the SX3 is a nice gun for the price.

I use the plastic milk bottle with a hole cut the side 2/3 of way up. Stops them messing in the water but does not stop them dipping food in it, so the rabbit type water bottle does sound worth a try.

Okay may seem like a silly question.....I guess it is....but how often do you come across multi hole fox earths dug out only by foxes....something akin to a mini badger sett but created only by foxes???? I have spent a lot of time out and about in the sticks (not doing terriers) and can honestly say I have never ever come across a fox earth! I have found foxes in: Single holes Land drains Under bridges Straw stacks Badger Setts Scratched out rabbit holes for cubbing Stick piles Log stacks Artificials Under sheds In sheds On sheds In barns In/ under farm machinery B

Not illegal for Red and Fallow, probably Roe aswell. Red and Fallow can be bought from deer parks. Not an easy job, need transport etc and a fair wedge of cash to pay for them even if only charged dead weight. Best to buy hinds/does just after the rut with one or two young males . Also need a fair bit of luck that they do not just bugger off after liberation but I know of one case when fallow were successfully released and held in the area, but they were penned up for a good while before the the door was left open and had become semi tame by that time.

thanks, that was it. I say was as I went in to take it into the house and it was an ex canary on the aviary floor. just hope it is not too contagious, it is a big mixed aviary with 20 canaries in it.

grass is very important for very good hare numbers. Their hungriest time can be during the late summer as crops ripen and loose their nutrients, at this time of year hares will travel a good distance to feed on decent grass. Grass margins are a great help for Hare conservation. Apart from that, kill foxes.

I have a little white hen canary which has problems with both its eyes, they are both weeping and the lids are very slightly swollen. It was only 95% when I got a month ago. I went away for two week and the bird is grounded on the aviary floor with two 'wet' eyes and not looking very happy for itself. All the other birds look fine. I had similar with a cock bullfinch many years ago except in that case the eye lids were exceptionally swollen but the bird fed and behaved like it was okay, whereas this canary does not look like it is long for this world. Any ideas what it could be and recco