Is foxing slowing down on this forum?

[onelesscharlie 0]

Its a shame that more people on these forums dont share the opinion of Dicehorn and Snapshot. True riflemen have a respect for their quarry, if they dont they should stick to shooting paper targets.

We are in the middle of lambing in my locality, some farms are losing lambs (pretty much as many to badgers as to foxes)and those foxes that need shooting will be shot but there is no need to cull them for the sake of it.

Onelesscharlie

[Guest busterdog]

A lot of well thought out replys, i might visit you rifle guys a little more now.

 

I hunt fox all through the season BUT stop as soon as i dig my first heavy vixen. If a local farmer asks me to kill (shoot) a fox then i will put in the effort to get it, but i only take one to keep him happy, i've never been one for knocking the hell out of there numbers. I understand people have a job to do such as keepers or hill farmers but i live in a predominantly dairy country so in my eyes theres no need for the mass killing of charlie, then again I'm a hairy arsed terrier man who's totaly biased ...

[JohnGalway 1,043]

I think you're right Dave, it is slowing down. I'm way down on numbers compared to last year. I'm away a bit, and also off on a course, plus the bad weather. I hope to get out the next two or three nights if the weather is half way decent. Got half my ewes lambed and no losses to fox as yet mind

[dave1372 83]

Its a shame that more people on these forums dont share the opinion of Dicehorn and Snapshot. True riflemen have a respect for their quarry, if they dont they should stick to shooting paper targets.

We are in the middle of lambing in my locality, some farms are losing lambs (pretty much as many to badgers as to foxes)and those foxes that need shooting will be shot but there is no need to cull them for the sake of it.

Onelesscharlie

 

Fair point. Just to clarify my situation I do most of my shooting on a large scale free range chicken farm which covers 850+ acres with over a 100,000 chickens, and they simply want rid of all foxes regardless of the time of year, so I have to take the point of view if I don't do it someone else will be quick to have ago instead of me...so unfortunately cubs or no cubs charlie has to go even if it means there are less for me to shoot in the future , but then again that is how I hopefully get recommended to other farmers .

 

The other farms I shoot are lambing at the moment and they do have problems with foxes taking lambs so again charlie must be got.

[dave1372 83]

I think you're right Dave, it is slowing down. I'm way down on numbers compared to last year. I'm away a bit, and also off on a course, plus the bad weather. I hope to get out the next two or three nights if the weather is half way decent. Got half my ewes lambed and no losses to fox as yet mind

 

This weather is pretty demoralising at the moment either constant rain, snow or very high winds, there does not seem to be a happy medium! Good luck tonight then, I am heading out also....maybe one of us will have some pictures to show for it.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Its a shame that more people on these forums dont share the opinion of Dicehorn and Snapshot. True riflemen have a respect for their quarry, if they dont they should stick to shooting paper targets.

We are in the middle of lambing in my locality, some farms are losing lambs (pretty much as many to badgers as to foxes)and those foxes that need shooting will be shot but there is no need to cull them for the sake of it.

Onelesscharlie

 

Prevention is better than cure.

[JohnGalway 1,043]

This weather is pretty demoralising at the moment either constant rain, snow or very high winds, there does not seem to be a happy medium! Good luck tonight then, I am heading out also....maybe one of us will have some pictures to show for it.

 

Tonight is promised good here Dave, bit of a breeze & dry, with the added bonus of the moon going back. Looked at the long range forecast a few days ago and the weather is supposed to pick up soon, not before time either. I'm pondering which job to go at tonight, there's a fox leaving lots of scat in among my Dad's ewes, which are expected to start dropping in those fields int he next couple of days, or I can go to another farm where a lamb was taken from a set of twins Sunday night. Must put the camera in the bag now you mention it.

[waidmann 105]

i'm not sure that "overshooting" foxes is as dramatic as alot think.

range pressure will ensure that foxes will move into the area VERY quickly indeed.

it is taken as given in germany that "fox cannot be controlled/reduced with the rifle alone" for this reason(old hunters wisdom ).

any area that is emptied of fox will soon have a new one move in(something we have all seen ourselves i'm sure,resident foxes shot and two more turn up????)

 

i agree totally that the pressure should not be kept up all year(cubbing season) unless "legitimate reason" is there

 

waidmann

[FightTheBan 1,147]

How many shoters on here would make a concious effort to trace the cubs (by means of terrier) after shooting a well sooked vixen ?

Just a question, not wanting an argument.

 

The best method for controlling problem foxes this time of year is to do the vixen and cubs with terriers then wait for the dog to come into the earth that night.

 

FTB

[dave1372 83]

How many shoters on here would make a concious effort to trace the cubs (by means of terrier) after shooting a well sooked vixen ?

Just a question, not wanting an argument.

 

The best method for controlling problem foxes this time of year is to do the vixen and cubs with terriers then wait for the dog to come into the earth that night.

 

FTB

 

 

Unfortunately I don't trace the cubs....I would be a little nervous about asking someone with terriers that I don't know to help out just in case they were trying to slyly work their way into the permission and the next thing I know I am not needed !

 

I am sure there are plenty of honest terriermen out there, but I am a bit of pessimist and think why take the chance of ruining a good thing!

[waidmann 105]

How many shoters on here would make a concious effort to trace the cubs (by means of terrier) after shooting a well sooked vixen ?

Just a question, not wanting an argument.

 

The best method for controlling problem foxes this time of year is to do the vixen and cubs with terriers then wait for the dog to come into the earth that night.

 

FTB

 

 

i would definately make the effort to find the cubs if i shot a milky vixen.

waidmann

[FightTheBan 1,147]

Unfortunately I don't trace the cubs....I would be a little nervous about asking someone with terriers that I don't know to help out just in case they were trying to slyly work their way into the permission and the next thing I know I am not needed !

 

I am sure there are plenty of honest terriermen out there, but I am a bit of pessimist and think why take the chance of ruining a good thing!

 

 

Fair enough mate, i think it is only fair to make the effort (even gas them if need be).

At the end of the day, im no hypocrite and i think it is the sporting thing to do. You wouldnt shoot a milky doe and leave the young, so why a fox.

 

FTB

[onelesscharlie 0]

From the posts on this thread it shows that the majority would do the right thing by their quarry.

I respect that there are circumstances where no foxes are tolerated such as where free range chickens are concerned but common sense needs to prevail, there are to many people on this and similar forums who boast of anihalating foxes as if they are vermin.

These are the sort that then turn up uninvited on your permission because they have decimated their own.

They shouldnt be allowed a lurcher, terrier or gun, perhaps its time that those that those of us who regard the country side with some respect sent them back to the job centre.

[Guest busterdog]

From the posts on this thread it shows that the majority would do the right thing by their quarry.

I respect that there are circumstances where no foxes are tolerated such as where free range chickens are concerned but common sense needs to prevail, there are to many people on this and similar forums who boast of anihalating foxes as if they are vermin.

These are the sort that then turn up uninvited on your permission because they have decimated their own.

They shouldnt be allowed a lurcher, terrier or gun, perhaps its time that those that those of us who regard the country side with some respect sent them back to the job centre.

 

 

Totaly agree mate and full respect for saying it, but come on that name has got to go

[Jkm 1]

Aswell as the charlies i said about on here a couple of days ago went out again last night and had another charlie with in a few mins,opened the gate to the farm put the lamp on and there was a charlie sitting there in the middle of the field at 90yards turned lamp off opened bipod rested on the bonnet lamp back on and gave him a 204 between the eyes :laugh:

 

shooting at the moment on the charlie front is good for me but saying that didn't shoot that many last year was doing alot of bunny bashing but concentrating more on charlies this year because have hardly seen any bunnies.