Is foxing slowing down on this forum?

[murphymax 9]

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.

DID YOU GET ANY LUCK WITH THE FOXES Dave ???

 

Chances are you didnt Never mind you can post the pictures of mine LOL

p.s the vixen had 7 cubs

 

Seen that other B@st@rd FOX i was telling you about that pisses of when it sees the lamp..

 

Sussed out where the fox went just as you phoned, into a den in an old world war 2 bomb crater , had badgers in it last 3 years so will have to have a recky in the daylight, maybe the badgers have moved on, but i doubt it, the fox must be using part of the den the badgers dont use, just like the one in the quarry at your place, the one i showed you last year.

 

ATB Midlothians No1 Fox Shooter murphymax aka Jimmy

[murphymax 9]

 

only go now, if i get the call damage is being done... i let them cub normally now, and start up end of september again... making sure there never over hunted,

 

controling the balance, is something i try to achieve.... but when needs must they gotta go.

Snap.

 

Pretty much my take on it also. From my experience shooting fox, which covers more years than I care to remember, in areas where there is plenty of wild food about - rabbits, rats, voles etc, foxes tend to leave lambs alone, the only exception comes with old foxes that are too slow/going deaf to catch wild food - bit like lions that become man-eaters.

 

I did shoot a couple of foxes last month when farmer found a couple of back legs of lambs. The first was last years barren vixen, the other was an old dog fox with ragged ears and not too many teeth in his head - no lambing probs after that.

 

IMHO lamb protection in certain areas (not Scotland or Wales or any high counties)is just an excuse to go shoot them especially when you run the risk of tiddlers left behind underground. It actually reminds me of a well known foxing man whose made many videos that most have seen - after shooting a fox on the basis it had been killing lambs, he opened up a fox and still maintained this was the culptit despite it being quite obvious to the viewer that the stomach contained just a few lamb's tails complete with ring still attached - hey ho

 

 

I know shooters tend to treat them as vermin which they are clearly not - our domestic animals only play a very small fraction of food for the fox. If you want a better understanding of the fox, can I recommend a book called Running with the Fox by David Macdonald - perhaps the people that cant see a problem with shooting fox at this time of the year may learn something from this book.

PART OF YOUR COMMENTS....

 

It actually reminds me of a well known foxing man whose made many videos that most have seen - after shooting a fox on the basis it had been killing lambs, he opened up a fox and still maintained this was the culptit despite it being quite obvious to the viewer that the stomach contained just a few lamb's tails complete with ring still attached - hey ho

 

Just shows you how correct this man was, tails with rings still attached, when the tail falls of from lack of blood supply, the ring is not attached, it was very clear that the fox had been harassing the lamb pulling at its tail but the mother was fighting back, hence why the tail was bitten off, i have seen this happen a lot, where a fox will constantly pester a lamb hope to get a chance of making off with it the bite tails, heads or anywhere they can, this then leads to infection which will end up killing young lambs.

 

WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE VIDEO.... did you miss part of it out

[murphymax 9]

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

Shooting a lot of rabbits at the moment, well NOT REALLY,went out on Thursday last week 1st rabbit i shot was a milky doe, havent had a chance to shoot any more as i am still looking for the litter she has, its a pure nightmare as there are hundreds of holes i just need to find the one that has only one entrance and the litter will be in there.

 

Even tried with the ferrets but even they have given up

[dave1372 83]

 

DID YOU GET ANY LUCK WITH THE FOXES Dave ???

 

Chances are you didnt Never mind you can post the pictures of mine LOL

p.s the vixen had 7 cubs

 

Seen that other B@st@rd FOX i was telling you about that pisses of when it sees the lamp..

 

Sussed out where the fox went just as you phoned, into a den in an old world war 2 bomb crater , had badgers in it last 3 years so will have to have a recky in the daylight, maybe the badgers have moved on, but i doubt it, the fox must be using part of the den the badgers dont use, just like the one in the quarry at your place, the one i showed you last year.

 

ATB Midlothians No1 Fox Shooter murphymax aka Jimmy

 

Lol ! I only have one fox left to get at the chicken farm.....the only reason you got yours is cos they are too scared to cross the road onto my permission . Here is the pic of your foxes from last night :

 

[JohnGalway 1,043]

Sausages 'n puddins for brekkie I see :sick:

 

Nice couple of foxes lads

[murphymax 9]

Sausages 'n puddins for brekkie I see :sick:

 

Nice couple of foxes lads

Not the best picture "DAVE"

I will post better ones of them when i get hold of them of my mate !!!

Any way the one in front is a Vixen who was carrying 7 cubs and the one behind is her mate Dog Fox.

we did get more explicit pictures will post them up when my mate decides to email them to me.

[murphymax 9]

 

DID YOU GET ANY LUCK WITH THE FOXES Dave ???

 

Chances are you didnt Never mind you can post the pictures of mine LOL

p.s the vixen had 7 cubs

 

Seen that other B@st@rd FOX i was telling you about that pisses of when it sees the lamp..

 

Sussed out where the fox went just as you phoned, into a den in an old world war 2 bomb crater , had badgers in it last 3 years so will have to have a recky in the daylight, maybe the badgers have moved on, but i doubt it, the fox must be using part of the den the badgers dont use, just like the one in the quarry at your place, the one i showed you last year.

 

ATB Midlothians No1 Fox Shooter murphymax aka Jimmy

 

Lol ! I only have one fox left to get at the chicken farm.....the only reason you got yours is cos they are too scared to cross the road onto my permission . Here is the pic of your foxes from last night :

 

You think because you have only seen one FOX of late on the chicken farm, that there isnt anymore WAIT AND SEE THE NEXT TIME I AM UP THERE WITH YOU

I will call them in for you so you can post a few piccies on here for the lads.

 

DO YOU THINK I SHOWED YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT THE ART OF FOX CALLING

 

wrong i didnt, just enough to get you going LOL

nice to have met up with you last night, just give me a shout when you want to go for a roe buck with your new gun, i will show you how to call them in as well....

 

400 rounds on ticket you must be shafting the firearms guy

[dave1372 83]

You think because you have only seen one FOX of late on the chicken farm, that there isnt anymore WAIT AND SEE THE NEXT TIME I AM UP THERE WITH YOU

I will call them in for you so you can post a few piccies on here for the lads.

 

DO YOU THINK I SHOWED YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT THE ART OF FOX CALLING

 

wrong i didnt, just enough to get you going LOL

nice to have met up with you last night, just give me a shout when you want to go for a roe buck with your new gun, i will show you how to call them in as well....

 

400 rounds on ticket you must be shafting the firearms guy

 

Done deal mate!

[dicehorn 38]

Just shows you how correct this man was, tails with rings still attached, when the tail falls of from lack of blood supply, the ring is not attached, it was very clear that the fox had been harassing the lamb pulling at its tail but the mother was fighting back, hence why the tail was bitten off, i have seen this happen a lot, where a fox will constantly pester a lamb hope to get a chance of making off with it the bite tails, heads or anywhere they can, this then leads to infection which will end up killing young lambs.

 

WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE VIDEO.... did you miss part of it out

 

Well let me assure you I have on many occasions seen rings attached to fallen tails - perhaps its different types of sheep we encounter seeing you are 'up north'

 

The point I was trying to make is that not ALL foxes are lamb killers. Not that you would be interested but a few years ago Bristol University asked fox shooters who shot over sheep farms to open up the foxes they shot to determine whether they had lamb bits in them - if so, the university would collect them. Their conclusions from this were interesting insomuch that in cases where they were able to locate the lamb's stomach, in 87% of them they found no traces of milk. They were of the opinion that these lambs were still born or died very soon after birth. My opinion is whilst the science was very good it would not take into account the fox taking the lamb before it got to the teat. I am trying here to be balanced.

 

As someone has said we must not forget where we have dense populations of badgers this also can have a detrimental effect on lamb mortality. I also feel that with the very harsh weather conditions we have experienced this lambing season, farmers have asked a lot of their ewes in bringing new life into the flock - many lambs must have simply perished with the cold.

 

One other poster said it was all about respect for the countryside - perhaps this respect comes from an understanding of ones surroundings and the balance nature sets. It strikes me that there are many that only look at the countryside as a background to their vision through a riflescope - enough said

[East coast 2]

Been out a few times with the light lately, saw 9 one night and managed to dispatch 3 of them, 2 dogs and a vixen about 2 weeks ago. Was out last night and saw 4 with no joy. Have shot 12 foxes since middle of febuary and still a few around. Saw some good looking bucks last night too which was good, will be fine for when the clients come in may.