Will the foxes run out?

[Ideation 8,216]

i know an estate that is just over 5ooo acres. they kill an average of 15 litters a year every year (for at least 30 years), and lamp all year round for others, the area surrounding it is also shot and controlled for a good radius.

 

there is no way that the fox numbers are reducing.they are survivors. any amount of culling will not get rid of them. loss of food or habitat or disease would be there their only downfall.

 

To say ANY amount of culling will not get rid of them is just silly.

 

silly but true. they have tried and tired and still have the same numbers of litters.foxes clearly found their natural level. theyare not doing it for fun , they are doing it profesioanlly to get rid of foxes on that esate. its not just this easte either, it happens up and down the country.

 

culling will obviously reduce numbers(till nxt year) but in no way will make foxes "run out"

 

 

there is a very well known phrase, "the more you kill the more will be there next season"

 

 

Ok. . . . what i meant is that there is ALWAYS a level at which culling WILL reduce population. The amount needed is the amount necessary of that makes sense . . . . . because folk you have observed have not managed that level does not mean that on no piece of land is that level possible to reach.

 

People always talk about keepers 'doing ot professionaly' but as i have said - they also have other things to do and sportsmen often put more time into killing fox than keepers. . . . . they are very often just as good, focus on only that, and go out night after night after night, also on non keepered land there is often multiple groups doing the same thing. Being a keeper does not make you a better fox controller.

 

There is a way to make anything run out or at least move on. . . . . .

 

That phrase may be well known and may have even had some kind of accuracy at some point somewhere but in general its just not true is it. How many people can hold their hands up and say that over a period of say ten years of intensively hunting a piece of land, each year the bags went up. If this is the case there is usually some outside factor (change in agriculture etc) or just the fact that the piece of land is larger than the control can manage. It only applies when you are carefully managing a game supply to increase its health, and along with habitat measurement this CAN sometimes lead to an increase in game species.

[colint5 47]

99% of the time its not a problem fox but a trigger happy person wanting numbers to brag to there mates. you shoot 10 out of 10 fox's how many do you catch out of 10 with a dog no where near that.

 

thanks you anty c**ts real animal lovers that you are the only one who has suffered with the ban is the poor fox imo.

 

 

What got me thinking was listening to some bloke who had shot something like 7. . . . . half of them cubs. . . . . .. just after the corn was cut. By his own admission where he was shooting was crop land for miles and miles in all directions . . . . . . and he was calling it pest control???

 

lets be honest here, how many terrier men would turn down working there dogs on the same arable land ? ,not many i'd guess. not having a go mate, just a thought.

[undisputed 1,664]

The biggest threat to the fox is urbanisation, shooting will keep them down for a season or two but there's always one waiting to move in on territory vacated by the shot ones. There's plenty of places where shooter's cant get to foxes. Youngsters taking out cubs are probably responsible for more dead foxes than shooters.

[danw 1,748]

Keepers tend to see lamping as a chore once you do it for a job it kind of stops being fun you know you have to go and do it and that takes the enjoyment from it and to be quite honest most nights I would rather be up to the hilt in the wife than out foxin

[Ideation 8,216]

To the above two posts, this wasn't JUST about shooters, despite the title of the post. . . . . its about the combination of other methods, especially in the hands of people with a lack of respect or the sense when enough is enough. But it is about these with the ADDED pressure of shooting which is MASSIVELY on the rise. Also it must be taken into account that with shooting, unlike dog based sports there is no point at which you must stop due to your method of dispatch being a bit tired or knocked about. And going out day after day with the same 'tool' is harder. Also shooting is just far more effective and efficient with regard to time and distance covered. It's also quicker and easier to get into than anything involving the training and handling of animals. My girlfriend who until i met her had never been hunting in anyway, took about half an hour to learn how to use a lamp and rifle and squeek a fox. . . . . . . .

[DUCKWING 302]

INTERESTING THREAD ,

 

PERSONALLY .......... I BELIVE IN AND AROUND TOWNS AND CITYS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LARGER NUMBERS , THERE ARE EARTHS AND SHEDS ETC WHERE NO ONE WILL BOTHER A LITTER OF CUBS QUITE A BIT OF FOOD , SHOOTING WITH THE RIFLES ISNT A GREAT PROBLEM AND THE FOXES WILL OVER SPILL INTO THE SURROUNDING LAND OFTEN MOVING QUITE A DISTANCE USING THE RAILWAYS EMBANKMENTS ....... THEIR MAIN PROBLEM IS STAYING ALIVE CROSSING ROADS ......

 

ARABLE LAND ? ,......... WELL ...... THE RISE IN FOX NUMBERS ON SUCH LAND HASNT HELPED THE GREY PARTRIDGES CAUSE , AS WELL AS OTHER GROUND NESTERS ..

SHOULD THEY BE CONTROLLED ? , IMO..... YES

HOW A MAN CHOOSES TO DO IT IS HIS BUSINESS .... IT MAY NOT BE MY WAY BUT WHO THE HELL AM I TO TELL A MAN HOW TO LIVE HIS LIFE ?????????

 

A FEW YRS AGO A FEW FRIENDS THAT HUNT WITH THE LOCAL PACK WERE ON TO ME ABOUT THE FEW LOCALS WHO WERE SHOOTING CUBS ON PIECE ,,,,, AND GRUMBLING LIKE MAD

I SAID . DO YOU WANT TO STOP THEM ???? .....ALL LOOKED BLANK ...... ITS EASY

AS SOON AS THE CORNS CUT , START DRIVING AROUND AND CALLING THE FOXES IN , SOON AS THEY GET CLOSE LET OF A FEW BLANKS FROM A STARTING PISTOL ....... THEY DONT COME IN AGAIN AS EASY ........ SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED AND THEY DO IT EVERY YEAR NOW .....

 

NOW THEN ......

SOME OF THE PRATTS SHOOTING THAT WILL NEVER BE COUNTRYMEN AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A HOLE IN THEIR ARSE IS A DIFFERENT MATTER .........

I HAVE NO TIME FOR SUCH MEN AND THERES A FEW STORYS I COULD TELL BUT WONT ON HOW I DEALT WITH A FEW

 

 

ALL THE BEST

 

DUCKWING

[Ideation 8,216]

Keepers tend to see lamping as a chore once you do it for a job it kind of stops being fun you know you have to go and do it and that takes the enjoyment from it and to be quite honest most nights I would rather be up to the hilt in the wife than out foxin

 

Pleasure is always a bigger motivator than duty.

[DDD 4]

Regarding people driving over the fields - I would like to thank the who lit ,e up like a Christmas tree on Thursday night!!

 

Picture the scene;

 

Got out before dusk, into a nice natural hide overlooking some fields, let everything settle through dusk then started calling with a few sweeps of the lamp.

 

Not much about until I picked up a pair of eyes coming over the brow of a hill about 4-500 yards away, thought to myself - I'll get this bugger!!

 

THEN!! Some tw4t in a L200 drove straight up the middle of the field on sidelights & lamping - took 4 flashes of my lamp then nearly blinding the cnut before he realised I was there!!!

 

Needless to say the fox done one.

 

Lets just say I won't stop at 4 flashes next time to get his attention - ba$t4rd will hear the business end of a 223.

 

Really annoyed by these who think it's ok to lamp from the road & drive over other peoples hard earned permissions.

 

Rant over.

[TOPPER 1,809]

around these parts there are very few foxes i havnt seen one for at least 6 weeks now and any that are about very rarely go to ground , rifle boys around here shoot anything that move from a mouse to wild boar they don t give two hoots or any respect just shoot it and move on to the next one

[Ideation 8,216]

INTERESTING THREAD ,

 

PERSONALLY .......... I BELIVE IN AND AROUND TOWNS AND CITYS THERE WILL ALWAYS BE LARGER NUMBERS , THERE ARE EARTHS AND SHEDS ETC WHERE NO ONE WILL BOTHER A LITTER OF CUBS QUITE A BIT OF FOOD , SHOOTING WITH THE RIFLES ISNT A GREAT PROBLEM AND THE FOXES WILL OVER SPILL INTO THE SURROUNDING LAND OFTEN MOVING QUITE A DISTANCE USING THE RAILWAYS EMBANKMENTS ....... THEIR MAIN PROBLEM IS STAYING ALIVE CROSSING ROADS ......

 

ARABLE LAND ? ,......... WELL ...... THE RISE IN FOX NUMBERS ON SUCH LAND HASNT HELPED THE GREY PARTRIDGES CAUSE , AS WELL AS OTHER GROUND NESTERS ..

SHOULD THEY BE CONTROLLED ? , IMO..... YES

HOW A MAN CHOOSES TO DO IT IS HIS BUSINESS .... IT MAY NOT BE MY WAY BUT WHO THE HELL AM I TO TELL A MAN HOW TO LIVE HIS LIFE ?????????

 

A FEW YRS AGO A FEW FRIENDS THAT HUNT WITH THE LOCAL PACK WERE ON TO ME ABOUT THE FEW LOCALS WHO WERE SHOOTING CUBS ON PIECE ,,,,, AND GRUMBLING LIKE MAD

I SAID . DO YOU WANT TO STOP THEM ???? .....ALL LOOKED BLANK ...... ITS EASY

AS SOON AS THE CORNS CUT , START DRIVING AROUND AND CALLING THE FOXES IN , SOON AS THEY GET CLOSE LET OF A FEW BLANKS FROM A STARTING PISTOL ....... THEY DONT COME IN AGAIN AS EASY ........ SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED AND THEY DO IT EVERY YEAR NOW .....

 

NOW THEN ......

SOME OF THE PRATTS SHOOTING THAT WILL NEVER BE COUNTRYMEN AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A HOLE IN THEIR ARSE IS A DIFFERENT MATTER .........

I HAVE NO TIME FOR SUCH MEN AND THERES A FEW STORYS I COULD TELL BUT WONT ON HOW I DEALT WITH A FEW

 

 

ALL THE BEST

 

DUCKWING

 

A very good post as always DW, i think it is about having limits and knowing when enough is enough. There have been many folk who have lacked that since time began, but perhaps the tools of their trade limited the extent to which their over excess could run. Its about control not eradication. . . . . . something so many fail to understand.

 

 

I also agree with your point about Urban foxes, they are on the rise, but i'm not sure how many DO head off to the country side. . . . .food is harder to find, the dangers are greater and its not 'their world'.

 

 

As for squeaking them in and then making them lamp shy. . . . . . . your not the only one to have had that rather successful idea

[DUCKWING 302]

ID ,

 

AS WITH MANY SPECIES THE YOUNGSTERS / CUBS GET PUSHED OUT ONCE THEY BECOME SEXUALLY MATURE ..... THESE OFTEN WANDER FAR FROM THERE BIRTH PLACE , CONSTANTLY BEING PUSHED BY OTHERS TILL THEY REACH AN AREA WITH A VOID .......

YES . THERE ISNT THE FOOD AND ITS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE FOR THE MOST PART , BUT THE FOX IS A GREAT SURVIVOR ......AS WE ALL KNOW

 

AS FOR THE WANDERING SNIPERS ,,,,,,,,,... WELL .... SHOOTING ANIMALS AND JUST LEAVING THEM LAYING WHERE THEY DROP IS SHOWING NO RESPECT TO THE QUARRY

THATS ONE OF THE REASONS IVE HAD ONE OR TWO WORDS IN A FEW SUCH MENS SHELL-LIKES ...

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

DUCKWING

[toby1066 413]

dont think they will ever die out but instead become less in rural areas and more urbanised

[Ideation 8,216]

ID ,

 

AS WITH MANY SPECIES THE YOUNGSTERS / CUBS GET PUSHED OUT ONCE THEY BECOME SEXUALLY MATURE ..... THESE OFTEN WANDER FAR FROM THERE BIRTH PLACE , CONSTANTLY BEING PUSHED BY OTHERS TILL THEY REACH AN AREA WITH A VOID .......

YES . THERE ISNT THE FOOD AND ITS OF A DIFFERENT TYPE FOR THE MOST PART , BUT THE FOX IS A GREAT SURVIVOR ......AS WE ALL KNOW

 

AS FOR THE WANDERING SNIPERS ,,,,,,,,,... WELL .... SHOOTING ANIMALS AND JUST LEAVING THEM LAYING WHERE THEY DROP IS SHOWING NO RESPECT TO THE QUARRY

THATS ONE OF THE REASONS IVE HAD ONE OR TWO WORDS IN A FEW SUCH MENS SHELL-LIKES ...

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

DUCKWING

 

Indeed, perhaps you are right, i know some will make it out and survive, but they lack that learning from the vixen that is so area specific, so its a hard battle.

 

It just seems its getting worse and worse and worse in so many areas of our sports. . . . . . . all this talk of killing rather than hunting and folk that genuinely claim to 'hate' foxes etc People who do it for the numbers whatever the quarry. For a large part it seems to be those that live in the towns and see the country side as some kind of playground. . . . . . or a place to go and have a jolly. They of course dont notice the change in the rhythm of the land that they cause.

 

Take care,

 

Jai.

[undisputed 1,664]

Personally speaking I think the problem is that any kind of hunting has now become a numbers game, unless the dog can take 5 outa 5 hares or kill foxes all night every night are labelled failures it looks like even the bar for rabbit dogs has been raised to the max. Why should it be any different for shooters

[clint 45]

All animal shud be tret with repect .If no do damage, no shoot.why ?? All nature need balance, i think not animal falt, is human falt, becas is too many peoples, no enoff land here in Uk, too many house & road! I no area no fox at all, all extinct. Very sad. Most fox now live in city near pizza, takeaway shop under shed, where safe & peole feed like pet.