Do You Need A Pest Control Licence To Humanely Trap A Fox Yourself In Your Own Garden?

[craigzw 2]

I apologise if this has already been covered before, but I have been having some issues with a particular fox in my garden. My neighbour whom is an old man has left a part of his garden to become totally overgrown. I have offered to help him in general with his grass cutting and garden but he has no interest. Lately we are finding more and more signs of a fox in our garden. One night my daughter woke my wife up to say something was scratching at her bedroom window and when my wife opened the curtain she saw the fox digging up the flowerbed below the window. In the morning there was muddy paw prints on the wall, and white windowsill (which is quite low as is a bungalow) and it has now taken to using the area outside our back door as its own person Lavatory! My question is, I have access to humane fox traps, and if I was to use one in my garden with the aim of capturing it and, and then transporting it out of town to my shooting grounds to dispatch it humanely with one of my fox legal firearms, would I require any specific permission for this? Any advice would be appreciated. We have tried for over a year now several other methods of discouraging it from our garden to no avail.

[nod 285]

Only thing you could get in trouble for might be transporting it. Just spank it in the cage in your garden with 22 if you have one.

[walshie 2,804]

Perfectly legal. If you have an open ticket, as above. If you don't, a .410 hushpower is just the job.

[socks 32,253]

A 410 does the job .......

 

[craigzw 2]

Thanks for the ideas. I have both an FAC and a shotgun cert, and have a moderated .22LR but as I have been living abroad the FAC is still restricted in that the land has to be approved by the local constabulary. All my other restrictions have been removed and after speaking to the firearms officer he said it was procedure to keep that restriction on regardless of previous licences held abroad, and experience, thus why I was going to trap it and take it 15 minutes down the road to the land I have permission to shoot on. Problem is I don't want to cause the animal any unnecessary distress transporting it, nor do I know if this is in fact legal to transport such animals without a licence or approval. The other problem is that although my garden is over 100ft long, the back fence is a boundary to a school sorts field, and so being such close proximity to a school I imagine may introduce a whole new set of issues etc. Ideally as suggested a simple subsonic .22lr to the head would be ideal, humane, quick, quiet and without the need for an expensive pest control company. May just contact my local firearms officer and explain the situation and see if he will give me a written dispensation for the one occasion. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[craigzw 2]

Just one last question sorry to be a pain, as was suggested a .410 instead of a firearm such as .22lr how would shooting it with .410 differ legally other than the shotgun cert doesn't have any restrictions on it, is it legal to discharge it in a residential area? Thanks again

[walshie 2,804]

Yes being a shotgun, you can shoot it wherever you have permission - and obviously you do in your own garden.

[The one 8,471]

Yes being a shotgun, you can shoot it wherever you have permission - and obviously you do in your own garden.

With his garden backing on to a school i doubt it ,it may be the last shot he ever fired before the armed responce removed his guns

[walshie 2,804]

 

Yes being a shotgun, you can shoot it wherever you have permission - and obviously you do in your own garden.

With his garden backing on to a school i doubt it ,it may be the last shot he ever fired before the armed responce removed his guns

 

 

Don't you think it might depend on the time of day, circumstances etc? Best advice is speak to your FEO.

[The one 8,471]

In todays climate i certainly wouldn't try it even during the holidays most schools are used for other activities

[craigzw 2]

Thanks very much, think I will be giving my friendly local FEO a call tomorrow to see what he suggests, as don't fancy falling on the wrong side of the law just in case!

 

[paulus 26]

silenced 410 and a tarpaulin problem solved

[dytkos 17,784]

silenced 410 and a tarpaulin problem solved

Hasn't caught it yet

 

Cheers, D.

[stubby 175]

I have shot loads of cage caught foxes with a 410 shotgun, as your aiming straight down through the top of cage, about an inch from foxes skull, exiting shot if any, only goes into the grass, so you have no worries on that score, as stated a tarp over the cage and you and no one is the wiser, we have school opposite us too, have done it whilst neighbors are hanging out their washing, without them batting an eyelid to whats going on 10ft away, with a 4ft dividing fence

my first application for a shotgun licence was purely for a 410 so I could carry out such work, and the FAO was in full agreement to it being more humaine in the garden, than transporting to my permission, which is 10 minutes away

[craigzw 2]

Will have to borrow a .410 from a friend for the day I think as only have a 12G and the only other thing that would be remotely quiet is my .22LR in sub sonic with a moderator, but as stated would need FEO permission for that which may be an issue. Thanks again for all the suggestions.