Help With Trapping A Fox

[Terrier Sam 297]

We had a fox take a few weak lambs last week and ate them on the fence line between the fence and the wood. I took the trap up there, and put it over the fence in the wood right next to a pile of branches, baited it with a rabbit at the back of the trap and half a rabbit half way into the trap.

 

I wore gloves so my smell didn't transfer. I covered the floor with soil and leaves and made it look the same as outside the trap. I then covered it in branches to make it look like it was part of the pile of branches.

 

I would put pics up but I'm on a phone and it won't let me upload it.

 

That was Sunday and that night, the half a rabbit went but since then there has been nothing.

 

What else can I do? It's been half way in but won't go to the back of the trap!

 

Thanks

 

Sam

[jeppi26 1,855]

Don't set the trap to go off prop the door open for a week and keep baiting it then after a week set the trap fox will think he's getting a free meal again till the door shuts behind him

[nod 285]

What difference would that make, if he is going to get the bait from the he might as well leave it set, no point letting thefox keep going in

[StephenWalsh 73]

Don't cover the trap, put it up against the fence line but let him see it, it will just look like more wire and he won't be as wary. Covering them is a mistake in my opinion. Try different baits, I haven't found the fox yet who could resist left over roast beef from Sunday lunch.

[BRY 79]

If hes taking Lambs, put some lamb carcas in the trap

[abarrett 462]

Try a tin of wet cat meat they love it and can smell it a way off

Or sit out and shoot it

Good luck

[walshie 2,804]

Never had much luck with rabbit. Pigeon, catfood or dogfood have always been good for me. (Chili con carne worked the other night.)

[FENN 24]

sounds like theres enough food about without it going in the cage .one thing i do is to cover the bottom of the cage with soil so the fox isnt walking on the mesh .

[neil cooney 10,416]

Weak lambs in September ????? When were they born ?

I had a fox that would go in to a trap and reach over the foot plate and steal the bait so I tied the bait to the mesh and the tugging caused the trap to shut.

If he'll go half in then he'll probably go fully in , eventually.

Makes me laugh when I hear about leaving the trap open for a week so he can go in and out of it, LOL.

A fox can do a lot of damage in that week.

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

Couldn't you try snaring it?

[comanche 3,025]

Make a bigger trap. Most fox cage traps are rubbish. They are designed for human convenience with little thought to the fact that any fox with a brain cell is going to be a tad wary of such an unnatural and confining device. Foxes round pheasant or chicken pens or used to clambering about town bins and urban gardens might not be so phased but a wily old country boy may well wonder why he's suddenly being offered an easy meal in a wire coffin.

The idea of covering the floor with soil is good. Again we make em with wire floors coz it suits us yet it must feel so weird to any fox .

[Terrier Sam 297]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

I think I'll be changing that bait and try something else like dog food or car food this weekend and see what happens.

 

Neil cooney, they were pet lambs that had a few problems along the way. Not a great loss lol

 

Thanks again everyone. Any more info much appreciated and I'll update if I get any results

 

ATB

 

Sam

[Headshot08 36]

Any updates?

 

Steve

[Terrier Sam 297]

Nothing mate! Tried a few things but nothing! On a plus side, he hasn't taken anything else as of yet though....

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

Try snaring it mate it would be quicker then the cage trap?