Fox cubs an badgers

[jiggy 3,209]

Rabbits isn't the problem. The foxes around here wouldn't know what a rabbit is. They've never even seen one. Foxes were scarce here but after the ground been hammered for years and now rested for only 2 seasons the numbers have recovered as good as they ever were. If you take 6 foxes out of one cover year in year out then the well eventually runs dry.

[Chaff 3,619]

What's plenty full enough food wise for them to survive jiggy 

[shovel leaner 7,650]

I’ve not been finding much in the ground yet . I’ve no doubt modern technology has played a significant part in reducing numbers. Lamping with a rifle or night vision / thermal has played a big part in this . It’s become a sport in its own right . There is talk on this thread about restrictions on who can use this kind of equipment. That kind of interference would be of no benefit , it would only mean more meddling by politicians and city folk. I raised concerns on this very subject on the rifle forum . I suggested that only foxes that are actually causing harm and nuisance should be controlled and that foxes on arable land with no livestock could be left alone . The replies were basically that all foxes are a nuisance... carrying disease... killing songbirds and  that by controlling them they were doing nature a big favour. There are a lot of people who like shooting foxes , I’ve shot hundreds and will continue to do so , but I earn a crust game keeping . I also enjoy digging. I tend to leave the foxes alone as the season goes on . I also give them chance to breed when the season finishes. I know a lot of other keepers do the same . In fact , it’s the enjoyment I , and other keepers get from hunting that ensures there are a few about . The fox is a survivor.... but I do worry that it’s numbers can’t cope with the level of shooting in the countryside and that we will in future have to take to the city streets if we want to see a fox .

[Pirate 9000 676]

It's been very noticeable when hunting on estates and farm land that where you have very low fox numbers you have really high rat population,and the rat will do far more damage to wild bird numbers than foxes, never mind the damage to farm buildings feed stufs and the cost of controlling the rats. I would bet it's Les than 5 percent of foxes shot are causing any loss to livestock.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Do any of you lads moaning about numbers get out with a lamp to see if they are about .

[Dig-deep-draw-charlie 2,713]

f**k we aren’t tht bad over here lol most fellas can’t get. BB gun never mind a high powered rifle lol 

[shovel leaner 7,650]

2 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

Do any of you lads moaning about numbers get out with a lamp to see if they are about .

I know my patch , and foxes are building up numbers a bit now I’ve stopped shooting them . I’m surrounded by farmland that has no shooting interest, so as soon as you create a vacuum, more foxes appear. The trouble is that so much of the countryside has shoots on it . If you drive from my shoot to Cirencester on the 417 and you look at the fields left and right , every wood and field has some sort of shoot on it . Small shoots to big commercial shoots , most with keepers either full time or part time or voluntary and all shooting foxes . The hunt I follow has “disturbed “ less foxes . “You can only kill them once” .

 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

It’s unbelievable the amount we see on areas not bothered by them but still can’t find one to dig .The hunt moans about lack of foxes ,landowner moan about too many ,I’d just be happy to find one in a hole .The local keeper to me openly talks about his numbers shot and snared which used to fluctuate according to how much spring digging we did .We used to dig there in shooting close season but that’s stopped now .Fewer litters on the place impact hugely on his tally .New estate manager won’t have it .

 

[dogmandont 9,821]

21 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

Do any of you lads moaning about numbers get out with a lamp to see if they are about .

Don’t need to lamp to know that the numbers are down fd, between doing small covers with a handful of hounds to hunting 10 couple and checking earths if the numbers are down in the day they’ll be down at night. 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Not necessarily so mate .Farm near me never find one bushing or to ground but night time they are a definite .Near a housing estate so guess they are under sheds etc .Tried baiting on and near earths to encourage them to stay but no luck yet .

l was out with Bicester hunt few seasons past and we drew a large shooting estate but found nothing ,no cold marks or even a murmur from hounds .We went back at night to the same place rabbiting with a .22 and saw 3 .They are great wanderers  I know but it is frustrating when doing cover or checking earths to have blank after blank ,makes the finds that much more memorable though .

[shovel leaner 7,650]

Bring on some snow or sleet , they will be in the ground then . This winter has been so mild . Where would you rather be ? On top sitting in some sheltered sunny spot , or a cold dark hole ? When that cold dark hole starts looking like a warm alternative to being on top , we should start having some results. Having said that I’ve found a few , mostly couples. 

[dogmandont 9,821]

30 minutes ago, foxdropper said:

Not necessarily so mate .Farm near me never find one bushing or to ground but night time they are a definite .Near a housing estate so guess they are under sheds etc .Tried baiting on and near earths to encourage them to stay but no luck yet .

l was out with Bicester hunt few seasons past and we drew a large shooting estate but found nothing ,no cold marks or even a murmur from hounds .We went back at night to the same place rabbiting with a .22 and saw 3 .They are great wanderers  I know but it is frustrating when doing cover or checking earths to have blank after blank ,makes the finds that much more memorable though .

I’ve no doubt I’d see a few on the lamp fd but nowhere near what would of been there 3 or 4 years ago. Dogs are out of action with kennel cough at the minute so I might just go out for a shine tomorrow night, I’ll let you know how I get on. 

[Mooching Celt 659]

1 hour ago, Dig-deep-draw-charlie said:

f**k we aren’t tht bad over here lol most fellas can’t get. BB gun never mind a high powered rifle lol 

That's cos you lot were very naughty boys

[Hatch28 243]

Plenty about here see lots on the lamp and catching away steady in snares but havent got one to ground and very little in covers but their on the land by night.

 

 

 

[howdeeposxxt 1,448]

I caught one in the coop this morning 4.30 ish Luckily only one hen dead. The fairest out come was an eye for an eye. A dog I might ad in great nick. My thinking is he is trying to feed cubs or vixen to be so brave to pass the kennels.  To early for cubs to be eating already maybe but maybe not nature is a mystery.