Question

[garyw 0]

Cheers Gary,

 

Just a note to all to remember to discuss in an adult manner I know this is an emotive subject that can raise tempers but it's just a question

 

All the best,

 

John

ok john.but this subject gets banded about alot and i give the same answer.im not getting fired up mate just my way i suppose .

[Guest JohnGalway]

I didn't mean you in particular Gary mate It was just a general note to all who'd post in this topic since I started it, I realise the topic can get heated

[stone-cold 0]

i shoot foxe's all year round on my shoot's because of the obvious.

but putting myself in the shoe's of a man who wont at this time of the year who is asked to deal with foxe's,i would not do it,simply because if you've got certain moral's you should stick to them,if you dont then you are a very week person to go against something you believe is right.

iv'e no problem dealing with them at this time of the year,and i never do something that i dont agree with.

it is a difficult decision,but only if you want it to be,stick to your gun's

[Ratman2 2]

This is a tough one John, I've given it a lot of thought but I just can't put myself in the shoes of someone who doesn't agree with shooting foxes at this time of year.

My true feelings are that anyone who would refuse to shoot a fox after being asked to by the land owner should really pass the permission over to someone who would deal with the situation.

I’m not a person who leaps with joy every time I deal with a fox, I just see it as a job done

[Guest JohnGalway]

Time to post my own feeling then.

 

If I were in that situation. Being asked by the person who gave me permission to shoot their land and who was suffering financial loss. I'd be honest with them, that I didn't agree with shooting foxes that may have young but I would give that farmer the name of a reliable person who had the ability to do the job. Good possibility of losing permission to the other person but I think that would be the right thing to do.

 

As for me personally, I'd shoot them anytime of the year if they're causing problems.

[SportingShooter 0]

That sounds like a sound and morally acceptable option,John.

As I said in my post, this person would not be concerned about losing a permission to protect their values.

As the pest controller and gamekeepers on here know, foxes need to be controlled no matter what.

Regards

SS

[Corkonian 44]

Edited June 9, 2009 by Corkonian

[Bryan 1,362]

yeah if you can, terrier first then lead.also important to hit places hard when they are pairing up and after, if control is the aim.try and get the work done in "season"

Bryan

[Rabbithunter 456]

If he wants you to do it, get him to buy the shots.

[Guest basil46]

I know my answer, but think of this. If you think it`s wrong to shoot foxes this time of year, do you also think it`s wrong to shoot rabbits this time of year? Both have young on the go and in many cases you`re killing next years sport. Right or wrong? How long is a piece of string?

Good topic though.

basil.

[SportingShooter 0]

One fundamental thing there that I and I'm sure others will comment on is the "sport" bit.

I shoot foxes as a means of controlling them, not for sport. That is not to say its not satisfying but If asked to shoot a fox, I do not do it for sport but control.

Same with Rabbits, they are both vermin. No sport involved just humane despatch.

Regards

SS

[Guest basil46]

One fundamental thing there that I and I'm sure others will comment on is the "sport" bit.

I shoot foxes as a means of controlling them, not for sport. That is not to say its not satisfying but If asked to shoot a fox, I do not do it for sport but control.

Same with Rabbits, they are both vermin. No sport involved just humane despatch.

Regards

SS

Point taken mate, but i use the term "next years sport" as a general term.

basil.

[Mr_Logic 5]

I think as responsible conservationists, we owe it to nature to find a balance. Equilibrium is a good thing. So yes, shoot them at this time of year, but don't take the piss! If foxes aren't causing a problem for now, leave them. Whether they are a problem or not depends on the farmers.

 

Ultimately that's why we're there - foxes don't cause us personally any grief (unless we're farmers ourselves obviously, or have chickens or whatever) so wait for the call. Some of my landowners are determined to exterminate so foxy is shoot on sight; others prefer them left as rabbits are the real problem. So I do as I'm told - personally I have mixed feelings on shooting animals - I enjoy it, but when I try to justify it, for foxes and non-eaten rabbits I struggle unless the landowner wants the job done.

 

Personally I find it easy enough not to have to make a decision to leave stuff alive - I'm rubbish enough at this game that nature produces more targets than I get a chance to shoot at. Although, one of my permissions has gone from 8 foxes to 1. I let the last one go the other night, I was being kind

[Deker 3,478]

I think as responsible conservationists, we owe it to nature to find a balance. Equilibrium is a good thing. So yes, shoot them at this time of year, but don't take the piss! If foxes aren't causing a problem for now, leave them. Whether they are a problem or not depends on the farmers.

 

Ultimately that's why we're there - foxes don't cause us personally any grief (unless we're farmers ourselves obviously, or have chickens or whatever) so wait for the call. Some of my landowners are determined to exterminate so foxy is shoot on sight; others prefer them left as rabbits are the real problem. So I do as I'm told - personally I have mixed feelings on shooting animals - I enjoy it, but when I try to justify it, for foxes and non-eaten rabbits I struggle unless the landowner wants the job done.

 

Personally I find it easy enough not to have to make a decision to leave stuff alive - I'm rubbish enough at this game that nature produces more targets than I get a chance to shoot at. Although, one of my permissions has gone from 8 foxes to 1. I let the last one go the other night, I was being kind

 

 

Already a balance in nature...shoot everything the landowners want us to shoot and leave everything on the land we are not allowed to shoot on...sounds a good balance to me ....

[spudlington 3]

This is an interesting question John. The approach i normally take with landowners is to explain what quarry i'll aim to control at different times of the year. Any real problems that arise outside of these times, like this situation, are treated as targeted pest control with no sporting aspect really. So in this instance i would be advising the guy in question to be frank with the farmer. Explain that he doesn't normally control foxes at this time of year but there is obviously an individual animal causing a serious problem. He should tell the landowner that he will bring in his buddy and terriers, and deal with the problem animal and humanely despatch its dependant young.

The guy in question has one moral issue here and that's the cubs being orphaned, well surely if the problem is dealt with in the way outlined he will be happy in the knowledge that they were despatched on the spot quickly and humanely.

The end results if all goes to plan and in an ideal situation would be:

Problem sorted.

Guy has kept his permission and has resolved problem in a way which should sit reasonably well with his morals(better than it would have if he had shot the fox himself)

The terrier man has proved capable of sorting out this type of problem should it arise elsewhere.

Landowner should be impressed that the guy in question resolved the problem but made it clear that he does things in a professional way and doesn't just needlessly nail every legal quarry he sees.

 

Spudlington