Minimum calibre for fox control

[njc110381]

So do neither of you use rat poison or fly spray???????? or spray your veg plot or use slug pellets????.

 

 

No, actually I don't! There are alternative methods for most applications.

 

I'm not sure I'd rate Greenfly up there with Bunnies and Foxes. Are greenfly complex enough creatures to suffer to the same extent before they die? I don't know, but I don't like pesticides in domestic use anyway.

[243ack]

No, actually I don't! There are alternative methods for most applications.

 

I'm not sure I'd rate Greenfly up there with Bunnies and Foxes. Are greenfly complex enough creatures to suffer to the same extent before they die? I don't know, but I don't like pesticides in domestic use anyway.

 

My point exactly sir. Surely the only person who should decide is the architect of the quarry's demise?.

[shrek]

I see where you are comin from 243Ack, im not goin to take sides on this one as iv seen threads like this one turn into S**t storms before, and i do agree that certain species are delt with by use of poisions and others with firearms, and no one has the say that it should be done any differently, exaclty the same with the snaring argument. Iv shot and killed foxes with calibres ranging from .17hmr to .308, i would say im a fairly decent shot with a rifle and a do my utmost to do the job properly, as at the moment i pull the trigger im resposible for my actions in doing the job to the best of my abilities. No matter what calibre iv used there will always be that one time when things dont go to plan whether it be a fault of the shooter or just a change in the tagers stance at the last second, hence the reason iv never buy a single shot rifle, for that 1% of the time when i do need a back up round.

 

Anyone can say they've never had a shot go wrong, but anyone who shoots regularly will know they're talking BS, what the guys are tryin to say is the closer to the 100% clean kills we get to the better, none of us ever want the 1% to happen, but we all know from time to time it does and as sporting shooters it is our resposibility to mimimise its frequency and take care of the situation when it does occur!

[njc110381]

Anyone can say they've never had a shot go wrong, but anyone who shoots regularly will know they're talking BS, what the guys are tryin to say is the closer to the 100% clean kills we get to the better, none of us ever want the 1% to happen, but we all know from time to time it does and as sporting shooters it is our resposibility to mimimise its frequency and take care of the situation when it does occur!

 

 

My point exactly. In my experience though my runners were not even close to 1%, more like 25%! That's why I don't like the HMR for Fox. It will do the job in close or on cubs and small adults but that little bullet just doesn't have the guts to push through if you get a less than perfect shot on a full grown adult. The Hornet on the other hand, brilliant. I've had one Fox run after a hit with mine and that was only because I fluffed the shot.

 

I've always liked the Hornet based cartridges. They're gentle and mild like a HMR, just with a little more poke at the sharp end.

[sako75]

Hi there, personally I believe its bullet placement that’s vital for a quick clean end regardless of what animal you’re shooting at; over the years I have killed more foxes than I care to remember with a .22. But at close range and head shooting only, I have never seen an adult fox killed cleanly by a .22 on body shots.

 

As for the 17 HMR I have not had any problems using the 20-grain game point, providing it’s headshot; again I doubt that body shoots would be wise, unless the fox is very close.

 

This sort of thread assumes that most shooters are in fact shooting in Open County, but 95% of my work is undertaken in heavily built up locations, where the use of any center fire rifle would be very unwise and possibly dangerous.

 

Although I can use my 25.06 for foxes in an urban location, I would rather not take that risk; it’s horses for courses like most things in life. ATB Bob

[CliveWard]

(The link to the original thread question is one of fatally wounding, as opposed to instant kill).

 

243ack,

 

I see what you're getting at now.

 

I think a lot of shooters don't realise that unless your bullet destroys the brain stem then none of your shots are an instant kill.

 

They might make instant 'stopping' hits on the spine, heart, lungs or shoulders and by the time they've walked up the animal it will be dead as a doornail, making them think they've killed it 'instantly'.

 

I've got no excuse because I know this is what happens. I judge each shot on it's merits. If I can make a guaranteed hit on the stem I will, if not it's heart and lungs and if that's not possible then I leave it.

 

Knowing this, the only truly bad shot in my opinion is one where the animal survives long enough for adrenaline / shock to wear off. I've personally experienced an abrupt and very damaging injury. I didn't feel a thing for quite some time and it was only the fact that I understood what had happened to me that made it an unpleasant experience. I'm pretty sure animals don't have that higher level of understanding.

 

But I still get that sinking feeling when I've made a perfectly good hit on an alert fox and it's made off under adrenaline and run a good distance before expiring. In those circumstances you need to detach a little and concentrate on the target tracking it, ready for a follow up if necessary. More for my own benefit than the animals.

 

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Clive

[243ack]

Well said Clive.

Great laser btw!!!.

[njc110381]

Supposedly, according to several soldiers I've talked to, a bullet wound doesn't actually hurt straight away? Is that right? I've never been shot so I don't know!

 

When I talk about runners I don't mean something that's made it 20 yards and dropped. That's an acceptable shot IMO and one that I've taken on many Deer. They die very quickly. What I didn't like with my HMR was shooting them and then having them run, maybe for over 100 yards and disappearing into cover never to be found. I'm confident they died, but not quickly enough for my liking. I like to find and confirm that what I have hit is down. Several times I lost a Fox to my HMR and in the end I stopped using it for that reason.

[243ack]

Supposedly, according to several soldiers I've talked to, a bullet wound doesn't actually hurt straight away? Is that right? I've never been shot so I don't know!

 

When I was in the MN; a friend got shot through the 'middle' by a Spanish cop with 9mm pistol (innocent bystander in crowd outside bar). Bullet passed clean through him and did no organ damage at all. He said it felt like a red hot poker hitting him and he fell. Knew nothing else til he woke up in hospital. Very pround of his 'entry and exit wound scars' he was!!.

[jay222]

When I was in the MN; a friend got shot through the 'middle' by a Spanish cop with 9mm pistol (innocent bystander in crowd outside bar). Bullet passed clean through him and did no organ damage at all. He said it felt like a red hot poker hitting him and he fell. Knew nothing else til he woke up in hospital. Very pround of his 'entry and exit wound scars' he was!!.

typical mn on the beer lol