Seasoned fox-solver's help required please

[AHPP]

I'm not a fox shooter per se. Have bumped into a few when out for rabbits but very rarely go out with fox on the menu. Looks like this might change...

 

Got a call from a farmer I know today. Friend of the family keeps geese and has quite recently lost a fair few to foxes. Fox has been spotted morning, noon and night at the pond (near the house) but chose not to show itself when I sat out there this evening. The locals reckon they know where the earth is and there are a few tracks and bits of that which promotes growth and vigour I found to back this up.

 

I've spread a tin of cat food where I reckon the fox enters the land. There's a tree I can shoot from but how do I get it into a routine and turn up at the right time (so not have to waste ages sitting in a tree on the off chance it shows).

 

 

Plan A is a cheap clock with string around the battery and the other end of the string staked into some old meat.

Any advance on that?

 

 

Land is small paddocks with long grass (path cut round the edges) with loads of trees, hedges, bushes and other cover.

 

 

Tips and tricks appreciated.

[PeteL]

AH,

The man you want is Nemasis243, I'll bet he's got one or more answers.

My suggestion is a trail camera, but they cost money,unfortunately, but at least you'll get some piccies to post on the Forum!.

Peter

[Elwood]

Give me call Alex.

[Millwall Paul]

How about baiting the area with a rabbit opened up and then squeeking it? I've found that it can be quite effective. Otherwise how about an electronic caller?

[Alycidon]

A, Bait the area as you have done, normally upwind or crosswind of your shooting position. evenings and early mornings are usually best for a shot.

 

B, If you go the clock route the anchor the clock itself or it could dissapear as well. Catfood does work as do rabbits but anchor the rabbits as charlie tends to grab it and run. I put 4 rabbits out the night before last, all of them gone next morning so I have some work to do but I cannot find the cubs yet.

 

C, Try a lamp, dont use a caller unless you have a geese distress call, that seems to be the dinner gong for your fox.

 

D, If the entry point is controllable sizewise then put a snare in it, if not reduce it controlling your entry then snare. Anchor the snare to the hedge/fence post very firmly. Look for feathers where the fox is taken the victims away, that shows exit if not entry point. Warn the owner though, you dont want to be catching his dog. You almost certainly have a vixen hunting hard for big cubs as she wont hunt during the day unless she has to. These also want finding and dealing with,should be geese feathers outside their holes !! . They will probably be within a few hundred yards.

 

E, If you are going to shoot it then the undergrowth makes having a high shooting point a probable requirement. So a high seat really against the tree. You will though have to put a bit of time in, foxes are not like rabbits. And wear a face mask of some sort.

 

A

[AHPP]

Thanks for the replies so far.

 

Alycidon,

I had thought about snaring because I'm almost certain I know where it gets in through the fence to the geese pen. Thing is I know even less about snaring foxes than I do about shooting foxes! I know a local bloke I can get to help if I do decide to snare it.

I'll have to have a skulk across to where I think the earth is and see if I can find evidence of cubs. Different landowner though so I'll have to sort that out before shooting them.

Like the new rifle by the way.

 

 

Ian,

Appreciated - Will drop you a line.

[Alycidon]

Here you go, pretty simple really, just make sure that the run is not used by badgers (and Munties) as they are protected by law. From what you are saying then I would think you are OK

 

http://www.gct.org.uk/uploads/foxsnaringguidelines.pdf

 

Make sure that the snare (buy them from your local agricultural merchent (ie Centeral Wool Growers, etc) is legal (free running ) and that it is very firmly anchored. You will need to shoot the captured but I have heard of a gamekeeper using one of those 6D Maglights, grab charlie by the tail, pull backwards till he is tight against the snare and donk him between the ears with the torch in the other hand, bulb survives this as well so I am told. It is a legal requirement to check the snare at least every 24 hours, I would recommend 12 maximum making sure you are armed, just in case !.

 

I would suggest a snare as a first line of attack and wait a few evenings with a rifle as well, better chance than in the morning, he will see you way before you see him unless you are already holed up when he/she appears.

 

Thanks for your comments on the BR, on the holes where I shot the fox last week there was the front end of a calf !!. There is a very dodgy farmer/butcher a few hundred yards away but that would have been a hell of a haul for a vixen uphill through wheat.

 

Talk to your other landowner before going poking onto his land, you might guess you will be spotted if you dont and you might get a bit of extra land.

 

A

 

A

[AHPP]

Here you go, pretty simple really, just make sure that the run is not used by badgers (and Munties) as they are protected by law. From what you are saying then I would think you are OK

 

http://www.gct.org.uk/uploads/foxsnaringguidelines.pdf

 

Make sure that the snare (buy them from your local agricultural merchent (ie Centeral Wool Growers, etc) is legal (free running ) and that it is very firmly anchored. You will need to shoot the captured but I have heard of a gamekeeper using one of those 6D Maglights, grab charlie by the tail, pull backwards till he is tight against the snare and donk him between the ears with the torch in the other hand, bulb survives this as well so I am told. It is a legal requirement to check the snare at least every 24 hours, I would recommend 12 maximum making sure you are armed, just in case !.

 

I would suggest a snare as a first line of attack and wait a few evenings with a rifle as well, better chance than in the morning, he will see you way before you see him unless you are already holed up when he/she appears.

 

Thanks for your comments on the BR, on the holes where I shot the fox last week there was the front end of a calf !!. There is a very dodgy farmer/butcher a few hundred yards away but that would have been a hell of a haul for a vixen uphill through wheat.

 

Talk to your other landowner before going poking onto his land, you might guess you will be spotted if you dont and you might get a bit of extra land.

 

A

 

A

 

Cheers for the snare tips. Will have a read up.

 

As for the BR how much powder do you burn per round? Want to build a super-lightweight, super-flat rabbit machine and the BR is on the list of possibles.

[nemasis243]

If the land dosent have the public walking all over it , I would do as you suggested AHPP ,I would start by trying to find the time of day the fox comes along, using the clock,it has worked many many times for me.

If the surrounding area is very thick cover you may only get a quick glimpse of him so you need to keep him interested, myself I would use a small bait box( a small bucket with a lid with loads of holes in it, ) I would then hang this 3ft off the ground, in an area that you have a good vantage point to be able to shoot from, check the prevailing wind and always try to be down of it ,

In the bait box I would stick all the rabbit guts in it, mash them up so you break all the bladder and that which promotes growth and vigour sack up , this is going to give off the main scent ,some of the juice will fall through the holes and this will give charlie something to sniff at,

You can also use cat food but this only works better when it is nice and hot,

Myself ,I would peg out the dead rabbits with stakes through them so he cant drag them off, he has to stay a while and have a chew.

Good Luck and keep us informed,

[Alycidon]

I have so far only fired 34 rounds in accuracy tests. So far the best groups are coming at 28.0 to 29.0 grains and 31.0gr (of N150). However at 31 I am starting to slightly primer crater and recoil is more noticeable so i will probably stop at the builder's recommended 28.0 or a shade over. I have no moderator on this one (yet !) and at 29.0 I can still see the action in the scope. Speed at 29.0 is 3450fps so not fast but fast enough that no fox will out run it , accuracy is .2 or thereabouts.

 

I am looking to try a handfull of a slower powder but a bit more of it (maybe 33gr or so of N550 or more likely N160) to see if that eases the pressure situation while allowing me to up the velocity. Probably a stupid idea but one has to try, it's this reloading thing again ! . It has a 27" barrel so I was looking for a bit more velocity wise. But I will probably need to use the 39gr Blitzking as a high speed crow exploder, just need to nip over to Norman Clarkes to get some now I have some fireformed brass. According to the ballistics programmes there is very little difference in drop/drift under 250 yards between the 39 and the 50 and almost all my fox/crow/rabbit etc shots are below this.

 

My optimum zero is so far working out at 160 yards, this gives a first cross at 50 yards and .5 high at 100 yards. So head shots or precision shots are on without thinking about it (other than wind !!) to about 175 yards.

 

A

[JohnGalway]

Tips and tricks appreciated.

 

New reports get told to "follow the money" on stories.

 

Well, my advice is to "stick near the food". Forget catfood, timers etc. Get yourself out just before it gets dark and hang around near the geese. Charles will show up for dinner and get himself shot