WHERE HAVE THE FOXES GONE ?

[BIGDOG]

On a small shoot where we do the fox control we shoot on average thirty foxes a year ,the whole farm was winter wheat ever year untill this year when they put the whole farm down to linseed oil resulting this year so far we have only seen and shot three foxes , has this decline been because of the linseed or other factors,just wondered if have any members have come across this before on there shooting grounds

[1967spud]

we are having the same problem in certain parts of norfolk, nt all the parts but localised parts

[nemasis243]

I have shot a few in the past and I have kept records over the years , weather,moon,wind and also timesthey are shot.

What I have noticed that every year at this time the foxes have a strange habit , they feed at last light and then feed very late.

Of course your gonna get foxes out at all hours but I am on about seeing numbers.

 

The theory I have come to is that when the Vixon has her cubs she takes them out just before dark so they can stretch their legs and I recon that it is still in the animals body clock until when the clocks go back, I have found that there is a big diference in the amount that I shoot after this happens

 

As I say this is only my opinion!! it may well be different in other parts of the UK

cheers Andy

[1967spud]

As I say this is only my opinion!! it may well be different in other parts of the UK

cheers Andy

 

 

you may exsperience that very soon andyj

[BIGDOG]

you may exsperience that very soon andyj

so you donot think this has any thing to do with the linseed other shoots i cover are still shooting the same numbers

[JohnGalway]

Last season - October 2008 - end of February 2009, I had only shot 15 foxes. Talk about depressing. Lamping buddy kept telling me wait until lambing, they'll come. We mostly lamb here March/April, we shot 46 in those two months alone.

[sir-slots-alot]

Without wanting to stir a hornets nest

 

When there are lot of rifles that shoot fox during their breeding season it seriously impacts overall fox numbers in that immediate area.

 

Shooting a vixen whilst pregnant or weening , that one shot wipes out a future generation of foxes.

 

Obviously later on in the season there will be fewer resident foxes on your patch.

 

 

I am fortunate that I now only shoot for sport and decided not to shoot fox during the breeding months.

 

When I ran my pest control company , it was a different story as I was paid to do a job.. or if I had live stock or birds to protect . I might think differently

 

I have still managed to slot 91 fox this year .. but I have noticed I need to work much harder than a few years back.

 

 

 

Alan