What a night

[eric]

As the title say,s. I went out with Rick last night on his ground. Well we saw 12 foxes he had a shot a two and missed both. Every where we went we ran into a fox ,they were ethier just around a bend or would run out of the hedge about 50yds in front of the quad. They just did not wont to know All of the foxes seen where on grass worming I guess Talk about being P---ed off we certainly were From10pm till1 am. I,v not seen so many intent on doing nothing but either sitting just inside some one,s back garden or presenting them selves at about 40to 50yds out so when you stopped the quad they would just move off and not offer a shot .. I was glad to get home I can tell you If we had a cat I would have kicked it of the top of the stairs instead I had to make do with a good cuss

Will have to go As I have just had a phone call a mate of mine as just put next years laying stock in the over wintering pen and he thinks there,s a fox in with the pheasants, talk about shutting the stable door. Also I am out to night on my patch hope it,s better than last night... Eric

[eric]

Just got back from my mates place. We drove out the cover inside the his pen ( a little late I know ) . he was told to do it before now. and to check around the outside for holes under the wire. Still it,s his loss.

nothing.in the pen but worth a try anyway. You should see the mess I helped pick up 43 dead pheasants and they were the easy ones there must be at least another 40-60 in the maise. The birds had only been in the pen 24 hrs. Just goes to show you can not be complacent with regards to a fox. I have already had one fox there on monday night. Looks like a late night tomorrow. >>Eric.

[Alycidon]

Are you saying that these birds in this pen and maize strip were poults or ex layers. Poults by the sound of it and the kill rate. Very unusual to have that high a kill rate outside a pen unless they were released very late, my poults which were released to my mind late (mid August) are as wild as hell now. But I suppose if you see a dozen foxes in a couple of hours then you do have a serious and expensive issue to deal with though. Missing them does not help at all either.

 

If they were released late then your friend or his shoot captain may not be aware of the BASC code of practise for game shooting, full details are on the BASC web site but an extract says;

 

Under normal circumstances, all birds should be released before the start of their shooting season. Shooting must not commence until the birds are mature and fully adapted to the wild – a minimum of one month from release. Birds must never be released to replenish or replace any birds already released and shot in that season. Partridge release pens should be removed before shooting begins.

 

A

[eric]

Are you saying that these birds in this pen and maize strip were poults or ex layers. Poults by the sound of it and the kill rate. Very unusual to have that high a kill rate outside a pen unless they were released very late, my poults which were released to my mind late (mid August) are as wild as hell now. But I suppose if you see a dozen foxes in a couple of hours then you do have a serious and expensive issue to deal with though. Missing them does not help at all either.

 

If they were released late then your friend or his shoot captain may not be aware of the BASC code of practise for game shooting, full details are on the BASC web site but an extract says;

 

Under normal circumstances, all birds should be released before the start of their shooting season. Shooting must not commence until the birds are mature and fully adapted to the wild – a minimum of one month from release. Birds must never be released to replenish or replace any birds already released and shot in that season. Partridge release pens should be removed before shooting begins.

 

A

 

 

Alycidon. Sorry for the mix up. I should have said that these birds were put into a holding pen .Prior to begin used as next years laying stock.. And perhaps I should have also made it clear that the fox got into the pen which is at least 4 maybe more acres in size. It gained acess through a hole dug under the wire which was pegged down. I will also add that all the usual precautions were taken as to the safty of the birds. That is except that the outside of the pen was not walked round .... Eric