A fox trap

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A fox trap
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 16 3:07 pm Post subject:

I do see.

I wouldnt rerelease, I think that would be cruel. Their survival depends on knowing their environment. I am a bit miffed about having to shoot them, but I don't see any alternative, other than castle style fortifications. I did see chickens kept on an island in a large pond once. I always wondered how that worked out.

I got a trap because I was told they don't sleep. Mind you, so far they don't catch much either.....

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 16 3:54 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

I did see chickens kept on an island in a large pond once. I always wondered how that worked out.

Are you thinking of the ending on Chicken Run?

Foxes can swim I gather.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 16 10:43 pm Post subject:
foxes can definitely swim and will do so to avoid a hunt or to get to a decent dinner.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 16 9:13 am Post subject:
See? The bloody things are incorrigible! I haven't seen chicken run, I think perhaps I ought to.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 16 9:59 am Post subject:
Oh. Just checked the trap, and I've got one. I wish there was another way.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 16 1:08 pm Post subject:
well done,it isnt easy or nice to have to kill things cos they chose the wrong place and dinner menu but foxes and chooks are incomparable. ps a good fox pelt makes a decent hat

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 16 11:03 pm Post subject:
If you can put up with the stink when you skin it.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 16 9:11 am Post subject:

I won't be skinning it, the gun has that privilege. I believe his wife has requested a fox fur hood.

He said that the vixens go to earth over winter. When do they pup? I'd hope to catch them before they breed, obviously. Also, how many am I likely to get? Will it be just the one pair in this territory? I'm aware that others will move in, and I suppose how long will depend on how rich territories are in this area. I know they have been established for years with no attempt at control.

I think the bait hung around longer this time. It was just chicken scraps, but I put them in a net bag from some limes and that meant although the chickens got in after it, they couldn't eat it. So it had the chance to get stinkier and was there for longer.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 16 11:38 am Post subject:
as you have both territory and "food" i recon you will have a steady supply of new fur hoods. they usually pup as the first young rabbits emerge but if they have "urban"food it can be earlier,some years they will have two litters as to groups they can be lone.pair or family group . young ones are often sent to find a new home at a few months old. keep the trap set and baited

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun May 01, 16 12:43 pm Post subject:

My vulpine menace is still a menace. There appears to be a number of them. We got one in the trap, eventually. Then half of the chickens got into the trap, and the fox figured out how to get them out one by one. A bit of bad luck and a high wind meant the rest of them got shut out of the run the next week, so it had those as well. We managed to shoot that one, and lost two more the next day, that unaccountably decided not to go to bed. I think they escaped the run and were too stupid to get back in.

The birds are now penned to keep them out of the trap, but I have now lost all but two of the replacements for no reason at all (I'm prepared to accept that the fox will get lucky now and again. See above) They are penned, but masters of escape (re-entry, not so much). I checked they were all in at dusk. They have an automatic closing door, so they are shut in at dusk without fail. I have checked, and it is working. I can't set it for any earlier, because they get shut out. I think the last lot must have been got in first thing the morning.

I've baited the trap with everything I can think of including a dead chicken, eggs, a magpie and various chicken scraps Its managed to get it all out without triggering the trap, or triggering it without being inside it. I have now put chicken giblets under the trap in a net bag, and pegged the trap down but still no catch. I'm sure the trigger is working, and is sensitive enough because an escaped chicken triggered it last week. We don't go near the trap at all, unless we have to and I wear gloves.

How can I catch the bugger? My gun has spent a few nights around, and has managed to shoot a dog fox. We think this is the vixen, but she's outsmarting us at every step!

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Sun May 01, 16 4:23 pm Post subject:

at this time of year she is probably feeding pups so will be very active and determined.

keep the trap in good order and post your sniper is the best bet although tracking in daylight to find her preferred routes,lay ups and perhaps even find her home can help work out where is a good spot to lie in wait if she has rumbled the current sniper positions .

it is a bit of extra work but high seats that overlooks known haunts(the hen run for example) can add to the potential safe angles of fire.foxes are clever and will avoid danger zones in favour of unshootable places .
im assuming rifle and night site rather than shotgun for the high seats as with a shottie the extra work does not give anywhere near as much added advantage as with a longer range weapon.
even with a shotgun the high seat helps with reducing scent ,increasing the areas that can be seen and giving extra safe angles of fire

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed May 04, 16 9:53 am Post subject:
Bloody thing. We've had glimpses of her, but she's really skittish. Lamp shy, too. A trap canny - still no catch. I'll get some more chicken. I wish I'd tied the dead one to the trigger.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46247
Location: yes

Posted: Wed May 04, 16 10:04 am Post subject:
smearing cat food on the treadle might work (or tie the bait on or behind the treadle) high seats,night sight seems a good option. tracking is never wasted time whatever the target.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 16 3:42 pm Post subject:

I am beginning to regret keeping chickens! I have had no fox attacks since the beginning of May, and have had a (dead) chicken tied to the treadle of the trap for a good fortnight. No fox. No sign of fox.

On Wednesday I thought it was safe to buy new chickens. Trap triggered Wednesday evening, but no catch. Today, I have lost six. I have no idea how. None. I know for definite they were shut in last night, because we checked them after the door had shut. They don't get let out till about 8am. Which I would have thought was late enough. Both the laying birds (why does it always get the layers?!) had laid before being eaten.

The only possibilities I can think of is that the fox was about between 8 and midday. Or that it got in through the nest box, but I'd have expects the eggs to be broken in that case.

I can't really think of anything else to do. Obviously, I will secure the nest box with something. I could move the chicken house down closer to the house, so I can keep more of an eye on things, but I couldn't pen them down here. I can't keep replacing chickens indefinitely!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 16 3:55 pm Post subject:

wellington womble wrote:

They don't get let out till about 8am. Which I would have thought was late enough

Why do you say that? Foxes will be about all the time, both urban and rural foxes are often about during the day and if they have cubs to feed they'll be very active.

A completely enclosed pen sounds like the way to go.

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