Fox by the Chicken Run

[Hillaire]

So the other day I was home from work doing stuff around the house when my Guinea Hens and Chickens started going crazy. Usually the Guineas go crazy seeing a wild turkey or a deer or a leaf going in the wind but I heard my roo doing his alarm call which is rare. So I look out my window and see a huge Fox sitting by my run looks like he tried digging (but I proofed any digging with hardware cloth in the ground

) so I grabbed my gun (In ny if something is threatening your livestock you have a right to shoot it if you call a DEC officer after) and ran outside. My fiancé's eyes got huge as I walked past her with my .30-30. So I slip out the sun room door and take aim as the fox was still there sitting in the same spot contemplating it's next move. This fox had to be a good 25 lbs. So I take aim wait for my guineas to clear and fire. It was raining very hard so after the shot he took off I went down and looked for blood but couldn't find any. I called my local DEC officer to tell him of the incident and he came out to help me look but no sight. He was very happy I reported it and gave me a permit to shoot on sight if it comes back.. Another eventful day with predators...

 

[Ameraucanas]

Wow! Sounds crazy.

 

[Hillaire]

not exactly how I wanted to spend my afternoon really wish I didn't have to deal with predators but being in the country and surrounded by woods it's inevitable thank goodness it was raining or my guinea hens would have been out and could have become a snack

 

[bobbi-j]

Wanna have some fun with that fox? Run some electric fence around the outside of your run. Start at about 2" or so off the ground. Right at nose level when he starts to dig. Then put another strand about 6-8" up and another one or two after that. It discourages the climbers that way, too. It's been suggested to put dabs of peanut butter on that wire, too, at intervals so that when they try to lick it, they get the shock of their life!

 

[Hillaire]

hahaha I'm sure

 

[Howard E]

X2 on the electric wire. In addition to the PB, try a piece of chicken skin wrapped over the wire so it joins on the other side, sticking to itself.

If the varmint is close enough (about 25 yards or so), a 12 gauge with #4 buckshot gives a person more margin of error, works well when the target is moving and less worries about what is half a mile or so beyond your line of sight that is downrange of the intended gunshot victim.