FOX! How to kill them?!

[vicki2x2]

We are being overrun by fox!

Two months ago one took 3 of my ducklings and tried to take another but for a crazy lady running after it in her jammies at 6 am, it dropped it. Duckling survived with a broken leg.

A few weeks ago the neighbor kid (16) was riding by on his bike and saw 2 in the field across the road from me, he wasn't sure at first what it was as they were out a ways but stopped to tell me. We walked out by the road to see and by then they were quite close, just running around playing, this was about 6 pm.

A few days ago, I seen one just two houses down in the middle of the road, several cars honked at him and swerved around him, this was about 10 pm. He wasn't concerned, just meandering on his way.

Yesterday one of my muscovy drakes was attacked, found him in the morning. He survived, but they are big and can fly, so I am sure that helped. Then my neighbor called that lives behind me (we live right on a corner) and she had one in her horse pasture drinking out of her water tank at 11 am, just as bold as can be.

This morning I hear the chickens raising a fuss at 6:45, I woke up thinking my husband was letting them out, not realizing he went to work hours ago. Looked out to see a fox checking out all my pens. I stumbled from bed, grabbed the little pistol we have, stuck the clip in, ran out of the house, around the garage and back towards him, but he heard me coming and took off.

Problem is, we only live on 2 1/2 acres, so no rifles can be used, I am afraid of hitting a neighbor. I know fox are hard to kill as they are smart and cautious. Any suggestions?

I want them gone!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Do you have a dog? Foxes hate dogs.

You may also be able to find fox deterrent in your feed store. It's a scent that keeps them away.

If killing is your choice how about a bow? Quiet, deadly, and limited in range...

 

[vicki2x2]

Yes, we have dogs, but they go out into a kennel. I bought a wireless dog system, guess it is time to set it up, just haven't had time to train the dogs. I also just got a LGD and he is currently in with the goats, but is just a pup, only 5 months old. He is actually in the pasture the fox snuck into last time to steal my ducklings. However, he was so quiet, the pup was sleeping and didn't hear him. As it wasn't threatening the goats, I don't think he was aware of him. I am sure he will get better but he is just one dog and just a baby at that. He just arrived last Friday night so not even a week ago.

Time to break out the wireless pet system, I was thinking that might help. Thanks!

 

[vicki2x2]

Oh, forgot to add, the bow is a great idea, if DH is here, he can do that and is good at it. I however, am not. I haven't shot a bow in years and Dh's are all to hard for me to pull back, guess I should get my own then, huh??? lol

 

[dutchhollow]

I was losing a few in the day (they are locked up at night) for a period, couldn't figure it out. I had seen two fox in the area in the spring and lost a couple of quines, but nothing since. I put out the live traps (coon size) the door was tripped, but nothing in, so i figured it was bigger, so put out the bobcat sized nothing would go in. Well last week at about 4 pm I hear a lot of noise walk on the back porch and a fox comes out of the big barn (about 200 yards away) with one of my sussex hens in his mouth, I screamed he stopped and looked at me and kept running (with her) I grabbed the 22 and took off but couldn't find him. So I had a friend that traps come over, he found a trail of feathers up the pasture and across the road into a corn field towards a creek. Set a leg hold trap, the next am, the male was in it (he was not relocated, lol). Haven't got the female, hopefully she hasn't been here and won't come back, but I will leave the traps for a week or so. They won't go in a live trap, you might want to find someone that traps and get them to help you.

 

[captdave2612]

I suggest a shotgun. By the time you get good enough with a bow to hit the fox, you could lose a lot of birds. I love the bow and we hunt with them. They are quiet and effective. But you need to use it now. That’s why I say shotgun.

 

[vicki2x2]

I have shotguns, 410, 20 & 12, choose your poison!

 

[captdave2612]

Well then it’s all up to you, you’re good to go. Just watch your line of fire. The shot don’t care if it’s fox or chicken.

 

[marytoast]

Same problem her in NC. I saw 2 this morning running through the field beside my house. I didn't have a gun so I just yelled at them. We hired a man to trap them but apparently he did not get all of them.

 

[Jambruins]

Quote:
It is much easier to train the dogs than you think. It only took my dogs two days to know the boundary with the wireless system. I just followed the instructions for the first 2 days and once the dogs get shocked a couple times they will not go past the flags.