Foxy INDEED

[speckledhen]

Though I'm not up on all of California's sometimes bizarre and too-far-reaching laws (IMO), a person cannot always know if the property they are dumping an animal on is private property or not. Property lines are not usually drawn so you can see them. Somebody most likely owns it, whether or not you can see a house or fencing, unless you know for certain that it is state land and that you are physically standing on it. Even in that case, state land lies next to privately owned land, so you are usually making the predator someone else's problem if you relocate, whether or not it's illegal where you live.

For the future, proximity to your own house of the chicken pens is no deterrent to a fox or coyote. My friend had a fox go into her garage while she was in there cleaning cages and snatch a bantam hen who was on the floor scratching around. She had to prevent the tiny rooster from running after it and becoming its second meal of the afternoon. Foxes also can climb and jump like nobody's business. Dog kennel type enclosures need tops on them to prevent predator losses. So sorry for your losses.

 

[scooter147]

Another comment on this.

Relocating an animal can also be cruel to that animal. You are taking it out of it's home range and dumping into the home range of the same species. Fights are sure to occur. Also, many animals will then try to get back to their home range and in the process don't make it. For example, the will have to probably cross roads to do so, SPLAT.

Many animals are totally stressed out when relocated. Stress is hard on the body, both animal and human.

Here in Missouri they tried to relocate deer from the extremely over populated urban areas to rural areas. The deer were micro-chipped the mortality rate was in the 80% range. The program was stopped and now many areas allow bow hunting under strict guidelines.

My grand pappy use to say there are worse things in life than death. In my very humble opinion a quick human dispatch is the way to go for predators that attack livestock.

I also firmly believe as keepers of livestock we must take every step to protect our domestic animals from predators. If one is not willing to do so they shouldn't own them.

 

[varidgerunner]

I worked with a game department for a long time. I wouldn't count on them to "do what's best." Maybe do what seems the best knee-jerk reaction to a situation, but never "best".

From the research I've looked at, you better have taken him about 150 miles away or he is back now. Every river has bridges, not that a fox would need them. Even if released on public land, he will end up on someone's yard. That is where he came from.

And yes, they can be quite brazen, and also, they can seem quite greedy. Unlike dogs or weasels that leave bodies everywhere, foxes do try to move the surplus kills to a secluded spot and bury them. Sometimes they just get carried away, like when there is a sale on ice-cream, and you buy more than will fit in the freezer. That type of situation.

 

[weasel killer]

Ty va

 

[appps]

Thanks I'm allmost over the shock..the fox was captured the very next night and relocated across 2 rivers and many many miles away.

Just an FYI for all those quoting the OP as saying they dumped it on a neighbouring property.

Ah no they didn't say that hysteria did. For all anyone knows of their situation the closest property to where they dropped it could be 100 miles. Lets just give them the benefit of the doubt instead of attacking them for something everyone has just assumed they did. The OP is quite new to the board. Lets not turn this into a screaming match at them.

To the OP sorry to hear of your loss, hopefully its the last of them.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
It doesn't matter if it was 10 miles or 1000 miles.. it's still dumping off a predator onto someone else.. which is ILLEGAL in many areas!

Deal with predators properly.. and legally... don't make your problem predator someone elses problem...