how do I humanely kill a fox?

[B Redhawk]

Predators only work hard enough to make their living, if you make a situation where they see an easy meal, they are going to take it, easy calories are good calories to any animal's survival, even humans. If you are going to raise "prey" for your own use, there are two ways to approach it. allow for predator losses or make it very hard for the predator to get to your animals. We have lots of tools to make it undesirable for predators. Tall, strong fences, electric fence or hot wires in strategic locations, Guard animals, locking houses. All work for us and against those wild things looking for their next meal. If I have to dispatch a predator, I do it with a bullet to the brain, I do not take joy in an animal's suffering. When I dispatch one, I ask it for forgiveness first then I say a prayer over it at the end. If I am not going to eat it, or have someone who wants it, then I have to give it a proper burial. All life is sacred, give those we doom some respect at the least.

 

[MageofMist]

Predators only work hard enough to make their living, if you make a situation where they see an easy meal, they are going to take it, easy calories are good calories to any animal's survival, even humans. If you are going to raise "prey" for your own use, there are two ways to approach it. allow for predator losses or make it very hard for the predator to get to your animals. We have lots of tools to make it undesirable for predators. Tall, strong fences, electric fence or hot wires in strategic locations, Guard animals, locking houses. All work for us and against those wild things looking for their next meal. If I have to dispatch a predator, I do it with a bullet to the brain, I do not take joy in an animal's suffering. When I dispatch one, I ask it for forgiveness first then I say a prayer over it at the end. If I am not going to eat it, or have someone who wants it, then I have to give it a proper burial. All life is sacred, give those we doom some respect at the least.

And as for people saying it'd cost too much to secure a pen or fence off an area... I am sure it is even more expensive replacing the chickens taken and buying ammo and traps for dispatching the predators who are also trying to make a living.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I have a juvenile red fox that kept taking my chickens. I hadn't seen him in several weeks so I purchased a few new hens. One of my hens that I got prefers to try to roost on my roof rather than in the coop. I learned that if I set my rabbit trap with her favorite sardines and bananas that she will go into the Trap set it off and then I can move the Trap and her into the coop at night.
This work three times. I had it set last night walked outside to put her up but she was not in it I left it there so that way I would not have to set it for the next night. I woke up this morning and went out to let my girls out and there was the fox sitting in the Trap... How do i kill it in the most humane way so that it does not suffer and so that I can get rid of it so that my chickens will not be in danger?

( should I use the gun or is there a more humane way)
((Just moved and I live in the middle of nowhere))

The most "humane" thing to do is take it miles away from your home and release it. It's not a rodent. It is an important part of our ecosystem. Go for a 30 min drive and relocate. I would anyway.

 

[BYCforlife]

"error-prone nature of firearms"? "find a way of getting a clear shot that isn't going to kill your neighbor"

First, firearms are not error prone. People are. If you don't know how to use one then don't.
Second, stand over the top of the trap and fire away.
If you are in the city, then a pellet rifle is legal here in FL. Its the gunpowder that makes something a "firearm".
Less reliable? A bullet to the head is about as reliable as it gets. If you cant hit its head from 2 feet away, then I feel sad for you.
Use a bullet. First there is light, then there is nothing. A .22 bullet traveling at Mach 1 gives a very fast death.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

.wow!!!! I thought this site was created to share knowledge of raising poultry. Now that I have read all the replies about shooting a wild animal caught in a live trap after it was trying to survive in the wild. INSTEAD OF DRIVING IT MILES AWAY & RELEASE IT..
There is no humane way to kill any animal unless you need to receive nourishment from it. You clearly have a choice to take revenge and punish a wild animal for trying to survive without going to Burger King's drive thru for dinner.
All the blood thirsty comments on this thread are opposite of the reason I joined BYC.
Therefore I'll just move to the next thread that doesn't have a lynch mob.
You have a choice to relocate the animal or destroy it. Either way, it's your choice.
One day we will only have Foxes in museums and history books and If I am still above ground, I will remember BYC.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I'm kind of surprised nobody has mentioned this so I will...you are spitting into the wind by killing one fox but not putting any kind of restraints on your hens' ability to roost where it is not safe. Now I know it is not easy to do this in every situation but you are defeating your own purpose by not figuring out how to force this hen to coop up with the others. There are lots of ideas on these forums about how to make your flock safer than they are now. I allowed my flock to free range during the day for years without trouble. Then one hen was killed by a hawk. I thought that was not too bad. Then another. And another. The same or similar species hawk got four of my favorite hens according to my game camera. I set out a camera to see what came through at night but had not thought of the daytime till my dog-like hen was killed. I finally woke up and built a fully enclosed and roofed run. I miss seeing them range but I don't miss walking outside and hearing silence, seeing no hens because they are hiding and finding that mangled body and pile of feathers. My personal conviction is that I owe it to the planet to be a good steward of the land and not kill those who are just trying to live. My responsibility is to make it harder for them to get an easy meal. I think you might have something of a similar belief since you do not want the fox to suffer. That is more than alot of people will feel about a predator. But please, think about how to keep your flock safe in the future. They WILL come back.

Thank you!! That was an excellent example of Humanity!

 

[LittleBird123]

Most city folks have a large roll-around garbage can. Tie up the doors on your trap so that the doors will not open when it is stood on end. Insert the trap into the garbage can (fox and all) then use a garden hose to fill the garbage can with water.

Drowning is one of the most inhumane ways you could kill an animal. If you would hate to be drowned then any animal would to. The best way to protect your chickens is by fortifying your coop. I make sure my coop is completely locked up at night, and I have had no problems with predators. And if you have already caught the predator then the MOST humane way of getting rid of it is by relocating it. Use the time you would spend driving to the store to by ammo to simply release the animal in a field or forest far from your house, the fox will not be able to find its way back. Any other method will involve much violence and pain for both the animal and you.

 

[GGBEAR]

i think some people are going a little over the top i agree drowning is not humane but also people seem to be reveling in killing to my knowledge BYC do not support glorifying killing animals what ever they are.
i think if some people want to share any more on how to maybe do it through private message that way it will not offend.
what do people think?

 

[DuckLady]

I think we're done here. Thanks for your participation
Remember that we have a set of guidelines for this section. It's quite a bit more lenient than the rest of the forum, but they are enforced.

*Although some ways are not considered ideal to some, it serves the purpose of removing the offending predator. If you have an idea or a helpful comment, please do reply. If it is a sarcastic comment about the disposal or capture of a predator, please keep your thoughts to yourself. We are not here to judge one another on methods or ways and means.

*That being said, please do not gloat or suggest torturous ways of killing for pleasure or indeed, post in such a way that your predator control can be construed as pleasure killing instead of simply taking care of a problem.