How to kill determined Foxes

[varidgerunner]

I had an on going Fox problem. The Den was destroyed and the Fox all left. Now I have a Coyote problem.

I saw a coyote eying up my completely free ranged birds yesterday. I went in the house, got something to drink, grabbed the GPS collars off of the bench, grabbed the shotgun and went to the kennel. I grabbed a couple of hounds, turned on the collars and made sure they were getting a signal. Collared and leashed them up and walked up to where I saw the coyote. My old dog could smell him so I cut her loose. I heard her jump him not long after, he hadn't gone far at all, the pup heard it too and started barking and pulling the lead. I cut her loose to free up my hands. I went to where the gps told me they had crossed the top of a hill and stood there with the shotgun. I watched the screen, they were kind of heading toward a road, but I stayed put. He got right to the road and made a small circle, flanking the road. I heard the dogs getting louder, and put the gps back in my pocket. They were screaming right at me so I went ahead and shouldered the gun, coyote topped the hill and froze instantly as I'm sure he smelled me. He was right on his backtrack, as I knew he would be, and I had the gun pointed at the little path through the brush right in that spot. I heard the lead dog bark and knew that she was out of the line of fire, so I pulled the trigger before he could swap ends, as I knew that is what he was getting ready to do in that split second. Came back to the house, petted the dogs, gave them an egg each, put them in the kennel and went and fed the chickens. Original American livestock guardian dogs in action. I hope another coyote comes soon.Or a fox. I don't shoot the fox if their fur isn't prime. They won't usually come close enough to bother a chicken because they know I'll cut the dogs loose and they will have to run for the next couple of hours. I shoot the coyotes, I have sheep too.

 

[llombardo]

They’re not gonna do a thing, plus it’ll just put the problem on someone else. I’m sorry, but where I live killing is the only option.

So you have no forest preserves in the middle of nowhere where there are no homes? Justcasking because I really don't know of any places that don't. So call up the wildlife people and ask them where or if they can be brought somewhere.

 

[varidgerunner]

So you have no forest preserves in the middle of nowhere where there are no homes? Justcasking because I really don't know of any places that don't. So call up the wildlife people and ask them where or if they can be brought somewhere.

I don't understand why people believe that relocation is ever an option. Study after study has proven that if you don't take them far enough, they will be back the next day. If you do go far enough, say 20 miles at least, you are dumping an animal that is not familiar with the territory into territory that is undoubtedly inhabited by members of it's own species that do. Foxes will kill strange foxes, as well as predators do. Foxes that don't know the lay of the land will starve in territory where the resident foxes have claim on all of the food resources. It's a question of killing it slow, versus fast. Relocation is either a minor inconvenience or a death sentence, depending on how far you go.

Then there is the matter of disease transmission, an animal willing to enter a trap could be hungry because of disease. You could be infecting all of the animals at the release site, who no doubt will come in contact as they gather to kill the starving interloper.

And there is the ethical question of taking an animal habituated to human food sources to the point of becoming a nuisance to someone else's house. To be somebody else's problem. How kind. Never relocate. Most wildlife agencies either have laws against it, or will soon, as they become enlightened to the potentially devastating impacts it can have.

Human safety is also a concern. A younger animal might be hungry enough to eat chickens because it's parents died. Maybe the parents died of rabies. Maybe they infected the juvenile. Maybe it bites you when you release it, or maybe you scratch yourself on the cage that has blood and saliva on it from the animal biting the wire. Ever catch rabies? Few people can answer that question with an intelligible answer. If you get exposed, the treatment is costly, but if you get infected it is fatal. Rabies is just the tip of the iceberg, there are a host of other diseases you can pick up from wildlife. Sometimes, they don't prance through the field of flowers when released, they run straight for the nearest cover, which is probably your vehicle. Don't leave the door open. Usually it's wheel well and then either on top of the gas tank or in the engine compartment. Fun times.

Unethical, inhumane, ineffective, dangerous and usually illegal.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

So you have no forest preserves in the middle of nowhere where there are no homes? Justcasking because I really don't know of any places that don't.

Just FYI: Many (most?) government managed lands... federal, state, county,etc. do have laws in place that make it illegal to release animals on those lands.

 

[varidgerunner]

Just FYI: Many (most?) government managed lands... federal, state, county,etc. do have laws in place that make it illegal to release animals on those lands.

As they should.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Curious what people are calling a "Cat Trap" and a "Duke" trap

Duke is simply a brand name, that makes all kinds of traps... are you meaning foot hold style traps?

Is a "Cat Trap" just a cage type live trap... or is it something else?

 

[OhZark Biddies]

As they should.

Well obviously you're against it, but I do relocate sometimes, other times I dispatch.

I've read several studies and articles on it, and I question some of the information, but generally speaking I think dispatching the critter is the better alternative to relocating.

The thing that I never hear people address, is that almost no one follows the correct legal steps when eliminating predators, as generally the laws are written in such a way that you have to either catch the critter in the act, or have had it do damage to property (kill chickens, tear up fencing, etc.) then document, then contact the law enforcement agency, etc.

States vary on the extent of all this, so it's important everyone look into them, so that they at least know what laws they're "bending", and what the penalties are. But I'd encourage everyone to use some common sense in each case also.

 

[BlackHackle]

What’s the best way to decimate a fox population? My friend lost 20 birds to foxes and there aren't many left. 9 out of 35. I know he needs to secure his coop, I’ll be helping him do that this week, but we need to kill at least some of em. What’s the best way? Cat traps? Shotgun at the den? Duke traps? Please help, he’s gonna not have a flock left by next week.

I would say a good 300 Winchester Magnum would do the trick, also a more efficient way would probably be a 410 Shotgun or even a 243 Win Mag

 

[redranger209]

So you have no forest preserves in the middle of nowhere where there are no homes? Justcasking because I really don't know of any places that don't. So call up the wildlife people and ask them where or if they can be brought somewhere.

I’m in a

Curious what people are calling a "Cat Trap" and a "Duke" trap

Duke is simply a brand name, that makes all kinds of traps... are you meaning foot hold style traps?

Is a "Cat Trap" just a cage type live trap... or is it something else?

Yeah, I meant the foot traps for duke. Cat trap is what I’ve always called the wire cages with a pressure plate.

 

[Tnkmommy87]

My uncle actually has a fox farm, sells them for pets and fur.(he's a trapper also, not my cup of tea.) When his get loose we set live traps and catch them everytime. Since those foxes are used to chicken, put some chicken in the traps. You can dispose or release far away. If a fox can get it's head in a hole it's body can fit. Here's a baby fox from his farm with my youngest son. Good luck!