How to kill determined Foxes

[redranger209]

This is interesting to note, from an article I found:

When fox numbers have reached a certain level, they will regulate their own numbers so shooting a number of foxes will cause a greater number of vixens in the area to have cubs the next spring. An experienced waterfowl keeper whose husband was a keen shooter said they do not shoot foxes in their area because they have learnt they can’t get in to their field after touching the electric fence where they keep their birds so will not keep trying. If you shoot these foxes, more foxes will move into the area.

This is gonna sound terrible, but if you find the den then that’s six Foxes killed instead of one. So more dens=more foxes killed.

 

[redranger209]

If you use a cat trap, make sure it's covered in branches so they can't see the trap, they're too smart. Use smelly food.
Then if you catch one, humanely dispatch it, probably with a gun.

You could try a duke trap, I've heard tons of good reviews and have a few myself. Never caught a fox, but that doesn't mean you won't. Might as well give it a try.

Could try fireworks/firecrackers at the den, the smell of gunpowder might chase them off, it works for raccoons here. Throw some firecrackers in a sweetcorn patch and you've got a coon free patch. Gun would work the same, hate for you to waste the bullets though.

I’ll try that, I’ve got a ton leftover from Fourth of July.

 

[redranger209]

First thing is certainly get the birds secure. Here they get shot (rifle) but it’s a never ending program. As soon as you get them down more move in to that area so it’s ongoing.
My son & his dad sit out and wait for them either with the lamp or using thermal imaging.

I’ll buy a thermal camera, thanks for the tip. We can’t shoot anything too high of a caliber, hopefully a .22 will at least scare em off.

 

[HuskerHens18]

I’ll try that, I’ve got a ton leftover from Fourth of July.

Me too, that's what I'm using to keep coyotes away from my not-so-secure chicken run and it's working well. They aren't even stepping foot on the property like they were before.

 

[New2Chicks97]

I would buy an electric fence for around the coop/run. We have one for our dogs because we have a digger. Trust me after a few zaps they learn to avoid the wire/fence. We also haven’t had coyotes on our property because a lot of our fencing is electric. They seem to have learned to steer clear.

 

[redranger209]

G’Night everyone!

 

[varidgerunner]

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.

 

[kwhites634]

Can you trap them and relocate? Is there some wild life group that might help you do that? I hate to see them killed just for being foxes. They’re just doing what comes naturally but I understand your frustration.

Why would anyone relocate a problem animal & give the problem to someone else, not to mention the fact that the animal would likely return 'cause it knows where meals are easy to come by?

 

[centrarchid]

Hotwire can be used to make coop less pleasant to challenge. I recently had a fox issue where critter figured out how to beat fence. He was then trapped and eliminated. Other foxes in area are not getting in. Lesson learned was a trapping system that people with chickens targeted by foxes are uniquely setup to do.

 

[chickens really]

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