How to kill determined Foxes

[Jamisonbrooks]

But please don't use a snare if there is a chance pets might roam through! Use "cable locks" instead

Also the term "Foot Hold" some one earlier took that to mean "Dog Proof"

Foot Hold = Coil Spring trap

just wanted to clarify those terms in case it helped the OP

I say snair cause it’s the easyest way to target one animal getting into a chicken pin cause just sacuring the pin will not eliminate the problem with the animal. But you can use a foot hold trap if set correctly.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Term "coil spring trap" better since advent of "dog proof trap".

Yep it's one of those things that made sense, and then they came up with the new thing and now the old term fits the new thing better...

I say snair cause it’s the easyest way to target one animal getting into a chicken pin cause just sacuring the pin will not eliminate the problem with the animal. But you can use a foot hold trap if set correctly.

The difference between a snare and a cable restraint ( I said cable lock earlier) is that the snare does not have that lock mechanism that prevents the resistance from tightening to the point of choking.

So the cable restraint holds lassie if she gets into it but doesn't choke her, where as the snare leaves you with a dead lassie...

My state does not allow the use of snares, and you must be certified to use cable restraints, so as with everything we need to check the local regs

 

[centrarchid]

I have Gray Foxes here as well although they tend to concentrate in more wooded areas, like the Barred Owls do. For us, Gray Fox, has been less problematic and easier to deal with using a light rifle only as they are really prone to come back when disturbed as going after chickens. They are not even closely related to Red Fox.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

They are not even closely related to Red Fox.

When you catch those reds, you realize what mean little devils you're dealing with... the grays on the other hand are so tame you almost think they're pets! They don't smell like the reds either!

 

[centrarchid]

When you catch those reds, you realize what mean little devils you're dealing with... the grays on the other hand are so tame you almost think they're pets! They don't smell like the reds either!

Numerous times I have had Red Fox come through, sometimes just trotting and not actually after my birds, yet even I can smell them without even bending down. They are pretty good at bluffing some dogs, that gets them into trouble with dogs that not concerned about fox fighting back. My family used to hunt foxes using hounds in a big way. During that time the foxes were very shy. Now I have had them attempt to bluff even me, even though I am far larger and nastier than any dog. They are also very used to humans around here with many being flat out town dwellers. I have yet had an actual den close by from which an entire family would issue. Only fox kits I have seen close to current home are Gray Fox.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Numerous times I have had Red Fox come through...

Do you have coyote in that immediate area?

I seem to observe that if the coyotes move in they run off (kill out) the reds, so you generally don't have both... or at least not for long.

But I don't know if that is how it is everywhere, we see it here, and I saw it in northern Missouri (almost into Iowa)

 

[centrarchid]

We have all three wild canids plus Bobcats. There is a resident Coyote pack that moves back and forth across valley we live at the head of. When the Coyotes are close the Red Fox is much less likely to show up on cameras. The dogs keep the Coyotes at least 1/2 miles away. A fe years past our location appeared to be along boarder between two rival Coyote packs and they had squabbles we could here and rarely see. A floater Coyote appeared to buddy up with my dog at that time as our yard with dog afforded protection from the packs. Since we have multiple adult dogs the Coyotes are pushed out and Red Fox is able to come in. The dogs cannot just run the Red Fox off and expect not to come back for a month, the Red Fox will come back the very next night so process has to be repeated unless dogs get really close to catching fox.

 

[varidgerunner]

If a fox comes here the foxhounds will bark. Usually that is enough because it is loud. If it goes on too long I will start opening kennels.

Less fox around since coyotes moved here. I think it has something to do with the coyotes decimating the woods dwelling groundhog population, and cutting down a lot of fox den sites. What red fox there are live close to town and buildings of some sort, as do the majority of groundhogs. The greys are back in thick cover.

 

[Jamisonbrooks]

Yep it's one of those things that made sense, and then they came up with the new thing and now the old term fits the new thing better...



The difference between a snare and a cable restraint ( I said cable lock earlier) is that the snare does not have that lock mechanism that prevents the resistance from tightening to the point of choking.

So the cable restraint holds lassie if she gets into it but doesn't choke her, where as the snare leaves you with a dead lassie...

My state does not allow the use of snares, and you must be certified to use cable restraints, so as with everything we need to check the local regs

I never sead it was right but a cabel restraint can cause a more dangers situation speaking from experience (3 years trapping by my self) you can use foot holds but it’s difacult to get the one getting the chickens cause you cann’t set in the pin with the chickens. Live traps are good but need to be hidden and in a chicken run it’s hard to do so.

 

[Kfults]

Cant say if this is right or wrong, my daughter n law was telling me her grandparents control coyotes in their area by soaking sponges in bacon grease and placing in woods around their wooded property. She said that the animal eats it and dies. I guess old timer method of ridding the area of predators. We have a pack of coyotes around my place, seen on cross road and go into woods 1/8 mile down the road and my neighbor 1/4 mile down same road in woods has recently lost 4 dogs to coyotes. ( pet dogs )
Haven’t had any issue with my secure run or coup- yet....