My first Fox attack that ended in a kill

[welly]

Yea every time I set the trap I keep coming up with bottom feeders ya know possssum.We just had snow over night and had a red lurking around the coop.I just went out to check on them and he is back.The crazy thing is I preadtor hunt all winter here just not in my yard I am to tight to the neighbors I have night vision and a nice electronic caller.My neighbors would be hanging out the window when I started calling these things in Just gotta Trap them and take them for a swim.Great job again don't put your guard down they are always lurking.You may wanna put some 1/2"hardware cloth over your bigger chicken wire.I even put a solar hot wire system in place they just come thru when I let them range while I am home no more than an hour.Between the hawks and fox I may just sit out there with the scatter gun.

 

[frigginchi]

Just report his butt to a game warden.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Pages/JunkFood.aspx

 

[welly]

Over here they don't care about our chickens the red fox have more rights than my chickens.I am on a mission I just put a trail camera out there.Put a nice chick breast out there frozen ice cube tied to the back of trap.

 

[soler]

oh i know i am going to get a bunch of hate mail for this, but instead of trying to kill the animals out there - which are inevitably and always replaced by new ones as the territory is given up, wouldn't it make more sense to just predator-proof the chicken area to avoid future accidents instead?

Else you'll just end up having the situation over and over and over again. i guess i don't enjoy taking an animal's life unless it's absolutely necessary, and i feel that wildlife is entitled to share the land too, and it's up to us - the smarter beings, to find a way to co-exist. I feel pretty bad about that poor fox. It wasn't trying to be an ***-ole, just trying to survive. And I am not sure why you are finding the prospect of picking up a rifle and killing this fox so exciting and woo-hoo. I think it's incredibly sad, and probably unnecessary. Taking a life should never be amusing.

As for being rabid, it is possible, but it doesn't sound likely, and foxes will move in daytime. It seems in Colorado (like in most of the midwest) skunks and bats are the main wild animals affected:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/RESEARCH/WILDLIFEHEALTH/RABIES/Pages/Rabies.aspx, and it's not a common situation.

anyways. just my own two cents.

(and, i have lost a chicken to raccoons, which i did not kill but relocated, then took pains to make sure my chicken pen and coop were fully predator proof. no accidents since. and yes, there are foxes, coyotes, opossum, raccoons, opossums, hawk, owls around me they just can't get in)

 

[Mygirls20]

Yea every time I set the trap I keep coming up with bottom feeders ya know possssum.We just had snow over night and had a red lurking around the coop.I just went out to check on them and he is back.The crazy thing is I preadtor hunt all winter here just not in my yard I am to tight to the neighbors I have night vision and a nice electronic caller.My neighbors would be hanging out the window when I started calling these things in Just gotta Trap them and take them for a swim.Great job again don't put your guard down they are always lurking.You may wanna put some 1/2"hardware cloth over your bigger chicken wire.I even put a solar hot wire system in place they just come thru when I let them range while I am home no more than an hour.Between the hawks and fox I may just sit out there with the scatter gun.

Ya if you cant trap him I would do that timed feeding spot and just wait for him to come We dont have possums but I was always scared to go out there and find a skunk in the trap lol

 

[Mygirls20]

oh i know i am going to get a bunch of hate mail for this, but instead of trying to kill the animals out there - which are inevitably and always replaced by new ones as the territory is given up, wouldn't it make more sense to just predator-proof the chicken area to avoid future accidents instead?

Else you'll just end up having the situation over and over and over again. i guess i don't enjoy taking an animal's life unless it's absolutely necessary, and i feel that wildlife is entitled to share the land too, and it's up to us - the smarter beings, to find a way to co-exist. I feel pretty bad about that poor fox. It wasn't trying to be an ***-ole, just trying to survive. And I am not sure why you are finding the prospect of picking up a rifle and killing this fox so exciting and woo-hoo. I think it's incredibly sad, and probably unnecessary. Taking a life should never be amusing.

As for being rabid, it is possible, but it doesn't sound likely, and foxes will move in daytime. It seems in Colorado (like in most of the midwest) skunks and bats are the main wild animals affected:
http://wildlife.state.co.us/RESEARCH/WILDLIFEHEALTH/RABIES/Pages/Rabies.aspx, and it's not a common situation.

anyways. just my own two cents.

(and, i have lost a chicken to raccoons, which i did not kill but relocated, then took pains to make sure my chicken pen and coop were fully predator proof. no accidents since. and yes, there are foxes, coyotes, opossum, raccoons, opossums, hawk, owls around me they just can't get in)

I cant relocate animals in my area I will get a fine. I have tried everything to scare this fox away. I am not trying to sound angry but I have fought myself over whether to kill this fox or not for the past week. I have two young children and this fox is being hand fed by someone. Its not just about my chickens anymore its about my girls as well. The other day we were outside and this thing came right up to my youngest freaked her out. Animals are wild and not meant to be pets and this one is way to comfy with humans. Sorry if I come off to be excited to kill it but I am I am glad its over I am glad I now have a rifle to protect my family (especially when my husband is out of town) if you read this thread from the start all the way through you will see this isnt all a game to me. and after I shot the fox tonight I cried. I dont enjoy taking a animals life. I have re-enforced my coop its tighter then fort knox and I doubt anything will get in... But when I have my kids to worry about I will kill whatever doesnt stay away from them. Yes feel bad for the fox thats fine but what about the chicken it killed? (my daughter fav) and what about my kids safety when a fox is coming up on your porch it HAS to go. sorry

I also called a wildlife officer and they told me they wouldnt come out and trap it or relocate it for me and to shoot it.

anyways those are my thoughts I didnt take any offence to what you said but this is my side of the story

 

[Mygirls20]

my new mossberg semi auto .22 her name is Foxy (thanks to Shellz

)


the fox has been taken care of and we will be having a little ceremony tomorrow with my daughters to say goodbye to the fox and bury it. I want my daughters to understand why we had to kill it and to respect the life it lived hoping its mate stays away

 

[soler]

You should report whoever is feeding the wildlife - that has to stop. It's only going to cause more problems, and it's dangerous. Wild animals are wild - i completely agree. And now he's caused the animal the get shot.

I put tightly woven chicken wire all around my fence (which was like 2x3 inches) so nothing can be pulled in/out. and i also bought 1x1 inch wire fence with i attached over the fence in case anyone wanted to climb or fly in. And i buried bunny wire 1.5 feet down in the ground case someone wants to try digging. No issues in 8 months.

 

[frigginchi]

This should be your theme song...

my new mossberg semi auto .22


the fox has been taken care of and we will be having a little ceremony tomorrow with my daughters to say goodbye to the fox and bury it. I want my daughters to understand why we had to kill it and to respect the life it lived hoping its mate stays away

 

[Mygirls20]

You should report whoever is feeding the wildlife - that has to stop. It's only going to cause more problems, and it's dangerous. Wild animals are wild - i completely agree. And now he's caused the animal the get shot.

I put tightly woven chicken wire all around my fence (which was like 2x3 inches) so nothing can be pulled in/out. and i also bought 1x1 inch wire fence with i attached over the fence in case anyone wanted to climb or fly in. And i buried bunny wire 1.5 feet down in the ground case someone wants to try digging. No issues in 8 months.

I did four layers of chicken wire on my fencing, also placed chicken wire on the ground and drove 4 inch metal stakes through then did the same to the inside of the coop and the run. I then covered the run with chicken wire and deer fencing nothings getting in hopefully

I have also reported my neighbor the wildlife officer didnt really seem to care and told me it happens all the time. I really got no help from them. I am going to file a compliant with the sheriffs office in the morning. I dont want to have to kill animals all the time. But this one had to go...