Unbelievable!! Foxes are now coming in the middle of the day!

[PaulaJoAnne]

Obviously firearms are out, so go with an air rifle, or a bow.
I am guessing its the method that is regulated, not the actual killing?

 

[Chieftain]

Quote:
It can be both, so discretion is advised along with a thorough knowledge of local laws. This no doubt differs from State to State so be wary of generalities on issues like this.

I do not condone openly breaking the law, but for those who choose to protect their flock as opposed to watching a predator systematically destroy your investment, I would counsel you to know your neighbors, and be smart about the choices of action that you make. If one had to dispose of a varmint in the back yard it is wise to do such things discretely and as quietly as possible and out of public view. In the City an air rifle makes little noise, where discharging the 12 Gauge will no doubt draw much unwanted attention not to mention immediate disapproval from many quarters...

Choose your battles, the tools you use, and where and when you use them, carefully.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
It can be both, so discretion is advised along with a thorough knowledge of local laws. This no doubt differs from State to State so be wary of generalities on issues like this.

I do not condone openly breaking the law, but for those who choose to protect their flock as opposed to watching a predator systematically destroy your investment, I would counsel you to know your neighbors, and be smart about the choices of action that you make. If one had to dispose of a varmint in the back yard it is wise to do such things discretely and as quietly as possible and out of public view. In the City an air rifle makes little noise, where discharging the 12 Gauge will no doubt draw much unwanted attention not to mention immediate disapproval from many quarters...

Choose your battles, the tools you use, and where and when you use them, carefully.

Thats why I mention using a bow. Its silent.
The other option, is to set up an area that is screened from the neighbors, get a good snare, and some chicken from the store to bait it with.
You can then dispatch the fox quietly, and take it away by night.

 

[gsim]

It could be that someone is even feeding him. It has happened before. They are the devil to trap and a leg trap is the only thing that is likely to catch him. A live trap is very unlikely to work. Be very careful with the pellet rifle too. A round can ricochet and go who knows where. Likely a shot taken from the 2nd fl is less likely to ricochet than one taken from ground level. I already have a vision of you up there with your night-vision, waiting patiently while the rest of the family is eating popcorn and watching TV.

 

[Chieftain]

Gene's exactly right about someone feeding those foxes. They may not be domesticated, but they probably are urbanized, in that they have multiple food sources other than just your chickens.

We have very healthy and well fed urban coyotes here for the very same reason. They are wicked smart and too sharp for a live trap.

Paula, I agree with you too. Anything that's quiet works.

We have dispatched a couple of 'possoms out here, because they repeatedly try and force their way into the crawlspace, then tear into your flexible forced air ductwork to nest. They can (and regularly do) cause major damage that is tremendously expensive to repair. I know some heat and air conditioning guys that could tell you horror stories about the damage a 'possum can do. If you trap a 'possom you can dispatch it quickly, quietly and humanely with either a .22 or the pellet gun, they both make about the same noise.

Sometimes it's just what has to be done. God gave us dominion over the animals and I take that to mean we make the best choices for them that does not involve cruelty or suffering, and I think we all take that seriously especially when we have stern duties to perform.

 

[sepiolida]

HAHA GET THE BOW!

Awesome!

I think I'll get a bow....

Maybe take it to the range first though.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Yes, you need to be proficiant and get it properly sighted in for your eyes and body, by someone who knows what they are doing.
Both dh and I have compounds. Dh is very proficant. Moose and bear. Me? I still need to practice. 40 pounds is hard for me to pull silently still.
THe other reason we have them, is if firearms get outlawed, we will still be able to hunt.

 

[theFox]

To add to what Chieftain had to say about checking the regs, in a number of places an air rifle and bow are considered firearms because they fire a projectile that can kill.

Just because it doesn't go boom doesn't mean it isn't a firearm.

 

[sepiolida]

Yes, bow ownership requires just as much responsibility as gun ownership. I didn't mean to put that out there lightly, but I do think it's awesome. And I think bow hunting is very respectable compared to gun hunting. Kind of a getting back to nature thing. I think I'd potential be very tempted to shoot at the neighbors dog if it got into our yard and started barking at the chickens or digging... so maybe that's an issue. j/k. Sort of.

 

[sepiolida]

Well, you're not likely to get caught if you fire a silent weapon at night... but be very careful...

I think you have the right to kill an urban fox that's harassing your birds. That fox shouldn't be there.