Fox shooting all year round.

Hunter456

A topic that will pop up its head around this time of year every so often on Facebook and other forums. For some people like my self i think its an absolute most to control foxes all year round when we have pheasants brooding and lambs being born, this topic is in no way shape or form directed to cause a **** storm i just want to see people's thoughts on the shooting foxes around this time of year.

blackpearl

Scorched earth policy all year if possible,have to say i ease up during nov to jan just go out a odd night to tired from hunting all day 2 or 3 times a week but from feb on all trough the summer never stop.

dodderangler

Realistically the best time was end of Jan as they start looking for mates then so they'll be out a lot. End of Feb is normally the lambing season. Then mid summer the cubs will start popping out and easily shot. Winter is longer night time so that's a benefit.

DogfoxCork

all year round policy here.

Hunter456

DogfoxCork wrote: »

all year round policy here.

Same policy I have aswell.

Vegeta

Yeah it comes up the odd time here, some people comment that they stop shooting them around St. Paddy's day etc. I always fail to see the logic in that.

While it's possible to enjoy all types of hunting I see fox shooting/hunting as more of a preventative maintenance type activity. Primarily done to keep fox numbers down to give certain game species a better chance at survival. Not shooting them at certain times of the year is at odds with that goal.

I'm not saying lads who take a break during the year are wrong, hell there are long gaps between my own trips out after fox because life can get in the way, but the above is just my opinion on it and I'd happily go after fox at any time during the year.

Half-cocked

If you hit them hard in January when it's easiest, you'll take out the vixens before they produce cubs. A stitch in time and all that.

Damoeire33

I've seen a lot of them around this week, are cubs born yet?? Few of my chickens were taken in the middle of the day. Usually this only happens here when there's hungry cubs to feed

Hunter456

Damoeire33 wrote: »

I've seen a lot of them around this week, are cubs born yet?? Few of my chickens were taken in the middle of the day. Usually this only happens here when there's hungry cubs to feed

some have dropped their cubs.

dodderangler

I don't reallly shoot me now because vixens are either pregnant or have cubs at home. I know it's weird but I don't want to kill a mother vixenand have her cubs starve to death. That's not the way I want a fox to die.
Maybe I'm on me own on that.

Tikka391

dodderangler wrote: »

I don't reallly shoot me now because vixens are either pregnant or have cubs at home. I know it's weird but I don't want to kill a mother vixenand have her cubs starve to death. That's not the way I want a fox to die.
Maybe I'm on me own on that.

That's the way I work too.
Stoped last week won't go out again lamping till middle of may.
I will still be doing pleanty of recon though.
Looking for dens, and other foxy activity.
At least when I start back I'll know where the fox families are.

td5

They will have killed a lot of wildlife between now and middle of May !!!!

blackpearl

Sorry, but thats when they are at their most dangerous when feeding cubs.Idont think that mr or mrs fox will feel sorry for the mother hen if she is sitting on eggs or chicks.

Hunter456

blackpearl wrote: »

Sorry, but thats when they are at their most dangerous when feeding cubs.Idont think that mr or mrs fox will feel sorry for the mother hen if she is sitting on eggs or chicks.

have to agree with Black-pearl pheasants are brooding and other birds such as song birds, lambs are being taken so in my book its fare game and the fox wont stop y should i. i'm not looking for an excuses to go out and lamp around this of year i just don't treat my foxing as sport and your entitled to that.

Damoeire33

In my limited experience they are causing more damage this time of the year, my hens always get picked off. If I get the opportunity Mr Fox won't get another free chicken dinner.
previously I just had a shotty and a 10/22 but recently got a 223 which will be better suited

td5

Agree fully with the previous posts. Keep at them all year. But make a special effort during the Spring. Better a Vixen today than than having to sort a litter in May. And it's the same Guys who observe a "Close Season" for Foxes that are Crying come November about how scare the Pheasants are.

Black Red.

To anyone that would shoot a vixen in milk ,would you get a terrier and look for the cubs to put them down ?

Hunter456

Black Red. wrote: »

To anyone that would shoot a vixen in milk ,would you get a terrier and look for the cubs to put them down ?

yes i have two to assist me in dispatching the cubs but by the time you see the vixen up out of the earth the cubs will be mobile and starting to appear so if a vixen is shot go to earth and wait for them appear. sunny days or mild dry nights they will be out playing.

Fastnet50

They have been around for millions of years and deserve a little bit of respect since their main diet is rats , rabbits etc. I for one would hate to shoot a Vixen in milk as all my hunting is I hope with some degree of compassion. Would hate any animal to die from starvation and as a lifetime hunter really hate to see the posts with up to ten lamped foxes and some clown boasting about it. lamping is easy and not really a skill at all. Go out early in the morning for the thrill of the hunt and try your skill, but do not go boasting about a load of dead foxes that required no skill to kill.

Hunter456

Fastnet50 wrote: »

They have been around for millions of years and deserve a little bit of respect since their main diet is rats , rabbits etc. I for one would hate to shoot a Vixen in milk as all my hunting is I hope with some degree of compassion. Would hate any animal to die from starvation and as a lifetime hunter really hate to see the posts with up to ten lamped foxes and some clown boasting about it. lamping is easy and not really a skill at all. Go out early in the morning for the thrill of the hunt and try your skill, but do not go boasting about a load of dead foxes that required no skill to kill.

i have shot them early mornings, hot summers day at noon and last light stalked up on them while they are fast asleep, lamping is a skill and takes years to master, i'm a solo lamper and learnt fast i think to beat to fox on his own territory is a skill in it self might i add. i never treat my foxing as sport its down to pure vermin control nothing else.

Fastnet50

I have lamped amongst other things foxes in the past and it is just my opinion mind you that there is not a lot of skill in calling in a fox, lamping and shooting it. I am not saying there is anything wrong with it especially if they become troublesome. My point is shooting foxes all year round eg (March and April) is a cruel thing on the pups. Fox hunting has always been considered a sport by hunters albeit there was a levy on their tail. There are closed seasons for almost all birds and animals and I feel shooting them while they are feeding pups is not the opinion of most sportspeople. I am probably different but I never see a fox as vermin like I would see rats, mink magpies etc.

blackpearl

Foxs do far more damage than mags or grey crows is this tread turning into rip.ie

Hunter456

Fastnet50 wrote: »

I have lamped amongst other things foxes in the past and it is just my opinion mind you that there is not a lot of skill in calling in a fox, lamping and shooting it. I am not saying there is anything wrong with it especially if they become troublesome. My point is shooting foxes all year round eg (March and April) is a cruel thing on the pups. Fox hunting has always been considered a sport by hunters albeit there was a levy on their tail. There are closed seasons for almost all birds and animals and I feel shooting them while they are feeding pups is not the opinion of most sportspeople. I am probably different but I never see a fox as vermin like I would see rats, mink magpies etc.

Ok your entitled to that opinion and respect it but I do not consider my fox shooting as sport I'll repeat it again. If you are in a gun club what would you rather game or fox you can't have both. I shoot them all year as I feel it gives brooding wild pheasants and song birds a real chance. I also trap magpies and greys as they to impact wildlife and eggs.

Fastnet50

Foxes do more damage than magpies and grey crows I think not blackpearl. RIP.IE???. Magpies have doubled in the last 40 years and carrion crows almost the same. Hence the distinct absence of song birds, blackbirds, thrush,blue tits, linnets etc, and believe it or not they also raid ground nesting birds eggs and chicks etc. Is the dawn chorus getting quieter well I think so.
And Hunter456 as I said its only my opinion and I respect yours especially as you are a member of a game club and as I said if they become bothersome then deal with it. Spent the last 40 odd years hunting and have developed a respect for the quarry I have hunted probably comes with age. Keep at the greys and magpies as they do more damage than you would think.

blackpearl

Fastnet50 wrote: »

Foxes do more damage than magpies and grey crows I think not blackpearl. RIP.IE???. Magpies have doubled in the last 40 years and carrion crows almost the same. Hence the distinct absence of song birds, blackbirds, thrush,blue tits, linnets etc, and believe it or not they also raid ground nesting birds eggs and chicks etc. Is the dawn chorus getting quieter well I think so.
And Hunter456 as I said its only my opinion and I respect yours especially as you are a member of a game club and as I said if they become bothersome then deal with it. Spent the last 40 odd years hunting and have developed a respect for the quarry I have hunted probably comes with age. Keep at the greys and magpies as they do more damage than you would think.

I have trapped mags and grey crows for years know all about them ,and by the way no carrion crows in south of ireland might be a handfull up north,also a member of 3 game clubs thank god most members in the clubs fox shooting all year around and digging also and that includes cubs ,some people on here about stopping fox control this time of year the same people who were saying that foxes were the main reason why wild pheasants were disappering [SCORCHED EARTH ATTACK] all year round when it comes to foxes,was out the other morning at dawn taking a look at fox snares dawn chorus was as strong as ever.

Fastnet50

blackpearl wrote: »

I have trapped mags and grey crows for years know all about them ,and by the way no carrion crows in south of ireland might be a handfull up north,also a member of 3 game clubs thank god most members in the clubs fox shooting all year around and digging also and that includes cubs ,some people on here about stopping fox control this time of year the same people who were saying that foxes were the main reason why wild pheasants were disappering [SCORCHED EARTH ATTACK] all year round when it comes to foxes,was out the other morning at dawn taking a look at fox snares dawn chorus was as strong as ever.

You must be right so, but on a personal note I would not dig up or shoot nursing foxes ever. Also carrion crows and hooded crows have exactly the same traits and habits. As for fox snares well good luck with that and I thought people gave that up years ago. Not a proper way to kill any animal but hey.

blackpearl

Fastnet50 wrote: »

You must be right so, but on a personal note I would not dig up or shoot nursing foxes ever. Also carrion crows and hooded crows have exactly the same traits and habits. As for fox snares well good luck with that and I thought people gave that up years ago. Not a proper way to kill any animal but hey.

You stick to that way of thinking ,i except that,every pen we have when poults are their is ringed with snares and mink traps although when that times comes foxes are as scarce as hens teeth.