Though foxes are beautiful-looking animals, they are also ruthless killers, which is why we need the best fox control kit we can get. This farm has a zero-tolerance policy where foxes are concerned and they are culled whenever possible. It is a fairly typical southern sheep farm and, with the…
Foxes
Patience is a powerful tool where foxing is concerned, writes Patrick Hook.
Here are his top 10 tips for foxing in the moonlight
- Be stealthy, take your time and become part of the fabric of the landscape
- Don’t smoke while you’re out (better still, don’t smoke at all)
- Don’t wear aftershave or use pungent toothpaste
- Put your mobile phone on silent
- Avoid things that will give your presence away – noisy gates, brittle sticks, etc.
- Wear quiet clothing – no swishy materials, no clumpy boots
- Don’t carry anything that rattles – ammo, keys, etc.
- Don’t allow yourself to become skylined.
- Learn your ground, but be aware that your quarry probably knows the terrain better than you.
- The moon will reveal any light colours or reflective surfaces, so check your kit over for anything visual that might give your presence away. If in doubt, put some matt tape over it.
Preparing for the lambs with Mark Ripley
We join Mark Ripley (260 Rips) as he heads out to thin out a few foxes on his ground during the mating season. With lambing just around the corner, he knows the importance of shooting as many as possible now to help reduce the numbers in the spring when they…
The Shooting Show – Thermals in the thunder with Mark Ripley
Mark Ripley shows that even with all the best equipment such as the Pulsar Accolade 2 Thermal binoculars and the Pulsar Krypton Thermal scope add on, it can still be difficult to catch up with a problem fox – especially in the middle of a thunderstorm! Kit list Optics: –…
Ban on snaring could impact fox control efforts, warn gamekeepers
The announcement that the Scottish Government would consider the option of a ban on snaring came in response to a question from Labour’s Colin Smyth MSP. The regional list member for the South of Scotland asked Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform Mairi McAllan about whether the soon to…
What are the legal calibres for foxes and rabbits?
After many years shotgun shooting my partner and I have been looking into culling foxes and rabbits by rifle at the various farms where we shoot.
Countryside groups ready for court action if fox control bill prevents humane practices
Shooting Times understands that countryside groups are in receipt of advice that they potentially have strong challenges to legislation under the European Convention on Human Rights and that they have been marshalling resources to take the case to court. Fox control bill Currently, packs of dogs may be used to…
Looking for a permission for foxing? Here’s how to go about it
How to get a permission for foxing Dress to impress: wearing clothing that looks like you belong in the countryside will get you far more accepted than turning up at a farm in your best Nike gear. Be professional and polite: have insurance or, better still, BASC membership and business…
Lamping kit – how has it changed?
Fox shooting technology has come a long way since I first drove around a field in circles hoping to spot a fox in the headlights. That was in the early 1970s, and we thought we were at the cutting edge with our lamping kit when we bolted a wooden handle…
Long range foxing – how to go about it
Long range foxing early in the morning From where I sat, I could see the entire lambing field. All had remained calm until I noticed the ewe closest to the cover stand up and stare intently at the bushes. I was already watching the area after I noticed the blackbirds…
Useful foxing equipment
When it comes to useful foxing equipment , there’s so much conflicting advice around that I thought it would make sense to look at what’s actually used out in the field. In this enterprise I have chosen to focus on four experienced fox shooters, including me, Paul, my usual shooting…
This is how to take somebody night-time foxing for the first time
To those of us who do it regularly, night-time foxing is no big deal. For many others who have never, or rarely, been before, it can be a really memorable occasion. As a result, one of the things that Paul, my regular shooting partner, and I like to do is…
How to control foxes when they’ve become lamp shy
Lamping may be one of the most efficient ways to kill foxes but if you miss then, you'll have created a much fightier foe. Liam Bell outlines other options for fox control
How to keep predators out of your pheasant pen
Wise keepers make life as difficult as possible for those pheasant pen predators intent on finding a tasty meal. Birds are usually lost in two ways: Mass kills of poults caught together on the ground (usually within the pen) by the predator A gradual loss, as one or two birds…
No guarantees with this most wily foe the fox
It will come as no surprise that foxes are the UK’s biggest predator of both ground-nesting birds and released game. Because we don’t have large apex predators to assist with their control, as they do in some other parts of the world, it is down to us. Reasons to control…
What diseases could my dog pick up from foxes?
Disease from foxes All dogs, including gundogs can get the following disease from foxes: Sarcoptic mange Lungworm Rabies Dogs and foxes do suffer from the same diseases, though, of which the most worrying is rabies. We have been rabies-free in Britain for 98 years — since quarantine for dogs was…
What happens to urban foxes dumped in rural areas?
If you do much foxing you are doubtless aware that most farmers are worried to some extent about ‘drop-outs’ — urban foxes dumped in countryside, trapped foxes released on or close to their land by some of the animal charities. It’s a regular occurrence for me to have to reassure…
Cartridges and calibres for pest control
Wondering what is the best calibre for foxes? Rabbits? There are so many different species of pests – you can’t band together a rabbit and a fox – that you can’t have a single calibre for them all. So instead I am going to take a look at the various…