Fox problem

littlebitfarm · #1 05/09/10, 02:30 PM

I have at least 2 foxes that have decided that chicken dinner isn't just for Sunday anymore. They have taken at least 2 dozen birds. I have a permit from the DNR to get rid of them but haven't been very successful. I had a live trap (wired open) out there baited with chicken necks until the necks started disappearing every day. Set the trap and caught a opossum.

Chickens have always been locked up tight at night and then free to come and go until dark. When he first started coming, I kept the chickens locked up later afternoon when I was home from work. He was pretty reliable about showing up between 4 and 5. I spent a couple hours sitting in wait for him and finally got a shot at him. Don't know that he died or if he just bled some.

I truly don't have hours to sit around and wait for him to show up. I also have a little side business selling free range eggs and he is messing that up big time!

How do I get rid this beast???

Kathie

Patt · #2 05/09/10, 02:39 PM

Foxes are hard to catch! We had one back when we first moved here and he got hit by a car. Not a very reliable method of getting rid of them though!

Hope somebody has a good idea for you. I know it has taken us weeks of watching to catch racoons, it's a real pain though lots of sleepless nights!

fishhead · #3 05/09/10, 03:49 PM

Leg hold traps are much more effective but then you run the risk of catching your animals. Snares work well to if they duck under a fence somewhere.

An electric fence should work too. Even if it isn't a physical barrier you can probably put some real fear of the fence in him by hanging some bacon on the hot wire.

ronbre · #4 05/09/10, 03:54 PM

i LOVE foxes..they are so nice...

made into a jacket or some lovely fur trim

stirfamily · #5 05/09/10, 04:42 PM

Kathie my heart goes out to you. We had a fox problem this past winter. Lost 7 of my best hens. He came around just about dusk. Waited him out one evening and quickly dispachted him. We also put up an electric fence around the girls.
Hope you get him.
karen in NE Indiana

Ed Norman · #6 05/09/10, 07:12 PM

They hit us this spring. I called one up at dawn with rodent squeaks. You can purse your lips and suck in air and make squeaking noises and if the fox hears it, he will come. I set a snare in the crawl they dug, but they only used that when leaving with a hen, and the hen kept knocking the snare out of the way. Yesterday, the other one walked into a live trap for some reason, and met it's doom.

knight88 · #7 05/09/10, 07:25 PM

In the last week my 13 yr old son has been doing his job, 1 female adult red fox and 3 juvies... Takes patience...

littlebitfarm · #8 05/09/10, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knight88

In the last week my 13 yr old son has been doing his job, 1 female adult red fox and 3 juvies... Takes patience...

Can I borrow your son???

Actually I'm thinking a new gun that will allow multiple shots will help. Too close to neighbors and major road for a shot gun.

Kathie

rscheiderer · #9 05/15/10, 11:11 PM

Do you have a dog? We had trouble with critters (actually, possums love a chicken dinner) until we got dogs.

wogglebug · #10 05/16/10, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

Actually I'm thinking a new gun that will allow multiple shots will help. Too close to neighbors and major road for a shot gun.

A shot gun has a much shorter range than any rifled firearm. It may make a loud noise, but the effective range is 40 or at most 50 metres (44-55 yards). Twice that and you wouldn't kill anyone (or probably even injure them) with anything up to BB-sized shot. Actually, a bit smaller (say size 2 to size 4 shot) is about right for foxes.

fishhead · #11 05/16/10, 07:21 AM

I don't know what they cost but you can buy shotguns with extra long barrels. They are using them to shoot geese in the metro area because they are pretty quiet. I think they gun is about 6' long.