Fox update

Sunday and Monday nights the fox came in from the west side. Tuesday night I took a leak next to the pen where the fox stood also got up at 3:30 am sat behind a tree for 45 minutes - no show. Wednesday night I took a leak in the same spot and the fox came in to the south side. I didn't get up last night. I am thinking about making a dummy to set out there with some old stinky clothes.

just drink more beer so you can pee more. Its a tough job but someone got to do it

Dave is right. Mark your territory.

I'll trade you straight up fox for neighbors. I found firework debris all in and around my pen this morning. I didn't hear them being shot off last night though. Poor hens didn't want to come out of the coop this morning. That leads me to the question; What kind of a game camera do you have? I have got to figure out whats going on in my yard at night!

WildGame is the name - my sil got about 3 years ago from Cabela's. It is nothing fancy and I think the price on them has gone down. I don't know your set up but if you're talking survellence meaning having to cover multiple directions you would probably need more than one. I have this one set up to basically watch the west side of the pen because I expect critters to come from the corn side as opposed from the mowed yard side. But I really should have one at the other end watching the North and East side.

At least the fox is guarding the henhouse

For years we never went anywhere on July 4 because one guy that lives across the street from our place in Dallas would set off fireworks toward our place. By July, it was generally pretty dry and the fire danger kept us at home.

I've found bottle rockets all over the pasture and even next to the barn (where hay is stored). Horses just about went nuts every year.

Guy had 150 acres of his own, but had to shoot them off in the street and toward our place. Subject wasn't open for discussion either.

Called the Fire Marshall one year. Fire Marshall knew exactly who I was talking about and said they'd been after him for years. While the guy's house & property is in the county and he can legally set of fireworks on his property, he insists on setting them off in the road, which is city property.

Now that his kids are gone, we don't have the problem anymore.

Sure didn't like finding that stuff out in the pasture and really bothered me finding it up next to the barn.

As I said before a simple electric fence will stop him or her in there tracks and they will not be back soon if ever. Also funny when you have your dog go around to check things out and it hits that fence they learn fast also. Put an electric fence around the pen say 5 foot out all the way around it 2 or 3 strands one at 6 inches one at 18 inches and one at 3 foot and your problem will soon go bye bye

Here here Dave! I like the way you think. I personally recommend Point Special Lager. There's no point in drinkin' if ya ain't drinkin' Point!

Nancy,

We had a nearly identical situation for years. Guy had his own 160 acres to shoot fireworks over... but too lazy to get off his front deck and walk out past his barn - so he shot them off across the road at our place. *Geez, we'd have even enjoyed watching them if not fired toward our home.

We finally had it when one literally rolled off the roof of our house. Called the police - the cop said that particular piece of fireworks equalled about 1/4 stick of dynomite! What the heck?!! We just continued calling the police every year as soon as they started firing them. They seemed to have stopped the last few years... but we will call the law immediately again - if fired in our direction. Some people's children have no brains anchored within their heads.

The only thing that will deter him for long is a well place shot.

I have a nice flat spot in a tree where I took a limb down this past winter that would cover the whole back yard where the coop and garden is which is on the property line. You would need a good size ladder to get to it, but it is far enough up and back I could get all the angles I need I think. I'll look those up thanks!

The cops here could care less and all fireworks are illegal in MA. Last summer we called all the time and the cops would come drive by but never stop and say anything because they couldn't catch them in the act.

Sorry to kinda run away with your post Kornfused.

(quoted from post at 08:20:15 06/21/12) Sunday and Monday nights the fox came in from the west side. Tuesday night I took a leak next to the pen where the fox stood also got up at 3:30 am sat behind a tree for 45 minutes - no show. Wednesday night I took a leak in the same spot and the fox came in to the south side. I didn't get up last night. I am thinking about making a dummy to set out there with some old stinky clothes.

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Taking a leak is a waste of time, they quickly get used to the smell and reconize there is no danger associated with it. Same with any of the other wives tails that you hear: human hair from your barber, soap, dirty clothes with human smell. Think about it, your whole dooryard already stinks (to a fox) like humans, you think putting a little bit more human scent out there is going to do anything? On the other hand, human scent where it has no place being, like in the middle of the woods, snaps a fox to attention PDQ.

Your picture is showing just what I was saying in the other thread, Mr. Fox will be back again and again as well as Mr. Fox pacing the perimeter of the cage, looking for a way in. Even if Mr. Fox never breaks in for a meal, he will always stop for a visit and a look when he is in the hood. Its best to just set out some traps in the proper spots and get a good nights sleep. Not only is it hard to wake up to try to catch him, he knows you are there and you will never see him. If you do get lucky (really lucky), he will be in and out of your sight so quickly you may not even get a shot off. If you do get a shot off, its highly unlikely you will hit him. While its not impossable, its very hard because a fox is not alot bigger than a large cat once you shave down the fluffy fur on a fox. All that fur really messes up your aim, especially in the dark.

You might want to start a baiting program with dog treats. It gets the fox used to a quick and easy snack. Then in the future, you can easily set traps on the bait and catch him.

Whatever you do, good luck. You now have a regular visitor and the only way you could have a more determined and happy visitor is if he ever gets a free meal of chicken out of his visits. Even now, the only way to stop the fox from coming in is to kill him.

Anybody that knows anything about fox traping would have him in a night or two.

I don't have chickens but as long as I have foxes I don't have any mice around. Sure is a lot easier than setting mouse traps. The foxes don't seem to live too long, I think average life span is about a year between cars, distemper, & predators. Better than stray cats that pee on the porch and domestic cats you have to take care of. Good luck! joe-