when is the best time to shoot foxes

john p o shea

just wonderin is it better to shoot foxes early in morning or just as its getten dark any tips.....

The Aussie

For me it's after dark, when I do see then out Deer Stalking I will still drop them, but will always go after dark when I'm targeting them specifically, which is all year round...

john p o shea

cheers for that i was just wondering because iv never gone out in morning i think where i shoot isnt to plentyfull anyway for foxes i need more land

Sika98k

In the early summer late evenings and early mornings can produce good results.
Ok,you are not going to shoot two or three per outing and more often than not it will have been a fruitless excercise.

But when it pays off it pays well.2 old military adages which are very applicable.
"Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted"
"Always take the high ground". I won't bother with "hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes" Zulu was on TV early in Xmas 😄

So plan where you are going to sit out, maybe overlooking where two woods are close to each other or some natural wildlife corridor. Where you can,get up high. Animals tend not to look up. So a high seat or some natural vantage point with a good wide field of fire will help. Keep the wind on your face.

Wintertime I leave it til two or three hours after sunset. Sure I have,as we all have,shot them on the edge of dark but there is more movement later on.
Grallochs and boned out deer carcasses tend to make good natural baits.or down to the local fish shop for heads,tails and guts.
Good luck and make sure of your backstop and what you are shooting at.

john p o shea

i shoot with night vision all the time so i just ordered a new lamp so om going to try new methods i never tryed bait defo going to try the fish heads and guts thanks for the advice wish me luck

tayto lover

Not totally on topic but why do farmers/hunters shoot foxes?
Do they kill lambs or what?
Just asking.

john p o shea

ye they kill a lot of lambs every year so farmers do be happy when they get shot same with rabbits they dig up the fields

dodderangler

Sika98k wrote: »

In the early summer late evenings and early mornings can produce good results.
Ok,you are not going to shoot two or three per outing and more often than not it will have been a fruitless excercise.

But when it pays off it pays well.2 old military adages which are very applicable.
"Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted"
"Always take the high ground". I won't bother with "hold your fire until you see the whites of their eyes" Zulu was on TV early in Xmas 😄

So plan where you are going to sit out, maybe overlooking where two woods are close to each other or some natural wildlife corridor. Where you can,get up high. Animals tend not to look up. So a high seat or some natural vantage point with a good wide field of fire will help. Keep the wind on your face.

Wintertime I leave it til two or three hours after sunset. Sure I have,as we all have,shot them on the edge of dark but there is more movement later on.
Grallochs and boned out deer carcasses tend to make good natural baits.or down to the local fish shop for heads,tails and guts.
Good luck and make sure of your backstop and what you are shooting at.

Heard of lads using cat food as bait aswell.
I got my first morning one this morning.

john p o shea

well done i might wait for summer to give mornings a try would ye need to bait the area for a week or two first

The Aussie

tayto lover wrote: »

Not totally on topic but why do farmers/hunters shoot foxes?
Do they kill lambs or what?
Just asking.

Well this will be a bit of an oxymoron for a person who does not hunt, but...

I shoot them for conservation reasons, I'm in one of the last pockets where there are Red Grouse, so to give the Grouse a chance i lighten the local Fox population, all year round, I don't give them a chance...

john p o shea

well where i shoot its corn fields so i just shoot for the love its nearly all tillage farmers

dodderangler

john p o shea wrote: »

well done i might wait for summer to give mornings a try would ye need to bait the area for a week or two first

I've never baited before but assuming it'd be like course fishing in a way ( I know not related ) but bait the area for few days and return.

john p o shea

will do ill give it a try i often leave pigeons and rabbits out they always get eaten iv only ever got one fox were i go there shy

dodderangler

john p o shea wrote: »

well where i shoot its corn fields so i just shoot for the love its nearly all tillage farmers

Nothin wrong with shooting for the love of it mate. I love shooting crows and foxes.
Foxes aren't easy and it's a bigger challenge to get a fox who has been shot at before.
I went out for a fox this morning because I won't be lamping till new year so I had t get out now as the farmer asked me t get him a fox so he could send it off to be tested for parasites.

john p o shea

i used to do a lot of decoying in the summer havent for a while, thats interestind didnt know farmers got the fox tested do you find it hard getting permision

dodderangler

john p o shea wrote: »

i used to do a lot of decoying in the summer havent for a while, thats interestind didnt know farmers got the fox tested do you find it hard getting permision

Em well I havint really tried lately tbh.
I'm ok for permission ATM. Have land for foxes and others and another for foxes and more rabbits than you could shake a stick at. That'll do me for time being.

john p o shea

i find it hard to land i live in blanch i shoot near clonee have 70 acres out there farmers ok i think its a meath hates dublin thing or something

dodderangler

john p o shea wrote: »

i find it hard to land i live in blanch i shoot near clonee have 70 acres out there farmers ok i think its a meath hates dublin thing or something

Keep at it mate. Worse they can say is no. Be sure to mention you've got insurance.

Capercaille

The Aussie wrote: »

Well this will be a bit of an oxymoron for a person who does not hunt, but...

I shoot them for conservation reasons, I'm in one of the last pockets where there are Red Grouse, so to give the Grouse a chance i lighten the local Fox population, all year round, I don't give them a chance...

One of the biggest threats to Red Grouse are foxes, due to fragmented habitat and conifer plantations. If there was more people culling foxes in Grouse areas it would really boost the Grouse populations.

J.R.

Good book up for bids on e bay at the moment - I have a copy & it's a great read.

Foxing With Lamp And Rifle By Robert Bucknell

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/191465011044?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649