fox shooting laws, advice please

[PippaMattinson]

Thanks guys!

[phoenix]

Brilliant posts folks,  something everyone should know.
If I see him I will warn him about my twenty year old ginger cat. The gunman obviously isn't being furtive and is complying with the regulations responsibly. We are a rural area with local gun clubs, in fact  Saturday mornings can sound like  a war zone when the red flag is up.
I find culling distasteful, but have lost many free range pet chickens over the years, all in daylight, as has the neighbour in question.
Now my OH wants a gun too!

[west]

I should add that a cat should be easily distinguished from a fox.  This is true even if it is dark and the shooter is 'lamping'.  The eyes have a different coloured hue (red for foxes and green for dogs/cats).

I remember a potentially devastating moment when my father was lamping and saw a pair of eyes in the hedge.  He looked down the sites and closed in to accurately identify who the eyes belonged to.  There was a drunk tramp sleeping in a sleeping bag. This highlights why marksmen should ALWAYS identify what they are shooting at before shooting.

Also, I should add that a 'pack' of foxes simply isn't possible.  At this time of year the cubs can be quite large and will be seen with Mum and Dad.  This is most likely why you saw 5 in one place.  If the family have raised 3 strong healthy cubs, they will almost certainly look at easy pickings like chickens.  Foxes are strictly terratorial so, really, they should only be culled where they are causing considerable problems, particularly in winter.  I have found that by ensuring you have a suitably nervous/shy vixen in your area, if you leave her alone, she will keep away any potentially bolder (chicken-stealing) vixens (in winter).   

[PennyB]

Also, I should add that a 'pack' of foxes simply isn't possible.  At this time of year the cubs can be quite large and will be seen with Mum and Dad.  This is most likely why you saw 5 in one place.  If the family have raised 3 strong healthy cubs, they will almost certainly look at easy pickings like chickens.  Foxes are strictly terratorial so, really, they should only be culled where they are causing considerable problems, particularly in winter.  I have found that by ensuring you have a suitably nervous/shy vixen in your area, if you leave her alone, she will keep away any potentially bolder (chicken-stealing) vixens (in winter).   

Also sometimes an adult 'sister' from the previous year may help mum and dad raise a litter too - I once had a family at the bottom of my garden - they had 7 cubs with 3 adults. However, as with many urban foxes 5 of cubs succumbed to mange from poor nutrition (or were hit by a car).

[Coco]

I would say if you have any further concerns, whilst it's not the 'right' way to go about it, speak to your local firearms officer. It's not his job to talk to you but IME they are always very nice people and are always happy to educate people regarding the laws around firearm ownership.

[millrace]

(red for foxes and green for dogs/cats).
ummmm not exactly correct,my cockers eyes when lit by torch orange/amber defo not green!!
this topic has been interesting read,showing how non shooters easily assume that the shooter is in the wrong equally there has been some great info passed on fair play to all!!

[Loudon]

(red for foxes and green for dogs/cats).

this topic has been interesting read,showing how non shooters easily assume that the shooter is in the wrong equally there has been some great info passed on fair play to all!!

How things change! When I was young we had two fox skins used as rugs in the house and I would run around with the skins on my head playing a Red Indian. My old pop shot for most of his adult life but one day came in and said that he couldn't shoot a fox. And that was that, the guns and equipment were sold shortly afterwards.

I still think fondly of the shooting fraternity. To a man or woman they were all self disciplined with safety the priority. I never heard of one trying to kill a cat.

Remember, without shooting we wouldn't have the spaniels, retrievers, pointers, labs, etc.