Is it legal to shoot a fox on your own land?

[NobleLord]

I live in rural Wiltshire and have a small farm. Amongst other things, we keep hens for eggs. Two weeks ago a fox got under the electric fence (God knows how!) and killed every one of them bar a broody that was in a separate hen house with her 3 chicks.

At 6am this morning I heard the hen making a very odd noise. I looked out of the window and there was the fking fox again trying to dig under the hen house! I shouted at it and it just looked up briefly then carried on. When I went charging out there it buggered off up the fields at a leisurely pace. I suspect that, unless I take drastic action, this sodding fox will be back every day and we'll never be able to keep hens again.

So, I have a number of 12 bores (legally!) and was wondering if I'd be within my rights to hide out one morning and shoot the bloody thing as it approaches the hen house? Any legal eagles on here that might be able to help?

I have a pain in the arse neighbour (ex-copper) who'll be down on me like a ton of bricks if I do break the law!!!

Cheers,
NL

[WorAl]

yup, its just hunting with a pack of dogs that is illegal, shoot at your will.

[VetteG]

Your land, fox is still vermin, blast away. I assume that your neighbour would not be within range at any time?
It may help if you can call it in, get someone to demonstrate if you can, I'm not the worlds expert on this but I am told that polestyrene on a piece of glass works well.

G

[crofty1984]

Shoot away.

[twiglove]

So as not to get grief from the jobsworth next door, could you borrow or buy a fox trap and then you could shoot it after the guy has gone out !

[Tyre_Tread]

If the shotguns are legally held and licensed and you are not shooting within a certain distance (Can't remember for sure) of a public right of way and its on your own land then discharging the firearm is OK.

BUT, you need to take reasonable care that you do not just injure the fox so a shotgun may not be the best method.

A .223 should be used and unless you have one..............

If you don't then speak to another local farmer who will know someone who can cull this nuisance. nThere are usually plenty of local people who wll be happy to shoot on your land and keep the pests under control. Geting clearance to shoot on the land through the police may be a problem. Talk to your local firearms officer.

Its a shame in some ways as although the fox may seem to kill unnecessarily they get a bad press because if left undisturbed it will take away all its killed and cache it away for when times are hard. So not wasteful.

I appreciate that their your chickens but Mr Fox doesn't know that.

NEVER, EVER, EVER, take a weapon of any sort including air rifles and especially firearms onto someone else's land without permission as you WILL be prosecuted with armed trespass no matter what your motives.

[SoapyShowerBoy]

http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/fox_2.htm

The problem is there will always be more foxes and you'll up in a trench waiting for the next wave rather then getting on with your life.

I have no idea if the above works, but perhaps a more hassle and care free option may be sought after?

[GingerWizard]

For an air rifle its 25meters from a public highway. You can shoot the fox with anything as long as you legally own it and are allowed to use it. You can use a dog as well, but only one! Some go and buy a mastif.

I've shot two this year for my friend who owns a farm.

Gwiz

[Dupont666]

Dont do what a mates dad did and take the shot from inside the house using a large shotgun... or more specifically not from the tiled bathroom.

Dozy fker went deaf for 2 days from the noise it created.

Still missed the fox going for the hens and almost hit the hen instead... still at least he couldnt hear his wife bk him.

[WorAl]

you cant shoot a fox with a bloody air rifle.

its 50 yards for a shotgun from a public right of way. I'd only use a shotgun if i could get close to the subject, anymore than 50 feet and you'll only injure it.

To be honest, it would be a min of a .223 rifle for me, just to make sure.

[Mattt]

Just use a claymore.

[Ganglandboss]

VetteG said:

Your land, fox is still vermin, blast away.

Not true. The fact that it is your land is irrelevant and contrary to popular belief, the fox has never been classified as vermin by DEFRA. A farmer can however, legally shoot any animal that genuinely poses a threat to his livestock. As said previously, if you must, you should make it as humane as possible by trying to make the kill as clean as possible

[Shake&Bake]

If it's a small pen, and you plan on keeping chickens long term, it may be a better idea to dig down a meter or so and install heavy gauge chicken wire in the trench,around the pen then back fill accordingly. To me it would be a better solution as you're not going to be at home all of the time and they are known as crafty for a reason.

[NobleLord]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

For the record, the guns are mine, registered to me and kept in a secure cabinet at my home. Unfortunately, the local firearms officer used to be the prick next door!

Anyway, we have about 1 acre of garden and a long thin 3 acre field. At it's widest point, the field is about 30 metres and the ahole next door owns the land that borders the field. The fox seems to be approaching from the top of the field and coming right the way down to the end where the house is... we have stables and the hens live beside them.

I reckon I could get a reasonably close shot at the fox by using the stables as cover. The problem is that, from the point where I'd discharge the weapon, I'd be approx 15 metres from the road and, as the crow flies, 10 metres from the corner of the neighbours garden. Due to the layout, the shot would be aimed up my field with no chance of any of it going onto the neighbours garden, but I'd still be pulling the trigger about 10 metres from the corner of his garden.

Sounds like I'll be in trouble if I go down this route as the st will be out with a tape measure as soon as he hears the shot.

I could speak to a local farmer to see if he can recommend someone with a rifle who'd want to have a pop, but I suspect we're still going to have the issue of shooting too close to someone else's land.

NL

[Exige77]

I Had same problem.

Don't waste your time with a shot gun. Buy or borrow a fox trap. Set it up near the chicken coup. Camaflouge it well. Put some herring or frozen chicken inside and just wait.

The Fox knows there is a chicken there and he will be back.

Tried camping out overnight with a gun. He knows you are there.

Trap the fker and then shoot it ! Forget letting it go in a "safe place".

Once they get in to a henhouse they will kill them all.

You are quite within your rights to shoot a Fox on your land.

Good luck with it.

Ex77

NobleLord said:

I live in rural Wiltshire and have a small farm. Amongst other things, we keep hens for eggs. Two weeks ago a fox got under the electric fence (God knows how!) and killed every one of them bar a broody that was in a separate hen house with her 3 chicks.

At 6am this morning I heard the hen making a very odd noise. I looked out of the window and there was the fking fox again trying to dig under the hen house! I shouted at it and it just looked up briefly then carried on. When I went charging out there it buggered off up the fields at a leisurely pace. I suspect that, unless I take drastic action, this sodding fox will be back every day and we'll never be able to keep hens again.

So, I have a number of 12 bores (legally!) and was wondering if I'd be within my rights to hide out one morning and shoot the bloody thing as it approaches the hen house? Any legal eagles on here that might be able to help?

I have a pain in the arse neighbour (ex-copper) who'll be down on me like a ton of bricks if I do break the law!!!

Cheers,
NL

[Don]

Yes you are. Get someone in to trap/dispose of it.

It sounds like you won't be able to negotiate with your neighbour so as to have permission to fire.

[GingerWizard]

WorAl said:

you cant shoot a fox with a bloody air rifle.

sorry that had me laughing my ass off! You can't shoot a fox with air rifle. Your quiet right! That would be like trying to kill a badger with a cricket ball! I only ment about distance from public high ways referance to air rifles. shoot a fox with an air rifle.... hehehehehehe

Edited by GingerWizard on Tuesday 16th June 11:31

[Lefty Guns]

Legal? Yes.

Morally objectionable? Not to me.

Fun? :scratchin: If you enjoy stalking and shooting then yes!










the last point may make me unpopular with the animal-lovers here. sorry 'bout that

[Lefty Guns]

GingerWizard said:

For an air rifle its 25meters from a public highway. You can shoot the fox with anything as long as you legally own it and are allowed to use it. You can use a dog as well, but only one! Some go and buy a mastif.

I've shot two this year for my friend who owns a farm.

Gwiz

Not with an air rifle surely?

[GingerWizard]

NO i am not telling people to shoot foxs with an air rifle. Although its making me laugh my back side off right now, i am not suggesting that people should do this!