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

[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

[NobleLord]

Exige77 said:

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

The problem is that I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that wander round the garden and will have access to the area that I place the fox trap in.

We're planning to replenish our stock of hens very soon, but don't want to do it until I've dealt with this little st.

For the record, when he came and killed them all he took 1 away and left the other 14 in the fenced area with their throats torn out. Worst of all, my 5 year old daughter was the first to see it and she treated them like pets. This is why I have very little respect for foxes any more

NL

[NobleLord]

Thanks again for all the advice... it's given me plenty of ideas and things to watch out for.

A dumb question I guess, but, if I use one of these humane traps and get the fox, I'm then in the same position over killing it with a weapon on my property. Also, I don't really fancy a point blank shot at the little st with a 12 bore as that'll no doubt damage a bloody expensive fox trap. I can't shoot it in the trap with a rifle as I don't have a licence. So, what the hell am I supposed to do with it once I've trapped it

NL

PS. I don't really want to go down the route of reinforcing the coup with deep wire as we use a movable electric fence setup and move the coup around during the year to ensure they always have fresh grass.

[NobleLord]

Ganglandboss said:

NobleLord said:

I can't shoot it in the trap with a rifle as I don't have a licence. So, what the hell am I supposed to do with it once I've trapped it

Releasing it away from your property is all you can legally do. Foxes are protected animals which you cannot kill without a hunting licence. As I said earlier, as a farmer you may legally shoot any animal animal if it poses a threat to your livestock. If the amimal is caught in a humane trap, it no longer poses a threat.

Edited by Ganglandboss on Tuesday 16th June 17:03

Interesting point... bit of a dilemma there. I think I may need to apply for a firearms licence that covers more than shotguns.

NL

[NobleLord]

Ganglandboss said:

NobleLord said:

I can't shoot it in the trap with a rifle as I don't have a licence. So, what the hell am I supposed to do with it once I've trapped it

Releasing it away from your property is all you can legally do. Foxes are protected animals which you cannot kill without a hunting licence. As I said earlier, as a farmer you may legally shoot any animal animal if it poses a threat to your livestock. If the amimal is caught in a humane trap, it no longer poses a threat.

Edited by Ganglandboss on Tuesday 16th June 17:03

I suppose I could always leave the little st in the trap until it starves to death

NL

[NobleLord]

markcjd said:

As I have said before, just because something can be done does not mean it should.

If you have killed a fox with an air rifle then I cannot dispute your claim. It is however irresponsible and playing into the hands of the antis when foxes start being injured rather than killed.

The acid test would be to apply for a FAC and list a 40 lb/ft air rifle with use for fox. I'll wager it is declined swiftly as plod will not consider the calibre suitable.

The margin for error, assuming your claims to be correct, are too small with an air weapon. A deflection as a result of the wind or an unseen twig or plant will knock the shot off and increase the already too high risk of injuring your prey.

For a lot less cash than the mid to high end PCP air rifles you can buy a .17 hmr that will gaurantee a clean kill with correct placement or for the same cash get a .223.

For clarity, don't shoot foxes with air weapons. Ever.

As the OP, it's useful to hear input from others with more experience in these matters. So, the You Tube video posted on page 2 lists one of these clicky as the weapon that seems to have done a pretty good job on the fox. I have a shotgun licence, but do I need a different licence for one of these?

Coming back to markcjd's post above, do I need a licence for a .17 hmr and, if so, how do I go about getting one? I suspect it may be easier for me as I live in the sticks and own a small farm with a fox problem.

NL

[NobleLord]

Marcellus said:

can I just clarify; your next door neighbour was a firearms officer and you don't get on too well with him?

If so, so what?

OK so he knows the law... iirc shooting a shot gun within 50m of a public highway is a nono but I don't think that applies to property boundaries (assuming no public highway is the other end of the fence)

YOu are legally allowed to shoot the f****er on your land or any land you have permission to shoot on.

So, why not pop round and explain you've got a problem with foxes attacking your birds and that you are going to try and shoot it on ??????.

Most FOs I've met shoot themselves and you never know he might want to help!!

Ah, I forgot to explain that we've had a monumental falling out with him on account of him complaining about everything from mud on the road to a noisy wind chime. Last week he sent us a letter saying that he would prosecute us if our horses leant over the fence and ate the back of his hedge again. Anyway, don't get me started on this one.... last time I exchanged any words with him was about 1 year ago when I told him to fk off after he complained about a helicopter landing in my field and scaring his chickens!!!

So, I can't involve him, but am sure that he'll involve himself if he feels that I'm breaking the law in any way, shape or form.

I'd be shooting from a position less than 50m from a public road, but facing the other way. I'll try and knock together an image to show the lie of the land.

NL