Fox problem

**Tombie** · 28th January 2025, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by POD

I'm posting this question on Aulro because I know there are a lot of people here with broad experience in such matters who might be able to offer some solutions. Here's my situation:

I live on a rural property that is one of a row of 4-acre blocks carved off surrounding farmland about 40-50 years ago. I'm in about the middle of a row of such blocks. Behind my property is farmland but I don't share a boundary at the back; there's a disused road reserve that is pretty much scrub with a track against my back fence that I keep slashed for fire access, as do the neighbours either side.
Directly behind me, over this 'lane', there's a paddock of about 50 acres that is an absolute mess, storms about 20 years ago took down a lot of gum trees in that paddock and it has basically been left with fallen trees and uprooted stumps for all that time. That property is owned by a couple who are now probably in their 80s, had a successful local business and kept it as a 'hobby farm' until maybe 15 years ago when they began leasing it to local farmers who intermittently graze beef cattle in it. I have no real 'neighbour' relationship with this couple, their house fronts a different road at the other side of their property and as described above, we don't even share a back boundary.

We are being plagued by foxes that I believe are living and breeding in the unkempt block behind us. We have chooks that we like to allow to free range in the afternoons, but we're now having to keep them confined to the chook shed after losing more than one per day to foxes that I have observed- and tracked- making their way up into the block behind us. There's fox scat all over our place, including right up around the house. The other night I went outside at about 10pm to find three foxes skulking around my house.

I have a bit of a quandary in how to deal with these mongrel things. The property is too close to neighbours to really be shooting a rifle powerful enough to kill them (I bought a high-powered air rifle last spring to deal with an exploding rabbit population; I lay in wait and shot a fox in the face with it as he came through the fence a couple of nights ago; bugger flinched and ran off). Under Vic firearm law I would need approval from 2 neighbours each side (residences within 250 meters) to be at them with a shotgun; I'm not confident that they would all be on board.

I'm wanting to approach the property owner at the back with a request to do something about the fox sanctuary he is operating, but I want to be able to approach him with some suggestions that are viable, economical and likely to be effective. One thought is to suggest laying some 'canid pest ejector' baits in his block (can't do this in the 'lane' as neighbours walk their dogs) but these are not cheap. I'm hoping some of you blokes with knowledge and experience might be able to suggest some solutions that I can then suggest to the neighbour.

What High powered Air rifle wouldnt do in a Fox? When you say High Powered are you talking a break action unit?

Go for a nice PCP in something 25 to 30 cal. Add a Thermal scope and your problem will be gone!

**scarry** · 28th January 2025, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie

What High powered Air rifle wouldnt do in a Fox? When you say High Powered are you talking a break action unit?

Go for a nice PCP in something 25 to 30 cal. Add a Thermal scope and your problem will be gone!

Our inherited 50yr old .222 Remington,with a 4 to 12X scope is a very good fox and cat rifle,that is if you dont want to keep the fox skin.
It would have dropped thousands over the years,the majority at night using a spotlight.
My father used it when doing fox research in the Toowoomba and surrounding areas many years ago,as well.

A mate uses a .22 magnum,not bad at closer range,but the .222 was the best all rounder,and also not bad on the occasional pig.

Reports are thermal scopes are amazing but i am yet to use one.

**RANDLOVER** · 28th January 2025, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by 3toes

Foxes like pigeons have moved their habitat from the country to the city. Pigeons used to live on cliffs what did man build

In the UK they say the majority of the fox population lives in the city not the countryside. Is all about availability of food and habitat. Much easier to live and scavenge in the city than hunt in the countryside

I saw a doco that showed pigeons in London catching the Train from station to station to eat food scraps on the platforms, they can also recognise different human faces.

**V8Ian** · 28th January 2025, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I saw a doco that showed pigeons in London catching the Train from station to station to eat food scraps on the platforms, they can also recognise different human faces.

Inside or outside of the carriage? I'd like to see a ticket inspector chasing a pigeon.

**Old Farang** · 28th January 2025, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Inside or outside of the carriage? I'd like to see a ticket inspector chasing a pigeon.

The program that I saw were thinning them out with a fancy looking air rifle from where they were roosting under the roof. Ticket or not, they cleaned them out!

**RANDLOVER** · 29th January 2025, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Inside or outside of the carriage? I'd like to see a ticket inspector chasing a pigeon.

Inside and as they can recognise faces, they'd probably just wait for the next train if they see an inspector that usually chases them.

**Arapiles** · 29th January 2025, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I saw a doco that showed pigeons in London catching the Train from station to station to eat food scraps on the platforms, they can also recognise different human faces.

I saw a pigeon in Sydney get on the airport train and go a few stops. It wasn't lost or panicking, it was catching the train.

**Arapiles** · 29th January 2025, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie

What High powered Air rifle wouldnt do in a Fox? When you say High Powered are you talking a break action unit?

Go for a nice PCP in something 25 to 30 cal. Add a Thermal scope and your problem will be gone!

That's what I was thinking. If the PCPs can cleanly take rabbits at over 100 metres (check Edge of the Outback on Youtube) then they should be fine for a fox at up to 50m. The old break barrel airguns are only about 12 foot pounds, the new PCP ones are way more than that and can approch what a 22LR puts out.

**Arapiles** · 1st February 2025, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by Arapiles

That's what I was thinking. If the PCPs can cleanly take rabbits at over 100 metres (check Edge of the Outback on Youtube) then they should be fine for a fox at up to 50m. The old break barrel airguns are only about 12 foot pounds, the new PCP ones are way more than that and can approch what a 22LR puts out.

Actually, then found videos from Edge of the Outback knocking over foxes with a PCP out to 7o metres.

**Tombie** · 2nd February 2025, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Arapiles

Actually, then found videos from Edge of the Outback knocking over foxes with a PCP out to 7o metres.

Go up to a 30 cal version

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